Super Bowl 56 is here. Unfortunately for both the Rams and Bengals, several players won't be available to play in it.
Both teams have several key contributors who will miss the biggest game of the season, but the Bengals got good news on a key player ahead of kickoff.
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Tight end C.J. Uzomah is officially active for the game after leaving the AFC Championship Game in the first quarter with a knee injury.
.@cj_uzomah is ACTIVE for the #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/UHGhIFdedp
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) February 13, 2022
Here are the inactive players for both teams.
Rams inactives for Super Bowl
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Tremayne Anchrum Jr. | OL |
| Bobby Brown III | DL |
| Blake Countess | DB |
| Jake Funk | RB |
| Chris Garrett | OLB |
| Terrell Lewis | OLB |
| Bryce Perkins | QB |
Bengals inactives for Super Bowl
| Player | Position |
|---|---|
| Mike Daniels | DT |
| Vernon Hargreaves | CB |
| Trenton Irwin | WR |
| Fred Johnson | OL |
| Wyatt Ray | DE |
| Tyler Shelvin | DT |
| Trayveon Williams | RB |
Here's a breakdown of the players listed on the teams' respective injury reports during Super Bowl week:
Rams on injury report
| Player | Position | Injury | Game Status |
| Joe Noteboom | OL | Chest | OUT (injured reserve) |
| Cam Akers | RB | Shoulder | — |
| Christian Rozeboom | LB | Elbow | — |
| Tyler Higbee | TE | Knee | OUT (injured reserve) |
| Grant Haley | CB | Quadricep | — |
| Taylor Rapp | S | Concussion | — |
| Van Jefferson | WR | Knee | — |
| Jalen Ramsey | DB | Shoulder | — |
| Andrew Whitworth | OL | Quadricep | — |
Tyler Higbee and Joe Noteboom were placed on injured reserve Friday and won't play in Super Bowl 56.
Losing Higbee is a not-insignificant blow to the Rams' passing attack: He is second on the team with 61 receptions, is third on the team with 560 yards and ranks tied for third in touchdown receptions (five). Kendall Blanton, who caught his first touchdown of the season against the Buccaneers, will step up in his place if he can't go.
"We're just taking it a day at a time with those guys," McVay said of both players earlier this week (via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic). "They're doing everything in their power to be available, and I'll probably be able to give you a better answer as we get closer to the game, but there's no change on those guys' status."
Rams of note on injured reserve
| Player | Position | Injury |
| Jordan Fuller | DB | Ankle |
| Tyler Higbee | TE | Knee |
| Joe Noteboom | OL | Chest |
| Robert Woods | WR | Knee |
| Darrell Henderson Jr.* | RB | Knee |
| Sebastian Joseph-Day* | DL | Pectoral |
It's not all bad news for the Rams: Running back Darrell Henderson Jr. and defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day have been designated to return for the Super Bowl, and McVay expressed optimism they would be available to play.
Henderson played in 12 games (starting 10), racking up 688 yards and five touchdowns off 4.6 yards per carry. Joseph-Day started in all seven games he played in this season, tallying 38 tackles, three for loss, and five quarterback hits. His return would only bolster a group that includes Aaron Donald, A'Shawn Robinson and Greg Gaines.
*Designated to return from IR
MORE: What happened to Robert Woods?
Bengals on injury report
| Player | Position | Injury | Game Status |
| Cam Sample | EDGE | Groin | — |
| C.J. Uzomah | TE | Knee | — |
| Josh Tupou | DT | Knee | — |
| Stanley Morgan | WR | Hamstring | — |
| Jackson Carman | G | Back | — |
Several players were upgraded to full participants on Wednesday, but the biggest players still listed on the injury report were either inactive or limited in practice: Uzomah and Carman, respectively. That said, Uzomah is reported to have looked good doing individual work, while Carman was a full participant Thursday and Friday.
Uzomah being cleared is a significant boost to the Bengals offense, as he has 49 receptions for 493 yards and five touchdowns this season.
Carman's participation will also be tantamount to the Bengals' success. The second-round pick played 51 percent of Cincinnati's snaps against the Chiefs and will go a long way in providing some continuity to an offensive line unit that not only has been ravaged by injuries but also faces one of the league's best defensive line units.
Bengals of note on injured reserve
| Player | Position | Injury |
| Larry Ogunjobi | LB | Foot |
| Riley Reiff | OL | Ankle |
| Auden Tate | WR | Calf |