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New Orleans Saints Star RB Suffers “Serious” Knee Injury That’s Worse Than Expected

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This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.

Saints helmet on the ground.
Saints helmet (Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images)

The New Orleans Saints face a massive crisis in their offensive backfield with the injury to Ty Chandler.

During Saturday’s preseason clash against the Los Angeles Rams, the running back exited the field with a painful knee injury. Things already looked grim in the situation, but there was still a little bit of hope.

Chandler serves as a depth piece and a potential special-teams returner for the New Orleans Saints. The Saints signed Chandler to a one-year, veteran-minimum contract in March to inject speed into a crowded running back room.

He opened the preseason strongly with an 86-yard kickoff return against the Jacksonville Jaguars, vying for the open return specialist job. Now that might be his only good play for a while.

Ty Chandler Injury’s Worse Than Expected

Aug 22, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Ty Chandler (32) carries the ball against the Los Angeles Rams in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Head coach Kellen Moore initially expressed concern on Monday. He noted the star running back would likely miss significant time on the sidelines. Now, a heartbreaking update indicates the situation is far worse than originally expected.

According to a report from Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, the Saints’ internal staff heavily fears that Ty Chandler suffered a serious, potentially season-ending injury.

This development completely paralyzes the coaching staff’s offensive plans. Consequently, the front office executed a rapid emergency trade on Monday morning to acquire running back Zamir White to stabilize the position.

Understanding the Gravity of Chandler’s Injury

Aug 15, 2026; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints running back Ty Chandler (32) runs the opening kickoff and is tackled by Jacksonville Jaguars safety Jalen Huskey (22) during the first half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Ty Chandler went down at a moment when superstar Alvin Kamara remains completely sidelined due to a sprained MCL. Furthermore, rookie rusher Devin Neal continues to battle a hamstring issue, which keeps him out of team drills.

This sudden medical emergency leaves the New Orleans roster completely depleted at a crucial juncture of the summer. The road to recovery will likely be incredibly grueling. While the team awaits official imaging results, medical staff members are preparing for the worst-case scenario.

Chandler continues to receive bad news. Last year, he was limited to just 3 games due to a knee injury suffered in Week 1. Ty was limited to just 47 yards rushing and zero touchdowns.

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