GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Arizona Cardinals' defense absorbed another tough setback with the news that linebacker Dennis Gardeck will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL, coach Jonathan Gannon confirmed on Tuesday.
Gardeck was injured early in the second half of Arizona's 17-15 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. It's the third time the linebacker has suffered an ACL injury, including once in 2020 and another instance in high school.
It’s the fourth season-ending injury for a prominent Arizona defensive player. Linebacker BJ Ojulari tore knee ligaments during the preseason and then defensive linemen Justin Jones (tripces) and Bilal Nichols (stinger) were ruled out in recent weeks.
The 30-year-old Gardeck had played in all seven games this season and led the team with three sacks and six tackles for a loss. He's in his seventh season in the NFL and has consistently earned more playing time throughout his career being undrafted out of NCAA Division II Sioux Falls.
The Cardinals hope to get some defensive help in the coming weeks when rookie Darius Robinson makes his debut. The No. 27 overall pick hasn't played this season because of a calf injury.
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The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events on a yearly basis, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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