Report: Lions expect WR/returner Tom Kennedy to miss the rest of the season after MCL injury

Detroit is preparing for life without wide receiver and return specialist Tom Kennedy after a report from NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo said the Lions expect him to miss the rest of the season. The update comes with the season already past Week 5, when Kennedy sustained the injury described as an MCL issue.

According to the report, Kennedy is expected to undergo surgery to repair the MCL injury he suffered in Week 5. If that expectation holds, his absence would extend beyond recovery, effectively removing him from the Lions’ remaining regular-season schedule and postseason picture.

Kennedy’s role matters beyond the wide receiver depth chart. As a listed WR/RET, he has been part of Detroit’s return game, meaning his season-ending setback carries special-teams consequences, not just an offensive snap-count change.

The Lions, in turn, are expected to “hunt for a returner,” as the report puts it. That typically translates to the organization looking across the roster for a player who can handle both kickoff and punt responsibilities, along with the coaching staff adjusting kickoff/punt formations and return assignments to protect ball security.

This kind of midseason injury also tends to create ripple effects on roster usage. With a return specialist out, teams often have to redistribute reps during practices and make adjustments to who is positioned for coverage and blocks during return plays. Even when the Lions keep their core starters intact, the efficiency and risk profile of the return unit can shift quickly when a new primary returner takes over.

Because the reporting is described as expected rather than confirmed by the team or the league, there is still some uncertainty surrounding the exact timeline and whether any additional internal updates will follow. However, an expected surgery plan for an MCL injury strongly suggests the team will treat Kennedy’s return as highly unlikely in 2026.

For Detroit, the immediate focus will be identifying a dependable replacement and stabilizing the special teams unit before late-season games sharpen the margins. The next watch items are who earns the first opportunity as the primary returner and how the Lions balance return duties with other responsibilities on offense and defense.