Worst Injuries of the 2018 NFL Season

This was the worst injury for several reasons. Smith broke his leg in a game against the Texans, and the break pierced the skin. A week later, an infection began to spread through his leg while he was in the hospital. This injury might threaten his career, especially considering he was the 2005 number one overall pick.

It also derailed what was once a promising season for Washington, ending with a disappointing 7-9 record after they had led the NFC East at one point.

Interestingly, a similar incident happened to former Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann over 30 years ago, with so many similar conditions that it might seem like Smith and Theismann were the same person.

Yikes, this was downright brutal. The injury to the Cowboys receiver actually occurred during an NFC wild card matchup with the Seahawks. His leg essentially did a 180 while you could see it snap. He was taken out on a stretcher and underwent multiple surgeries to stabilize the leg. Who knows what his status will be for 2019.

This one was really painful to watch. They wouldn't even replay it on TV or on a couple of websites because of how graphic the injury was.

The football gods seem to hate the 49ers, and 2018 was another testament to that. After trading for and finding a franchise quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo, he tore his ACL in Week 3. Following that injury, San Francisco stumbled to a dismal 3-13 record, which was not even last in their division. They had better hope the same thing doesn't happen in 2019 if they want any hope for the playoffs.

And that was the moment I knew our season was over. We lost several key players to injuries over the course of the season. Hopefully, next year we will actually stay healthy for once.

Neal's ACL tear in Week 1 changed the trajectory of the Falcons' defense and their season. Their secondary and defense were pretty much crippled the whole season, though Damontae Kazee provided relief at safety with Neal gone.

In another cruel, ironic twist of events for the injury-riddled Redskins, their backup quarterback to replace Alex Smith also broke his leg. It's just sad to see that McCoy went out and gave the chance for Mark Sanchez and Josh Johnson to play.

The only reason Hayes tore his ACL was that he was trying to avoid getting flagged for roughing the passer, which the NFL enforced too much in 2018. It's stupid how players are injuring themselves because of an NFL rule.

If Earl Thomas had not broken his leg, he probably would have been traded to either Kansas City or Dallas. If he had gone to Kansas City, that might have revitalized their defense with his veteran presence and significantly improved it. However, Thomas found himself sidelined yet again in 2018.

It didn't really affect Green Bay, but the injury was brutal. His own teammate accidentally ran into him, and his ankle collapsed under the pressure. That sidelined him for the rest of the season.