Jaguars WR Christian Kirk Reveals Injury Dating Back to Week 6

There is no denying that Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk is a warrior. 

The star receiver has missed the last month with a core muscle injury, but he was back on the practice field for what he described as a "recovery day" on Wednesday, the same day the Jaguars opened up his 21-day practice window. 

Now, Kirk will have the chance to come back quickly from an injury that in many cases takes six to eight weeks to recover from. But this isn't the only injury the Jaguars' wideout has had to battle in 2023.

"These core muscle injuries can kind of have a broad spectrum of severity. Mine was my left adductor, left ab off the bone. And then I had a right tear that I had been playing with since Week 6," Kirk told local media in the locker room after Wednesday's practice. 

"I had been running after an injury for a while. I'm definitely happy I was able to get it fixed, and now I'm healthy. I'm trying to do everything to trust the process, trust the timeline, and take it day by day. Honestly, the fact that I'm standing in front of y'all in cleats, being able to go out on the practice field, is still kind of surreal to me. But I have been working tirelessly."

The Jaguars have been without Kirk since their Week 13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Kirk suffered a core muscle injury on a 26-yard catch on the Jaguars' first offensive play. Kirk underwent surgery days later and has been rehabbing since.

Kirk led the Jaguars in most receiving statistics at the time of his injury, which has since caused a ripple across the offense.

In the first 12 games of the season, Kirk caught 57 passes for 787 yards and three touchdowns.

“It would be huge. Obviously, the type of player Christian is, but also the leader, the voice he is in that room, in the locker room, all those things. He’s a great player and one of our best players and we need him back," Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence said on Wednesday. 

"We’re excited for whenever it is, he’s clearly doing everything he can to come back. It’s been amazing to see him moving around and even doing some of the stuff he’s doing already. I’ve been super impressed and there’s not a guy more committed. I know he’s going to do the right thing and take care of himself also, but obviously whenever we can get him back, we’re excited for that because he’s going to help us a lot.”