Duke DE carted off after gruesome leg injury in Sun Bowl

The Sun Bowl on New Year’s Eve saw a brutal injury, with Duke defensive end Kobe Smith colliding with a teammate and suffering a gruesome bend of his leg.

The injury was such that CBS play-by-play analyst Brad Nessler immediately said they would not show it again after showing the replay once. Smith’s shin collided with his teammate’s and his leg immediately went limp after.

Smith’s left leg was put in an air cast and he was carted off as Duke’s players took a knee on the field in support of their teammate.

Smith, a freshman, had 10 tackles and a forced fumble in 2025. He entered the Sun Bowl vs. Arizona State having played 24 snaps in four games. It’s the second straight year Duke has seen a serious injury in a bowl game. The Blue Devils lost star safety Terry Moore to a torn ACL against Mississippi in the Gator Bowl last season.

Kobe Smith injury update

Smith was carted off with a significant left leg injury. He was put in an air cast. The extent of the injury is undetermined, but at the very least he appeared to suffer broken bones after his shin collided with his teammate’s.

This section will be updated.