INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 11: Talanoa Hufanga #9 of the Denver Broncos during warm up before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) Getty
The Denver Broncos are riding high as they head into Week 9, as they are fresh off another thrilling comeback victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8 that helped them take control of the AFC West division. Now, they will look to keep the good times rolling when they square off against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
For the second straight season, the Broncos have been piecing things together across the board, but they somehow keep on finding ways to win games. Injuries haven't exactly made things easier for Denver, and heading into Week 9, the team has some important injury situations to monitor, one of which involves All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga. With just a few hours until kickoff, the Broncos received an important update on Hufanga's injury status.
A fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Hufanga has improbably turned himself into one of the best safeties in the league early in his career. In just his second season, Hufanga was a First Team All-Pro player for the San Francisco 49ers, and last year (his first with the Broncos), Hufanga earned All-Pro Second Team honors.
The only thing that has managed to slow down Hufanga early in his career is injuries, as he's missed extended periods of time in three of his past four seasons now. Considering how he plays with an aggressive, hard-hitting style, that shouldn't necessarily come as a major surprise, but Hufanga is so valuable that Denver is doing whatever it can to keep him healthy throughout the course of the season.
As of late, Hufanga has been dealing with an ankle injury that has held him out for nearly a month now. Hufanga returned to practice this week, though, which has given him a shot at playing on Sunday. And yet, while the team is hopeful that he can play, it sounds like Hufanga is going to wind up being a game-time decision .
Broncos DB Talanoa Hufanga (ankle) a game-time decision, per source. The team is hopeful but pregame will determine," Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in a post on X.
GettyINGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 11: Talanoa Hufanga #9 of the Denver Broncos during warm up before the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on October 11, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Even though Hufanga has only played in five games this year, he's still managed to make a huge impact for the Broncos, as he's racked up 23 tackles, two interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown), one sack, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble. As the numbers show, Hufanga does a little bit of everything for Denver, which is why he is such an important player.
If Hufanga winds up being unable to play, Devon Key would be the top candidate to fill in for him. Hufanga's partner in crime at safety, Brandon Jones , has already been ruled out for this game, so the Broncos are obviously hoping that they aren't without both of their starting safeties for this game. The good news is that Hufanga has a real shot at playing, but a final decision on his status will be made 90 minutes before the team's 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post Broncos Receive Crucial Injury News on All-Pro Defensive Back Right Before Week 9 appeared first on HEAVY .
