Bengals TE Tyler Eifert leaves game after gruesome injury

Cincinnati tight end Tyler Eifert was taken off the field on a cart after suffering what appeared to be a gruesome lower leg injury on Sunday against the Falcons in Atlanta.

Eifert already had caught a 14-yard touchdown reception when he made his fourth reception early in the third quarter.

The 28-year-old Eifert caught a short pass from quarterback Andy Dalton and was dragged to the ground by Falcons linebacker De'Vondre Campbell. The tackle left Eifert's right ankle twisted in an awkward way.

An air cast was placed on his lower leg, and Eifert was carted off the field with tears in his eyes.

Injuries have plagued Eifert throughout his career. He has missed 41 games out of a possible 80 in his first five years. He played in just one game in 2014 and only two games in 2017.

When he is healthy, he is a reliable scoring threat having caught 20 touchdowns.

The Bengals signed Eifert to a one-year, $5.5 million contract in the offseason.

Eifert was the Bengals' first-round pick out of Notre Dame in the 2013 NFL Draft.

In 39 career games, he has started 31 times and has compiled 127 receptions for 1,537 yards.