Pat Bryant injury update: Sean Payton reveals Broncos WR has movement in extremities amid hospitalization

With just seconds left in Sunday’s loss in Mile High, WR Pat Bryant took a hit that has him now hospitalized in Denver. Now, immediately after the game, Sean Payton has addressed the status of the rookie wide receiver for the Broncos.

In the first question asked at his postgame press conference after the 34-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Payton discussed Bryant after he was carted off, and quickly taken out in an ambulance. He didn’t have much of an update at that point, but said there were optimistic signs with him showing some movements in his limbs at the time of being taken off the field.

“He’s got movement. That’s encouraging. I’ll get an update here probably in the next 15 minutes. But, he was moving his hands, and his legs,” said Payton. “So, as we know more, we’ll let you know.”

With less than 40 seconds left, Bryant caught a pass from QB Bo Nix, where he took a massive hit over the middle from CB Montaric Brown. He was then tended too at once on the field, with the staff reportedly having to unscrew his facemask from his helmet, before both teams took their helmets off and surrounded him. He was then carted off of Empower Field, and taken to a local hospital in Denver.

In the 34-20 loss tonight to Jacksonville, Bryant caught five of eight targets for 42 yards. That was one of the better games in his young career in the NFL, being a third-round pick out of Illinois in the 2025 NFL Draft, as he is up to 27 receptions on 44 targets for 347 yards, averaging 24.8 per game and 12.9 per catch, and one touchdown. He had come on in his last four appearances too since Week 11, as Bryant has had 17 receptions on 25 targets for 198 yards, averaging 49.5 per game and 11.7 per catch.

More will be known after Bryant receives whatever medical attention he needs tonight in Denver. Things sound somewhat positive, though, based on that little noting from Payton.

Pat Bryant carted off after brutal hit against Jaguars

 Pat Bryant was carted off the field in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Bryant, with 31 seconds remaining in the game, took a massive hit over the middle of the field from Montaric Brown.

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Bryant’s facemask was unscrewed from his helmet as the medical staff tended to him on the field. Both teams surrounded Bryant at midfield as he was carted off, as he was loaded directly into an ambulance from there and taken to a local hospital.

Man, #Broncos WR Pat Bryant just took a MAJOR hit: pic.twitter.com/rECewRHnqW

— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) December 22, 2025