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The New York Jets received troublesome news just four days before they are scheduled to kick off the 2025 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers. According to ESPN, the Jets fear that starting offensive guard Alijah Vera-Tucker has suffered a season-ending torn tricep. He is getting a second opinion to see if surgery is necessary. 

The former No. 14 overall pick out of USC was slated to be the Jets' starting right guard this season and is playing on his fifth-year option in 2025. Vera-Tucker started all 15 games he played for the Jets last season but has struggled to remain healthy over the course of his young NFL career. 

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Vera-Tucker suffered a torn triceps in 2022, which ended his season after just seven games played, and then an Achilles injury held him to five games played in 2023. Over four NFL seasons, he has made a total of 43 starts. 

Xavier Newman-Johnson is a candidate to replace Vera-Tucker in the lineup. The Baylor product has spent the past two seasons with the Jets and played nine games for New York in 2024. 

The Jets-Steelers matchup is considered to be one of the most intriguing games in Week 1. It's just the second opposing starting quarterback matchup in the Super Bowl era featuring quarterbacks that started a game for the other team the previous season. Justin Fields spent 2024 with the Steelers while Aaron Rodgers spent the past two years with the Jets.