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Cardinals lose special teams ace for season with neck injury
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- Cardinals lose special teams ace for season with neck injury
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The post Cardinals lose special teams ace for season with neck injury appeared first on ClutchPoints .
With their victory over the New Orleans Saints, the Arizona Cardinals suffered a major setback in Week 1 as safety and team captain Joey Blount was ruled out for the remainder of the 2025 season with a neck injury. Head coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed the news on Tuesday, noting that Blount was placed on injured reserve after getting hurt while covering a kickoff during the win over New Orleans . Rookie linebacker Cody Simon was also injured on the play, though no further details were provided about his condition.
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"Okay, on the injury front here, Joey Blount is going to go to IR. He'll be done for the year, and then we're battling a couple nicks and bruises, but we'll kind of evaluate as the week goes here," he said, according to Sports Illustrated.
Blount's absence leaves a significant hole on Arizona's special teams, where he played 70 percent of the snaps last season. Though he sat behind Budda Baker , Jalen Thompson , and Dadrion Taylor-Demerson on the defensive depth chart, his versatility made him a valuable option in the secondary when needed. Gannon acknowledged how tough it is to lose such an important player, emphasizing that Blount "had many roles on game day" and now several teammates will have to step in to fill those responsibilities.
"Their roles are changing consistently, (and it's them) understanding and making plays. I thought we did a good job of that yesterday. We really did." Gannon said.
Dortch delivered a key special-teams play that Gannon pointed out as pivotal in the Cardinals' win.
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"Dortch is out there because Joey Blount's out. Joey Blount's probably our best gunner and Dortch makes a play," the coach said, stressing how the smaller contributions from every player can ultimately decide a game.
Cardinals also moved quickly to strengthen its roster. Simi Fehoko , a wide receiver known for his special-teams work, was promoted from the practice squad to the 53-man roster to help fill the void left by Blount. Fehoko had impressed during preseason and was close to making the final roster. In a corresponding move, linebacker Channing Tindall was signed to the practice squad after being released by the Miami Dolphins in August.
Blount's injury raises the pressure on a Cardinals team preparing to face the Carolina Panthers in Week 2. Gannon admitted that losing a captain is never easy but expressed confidence in the team's depth.
"Captain, too. That's tough – it's part of the game, but it never gets easy. Some guys are gonna have to step up and assume his role. But I feel good about it. He played a lot, he wore a lot of hats on game day, so we're gonna have to figure that out. But guys are ready to assume the role and step in and play well." Gannon said.
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