Marvin Jones Jr.'s 2019 season is over after the Detroit Lions placed the veteran wide receiver on IR Tuesday.
Jones got his foot stuck awkwardly in the turf late in Detroit's 20-7 loss in Minnesota Sunday and is going on IR with an ankle injury.
He ends the year with 62 catches for 779 yards and nine touchdowns. His nine touchdowns are currently second in the NFL behind only teammate Kenny Golladay's 10.
Jones actually stayed in the game and lined up following the injury, knowing that Detroit would have to burn a timeout in their comeback bid late in the game if trainers had to come out and attend to him.
"During the game, I saw it when it happened live. I saw it and I looked and I said, 'Oh no,' I knew it hurt, I knew that much, but I saw him get up ... it's pretty impressive," Lions head coach Matt Patricia said in a conference call Tuesday.
"He got up and got lined up, knew the situation. It just shows his leadership, his toughness, his mental preparation."
Jones was carted to the locker room following the game.
Jones has been consistently good opposite Golladay all year, and his absence will be a big loss for the Lions in their last three games.
Jones also ended the 2018 season on injured reserve. In four seasons in Detroit, he has 213 catches for 3,318 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has one year left on the five-year contract he signed before the 2016 season.
His absence the rest of the way will be an opportunity for someone else to step up, whether that's Chris Lacy, or practice squad players Travis Fulgham, Victor Bolden and Tom Kennedy, who could potentially be signed to the active roster this week.
"We always try to prepare guys and develop guys that need to come up and step up in those roles," Patricia said. "We had to do that before with Marvin Hall. Chris Lacy's a guy that stepped into that role and really tried to help us. We'll just continue to do that."
