Penn State safety KJ Winston Jr. entered the 2024 season as a preseason All-American and team captain. His standout performance in the opener against West Virginia, where he recorded 12 tackles and forced a fumble, reinforced expectations for a big season.
However, shortly after that game, he suffered an injury during practice. Winston attempted to play in Week 2 against Bowling Green but after just one quarter and a series, it was clear he couldn’t push through the injury. Head coach James Franklin later announced on September 18 that Winston had a long-term injury and would miss significant time.
Reflecting on the injury after Penn State’s CFP quarterfinal win over Boise State, Winston said, “When it happened, it didn’t feel right. I’m very in-tune with my body, and I tried to keep going, but it wasn’t right. In the Bowling Green game, I felt it again, and I knew something was wrong. We went through the procedures, got X-rays, and the rest is history.”
Winston, who is set to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, did not reveal the specifics of his injury or explain why he chose to leave for the draft rather than return to college for another year. After undergoing a procedure to address the issue, he wore a large brace on his right leg in early November and confirmed to BWI that the procedure ruled out any chance of him returning this season, regardless of how far the team advanced in the postseason.
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