Georgia All-American guard Tate Ratledge underwent TightRope surgery on his sprained left ankle on Monday and is expected to miss several games, according to Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart, who announced the news on Tuesday.
Ratledge, a senior from Rome, Georgia, sustained the injury during the second quarter of the team’s 13-12 win over Kentucky on Saturday. The surgery typically requires a recovery period of four to six weeks.
There was more optimistic news regarding star quarterback Carson Beck. Beck suffered a sprained AC joint in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, but Smart indicated he is not expected to miss any games. Beck was injured at the end of a run during the fourth quarter of the Kentucky game.
“We’ve got like seven AC joint sprains, so it’s not a significant or major injury,” Smart explained. “Carson’s fine. He’s practiced both days.”
Georgia has a bye this week before heading to No. 4 Alabama on Sept. 28. The No. 2 Bulldogs will then host Auburn and Mississippi State before facing No. 1 Texas on the road on Oct. 19.
Ratledge, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 320 pounds, has started 31 games during his career at Georgia, including all three games this season. In 2023, he was named a second-team All-American and first-team All-SEC. ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. recently ranked Ratledge as the No. 4 interior offensive lineman prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft.
“He’s already had the TightRope surgery,” Smart said. “He’s in the rehab process. We checked it the night of the game and knew it needed to be fixed. He’ll be back as soon as possible, and we expect a full recovery.”
In Ratledge’s absence, juniors Micah Morris and Dylan Fairchild filled in at guard for Georgia.
Notably, Georgia tight end Brock Bowers returned just 26 days after undergoing the same surgery last season, though it took offensive tackle Amarius Mims and tight end Lawson Luckie longer to recover following their procedures.
