Saints Suffer Setback with Olave’s Concussion
The New Orleans Saints’ loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday was compounded by the injury to wideout Chris Olave, who suffered a concussion in the first quarter. The incident occurred just three plays into the Saints’ first offensive drive, when Olave was hit in the helmet area after catching a pass from rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler.
A Blow to the Saints’ Offense
As Olave went to the ground, he lost his grip on the ball, which was picked up and returned 58 yards for a touchdown by Buccaneers safety Antoine Winfield Jr. Olave initially walked off with athletic trainers before jogging to the sideline, where he was evaluated for a concussion in the injury tent. He eventually made his way to the locker room and was ruled out of the game.
A History of Concussions for Olave
This is not the first time Olave has suffered a concussion. He was ruled out of a game against the Atlanta Falcons last year with a concussion but played the following week. In 2022, he missed a game against the Cincinnati Bengals after appearing to be knocked unconscious and entering the concussion protocol in a game against the Seattle Seahawks the previous week.
Buccaneers Also Dealt with Injury
Meanwhile, Buccaneers starting outside cornerback Jamel Dean was ruled out with a hamstring injury after a tackle on Saints wide receiver Bub Means at the end of the first quarter. Dean’s legs split out awkwardly from underneath him, and he was replaced by Tyrek Funderburk, an undrafted free agent rookie.
Looking Ahead to Week 7
The Saints will have to bounce back quickly, as they face the Denver Broncos on Thursday night to open the NFL’s Week 7 slate. With Olave’s status uncertain, the team will need to rely on other players to step up and fill the void.
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