New York Jets suffer big injury along offensive line ahead of Week 1

The Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets are preparing for their Week 1 showdown at MetLife Stadium this Sunday, and both teams have a relatively clean bill of health before the season opener. That was until it became public Wednesday the Jets are expected to be without guard Alijah Vera-Tucker due to an arm injury.

Multiple sources are calling the injury “significant” and potentially needing surgery. Regardless, it looks as if the Jets will be without Vera-Tucker for Week 1, if not for much longer.

This per Adam Schefter of ESPN:

Jets guard Alijah Vera-Tucker suffered a significant injury, as @DMRussini reported.

It is an arm injury, he is getting a second opinion and Vera-Tucker might now need surgery, per sources. pic.twitter.com/AJYzoQVAx8

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2025

The loss of Vera-Tucker is crippling to a team who wants to win by running the football. Whether it’s with quarterback Justin Fields or Breece Hall, the team is one which is built around the ground game. Vera-Tucker is a high end guard, and replacing him will be a challenge.

For the Steelers defense, this means they should have an easier time stopping the run and minimizing the ground game. In doing so the Steelers will force the Jets into moving the ball through the air with Fields throwing the ball. Something, as the Steelers saw first-hand in 2024 when Fields quarterbacked the team for the first six games, doesn’t always work out according to plan.

It’s the next-man-up philosophy in the NFL, but that’s easier said than done. Will it matter in Week 1? We’ll find out, and be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the season opener this Sunday at 1pm EST.