Alabama football is still riding high after the team’s blowout win against LSU, but the Crimson Tide were just dealt some brutal news. Bama will be without one of the team’s playmakers for the rest of the season.
CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that Alabama will be without tight end Josh Ford for the remainder of the season. Ford sustained a knee injury during the team’s victory over LSU.
“Alabama tight end Josh Ford is set to miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury he suffered Saturday against LSU, sources tell @CBSSports,” Zenitz noted in a November 9, message on X.
“The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder had been a key piece of the Crimson Tide offense and had a touchdown catch vs. LSU before suffering the injury.”
The news comes as Alabama prepares to take on Vanderbilt on Saturday, November 14.
This is not the first major injury for Ford in recent months. The tight end broke his arm against Mississippi State earlier this season.
Ford managed to have surgery to repair the broken arm and played against Georgia just days after the procedure. Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer has been outspoken about his admiration for Ford.
“For him to get hurt in the game — and for him to finish the block that he was in the moment on when he got dinged up was impressive in itself,” DeBoer praised Ford’s toughness earlier this season, per 247Sports. “And then for him to want to continue to, and be able to, play through it the rest of the game.
“He didn’t take himself off one special team. He was just staying out there. Didn’t matter what it was,” DeBoer continued.
“The guy has set the tone for us in a lot of ways, from a toughness standpoint, he was all about that.”
Ford posted five receptions for 41 yards and two touchdowns in nine appearances this season prior to the season-ending injury.
Alabama has emerged as one of the top teams in college football this season despite battling numerous injuries to key players. Quarterback Keelon Russell is also dealing with an ankle injury.
Russell was able to play through the injury against LSU and is not expected to miss time.
“I mean, when I went into the tent, I know that a lot of heads went down on the team,” Russell remarked on his injury, per 247Sports. “So I felt like just going into the tent, I just had to keep myself confident, keep myself optimistic, keep myself going and I didn’t want to see my team down.
“We went into this fight. They knew they needed me. I trust in everybody on this team and those guys just kept pouring into me,” Russell continued.
“And through the grace of God, it wasn’t a big injury. I was able to step back on the field and just able to give it my all.”
Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been prominently featured on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. More about Jonathan Adams
Stay Connected
