Broncos Star Goes Down With Devastating Injury As Disaster Strikes Denver
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
NFL training camps are going on, and injury reports are already piling up across the league. Now, the Denver Broncos are adding another name to that list, as veteran defensive lineman Matt Henningsen went down with an injury during Friday’s practice.
Henningsen, who missed all of last season with a torn Achilles, suffered what looks like another serious injury during individual drills. Team staff had to cart him off the field and back to the locker room, with several reporters noting that he was visibly emotional as he left.
James Palmer of Bleacher Report shared a concerning update from camp. “Broncos Matt Henningsen was just carted off the field after being in a lot of pain,” Palmer wrote on X. He added, “DJ Jones, who has what looks like a vet day, went in with him. And they had a quick conversation. Can’t report what was said. it doesn’t look good at all to be honest. Was having a really good camp.”
Denver Post reporter Luca Evans wrote, “Looked visibly emotional. Really tough if it’s any kind of serious injury for Henningsen.”
Another reporter, Parker Gabriel, also wrote, “Head in his hands. Hate to see that. He was putting together a nice camp after rupturing his Achilles almost exactly a year ago.”
Tough Timing For Henningsen
The situation carries extra weight because it comes almost exactly one year after Henningsen suffered injury during a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers on August 8, 2025.
That injury ended his season before it began. Mike Klis reported, “The Denver Broncos may have lost one of their more dependable, hard-working defensive linemen for the season as the team fears Matt Henningsen suffered an Achilles injury during the team’s joint practice Thursday with the San Francisco 49ers, a source tells 9NEWS.”
Broncos Matt Henningsen was just carted off the field after being in a lot of pain. DJ Jones, who has what looks like a vet day, went in with him. And they had a quick conversation. Can’t report what was said. it doesn’t look good at all to be honest. Was having a really good…
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) August 7, 2026
Henningsen entered the league as a sixth-round pick in 2022, drafted 206th overall out of Wisconsin. He capped off a solid college career with All-Big Ten honors in 2021 and impressed scouts at his Pro Day with an athletic 37.5-inch vertical and a 10-foot broad jump.
NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein praised him back then as a tough, high-energy defender. Henningsen went on to play in all 34 games over his first two NFL seasons before spending 2024 on Denver’s practice squad.
Now, the Broncos are holding their breath. The team hasn’t released any official details on the injury yet, but there’s deep concern for a player who fought so hard to recover from a tough setback and was looking like a crucial contributor once again.
