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Late in the second quarter, the Jacksonville Jaguars were up 17-0 and driving. Blake Bortles threw to a wide open Allen Hurns who broke away from two defenders and was running along the left sideline. Rookie safety Malik Hooker was in pursuit until fellow rookie wide receiver Keelan Cole blindsided him, causing an awkward hit where Cole’s legs hit Hooker’s left knee.
Malik Hooker did walk off the field under his own power after this hit for the #Colts ... but that knee injury looked serious pic.twitter.com/uiYhdxvYgI
— Andy McDonnell (@Andy_McDonnell) October 22, 2017
It was a legal hit, but it was brutal and will force Hooker to miss the rest of the 2017 season.
— Malik Hooker (@MalikHooker24) October 23, 2017
Hooker was having a fantastic season for the Indianapolis Colts, amassing 22 tackles, 4 pass deflections and three interceptions, including an interception in three consecutive games. Hooker played the role of a “center field” safety for the Colts and often teams threw away from his side of the field.
The severity of the tear is still unknown, but Hooker is expected to miss up to 10 months, which puts his return in August.