Oakland Raiders rookie running back Josh Jacobs underwent surgery to treat a skin infection on his leg, the team announced Thursday.
“Josh Jacobs woke up with discomfort in his leg on Wednesday and he was evaluated and treated for a superficial skin infection,” the statement said.
The statement came after Jacobs wrote about the procedure on an Instagram story on Wednesday.
“Surgery went great fastest surgery ever,” Jacobs wrote before later removing the post. He also posted a picture with his lower leg wrapped in bandages.
Jacobs followed up that Instagram story by writing, “It’s not a football injury just had an infection.”
The 21-year-old back has missed two of the Raiders’ past three games with a fractured right shoulder.
Raiders coach Jon Gruden said Thursday, “He has a skin infection and that will have nothing to do with his playing status. His shoulder is the issue and we’re anxious to see how he is (Friday).
“Unfortunately, he does have a skin infection and that, I think, will be OK, but it’s the shoulder. It’s been the shoulder, it is the shoulder, and that’s the area that we’ve got to take a good look at.”
Jacobs has rushed for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns in 13 games since being selected by the Raiders with the 24th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft.
DeAndre Washington would be in line to start if Jacobs cannot play for Oakland (7-8), which will need a fair amount of help in order to qualify for the playoffs.
In addition to defeating the Broncos (6-9) in Denver on Sunday, Oakland also needs to have the Indianapolis Colts (7-8) beat the Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10), the Tennessee Titans (8-7) lose to the Houston Texans (10-5) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7) fall to the Baltimore Ravens (13-2).
Also, the Raiders need a victory from one of four teams — the New England Patriots (vs. Miami Dolphins), Chicago Bears (vs. Minnesota Vikings), Los Angeles Chargers (vs. Kansas City Chiefs) and Detroit Lions (vs. Green Bay Packers) — in order to gain a strength-of-victory tiebreaker over the Steelers.
