Jeremiyah Love’s first taste of the NFL was supposed to be a jolt of excitement for the Cardinals. Instead, just days after his eye-catching debut, Arizona is waiting on word about an ankle injury that has quickly turned into a real concern.
Love, the former Notre Dame running back and No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, made his preseason debut Thursday night against the Las Vegas Raiders and immediately looked like the kind of player Arizona drafted him to be. He led the Cardinals in touches, finishing with 11 carries and three catches while playing most of the first half.
The production was there, and so was the burst. He averaged 5.3 yards per carry and showed off the same sudden cuts and tough, creative running that made him such a force in South Bend.
But the clean first impression came with a catch. On Saturday morning, Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur said Love had more soreness from the ankle injury than the team expected. LaFleur would not commit to Love being ready for the season opener, and he also said the running back will not practice this week.
Mike LaFleur said that Jeremiyah Love came in more sore than expected today with his ankle injury and will not practice this week. LaFleur did not commit to Love being available for Week 1.
- Theo Mackie (@theo_mackie) August 15, 2026
There’s still not much clarity on how serious the injury is, but the signs aren’t encouraging. LaFleur said the Cardinals will take another look at Love’s status after this week, though he stopped short of offering any long-term outlook. With two preseason games left, it also sounds unlikely Love will take part in either one.
That leaves Arizona in a tricky spot, even if the Cardinals do have depth at running back. None of the other backs on the roster bring the same kind of explosiveness or playmaking punch that Love flashed against Las Vegas. For a player who looked ready to make a fast impact, this is a frustrating pause.
It’s an even bigger letdown for Notre Dame fans who were eager to watch Love launch an early campaign for offensive rookie of the year. For now, the possibility is still there. But LaFleur’s comments made it clear that the Cardinals are far from certain about what comes next.
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