Packers’ Christian Watson Suffers Scary Injury Recurrence, Hospitalization Reason Revealed

wide receiver Christian Watson has been one of the most explosive wide receivers in the NFL this season, though he appeared to suffer a familiar injury on Thursday Night Football against the Carolina Panthers that also knocked him out of commission during a contest back in December of 2025.

David J. Chao, a former lead team doctor in the league for upwards of two decades, shared video replay of Watson's injury in the second quarter of the game at Lambeau Field on October 29.

"Christian Watson: Sent to the hospital for fear of a sternoclavicular [SC] joint sprain," Chao posted to X . "Similar to last year."

Watson was injured on a 53-yard completion from quarterback Jordan Love with just over nine minutes remaining in the second quarter. It was Watson's sixth catch of the night and boosted his receiving total to 100 yards .

However, his exit from the contest and subsequent trip to the hospital ended his evening after that play.

Christian Watson Suffered Similar Injury Against Denver in Week 15 of Last Season, Returned in Following Game

Watson suffered a similar injury against the Denver Broncos in Week 15 of last season, which was the same game in which pass-rusher Micah Parsons suffered his torn ACL.

Watson also left that game early and boarded an ambulance to the hospital, as team doctors were concerned the wideout may have suffered a SC joint dislocation or clavicle fracture. The area is highly sensitive, as nerves, arteries, the esophagus and the trachea are all located in the vicinity of the SC joint.

Fortunately for Watson, he was able to return the following week against the Chicago Bears and play in Week 17 against the Baltimore Ravens . He sat out Week 18 due to a coach's decision, then suited up for the Packers wildcard playoff game at Soldier Field in Chicago.

UPDATE: Watson returned from the hospital and to the sideline at Lambeau Field as of the middle of the third quarter, jogging out under his own power. He appeared poised to return to the action, which means doctors likely cleared him of the dangerous potential symptoms described below.

Christian Watson's Trip to Hospital About Making Sure Blood Vessels in Chest Weren't Impacted by Hit

Chao went on to explain the unlikely, but dire, risk that a severe SC joint can have — mainly because of how it can impact major blood vessels in the chest.

"Watson went down on his left shoulder, sent to the hospital. Why? If it's a standard shoulder injury, you don't go to the hospital," Chao said in a follow-up video . "Part of the reason is if you have an SC joint … there is some risk if you have it dislocated that it presses on the great vessels in your chest. This is one to be careful of. Probably isn't, but you always wanna be safe than sorry."

If Watson did not suffer an SC sprain, he will likely be able to return against the New England Patriots for the Packers' Week 9 contest on November 8 in Foxborough.

Watson has tallied 40 catches for 695 receiving yards and six TDs this season. If he can avoid a serious injury, the wideout is on pace for by far the best campaign of his five-year NFL career.