Raiders tight end Brock Bowers to miss season opener after knee surgery

HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers will not play in the team’s Week 1 game against the Miami Dolphins, head coach Klint Kubiak said Friday.

Kubiak said he had been optimistic about Bowers’ availability earlier in the week, even in light of the tight end’s recent knee surgery.

When he was asked specifically about Bowers’ availability on Wednesday, Kubiak said: “We’re expecting to have all our guys ready for Sunday.”

Bowers played in the team’s preseason finale on Aug. 27 and participated in last week’s final open practice on Sept. 2. He did not practice in any of the team’s three open sessions this week and was listed as a non-participant with a knee injury on the official injury report.

Kubiak did not remember when specifically Bowers’ injury occurred or when it was determined he needed surgery.

“It all happened pretty quick,” Kubiak said on Friday. “But yeah, he got it cleaned up and we’ll get him back soon.”

When asked how long Bowers would be out, Kubiak said he would not talk about timelines and that the team hopes to get him back as soon as possible.

Last season, Bowers suffered a knee injury in Week 1; it hampered him for most of the season and forced him to miss three games in October. He ultimately went on injured reserve for the final two games of the 2025 campaign. He finished the season with 64 catches for 680 yards and seven touchdowns.

The third-year pro was poised to be the focal point of Kubiak’s offense. He was the star of training camp, making explosive plays with
ease in nearly every practice.

With Bowers down, the Raiders will rely on backups Michael Mayer and Ian Thomas to shoulder a bigger workload. Mayer spelled Bowers during most of the five games Bowers missed last year, and served as a complement when he was on the field. Mayer caught 35 passes for 328 yards and a score. Thomas served primarily in a blocking and special-teams role during his first season with Las Vegas in 2025.

In positive injury news, Kubiak confirmed running back Ashton Jeanty will play Week 1 after returning from an ankle injury. He went down after diving for a pass during practice on Aug. 23, causing him to miss the last two weeks and the final preseason game. Jeanty practiced on Wednesday for the first time since the injury, and he participated in full in each of the team’s three open sessions this week.

The initial scene of Jeanty’s injury was a somber one, as he had to be helped off the field by team staff while his teammates dropped to their knees in prayer. But he said he realized quickly that he would be alright.

“When I popped up, I had a sigh of relief,” Jeanty said. “I knew it wasn’t anything too bad, even though I couldn’t put pressure on my foot… Of course, anytime you have an injury you think about how much worse it could have been and it just gives you perspective. But of course, just glad it was something light.”

Jeanty said he never had any concerns that he would miss the regular season opener and is feeling 100% going into it.

“I feel really good,” Jeanty said. “Super excited to go out there and play a good game with this team against the Dolphins.”

Jeanty is also set up for a big season in Kubiak’s new scheme, particularly after improvements on the offensive line. Bowers’ absence makes second-year running back even more important, as the Raiders will have to call on the ground game to pace the offense without their top target.