Foo Fighters' Pat Smear Breaks Foot in Gardening Mishap

Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear sustained multiple broken bones in his left foot during a gardening accident over the New Year's holiday, forcing him to miss the band's initial shows of 2026. The injury, announced by the group on Instagram on January 7, will sideline the 66-year-old musician for performances in Mexico, Los Angeles and Australia later this month.

The band shared the news with a humorous mock tabloid cover, featuring a photo of Smear smiling and raising his middle finger while being wheeled away on a gurney. The fabricated headline read "Pat Smear: Bizarre Gardening Accident!" alongside fictional stories about aliens and diet tips. In the caption, Foo Fighters referenced a longstanding rock trope, stating, "In the classic tradition of rockstars having bizarre gardening accidents, Pat Smear has apparently rung in the new year by smashing the shit out of his left foot." The post added that he would miss a few shows while recovering, emphasizing, "We'll miss our beloved Pat as much as you will, but we want him fully healed and back on his feet as soon as possible."

Smear, born Georg Albert Ruthenberg, has been a key figure in Foo Fighters since the band's formation...