Jets dealt massive blow with star guard Alijah Vera-Tucker sidelined for significant time

The New York Jets were dealt a major setback just days before their season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, as ESPN reports that starting guard Alijah Vera-Tucker has sustained a serious arm injury that may require surgery.

The former first-round pick out of USC, entering 2025 on his fifth-year option, was locked in as the Jets’ starting right guard. Vera-Tucker had started 15 games last season, but durability has been an ongoing concern throughout his career. A torn triceps in 2022 limited him to just seven appearances, while an Achilles injury sidelined him for most of 2023, restricting him to five games. In total, he’s made 43 starts across four NFL seasons.

With Vera-Tucker sidelined, Joe Tippmann is expected to move from starting center to starting guard, while free agent acquisition Josh Myers will start at center. Myers and Tippmann spent training camp engaged in a battle to be named as the starting center, while Tippmann also filled in at the other guard spot when Josh Simpson missed time during camp.

The Jets-Steelers showdown is shaping up as one of the most fascinating storylines of Week 1. It marks only the second time in the Super Bowl era that two starting quarterbacks will face off after suiting up for the other team just a season earlier. Justin Fields, who ran with Pittsburgh in 2024, now leads the Jets, while Aaron Rodgers, fresh off two years in New York, will be under center for the Steelers.