ARIZONA CARDINALS
Cardinals’ Markus Golden suffered torn ACL, out for season
TEMPE, Ariz. — Cardinals outside linebacker Markus Golden suffered a torn right ACL in Sunday’s win over the San Francisco 49ers, coach Bruce Arians confirmed Monday at a press conference at the team’s headquarters. Golden will go on injured reserve and miss the rest of the regular season.
Arians said doctors would likely wait a few weeks to perform surgery until the swelling in Golden’s knee subsides. Golden left the team’s Tempe facility around 11:30 a.m. Monday on crutches, wearing a knee brace.
“It breaks everybody’s heart in there because they know how hard he plays,” Arians said. “It takes a lot of spirit out of the defense because he brings it every play.”
Golden left the Cardinals’ 18-15 win in overtime after colliding with teammate and safety Budda Baker while bearing down on 49ers quarterback Brian Hoyer. Baker appeared to undercut Golden, who went to the ground grabbing his knee.
🙏out to Cardinals LB Markus Golden…Didn't look good! pic.twitter.com/ZumGLhy5ss
— ACL Recovery Club (@ACLrecoveryCLUB) October 1, 2017
Golden had 11 tackles this season but he didn’t record any sacks after posting 12.5 in his second NFL season last year. The Cardinals selected Golden in the second round (No. 58) of the 2015 NFL Draft out of Missouri.
Golden joins a growing list of key Cardinals injuries through four games this season. Running back David Johnson (ACL) was sidelined for 8-12 weeks with wrist surgery after suffering the injury in the season opener at Detroit. Left guard Mike Iupati (triceps) is on injured reserve and could be sidelined the rest of the season. Left tackle D.J. Humphries (knee), guard Alex Boone (chest) and defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche (calf) are also out, and Arians said Monday Humphries probably wouldn’t return this week after re-injuring his knee last week in practice.
Wide receiver John Brown is still hampered by a quad injury although he played on Sunday.
Arians said the staff would discuss how to replace Golden on Monday. Arians said elevating someone from the practice squad is an option. Haason Reddick is another possibility on the edge with Deone Bucannon back in the lineup, although Arians said Reddick would only be in certain packages as he learns the position.
Kareem Martin is another option who Arians said has played well in the rotation.
