The Green Bay Packers will be without star tight end Tucker Kraft for the rest of the season after his knee injury suffered Sunday against the Carolina Panthers turned out to be an ACL tear
13:00 ET, 03 Nov 2025
Tucker Kraft
View 2 Images
Tucker Kraft exited Green Bay's contest against Carolina in the third quarter(Image: Getty Images)
Sunday couldn't have gone any worse for the Green Bay Packers, who entered the week riding the high of a previous victory over Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Green Bay, despite entering as nearly two-touchdown favorites, was stunned at home by the Carolina Panthers 16-13. In the third quarter, star tight end Tucker Kraft hurt his knee in a collision and was forced to leave the game.
Article continues below
Coach Matt LeFleur anticipated the worst. "Yeah, it doesn't look good," he admitted after his team's poor showing. The longtime Packers boss was right: Kraft tore his ACL and will miss the remainder of the season, per Adam Schefter. The news comes as Kraft celebrates his 25th birthday.
Article continues below
READ MORE: Mac Jones aims thinly-veiled dig at Bill Belichick and Patriots after 49ers resurgenceREAD MORE: Tony Romo noises distract NFL viewers during CBS broadcast of Chiefs-Bills
“It’s going to be tough,” LaFleur added about the prospect of losing his starting tight end. “But it’s football and the other guys are going to have to step up.”
Kraft, a 2023 third-round pick, was en route to his first Pro Bowl. He'll finish the 2025 campaign with 32 catches for 489 yards and six touchdowns in about half a season's work while providing excellent blocking.
Content cannot be displayed without consent
Against Pittsburgh a week ago, he seemed to be atop quarterback Jordan Love's progression on every play, hauling in seven receptions for 143 yards and two scores.
"Everybody knows the type of season Tuck is having, the type of player he is for Green Bay," remarked Packers defensive captain Rashan Gary.
Tucker Kraft
View 2 Images
Pittsburgh had no answers for Tucker Kraft last week(Image: Getty Images)
"The type of player he is on the practice field, in the locker room, just as a man…"When you see a guy who's been working his butt off from OTAs to offseason to camp, you see him preparing, getting ready to have a great year as he is – that's a guy we need on the team."
Green Bay will turn Luke Musgrave at the position, drafted ahead of Kraft in the 2023 draft. He caught three passes for 34 yards on Sunday.
READ MORE: Stephen A. Smith names surprise candidate for Super Bowl spot despite slumpREAD MORE: Seattle Seahawks star fumes at official after pulling helmet off and penalty call
Love completed 26 of his 37 passes for 273 yards. He couldn't find the endzone as Green Bay stalled multiple times in the red zone.
Article continues below
"It's going to be tough if we can't figure **** out and score in the red [zone]," LaFleur said. "It's just going to be tough to win football games like that."
Sloppiness derailed the Packers all day, including timely penalties and poor execution in the red zone. "We understand what kind of team we are when everything is clicking," receiver Christian Watson said.
"But it's getting to the point where we're going to have to start eliminating those and not having any of those mistakes, for sure."