Denver Broncos defensive lineman Matt Henningsen has reportedly suffered a season-ending Achilles tear, marking the second consecutive year he has sustained this injury. The 27-year-old was carted off the field during preseason practice on Friday, with reports from KUSA-TV's Mike Klis indicating the severity of the injury.
This latest injury to Henningsen's other leg occurred almost exactly one year after he tore his Achilles in a joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers, an injury that also ended his season prematurely.
Before his current injury, Henningsen was competing for a rotational role on the defensive line behind Zach Allen, D.J. Jones, and Malcolm Roach. He was drafted by the Broncos in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft after a five-year college career at Wisconsin.
Henningsen played in all 17 games in both his rookie season in 2022 and the subsequent season. During his NFL career, he has recorded 40 tackles and one sack, along with two pass defenses. However, he has not played in an NFL game since the 2023 season.
Despite his injury history, Henningsen re-signed with the Broncos in March. Head coach Sean Payton had recently commented on Henningsen's performance in practice, noting his intelligence and understanding of the team's defense. "He does a great job of seeing those screens or underneath throws. He’s doing really well. He’s exceptionally smart," Payton said in June. "He has great respect from his teammates. He knows the technique and the defense well. In a position that gets rotated and plays a lot, he’s going to be competing for one of those spots."