Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed will miss the rest of the NFL season after suffering a neck injury that requires surgery, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed on Wednesday.

Reed, 26, has been placed on injured reserve. Asked whether the neck injury could end his career, LaFleur said: 'From my understanding no, but he will be out a significant amount of time.' The Packers have not disclosed exactly what is being repaired or given a recovery timetable.

Scare at MetLife Stadium

Reed was hurt on 20 September, on the Packers' second offensive snap of their Week 2 game at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. He stayed down and medical staff immobilised his neck, secured him to a backboard and carted him off.

He kept movement in his arms and legs and spent the night in a New Jersey hospital rather than flying home to Wisconsin with the team. Green Bay went on to win 20-17 in overtime.

LaFleur said he did not immediately grasp the severity until he reached Reed on the turf. 'Any time you go through a situation like that, it is a pretty scary deal,' he said. 'When I was out there with him and seeing what was going on, it shocks you.'

On Wednesday, Reed posted on Instagram: 'God will use the unusual to do the unexpected... 11 out.' He wears number 11.

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Why Some Neck Injuries Need Surgery

The neck contains seven cervical vertebrae, labelled C1 to C7, separated by soft discs and supported by ligaments, tendons and muscle. They enclose the spinal cord, which carries signals between the brain and the body. A heavy twist, a helmet-to-helmet collision or a head forced forward can fracture bones, dislocate joints or bruise the cord.

Outcomes range from a painful sprain or a 'stinger', a brief burning or tingling down an arm, to paralysis in the most serious cases where a fracture is combined with cord damage. That is why medical staff treat any suspected neck injury as an emergency, even when a player can move his limbs, as Reed could.

Surgeons generally weigh three questions: is the spine unstable, is there pressure on the spinal cord or nerves, and can the neck heal safely with external support alone. Some stable cervical fractures may be managed with a rigid collar for several weeks.

More complex injuries, or any that leave the cord at risk, often call for decompression and stabilisation surgery, which can involve removing damaged disc material and fusing vertebrae together.

Before a return to contact sport, specialists typically look for a normal neurological examination, full and pain-free movement, and scans showing the bone has healed or a fusion has set solid. Persistent narrowing of the spinal canal, spinal cord damage or multi-level fusion can complicate decisions about returning to contact sport.

Blow For Green Bay

It is the second consecutive year Reed has gone on injured reserve early in the season. Last year he missed 10 games after breaking his collarbone and undergoing foot surgery. The 2023 second-round pick signed a three-year, $50.25m extension in April and he had four catches for 24 yards in two starts this season before the injury.

LaFleur described him as 'an energy guy' in the locker room. Skyy Moore is expected to step up as the third receiver behind Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, with the Packers next facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 4.

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