Michael Taaffe Reported Injury Timeline Revealed After Surgery

The Texas Longhorns will be without All-American safety Michael Taaffe this week after the fifth-year player underwent surgery on his thumb.

Despite missing this week's matchup against Mississippi State and the Longhorns' following game against Vanderbilt, Taaffe is expected to return in time to face Georgia, according to Horns247.

Steve Sarkisian confirmed during Wednesday's SEC Teleconference that Taaffe would be out Saturday, calling it a "significant loss" but also said that the coaching isn't sure exactly how long he will be out for.

Taaffe's Injury and Timeline for Return

Texas Safety Michael Taaff — Oct 18, 2025; Lexington, Kentucky, USA; Texas Longhorns defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) celebrates after the Kentucky Wildcats fail to score during overtime at Kroger Field. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Prather-Imagn Images | Jordan Prather-Imagn Images

Taaffe suffered his thumb injury in the team's game last Saturday against the Kentucky Wildcats, undergoing surgery after the 16-13 win. Though this is a blow to the Texas defense, Taaffe is expected to only be sidelined for a few weeks.

This Saturday, Texas takes on the Mississippi State Bulldogs, a team that is 0-3 in SEC play. Texas, which has won two straight games in conference, is looking for its third consecutive win and, despite the loss of Taaffe, should be capable of accomplishing that feat this week.

Mississippi State, though, may not be the easy win that some expect, with the Bulldogs having put up a fight in two of its three conference games this season. The team nearly upset Tennessee in its first SEC game, falling to the Volunteers 41-34. A few weeks later, Mississippi State fell in another nail-biter, losing to the Florida Gators 23-21.

It's not just the Bulldogs the Longhorns have to look out for, but the No. 10 Vanderbilt Commodores as well, who recently defeated LSU 31-24. With Diego Pavia at the helm, it seems the sky is the limit for Vanderbilt, a team that Texas nearly fell to last season.

If the Longhorns are able to overcome both Mississippi State and Vanderbilt in the coming weeks, then they should once again see Taaffe on the field when the team takes on Georgia. The Bulldogs are once again emerging as the team to beat in the SEC this season, boasting a 4-1 record in conference play.

So far, the Bulldogs have defeated Tennessee, Kentucky, Ole Miss and Auburn. The team's only loss came against Alabama, where the Crimson Tide toppled Georgia 24-21. The Bulldogs, like a majority of Texas's SEC opponents this season, will have homefield advantage against Texas after traveling to the Forty Acres in 2024. With a team that has struggled on the offensive end of games this season, Texas certainly has a few major tests ahead of it to finish out the season.

This season, it's been the Texas defense that has anchored the Longhorns, coming up big in big moments, such as the overtime, fourth-down stop against Kentucky that allowed the team to defeat the Wildcats on a field goal. Taaffe, though, is a major part of that defense, and his loss may prove costly in the coming weeks.