The Indianapolis Colts are off to an impressive start in the 2025 season, emerging as one of the league’s top teams after Week 7, thanks in large part to the remarkable resurgence of quarterback Daniel Jones. However, the team recently received concerning news when wide receiver Josh Downs appeared on the injury report with a concussion.
Downs missed the Colts’ Week 7 victory over the Chargers, but there’s hope he could return for Week 8. Let’s break down the latest on his injury and what his potential return could mean for Indianapolis.
Will Josh Downs Play in Week 8?
Downs’ concussion came as a complete surprise. He played all four quarters during Indianapolis’ win over the Cardinals in Week 6, and there were no public indications of injury concerns until he failed to participate in the Colts’ first practice of Week 7.
Downs remained absent from practice for the entire week and was ruled out early for Sunday’s game against the Chargers. The Colts wideout practiced on Thursday without the non-contact jersey, which he wore in Wednesday’s practice.
#Colts WR Josh Downs (concussion) has upgraded out of the red non-contact jersey he wore yesterday.
CB Kenny Moore II (Achilles) is back. RB Tyler Goodson (groin) practicing.
Still no DE Tyquan Lewis (groin), DE Samson Ebukam (knee).
No DT Grover Stewart, but should be rest.
— Jake Arthur (@JakeArthurNFL) October 23, 2025
Players who suffer concussions often miss at least one game, with the most common absence being exactly one game. With Downs having already missed one contest, there is hope he can return to practice on Wednesday and be ready for Sunday’s matchup against the Tennessee Titans.
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While the exact timing of the concussion remains unclear, two heavy hits late in the game against the Cardinals may have been the cause. Early in the fourth quarter, Cardinals safety Dadrion Taylor-Demerson had leveled Downs moments after his 5-yard touchdown grab.
Later, with just over five minutes remaining, Taylor-Demerson and two other defenders converged on Downs following a 9-yard reception that set up the game-winning score. The contact on the second hit was so intense that Taylor-Demerson himself left the field injured.
Despite those collisions, Downs remained in the game and finished with six receptions for 42 yards and a touchdown. A third-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, Downs has quickly become one of Daniel Jones’ most trusted targets, hauling in 26 receptions for 217 yards and a touchdown through six games to earn 27th place in PFSN’s WR Impact metric.
