In the New York Jets' loss to the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, former Badger running back Braelon Allen went down with a significant knee injury on an unusual play.
The night got off to a rough start for Allen, who fumbled on the goal line just as he was about to score. The Dolphins recovered and went on to score a touchdown, putting them up 10-0. The next time Allen touched the ball was on the ensuing kickoff where he went down awkwardly on his knee. While his status hasn't been announced yet, based on the initial comments by head coach Aaron Glenn, Allen could miss significant time.
“It looked like it was pretty bad,” said Glenn. “But I don’t want to say that until we [know]."
Allen will have MRI testing done today or tomorrow to discover the full extent of the injury, but overall the hopes aren't high. There is real concern that he will be sidelined for the entire year and is headed for an IR stint.
Braelon Allen injured in unexplainable situation for Jets
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It was an unusual decision to have the 240-pound Allen returning kickoffs, even with the normal starter, Kene Nwangwu, out due to his own injury. Allen didn't return kicks at Wisconsin, and had not done it since his high school days. The move backfired, and Allen now faces a long recovery after being put in a situation he never should have been in.
While some NFL Badgers have enjoyed a successfull season like Jonathan Taylor or T.J. Watt, the list of injured former Badgers has continued to grow. Hunter Wohler, Andrew Van Ginkel and now Allen all are a facing lengthy recoveries.