The 2026/27 NFL season kicked off with a victory by reigning champs Seattle Seahawks over the New England Patriots. Each game has had its own fair share of excitement so far, and we’re only going into the fourth week. We’ve already seen Lamar Jackson throw a Hail Mary, crucial sacks, and special teams touchdowns.

But we’ve also seen a shocking number of injuries. And sure, American football is a very physical sport, where injuries are expected to an extent. The league has a predetermined concussion protocol. However, we cannot ignore the fact that there are more than 460 players on the doubtful, questionable, IR, and out lists in total. So, what’s causing the blitz of injuries in the NFL?

More Games

The season has never had more games than it does right now. The players have to play 18 regular-season weeks before the wild card round, divisional round, conference championship, and Super Bowl. On top of that, you have to account for travel time, especially with the international games.

So, when you add all of that up, the players’ bodies get a lot of wear-and-tear. That wear-and-tear may be causing a blitz of injuries in the NFL. Players have less time to rest and recover between seasons, and even between games. While the increased number of games is great for us fans and for the League’s bottom line, it may not be great for the players’ health.

Fewer Youth Sports

Once upon a time, before professional sports became as profitable as they are now, kids used to play sports for fun. They’d jump from American football to basketball to tennis to football. Not only did the diverse selection of sports give them a better understanding of the sports they played, but it also developed their bodies better.

The different sports activated different muscle groups. Players would come into the NFL more flexible and sturdier, which helped prevent injuries. Because players tend to focus on American football from a very young age, they neglect the rest of the body. That can lead to an increase in ACL tears, hamstring sprains, and rotator cuff tears, among others.

Change in Mentality

Every NFL player dreams of being a Super Bowl champion. That’s why they work so hard to get to the NFL and why they go to war every week. But younger players have started recognizing the danger of injuries. From the hit on Antonio Brown to Drew Brees’ permanently destroyed shoulder, there have been plenty of examples.

Plenty of NFL players have been left permanently disabled or with limited mobility because of injuries. One of the most harrowing cases is Chris Johnson’s fast-progressing ALS. So, it’s not surprising that the current players are less willing to take hits and play hurt. That, in turn, leads them to report injuries and sit out games when they aren’t 100%. That may be one of the developments causing a blitz of injuries in the NFL.