Thankfully, a hyperextension without contact does not always mean an ACL tear.

And it appears Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette got lucky his team plays on grass.

Fournette took an off-balance step while trying to juke a defender in the fourth quarter. By video, as his knee slightly hyperextended, the turf gave way, and he slipped and rolled his ankle.

If his foot had gotten stuck in the ground, that play had the makings of an ACL tear.


Instead, he appears to have only suffered a mild low (basketball-type) ankle sprain.

Don’t be surprised if there is a later report of knee swelling or soreness, but at least it will not be the dreaded ACL.

Fournette’s ankle will be swollen. If it is just the ankle and not a bone bruise in the knee, he will likely miss some practice this week but play next week against the Colts.

This could depend on the swelling he experiences overnight in both the ankle and knee. It would not be a surprise to see him in a precautionary wrap or boot when he leaves the stadium Sunday.


The new synthetic surfaces are much better than the old Astroturf but still not as good as grass.

The better the footing, the higher the chances of a knee ligament injury – much like the tighter ski bindings are, there is a higher likelihood for a skier to suffer a knee injury. Consider grass to be loose bindings and turf to be tight bindings.