Shemar Stewart goes to IR in the midst of a disappointing rookie season
The The Cincinnati Bengals are in the midst of a frustrating seasonas the franchise owns a 3-6 record in Week 11. With the team trying to earn wins in the back end of the 2025-26 campaign, rookie defensive end Shemar Stewart appears headed to IR.
Stewart, who is 22 years old, is placed in IR due to a knee injuryaccording to NFL Network’s Tom Pelliser. Despite a hot start to the season, injuries turned Stewart’s first year in the league into a disaster.
“Bengals DE Shemar Stewart is going on injured reserve with a knee injury, according to sources. Stewart, a first-round pick, showed flashes of dominance in Week 1. But an ankle injury in Week 2 lingered, and now the knee injury has sidelined him for at least four games.”
The Bengals rookie has only played in five games this season. Through those contests, he managed just six combined tackles (two solo) and one quarterback hit.
With Stewart out for at least the next four games, the soonest he can return is in Week 15 when the Bengals take on the Baltimore Ravens. With the No. 17 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft out for several games, Cedric Johnson and Cam Semple could see more playing time in the coming weeks.
Shemar Stewart caused quite a stir after being drafted by Cincinnati, having held out of training camp while negotiating a rookie contract. He and the organization eventually agreed to a four-year contract worth nearly $18.97 million that is fully guaranteed. The contract also includes a five-year option for the Bengals.
2025-11-15 17:48:00
