A throw by Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love early in the third quarter of Week 15’s game didn’t just end with an interception – it also led to an injury to a key Packers player.
Wide receiver Christian Watson remained down on the field after Denver Broncos cornerback – and reigning Defensive Player of the Year – Patrick Surtain II came away with an interception. Watson clutched at his left shoulder after the play was over and needed to be attended to by Green Bay team trainers while on the turf.
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Within moments, the Broncos scored a touchdown off the interception, and the Packers declared Watson questionable to return with a chest injury. Green Bay ruled him out for the game by the end of the third quarter.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 6: Washington Commanders wide receiver Chris Moore (19) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the “Monday Night Football” game against the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium. The Commanders wore their all-black alternate uniforms for the game.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 6: Washington Commanders wide receiver Chris Moore (19) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the “Monday Night Football” game against the Chicago Bears at Northwest Stadium. The Commanders wore their all-black alternate uniforms for the game.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 6: Atlanta Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier (25) carries the ball for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Falcons played the game while sporting throwback uniforms that harken back to the team’s inaugural season of 1966.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 6: Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen operates at the line of scrimmage before a play against the Atlanta Falcons during a “Monday Night Football” game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Bills wore throwback uniforms reminiscent of the team’s look from 1962-1973 during the game.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 6: Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looks for a receiver against the Dallas Cowboys at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers wore this uniform combination for the first time in the 30-27 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 5: Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray makes a throw during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at State Farm Stadium. The Cardinals wore their all-black uniforms, but were defeated 22-21.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield awaits the snap against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Both teams wore throwback uniforms in the Buccaneers’ 38-35 win. The Buccaneers and Seahawks entered the NFL together as expansion teams in 1976.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 5: Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tory Horton (15) is congratulated by teammate AJ Barner (88) after catching a touchdown pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Lumen Field. The Seahawks wore throwback uniforms harkening back to the team’s original look from 1976-2001.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 5: Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) runs against the Washington Commanders during the first quarter at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers wore monochrome powder blue uniform pants and jerseys for the first time.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 5: New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson (5) is tackled by the Dallas Cowboys’ Trevon Diggs (7) and Juanyeh Thomas (2) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. The Cowboys wore their “Arctic White” uniforms for the 37-22 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 5: New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields stands in the pocket against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at MetLife Stadium. The Jets wore their all-black uniforms in the 37-22 loss.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 4: Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) hands the ball off to running back J.K. Dobbins during the “Monday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Empower Field at Mile High. The Broncos wore their “Midnight Navy” uniforms for the 28-3 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: Baltimore Ravens tight end Charlie Kolar (88) makes a catch during his team’s “Monday Night Football” game against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium. The Ravens wore their all-black uniforms for the game dubbed, “Darkness Falls.” Despite the fancy marketing moniker, the Ravens were defeated, 38-30.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: New Orleans Saints running back Kendre Miller (5) stiff arms Seattle Seahawks linebacker Tyrice Knight (48) during the second quarter at Lumen Field. The Saints wore their all-white uniform and helmet combo for the first time in the 44-13 loss.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers wore throwback jerseys – an homage to the team’s 1950s look, as well as its 1994 Super Bowl-winning season – in the 16-15 win against the Cardinals.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Gillette Stadium. New England brought out its iconic “Pat Patriot” throwback in the 21-14 defeat.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) runs with the ball as New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner attempts to make the tackle during the second quarter at Raymond James Stadium. The Buccaneers wore their famous “Creamsicle” throwback uniforms in the 29-27 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: Cleveland Browns running back Quinshon Judkins celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers during the fourth quarter at Huntington Bank Field. The Browns debuted their “Alpha Dawg” alternate uniform for the 13-10 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jourdan Lewis (2) celebrates after making an interception in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at EverBank Stadium. The Jaguars wore their “Prowler Throwbacks” – an homage to the team’s late-1990s heyday – for the 17-10 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 3: Carolina Panthers tight end JaTavion Saunders runs with the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers wore their special black helmets in the 30-0 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 2: Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at U.S. Bank Stadium. Sporting “The Vikings Classic” throwback uniform inspired by the team’s look during the 1960s and ’70s, Minnesota was defeated, 22-6.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 2: The Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons (1) reacts during a “Thursday Night Football” game against the Washington Commanders at Lambeau Field. The Packers wore their “Winter Warning” uniforms for the 27-18 win.
Can’t-miss alternate and throwback uniforms of the 2025 NFL season
Week 1: New Orleans Saints running back Alvin Kamara scores a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals at Caesars Superdome. The Saints wore their reimagined “Gameday Gold” uniforms for their season opener, marking the first time the team wore gold jerseys since the 2002 season. The Cardinals defeated the Saints, 20-13.
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Christian Watson injury update
Before the end of the third quarter, the Packers ruled Watson out of the rest of their Week 15 game with a chest injury.
Watson sustained the injury while attempting to catch a deep pass from Love early in the third quarter. Surtain, playing Watson in coverage, jumped in front of the pass to intercept the ball. Watson landed hard on his left side at the end of the play and was grabbing at his left shoulder while he remained on the turf.
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Green Bay’s trainers attended to the Packers offense’s top deep threat after the play. Shortly thereafter, the team announced via social media that Watson was questionable to return with his chest injury.
Watson has yet to play a full season with Green Bay in his first four seasons in the pros due to a variety of injuries. A torn ACL in Week 18 last year knocked him out for the first seven weeks (and six games) of the Packers’ 2025 season. Watson had managed to stay healthy in the seven and a half games since before sustaining his chest injury on Dec. 14.
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Christian Watson stats
Watson has played in seven and a half games this season after returning from his torn ACL late last year. Here’s how his stats look through most of 15 weeks:
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Yards per reception: 17.2
Watson is two touchdowns shy of matching his career high, which he set as a rookie in 2022.
Packers WR depth chart
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Christian Watson (out – chest)
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Savion Williams (out – foot)
Reed, who was the Packers’ receiving leader last year, returned to the field in Week 14 after missing 11 weeks with a broken collarbone he suffered in Week 2. Doubs is Green Bay’s current receiving leader as the team’s only wide receiver who has played in every game this year.
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Golden is another standout on the depth chart as the team’s first-round pick in 2025. He was the first wide receiver selected by the Packers in the first round since 2002 (Javon Walker).
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christian Watson injury update: Packers WR exits game vs. Broncos
