Posa playing through turf toe as Wisconsin preps for Penn State

Wisconsin linebacker Mason Posa recorded the Badgers' first interception of 2026 in a Week 3 win over Eastern Michigan while managing a turf toe injury.

Wisconsin linebacker Mason Posa is dealing with a turf toe injury, but it did not stop him from making a standout play in Week 3. The 2025 freshman All-American intercepted a pass against Eastern Michigan, the Badgers' first pick of the 2026 season, in a 54-10 victory.

Posa acknowledged the injury affected him on the play. "I definitely thought I felt a lot slower on that pick for sure, but it's getting better," he said. He added that soreness on the Friday before the game raised some concern, though once kickoff arrived the adrenaline took over and he felt good during the game.

Coach Luke Fickell managed Posa's workload carefully in the lopsided contest. Posa played 29 of the team's 69 defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus, 10 fewer than fellow starting linebacker Cooper Catalano and his lightest load since becoming a starter last October. Offensive starters, by contrast, remained in the game deep into the fourth quarter.

Fickell said turf toe can be a lingering issue that must be managed, and that the key for a young player like Posa is learning how to handle it through the practice week. He noted Posa has felt progressively better each week since the injury began.

Posa said he expects to be fully ready for the Badgers' Big Ten opener at No. 14 Penn State, a venue Fickell called the toughest place to play in the conference.