The Detroit Lions’ defense has been plagued by injuries this season, and the situation worsened on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold sustained an injury early in the third quarter while attempting to tackle Aaron Jones near midfield. The 2024 first-round selection was carted to the locker room at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
The injury happened just two plays after Arnold made an impressive stop in the end zone, preventing the Vikings from scoring on 4th-and-goal.
Detroit began Sunday’s game already dealing with injuries to cornerbacks Carlton Davis, Ennis Raekstraw, Emmanuel Mosley, and Khalil Dorsey. Arnold entered Week 18 with 58 total tackles, the fourth-highest on the team. Before his exit, he recorded two tackles and one pass breakup.
If Arnold misses the start of the postseason, the Lions may need to rely more on Kindle Vildor. Fans might recall Vildor as the player who nearly intercepted a pass that bounced off his helmet and landed in San Francisco 49ers receiver Brandon Aiyuk’s hands during the NFC Championship Game last season.
However, it wasn’t all bad news for Detroit on Sunday. The Lions welcomed back one of their key defenders for the crucial matchup against the Vikings.
