Devin Hester Injury: Updates on Falcons WR's Toe and Return

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Devin Hester has missed the opening four games games of the season due to a case of turf toe and has been placed on short-term injured reserve to allow him to recover.

Continue for updates. 

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Quinn, Hester Comment on Recovery, Return

Tuesday, Oct. 6

“We have decided to place Devin on short-term IR,” head coach Dan Quinn said. “We have been trying to treat his toe injury the best we could, and he has been doing everything in his power to get back on the field, but at this point we think this is the best plan of action. We are confident this time will let Devin get healthy and be a big contributor to this team once he is back on the field.”

“When he can feel that explosion that he has without the pain, then we’ll know we’re ready,” Quinn said on Sept. 23, per Kelsey Conway of AtlantaFalcons.com. “I’m not going to jeopardize for it to be longer in the injury just to have him back out there. He’s such a valuable guy for us, and I want to make sure he’s at his best.”

On Sept. 12, Hester told McClure he is planning to sit out until his toe is 100 percent healthy. 

"With turf toes, they just need time to heal," Hester said. "I think this is what I did with this one. I came back on it too early. I feel like [missing] one or two games is better than four or five games."

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How Hester's Injury Affects Falcons

Hester remains one of the most valuable special teams players in the NFL, leading the league in total kickoff return yards each of the past two seasons and tied for highest average yards per punt return last season (min. 15 attempts). 

The Falcons can get by without Hester at wide receiver because they still have Julio Jones and Roddy White, but his value on special teams takes away a huge weapon that no player on the roster can replace. 

Stats via Pro-Football-Reference.com