Packers place AJ Dillon on the injured list after series of injuries, ending the season

For running back AJ Dillon, the season is over before it even began.

After suffering a wound during a joint practice with the Broncos last week, the Packers placed Dillon on the injured list on Tuesday with no plans to return to the team, effectively ending his season.

It was a continuation of the same injury that ended his 2023 season prematurely, and head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters when the injury recurred that “there is definitely cause for concern.”

Dillon, 26, himself understood the concern about the recent neck injury last week when reporters asked him about it.

“They're very different,” he said of the injury, according to Green Bay Packers on SI. “Some are common; a lot of guys talk about getting a stitch at some point. I've had stitches in the past before the incident last year. As you know, certain things happen. Some are more serious than others. You kind of look at it differently, but like I said, we're waiting for opinions. Let's look at all the information before we make any untrue statements.”

The Packers will only have Josh Jacobs, MarShawn Lloyd and Emanuel Wilson available at the running back position.

Dillon ran for 613 yards and two touchdowns last season while playing in 15 games for Green Bay.

After suffering a broken coccyx in the neck area in Week 17, Dillon missed the Packers' final game of the regular season and both of their playoff games.

The Packers decided to keep Dillon and made him a four-year player qualification offer.

Green Bay is coming off a season in which they went 9-8 in the regular season before making it to the NFC Divisional Round.

They defeated the Cowboys 48-32 in the first round before losing to the 49ers 24-21.

The Packers open this season on September 6 in Brazil against the Eagles.