Sunday afternoon, Denver Broncos fullback Andy Janovich suffered a gruesome injury on a tackle by Minnesota Vikings linebacker Eric Wilson. It appeared by the live video – there was no replay – that he had snapped his arm, which led many to believe that he would be done for the year. Sources close to the Broncos have now confirmed that news, ending Janovich’s 2019 campaign.
According to Mike Klis of 9Sports, Janovich actually suffered a dislocated elbow. With only six games remaining on the schedule, he is expected to miss the remainder of the season. He will likely be placed on Injured Reserve while the Broncos add another player.
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At the moment, the Broncos do have an emergency replacement for Janovich in rookie tight end/fullback Andrew Beck. He was the one that came into the game on Sunday against the Vikings. The Broncos could still add another player for depth.
I don’t think we’re getting Jano back this year. pic.twitter.com/PHjjAJrzbR
— Joe Rowles (@JoRo_NFL) November 17, 2019
This injury came at a moment in the game in which the Broncos were winning decisively. Janovich had scored his first touchdown of the season to give the Broncos a surprising lead over the Vikings. At the time of his injury, Denver was leading 17-0. They ultimately took a 20-0 lead into halftime.
However, the Broncos were unable to maintain their lead during the second half. They gave up a quick score during the third quarter and then later lost the lead after Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins found wide receiver Stefon Diggs and tight end Kyle Rudolph for touchdowns.
The Broncos did later attempt a comeback and came within yards of scoring the game-winning touchdown. The Vikings defense held strong and delivered the four-point victory. By doing so, they became the first team to fall into a 20-0 hole heading into halftime and ultimately win the game. The previous 99 attempts had failed.
With Janovich seeing his season come to an end, there are now questions about his future with the Broncos. He is in the final season of his three-year, $5.7 million contract and will be a free agent in March. Bringing him back to the roster won’t be much of a financial issue considering that the fullback is making $720,000 in base salary this season.
For now, the Broncos will put his pending free agency to the side while focusing on finishing the season on a high note. Vic Fangio’s team can still wreak havoc in the AFC playoff picture with upcoming games against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Houston Texans, and the Oakland Raiders. All three teams are in contention for the postseason, and the Broncos can play the spoiler role with upset victories.
Photo Credit: Justin Casterline/Getty
