Cardinals DL Walter Nolen Sends Message After Season-Ending Injury

The Arizona Cardinals lost their top draft pick. Here's what he had to say following his season-ending injury.

Nov 23, 2025; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Walter Nolen III (97) against the Jacksonville Jaguars at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

ARIZONA -- Arizona Cardinals DL Walter Nolen III is done for the season according to head coach Jonathan Gannon.

Nolen, the team's first-round pick out of the 2025 NFL Draft, suffered a knee injury in Sunday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons -- which required him to be carted off the field.

Nolen's injury was non-contact, and with the Ole Miss product visibly shaken as he was exiting State Farm Stadium, a serious injury was the fear.

When asked if Nolen would need surgery, Gannon said, "we'll see."

What Walter Nolen Said After Season-Ending Injury

Nolen posted the following message on Instagram shortly before Gannon spoke, all but confirming the unfortunate news:

"Everything happens for a reason go from never missing games to not even being able to play half a season The lord has my path already written and this is just a bump in the road that he has put in front of me to overcome like all other battles he has tested me with. I know that with the strength of him I will comeback even better than before you can never hold down one of his strongest soldiers. time to get back to work and show the world it's not about how u get knocked down but your willingness to get back up and fight again."

Cardinals rookie Walter Nolen III stays positive after a non-contact knee injury, saying he’ll come back stronger than ever. “You can’t hold down one of His strongest soldiers.” @PHNX_Cardinals

📸nocloutwalt_ on IG pic.twitter.com/jOAp5tmvDK

— Bo Brack (@BoBrack) December 22, 2025

Nolen finishes his rookie season having played just six games. He missed the entire first half of the season with a calf injury suffered ahead of training camp while he missed more time with a knee injury later in the season.

"You feel bad for the guy, because I know he didn't see this year going like it did," Gannon continued on Nolen.

"I know he's got goals that, because he wasn't out there, wasn't able to achieve. But he has shown the ability to be a difference maker on our defense and impact the game in the run and pass game and will be a huge piece of us moving forward."

Nolen flashed his impact when he was on the field, totaling two sacks, two passes defensed and 11 tackles.

The future is still bright and promising for the No. 16 overall pick, though the setback is tough to swallow.

The Cardinals still have two games left to finish the 2025 season. They'll travel across the country to take on the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17.