Report: Tyler Eifert needs ankle surgery, could miss three months
The luck of the Irish definitely does not appear to be with Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert right now.
According to a report by Jim Owczarski of The Enquirer on Tuesday, Eifert needs surgery on his left ankle and could miss the next three months.
BREAKING: #Bengals Pro Bowl tight end Tyler Eifert to have ankle procedure.https://t.co/BB0lUY1Usc pic.twitter.com/OpBL5lZPBj
— Jim Owczarski (@JimOwczarski) May 24, 2016
While that timetable would put a return sometime in late August, Adam Schefter of ESPN adds that the procedure may throw Eifert’s status for the start of the 2016 season in doubt.
Bengals' Tyler Eifert will have ankle surgery this week, as @JimOwczarski reported. Start of 2016 season for Eifert in jeopardy, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 24, 2016
Eifert, 25, was phenomenal last year, his third in the league, racking up 52 catches for 615 yards. He was also a grizzly bear in the red zone all season, recording 13 touchdowns, tops amongst tight ends. Eifert’s performance was good enough to get him selected as a Pro Bowler, but in a cruel twist of fate, he suffered the aforementioned ankle injury during the Pro Bowl game itself.
The Bengals open the season on the road against the New York Jets on September 11, and could thrust second-year tight end Tyler Kroft into a bigger role if Eifert is not yet ready by then.
Image Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
H/T theScore
