ESPN: Bengals Defensive Tackle Suffers Torn ACL, Out for the Season
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National Football League(MIAMI GARDEN, Fla.) — As if the Cincinnati Bengals 22-20 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night wasn’t bad enough, ESPN is reporting that defensive tackle Geno Atkins tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the 2013 season.
Atkins suffered the injury late in the second quarter. His leg appeared to get rolled up underneath one of his Bengals’ teammates while making a tackle.
After laying on the field for several moments, Atkins needed to be helped off the field and was carted back to the team’s locker room.
“It’s the next man up, it’s time to go, we’ve got to continue,” Bengals reserve defensive end Brandon Thompson said. “I’ve been preparing since I’ve been here, and now it’s time to step up and do what I have to do.”
The loss of Atkins is a tremendous blow to the Bengals’ defense. Since his rookie year in 2010, Atkins has emerged as not only one of the best defensive lineman in the NFL, but one of the best defensive player’s in the league. He has 12.5 sacks last season, and in nine games in 2013 Atkins had 6.0 sacks.
During the offseason, Atkins signed a new contract that will pay him $55 million.
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