Quentin Johnston, the Los Angeles Chargers’ promising wide receiver, sustained a concussion during the opening series of Saturday night’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams. Johnston dove for an underthrown ball by quarterback Justin Herbert. In the blink of an eye, Rams safety Tanner Ingle crushed him with ferocity. The impact of the blow caused Johnston’s head to snap in the opposite direction. He didn’t move as he stayed on the field for more than 10 minutes.
The isolation of the area made it difficult for medical personnel to reach the scene. They immediately handcuffed Johnston to a medical cart to take him off the pitch. As they were carrying him out, he sat up. All of that played into an uncharacteristic display of shocking frustration as he angrily bashed his gloves down onto the infield dirt. The Chargers announced that Johnston was transported to a local hospital for precautionary X-rays and evaluation.
After that game, Coach Jim Harbaugh offered a hopeful update on Johnston’s condition. He updated the condition of the young receiver who had suffered a concussion and explained there was some encouraging news.
“He was talking, he remembered the play, he was moving good. So in that way, it’s a good thing.” – Jim Harbaugh
Johnston’s injury did raise a lot of alarms early on, Harbaugh admitted it could’ve been a lot worse.
“That’s never a good thing, but the way it looked there at the time looked like it could have been a lot worse,” – Jim Harbaugh
Johnston’s injury raises questions about the Chargers’ offensive strategy moving forward. Look for Johnston to be the Horned Frogs’ primary playmaker this season and their main deep-ball threat. Last season, he rolled up monster numbers with 55 receptions and 711 yards receiving while leading the team with eight receiving touchdowns. Selected as the Chargers’ first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, his absence could provide opportunities for rookies Tre Harris and KeAndre Lambert-Smith to step up.
The Chargers will soon have to keep a close eye on Johnston’s recovery as they get ready for the start of the regular season. His fans could hardly wait for him to take center stage. Now, they’re curious to see how the team will adjust if he’s missing. For now, the organization and all Mississippi hope for a speedy recovery for their impact star receiver.
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