The Arizona Cardinals lost a tight affair on Sunday night to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to fall to 4-11 on the year. While some would think things cannot possibly get worse for the organization, they did when the team received some horrible news on Pro Bowl safety Budda Baker.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Baker miraculously did not come out of Sunday’s game despite fracturing his shoulder in the matchup. This injury will however end his 2022-23 season, being ruled out of the team’s final two games of the year.
#AZCardinals Pro Bowl S Budda Baker, one of the heartbeats of the team and its captain, suffered a fractured shoulder during the loss last night and is out the final two games, per me and @MikeGarafolo. Unbelievably, he did not come out of the game. 😱😱😱
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 26, 2022
Baker was one of the few bright spots for Arizona this year, being named to his fifth Pro Bowl and the only member of the Cardinals to receive that honor.
His presence has certainly been evident as a leader of the team during episodes of HBO’s Hard Knocks In Season this year, which has followed the Cardinals’ disastrous season.
Many around the NFL world are extremely disappointed about this news and hope for a speedy recovery for the star safety moving forward.
“This hurts. Obviously,” tweeted longtime Cardinals beat writer Darren Urban.
This hurts. Obviously. https://t.co/DnTyNj4Pf2
— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) December 26, 2022
“Budda Baker played all 81 defensive snaps for the Arizona Cardinals in the OT loss. Budda is built different,” tweeted Bo Brack of the PHNX Sports podcast.
Budda Baker played all 81 defensive snaps for the Arizona Cardinals in the OT loss. Budda is built different. https://t.co/OrFfzbRKNO
— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) December 26, 2022
This is the latest of a string of horrific injuries for the Cardinals, who lost star quarterback Kyler Murray to a torn ACL earlier this month.
They would certainly love to forget this season ever even happened, and it is clear that things just keep getting worse for the organization and head coach Kliff Kingsbury.
