Cardinals Put Jeremiyah Love, Kendrick Bourne on Injured Reserve After Win

The Arizona Cardinals' thrilling overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys has come at a steep price. The Cardinals placed rookie running back Jeremiyah Love on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain, NFL Network reported on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and also placed wide receiver Kendrick Bourne on injured reserve. The Jeremiyah Love injured reserve move means Arizona will be without its first-round rookie for at least four games.

Love suffered the injury in the first half of Arizona's 33-30 overtime victory over Dallas on Sunday, November 1, when his leg was trapped under a tackle. He walked off under his own power and slammed his helmet on the sideline in frustration. The injury is expected to keep him out for four to five weeks, with a return possible in Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Key Points

• The Arizona Cardinals placed rookie running back Jeremiyah Love on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain suffered against Dallas.
• Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was also placed on injured reserve by the Cardinals on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
• Love is expected to miss four to five weeks and is first eligible to return in Week 13 against the Philadelphia Eagles.
• It is Love's third ankle injury of his rookie season, after a preseason high-ankle sprain and a left ankle injury that cost him Weeks 6 and 7.
• Veteran Tyler Allgeier, who rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns in relief against Dallas, is expected to carry the backfield load when Arizona visits Seattle on Sunday.

What Happened

The news arrived on Tuesday, two days after the Cardinals' win in Dallas, when NFL Network reported that Love would go on injured reserve. The team confirmed the wider picture the same day, placing both Love and Bourne on the list. Under NFL rules, a player on injured reserve must miss at least four games, setting Love's earliest return at Week 13 against Philadelphia.

The timing is painful for the Cardinals, who sit at 3-5 and are trying to stay in the playoff race. Love will miss games against Seattle, the Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City and Washington. Bourne's absence removes another experienced pass catcher from an offence that must now lean more heavily on Allgeier and its remaining receivers.

Love's injury happened in the first half in Dallas, when his leg was caught beneath a tackler. He left the field on foot, but slamming his helmet on the sideline told its own story. High-ankle sprains are notoriously slow to heal, because the ligaments above the ankle joint bear weight on every cut and change of direction, the very movements a running back depends on.

Background and Context

Love arrived in Arizona as a first-round pick with high expectations, and his rookie season has shown flashes of why the Cardinals invested in him. In six games, five of them starts, he has rushed for 268 yards and one touchdown, adding 11 catches for 36 yards and another touchdown. He has been a central part of the Cardinals' rushing attack and a player defences must account for on every snap.

His season, however, has been interrupted by ankle trouble from the start. He suffered a high-ankle sprain in the preseason, then hurt his left ankle in a separate incident that kept him out of Weeks 6 and 7. The latest injury, to the other ankle, means he has now dealt with three ankle injuries in a single rookie campaign.

Bourne brought veteran experience to the receiver room, and his absence further thins Arizona's depth ahead of the trip to Seattle on Sunday.

Jeremiyah Love Injured Reserve: What Four to Five Weeks Means

A four-to-five-week absence takes Love out of the heart of the schedule and puts his return on the Week 13 game against Philadelphia. That date is the earliest the Cardinals can activate him, not a guarantee he will be ready, as high-ankle sprains heal at different rates. Week 13 also falls late enough that Arizona's playoff position may already be decided by then.

In the meantime, the Cardinals must find yards without him. Allgeier answered that question emphatically against Dallas, rushing for 147 yards and two touchdowns after Love went down. The challenge will be sustaining that production over a full month, against defences that will now game-plan specifically for Allgeier.

Reactions and Quotes

The reporting around the move has focused on the timeline rather than on public statements from the team, and no detailed medical update beyond the high-ankle sprain diagnosis has been published. What is clear is the sequence: the injury in Dallas, the walk off the field, the helmet slam, and then Tuesday's injured reserve designation.

For Love, the frustration is understandable. A rookie season is short, and every missed game is a lost chance to develop. For the Cardinals, the response has to be practical: protect the player, give the ankle time to heal, and trust the depth behind him.

Why It Matters

Running backs carry a heavy workload, and losing a starter changes how an offence operates. Without Love, Arizona loses a back who can run between the tackles and catch passes out of the backfield. Allgeier can replace much of that production, as he showed against Dallas, but depth behind him will be tested if the workload grows.

The wider picture matters too. At 3-5, the Cardinals cannot afford a long losing run, and their next four opponents include Seattle, the Rams and Kansas City. Surviving that stretch without Love and Bourne would keep Arizona in the race until its rookie can return. Slipping further back would make Week 13 a return to a season already out of reach.

What Happens Next

Arizona visits the Seattle Seahawks, who are 4-4, on Sunday, with Allgeier expected to handle the bulk of the backfield work. The Cardinals will then prepare for the Rams, Kansas City and Washington, with Love eligible to return against Philadelphia in Week 13 if his rehabilitation goes to plan.

The trade deadline on November 10 adds another layer. Arizona must decide whether its current depth is enough for the next month, or whether it needs outside help at running back or receiver. For now, the plan appears to be internal: trust Allgeier and keep the season alive until Love can come back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Jeremiyah Love placed on injured reserve? Love suffered a high-ankle sprain in the first half of Arizona's 33-30 overtime win over Dallas on November 1.

How long will Love be out? He is expected to miss four to five weeks, first eligible to return in Week 13 against Philadelphia.

Who else did the Cardinals place on injured reserve? Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was also placed on injured reserve on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Who replaces Love in the backfield? Veteran Tyler Allgeier, who rushed for 147 yards and two touchdowns in relief against Dallas.

What is Arizona's record and next game? The Cardinals are 3-5 and visit the Seattle Seahawks, who are 4-4, on Sunday.

Related coverage: Cardinals stun Cowboys 33-30 in OT as Minshew sparks epic comeback in Dallas and Jaguars lose Hamilton and Murray to season-ending injuries before Ravens game.