After just making his second start in the ongoing season for the Las Vegas Raiders in the National Football League (NFL), quarterback Aidan O'Connell will be sidelined for a certain period after sustaining a thumb injury.
What did an NFL reporter report on this matter?
During the Las Vegas Raiders' 33-12 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, O'Connell injured his hand as he was attempting a pass it hit the helmet of Rams defender Kam Curl.
He left the field and headed straight towards the locker room. O'Connell didn't return to the field as he suffered a thumb injury in the first quarter itself.
Raiders recently received not-so-welcoming news regarding O'Connell's injury. The reports suggest that he has broken his thumb. Due to this, the Raiders have placed him on injured reserve as the quarterback will be out of action for four to six weeks.
ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter was the first person to break the news as he posted on his X account.
"Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell now is expected to miss four to six weeks with a broken thumb, per sources. He is getting a second opinion today to confirm the initial diagnosis," Schefter said.
O'Connell began this season as the Raiders' backup to Gardner Minshew. But after a 2-3 start to the season, the Raiders decided to bench Minshew. In his first start for the Raiders, he completed 27-of-40 passes for 227 yards and had a touchdown and an interception. In the clash against the Rams, O'Connell completed 6-of-10 passes for 52 yards.
In the 2024 season, O'Connell has managed to complete 52-of-82 passes for 455 yards and has two touchdowns and two interceptions to his name.
Las Vegas Raiders will look back to Gardner Minshew after O'Connell's thumb injury
With Aidan O'Connell making it to the injured reserve, Gardner Minshew will once again take the quarterback duties for the Las Vegas Raiders. After being benched for O'Connell last week, Minshew will once again start for the Raiders.
Minshew registered his worst performance of the season against the Los Angeles Rams. He threw three interceptions and lost a fumble. His interception total has come down to eight this season. This season, he has 1,168 yards, four touchdowns, and eight interceptions to his name.
Minshew's impressive performance against the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns helped his side secure wins in both of the clashes. His best performance of the season came against Ravens where he completed 30-of-38 passes for 276 yards, had one touchdown and one interception.
