The Alabama Crimson Tide earned a massive victory this weekend over LSU, but unfortunately, it did not come without cost.

In the game’s final minutes, star tight end Josh Ford — who has been a massive part of the run game and an overall return to physicality this season with elite level blocking — went down with a knee injury, and on Monday morning it was announced that it was going to end his season.

Alabama tight end Josh Ford is set to miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury he suffered Saturday against LSU, sources tell @CBSSports.

The 6-foot-6, 265-pounder had been a key piece of the Crimson Tide offense and had a touchdown catch vs. LSU before suffering the… pic.twitter.com/eZZvQui6Gf

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) November 9, 2026

Ford broke his forearm earlier this season against Mississippi State and underwent surgery but would play the following week against Georgia, showing incredible grit and commitment to his team.

Alabama is going to miss his presence on the field, but he may be missed even more from an in the locker room and on the sideline perspective as one of the emotional leaders of this team.

During his Monday press conference, Kalen DeBoer joked that Ford was still probably “trying to figure out how he’s still gonna play this year.”

“It’s just who he is,” DeBoer said of the former Oklahoma State transfer. “His impact has been really key for our football team in a lot of ways. Just a guy that’s a uniter. You’ve got uniters and dividers, I think, and he’s a uniter of our football team. He’s a leader. I think we’d go back to spring ball and talk about the physicality of what he brought and how other guys, I think, fed off of that.”

“So again, we’re gonna have to find ways to make up the gap that he leaves with him not being with us. He’ll be with us, but not on the football field. And so, an important guy. I think our team just loves him to death. I know I do as well. So, we’ll be thinking about Josh here, and I know he’s gonna have a fast recovery and will do everything he can to get back as soon as possible.”

Fortunately, Alabama does have a very deep tight end room led by guys like Kaleb Edwards and Marshall Pritchett, but now guys like Danny Lewis as well as Jay Lindsey are going to have to step up as well.

It’s a tremendous loss for the Crimson Tide without Ford on the field, but the hope is that they have the depth to be just fine.