Tutu Atwell’s rookie season will end prematurely and without a single reception. Sean McVay told reporters Monday that Atwell suffered a shoulder injury against the Texans that will require surgery. He will be placed on injured reserve and miss the rest of the season.
The injury occurred on a punt return in the second half of Sunday’s game against Houston. He was immediately ruled questionable to return and never got back on the field after heading to the locker room.
Sean McVay said @RamsNFL WR Tutu Atwell (shoulder) will need surgery and be placed on season-ending Injured Reserve.
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) November 1, 2021
Atwell has only played 10 offensive snaps this year and hasn’t caught a single pass or taken a handoff. The only time he’s touched the ball was in the return game when he took back 10 punts for a total of 54 yards and five kickoffs for 87 yards.
He was never expected to contribute much as a rookie in the Rams’ deep receiving corps, but this is about as poorly as his first season in the NFL could’ve gone. He was the team’s top draft pick, going 57th overall out of Louisville.