Braelon Allen injury update: Aaron Glenn reveals how long New York Jets RB will be sidelined

New York Jets running back Braelon Allen is expected to miss between 8-12 weeks after suffering a MCL sprain in last Monday night’s loss in Miami, according to first-year Jets coach Aaron Glenn, via ESPN insider Adam Schefter. Allen was already scheduled to miss the next four weeks after being placed on injured reserve earlier this week, but now it appears his stay on IR will last even longer.

It’s devastating news for the second-year NFL running back, who was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft out of Wisconsin. Allen was a three-time All-Big Ten player who ran for nearly 3,500 yards and 35 touchdowns in three seasons with the Badgers between 2021-23.

The 6-foot-1, 235-pound Allen rushed for 76 yards on 18 carries and one score on the ground through the first four weeks of the season as the Jets’ change-of-pace back. Allen rushed for 334 yards on 92 attempts and three total scores as a rookie last season.

Braelon Allen lands on IR after suffering MCL sprain

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Allen suffered an MCL sprain on a second quarter kickoff return during Monday night’s game at Miami, a 27-21 loss to the Dolphins. Before the injury, Allen recorded 26 rushing yards on four carries and one lost fumble in the 27-21 loss against the Dolphins.

Allen was hit in the knee during the kickoff return and stayed down on the ground for an extended period before being helped to the team’s medical tent by staff. It continued a string of bad luck for the winless Jets, who are 0-4 in their first season under Glenn.

“As Braelon Allen ran off the field after the fumble, Aaron Glenn grabbed both sides of his helmet to console him and give him words of encouragement,” sideline reporter Katie George said during the ESPN broadcast. “Allen then spent a lot of time pacing, sitting and standing alone.

“He was obviously gutted to lose the ball at the goal line. Now, he’s in some physical pain, as they look at his left knee in the injury tent.”

Before the start of this season, Allen discussed Glenn asking his players to be more physical.

“He’s stressed since Day 1 back in the spring, physicality was number one,” Allen said at the start of training camp in July, per the Jets’ official website. “And that’s going to be our identity. That starts up front and with the run game. So he’s relying on us to kind of set that tone. Him being a defensive-minded head coach, that kind of trickles over onto the offensive side as well. And that’s part of my game that’s already kind of instilled in me. So, nothing new.”

— On3’s Brian Jones contributed to this report.