The Detroit Lions announced on Wednesday that veteran linebacker and special teams contributor Zach Cunningham has been placed on injured reserve.
Cunningham returned to the field for the first time since Week 3 on Monday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after sitting out multiple weeks due to a hamstring injury.
However, he left the game early and was deemed questionable to return with another hamstring injury, reportedly an aggravation of the prior ailment.
It looks like that injury will keep him away from the field for a while after the Lions’ designation on Wednesday.
A former second-round pick out of Vanderbilt, Cunningham is in his ninth NFL season and first with the Lions.
He spent the better part of five seasons with the Houston Texans, who drafted him in 2017, before stints with the Tennessee Titans, Philadelphia Eagles and the Denver Broncos.
Cunningham was the NFL’s tackles leader in 2020 with 164 combined, however he’s struggled to stay healthy and on active rosters since.
Before joining Detroit during the offseason, Cunningham played in 26 games over the previous three seasons.
In his four games with the Lions, Cunningham has played 65 snaps on special teams and 14 snaps on defense with seven total tackles.
The linebacker room in Detroit has stayed relatively healthy this season outside Cunningham. While it’s unfortunate he’ll miss time so soon after working his way back from injury, the unit could be getting Malcolm Rodriguez back from a torn ACL soon following the bye week.
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