There was a lot of speculation that Elias may have sustained a legitimate injury when he was written off TV as part of a car accident storyline a couple of weeks ago on SmackDown, and it looks like that is indeed the case - although his actual injury is said to be much worse than a broken rib.
According to Dave Meltzer, the Drifter suffered a torn pectoral muscle during a match prior to this whole car crash angle, and that he could now be on the shelf for up to 8 months. How long he's ultimately out of action may depend on whether he decides to get surgery or not.
“Generally that’s close to an eight month return, sometimes a little shorter, with surgery. Some don’t have surgery. Those in WWE confirmed the injury was legit but we have no confirmation of a surgery.”
This is obviously awful news for Elias, who hasn't had the best luck on the main roster since turning face last year. As a heel, he generated a lot of heat with his insulting songs, but that routine has become old now and it's a lot harder to get over as a fan favorite using that same shtick.
Anyway, we wish him a speedy recovery, and we'll be sure to update if and when WWE makes this injury official.