Browns lose first-round receiver KC Concepcion to head injury on Minkah Fitzpatrick hit

The Cleveland Browns ruled out rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion with a head injury in the first quarter of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium, minutes after he absorbed a hit to the head from safety Minkah Fitzpatrick while reaching for a pass.

The loss takes one of Deshaun Watson’s busiest targets out of a game Cleveland was already chasing. The Browns, 3-1 coming into Week 5, trailed 7-0 after Geno Smith found Garrett Wilson for a 32-yard touchdown on New York’s opening possession.

The hit and the flag

Concepcion was targeted by Watson and was trying to secure the ball when Fitzpatrick arrived and made contact with his head. The rookie stayed on the turf for a short time before getting up and walking to the locker room on his own. Officials penalized Fitzpatrick, his second personal foul of the drive, and the yardage put the ball at the New York 12-yard line.

Cleveland could not finish. The possession stalled inside the 10, and Andre Szmyt kicked a 25-yard field goal with 3:27 left in the opening quarter to make it 7-3. The Browns announced at 1:31 p.m. EDT that Concepcion would not return.

Injury Update | WR KC Concepcion has been ruled out with a head injury

— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) October 11, 2026

The team has not said whether he has been diagnosed with a concussion. If he has, he will need to clear every phase of the league’s concussion protocol before he can practice or play again. Whether the league takes further action over the hit is also unknown; plays like it are routinely reviewed for possible fines during the week.

A productive start for the rookie

Cleveland picked Concepcion 24th overall in April after stops at NC State and Texas A&M, and he has handled both receiving and punt-return work from the opening week. In four games he had 15 catches for 135 yards, plus 15 yards on three carries. His best outing was the Week 4 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, when he caught five passes for 64 yards, and he added six receptions in the Week 2 victory at Tampa Bay.

Cleveland gained 38 yards on its first two possessions. Every snap is tracked in the Browns-Jets Game Center.

What comes next

The Browns host the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, October 18, at 1 p.m. EDT, so Concepcion has a normal week to recover. His practice status will appear on Cleveland’s first injury report of the week, and every designation is listed on the injury report page. The Jets visit the New England Patriots the same afternoon.