The Baltimore Ravens became the first team in the AFC to secure a playoff berth with their 23-7 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday Night Football.
However, the victory did not come without cost as Head Coach John Harbaugh announced following the game that undrafted rookie running back Keaton Mitchell is feared to have suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Coach Harbaugh announced that RB Keaton Mitchell suffered a serious knee injury in tonight’s game. pic.twitter.com/wU6eMeO36T
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) December 18, 2023
The speedy running back out of East Carolina was in the middle of his second-best game of the season with 73 rushing yards on nine carries before exiting the contest near the start of the fourth quarter. Mitchell went down after awkwardly extending his knee at the end of a 13-yard run.
After the play, Mitchell was carted to the locker room and immediately ruled out for the rest of the game.
Harbaugh also said that veteran running back Melvin Gordon will be elevated from the practice squad to the active roster to serve as the team’s third running back behind Gus Edwards and Justice Hill for the remainder of the season.
Mitchell is now the second significant injury the Ravens have been dealt at the running back position this season after starting running back J.K. Dobbins tore his Achilles in the season opener against the Houston Texans.
Mitchell finishes his promising rookie season with 323 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries, with an average of 8.5 yards per carry.