Quentin Johnston’s Scary Hit Leaves Los Angeles Chargers Fans Holding Their Breath

Just when the Los Angeles Chargers thought they might catch a break this preseason, reality came crashing down like a linebacker on an unsuspecting receiver. Quentin Johnston, the team’s supposed deep-ball savior, got absolutely leveled during Saturday night’s game against the Rams.

It happened on just the third play of what should have been a routine preseason matchup. He was running a deep route down the sideline when Rams Safety Tanner Ingle decided to introduce himself with the kind of hit that makes highlight reels for all the wrong reasons. The impact left Johnston sprawled on the turf. For several agonizing minutes, SoFi Stadium held its collective breath while medical staff rushed to his aid.

Johnston’s Concussion Diagnosis Brings Mixed Relief

After what felt like an eternity of medical personnel hovering over him, Johnston was eventually diagnosed with a concussion and carted off to a local hospital for further evaluation. Coach Jim Harbaugh, ever the optimist, offered some reassurance after the Chargers’ 23-22 loss.

“That’s never a good thing, but the way it looked there at the time looked like it could have been a lot worse,” Harbaugh said. “He was talking, he remembered the play, he was moving good. So in that way, it’s a good thing.”

The sight of Johnston sitting up and angrily slamming his gloves on the ground before being helped onto the cart was both encouraging and frustrating. It was encouraging because it showed he had his wits about him, frustrating because you could practically see the “here we go again” thoughts running through his head.

What This Means For the Chargers’ Offense

Losing Johnston for any significant time would be a massive blow to the team’s offensive plans. The former TCU standout was supposed to be their primary deep threat this season, the guy who stretches the field and keeps defenses honest. After posting 55 catches for 711 yards and 8 touchdowns last season, Johnston had finally started to look like the first-round pick Los Angeles thought they were getting in 2023.

Now, depending on how long Johnston’s recovery takes, the team might have to lean heavily on rookies Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith. And speaking of injury concerns, Lambert-Smith also had his own scare during the same game, briefly leaving for the locker room before returning in the second quarter.

The Bigger Picture Of Preseason Violence

Johnston got hurt in a meaningless preseason game where Harbaugh was playing virtually all his starters except for Safety Derwin James and Linebacker Khalil Mack. You have to wonder if the risk is really worth it when these games barely matter beyond giving coaches a chance to evaluate roster bubble players.

The hit from Ingle wasn’t dirty or malicious. It was just football being football, which is somehow both the most frustrating and most honest way to describe it. The receiver’s head snapped in the opposite direction from the impact, and for those terrifying moments when he lay motionless, everyone in the stadium was reminded of just how violent this game is.

Johnston’s Road To Recovery

The good news, if you can call it that, is that Johnston remained conscious throughout the ordeal and was able to communicate with medical staff. In the world of head injuries, that is about as positive as you can hope for in the immediate aftermath. The fact that he remembered the play and was moving his extremities is an encouraging sign, though anyone who’s followed football knows that concussion recovery is unpredictable at best.

For a player who’s finally started to live up to his draft pedigree, this injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. Johnston was poised to be a key component of the team’s passing attack under Harbaugh, and now his availability for the regular season opener is very much in question.

The Chargers organization will undoubtedly be extra cautious with Johnston’s recovery, especially given the NFL’s heightened awareness around head injuries. Fans who were hoping to see their team finally take a step forward this season saw their top receiver get stretchered off the field in a preseason game with no meaning.