Just four plays into the second quarter of the season opener, JuJu Brents’ season took a massive turn — though he didn’t know it at the time.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a 55-yard bomb to wide receiver Nico Collins with Brents and safety Nick Cross in coverage. During the tackle, the 6-foot-4, 222-pound Collins fell into the back of Brents’ legs.
There was immediate pain, but the second-year cornerback was able to finish the game and felt relatively good afterward.
Still, as a precaution, he was sent for an MRI. The images showed a meniscus injury — far more serious than expected — and Brents was sent to injured reserve and back into a cycle of rehab that also cost him eight games during his rookie season.