Arizona Cardinals running back Bam Knight was carted off early on in the Arizona’s 40-20 defeat to the Houston Texans with an ankle injury. He did not return to the game due to his injury.
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The running back only carried the ball once for negative two yards before he got hurt. Rookie Cody Simon got banged up on a Texans drive. Wide receiver Andre Baccellia was carted off with a neck injury. Neither player returned to the game.
Adam Schefter officially reported that Bam Knight was placed on season-ending injury reserve due to the severity of his injury. He said on X,
“Cardinals now have placed RB Bam Knight on season-ending injured reserve after he suffered an ankle injury Sunday.”
Cardinals now have placed RB Bam Knight on season-ending injured reserve after he suffered an ankle injury Sunday.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 16, 2025
Bam Knight’s absence further tests the team’s backfield depth as they look to finish out the season without one of their key rotational pieces. According to PFSN’s running back impact metrics, Bam Knight ran for 259 rushing yards, four touchdowns, 3.3 yards per carry, 82 rush attempts, 22 receptions, 160 receiving yards, with a 62.1 RB impact score in 12 games played.
With the running back sidelined, Michael Carter had to carry the load for the Cardinals against the Texans on Sunday. He finished the game with 14 carries for 56 yards. In addition to his carries, he also caught four balls for 48 yards. Arizona already had the cards stacked against it before the running back’s injury.
Arizona Cardinals Season This Year
Arizona’s season this year has been defined by injuries, offensive struggles, and a disappointing 3-11 record. The Cardinals won their first two games, but then went on a five-game losing streak. After Arizona’s bye week, they first beat the Dallas Cowboys 27-17 on Nov. 4.
Since then, the Cardinals have lost six straight games. Since Bam Knight suffered his injury, he joined Trey Benson (knee) and James Conner (foot) as Arizona’s third running back lost for the season. One bright spot for Arizona is the individual performance of tight end Trey McBride.
Against Houston, he caught 12 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. For the season, Trey McBride has caught 105 passes for 1,071 yards and 10 touchdowns, per PFSN’s Tight End Impact metrics. Unfortunately, the team’s outstanding performance isn’t yielding many wins. Arizona has not yet won a game against its division rivals, though it has one last divisional game against the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 4.
The Arizona Cardinals play next week against the Atlanta Falcons at home on FOX at 1:05 p.m. The team is eliminated from playoff contention, and the only thing they can do is finish the season strong and rebuild for next year.
