Atlanta defender Brooks Lennon out 6-8 weeks after injuring his knee at BMO Field

Atlanta United defender Brooks Lennon, who had to be carried off after suffering an injury in warmup prior to Saturday’s 2-1 loss in Toronto, will be out six to eight weeks due to a medial collateral ligament sprain in his left knee.

Atlanta blamed the injury on the Toronto stadium, saying Lennon sustained the injury “when he slipped on a hard rubber surface that surrounds both touchlines at BMO Field.”

BMO Field is home to both Toronto FC and the CFL Argonauts. And while the stadium’s playing surface is natural grass, there is artificial turf in the north end zone. There is also an artificial surface on the west touchline, to help reduce the wear and tear due to CFL players on the sideline.

The 24-year-old Lennon has been a fixture in the Atlanta defence, appearing in 69 league games over the last three seasons.

—

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2022