The Arizona Cardinals hoped their rookie running back would make an early impact, but his preseason debut ended with an unexpected setback. Jeremiyah Love left after hurting his ankle against the Las Vegas Raiders, creating fresh concerns around the Cardinals’ backfield.
The situation became more complicated when head coach Mike LaFleur offered little detail about the injury. His response has now caught the attention of fans online.
Mike LaFleur Faces Fan Backlash Over Jeremiyah Love Injury Update
LaFleur initially sounded optimistic about Love’s condition after the preseason game, saying the rookie “could have returned if we needed him to.” However, Love experienced some soreness afterward, and the Cardinals later confirmed that the 2026 No. 3 overall pick suffered a high ankle sprain.
On Sunday, when reporters asked LaFleur directly whether Love had been diagnosed with a high ankle sprain, the coach kept his answer short: “It’s an ankle, so we’ll keep it at that.”
This response did not sit well with some NFL fans, especially after the injury proved more serious than the initial comments suggested.
One NFL fan questioned the decision to keep Love on the field for so many touches, writing, “Maybe you shouldn’t have given him 14 touches in a preseason game. We already know he’s a stud.”
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Another fan focused on the lack of transparency and directed the criticism toward the league, writing, “Take away some draft picks for not being transparent, NFL.”
The frustration continued as more fans weighed in on LaFleur’s response. Tyler Miller, another fan, dismissed the coach’s answer as a “Half [expletive] coach response.”
Another took a more pointed view of the situation, writing, “Not saying = being guilty. Yep, a high ankle sprain.”
The criticism comes at an important time for Arizona. Love is expected to miss the Cardinals’ August 22 preseason matchup against the Dallas Cowboys and could sit out the rest of the preseason slate.
The team still hopes he can recover in time for the September 13 regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, but his availability remains uncertain.
Love’s absence also creates a major problem in the backfield. James Conner is recovering from a serious foot and ankle injury, while Trey Benson is dealing with a knee issue. Tyler Allgeier is now expected to receive more first-team work, putting additional pressure on the veteran running back.
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The injury could also force LaFleur to adjust his plans. Love and Allgeier shared the backfield during the preseason opener, giving Arizona another way to use Love’s speed and versatility.
Without him, the Cardinals, ranked 24th in PFN NFL Offense Impact%20assigns,red%20zone%20and%20third%20downs.), may need to lean more heavily on Allgeier and place greater responsibility on quarterback Jacoby Brissett and tight end Trey McBride.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.