Jets rookie Chip Trayanum taken to hospital after neck injury on tackle vs. Giants

The New York Jets said rookie running back Chip Trayanum was taken to a hospital after injuring his neck during a tackle on the final play of the first half against the New York Giants on Friday night. The team’s update indicated that Trayanum was awake and alert when evaluated and that he had movement in all of his extremities.

According to the report, the incident happened late in the second quarter. With 10 seconds remaining before halftime, the Jets received the ball and chose to run a play rather than take a knee, setting up the sequence in which Trayanum was taken down. He was then transported for further evaluation, a reminder of how quickly preseason and evaluation-week football can shift from competition to medical concern.

Trayanum enters the NFL after a college career at Toledo. He is listed as an undrafted rookie, meaning his path to the roster has been built through training camp performance and roster-round opportunities rather than a drafted investment. For a team looking to separate depth-chart candidates, a neck injury can also complicate the normal development timeline, particularly when clearance and recovery steps become part of the equation.

The Jets did not describe the severity of the condition beyond its immediate status report. The only specific functional information provided was that Trayanum was awake and alert and showed movement in all extremities, a detail teams typically emphasize because it helps guide how medical staff monitor neurological function after an injury of the neck.

The moment also underlined how teams manage late-half situations. With the clock winding down, the Jets chose to run instead of going quiet, a strategy that can help create evaluation opportunities for different units and formations. That approach comes with the usual risks of traffic and tackling in confined time windows, though it is not unusual for coaches to keep players on task even when halftime is close.

For the Giants, the challenge is similar: injuries alter the short-term roster picture and disrupt practice repetitions that are meant to inform real decision-making. For both clubs, the immediate focus will be on medical updates and how quickly they can get a clear timeline for return, even as the preseason pace continues.

What to watch next is straightforward but important. The Jets are expected to provide further updates as Trayanum is evaluated, and his availability will affect how New York uses its running back depth in the weeks ahead. Any additional team communication about practice participation, transportation for imaging, or neurological checks would likely be the most relevant developments.