Dec. 15, 2025, 6:01 AM ESTBy Rohan NadkarniSunday’s NFL slate was an especially significant one in terms of attrition.With only three weeks left in the regular season — and with the start of the playoffs less than a month away — the importance of each game is only increasing. And that means the serious injuries multiple star players sustained in Week 15 could be major factors down the homestretch. Here are some of the players who went down Sunday — and the fallout from their injuries.Patrick MahomesInstead of pulling off yet another signature comeback, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes finished his season prematurely with a torn ACL during the Chiefs’ 16-13 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.Mahomes was driving into Chargers territory with under two minutes to go when he hurt his left knee. Five plays later, his backup, Gardner Minshew, threw an interception that sealed the loss — which eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention.“Don’t know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it’s hurts,” Mahomes wrote on X. “But all we can do now is Trust in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you Chiefs kingdom for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I Will be back stronger than ever.”The immediate aftermath of the injury is obvious. Instead of Mahomes keeping the team’s season alive, the Chiefs will now miss the playoffs for the first time in his career. And now, in part depending on how soon he can undergo surgery, his status for the start of next season is also unclear. One more player to keep an eye on: Travis Kelce, the legendary tight end who is close with Mahomes. Kelce, 36, is in the final year of his contract, and while he has bounced back from a subpar 2024 season, he is still a lesser player than when he was a consistent 1,000-yard receiving option. Will Kelce be tempted to play another year to go out on a higher note with Mahomes? Micah ParsonsGreen Bay Packers star pass rusher Micah Parsons is feared to have torn an ACL, as well, a source told NBC Sports’s Mike Florio.Parsons sustained the injury late in the third quarter of the Packers’ 34-26 defeat at the hands of the Denver Broncos. As Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur put it after the game, the Parsons injury is a “double whammy.”The Packers are 9-4-1 and in the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC. They will travel to Chicago next week to play the Bears, a game that will have massive implications in the playoff race. With a win, Green Bay could win the division and host a playoff game. With a loss, the Packers could be in danger of falling out of the postseason field entirely. A plus for Green Bay? It holds a tiebreaker over the eighth-place Detroit Lions, who also lost Sunday. A minus? The Packers will also have to play a desperate Baltimore Ravens team in Week 17 and go on the road to play the Minnesota Vikings to end the regular season.“It’s obviously tough,” LaFleur said about Parsons. “We all know what kind of player he is and the impact he’s had on our football team. To lose someone like that, it’s tough. But no one is going to feel sorry for us. We need to find a way. Guys have to rally around each other.” Davante AdamsDon’t worry, Los Angeles Rams receiver Davante Adams didn’t tear an ACL. But he did pull up lame with a hamstring injury in the second half of the Rams’ 41-34 win over the Lions, and the timing is brutal.Adams has been a major part of Los Angeles’ offense this season, catching 60 passes for 789 yards and a whopping 14 touchdowns. The team seems doubtful he will be able to suit up for its next game, as the Rams have a short turnaround before a Thursday night showdown on the road against the Seattle Seahawks. “I can’t imagine that’s good for Thursday with just the short amount of time, but I certainly wouldn’t rule him out quite yet,” Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay said after the game. “But it didn’t look good.”Thursday’s game is another one with big consequences. The winner will take the lead in the NFC West, while the loser will fall into a wild-card spot. A Rams win would put them in the driver’s seat for the division crown, as Los Angeles would then also own the tiebreaker over the Seahawks. If the Rams lose, they could still win the division and host a playoff game, but they would need help from others in that scenario. A loss Thursday could ultimately be the difference between the second seed or the five seed for either Los Angeles or Seattle.Rohan NadkarniRohan Nadkarni is a sports reporter for NBC News.