The spinal-cord injury suffered by Bills tight end Kevin Everett was “catastrophic” and life-threatening and it will be several days before the severity is known.
On a day when more than a dozen teams were hit with injuries to key players, Everett’s was the worst, caused making a tackle on Denver kick returner Domenik Hixon.
“A best-case scenario is full recovery, but not likely,” Dr. Andrew Cappuccino said, one day after performing a four-hour operation on the player. “I believe there will be some permanent neurological paralysis. … A full neurological recovery was bleak, dismal.”
The 25-year-old Everett underwent surgery Sunday night. He is currently under forced sedation and breathing through a respirator as doctors wait for the swelling to lessen.
Everett’s family members, including mother Patricia Dugas, were expected to arrive in Buffalo on Monday from their Houston home.
“We honor ourselves by our work, and we honor Kevin by moving forward and working while never forgetting Kevin and never getting him out of our thoughts and prayers,” Bills coach Dick Jauron said. “We’re going to wait and see what the outcome is here and we’re really hoping and praying for the best.”
The Bills also lost two starters: cornerback Jason Webster, who had surgery to repair a broken forearm, and free safety Ko Simpson, who also had surgery for a broken left ankle. Both could miss the rest of the season. And linebacker Coy Wire, starting in place of injured Keith Ellison, has a sprained knee and is out indefinitely.
Rams
Seven-time Pro Bowl tackle Orlando Pace tore the labrum and rotator cuff in his right shoulder against Carolina and will be sidelined for the rest of the season. An MRI exam Monday revealed the damage to Pace, the first overall pick of the 1997 draft.
The injury is Pace’s second season-ender in two games, after tearing his left triceps last November. Coach Scott Linehan said this one could be career-threatening.
Team physician Dr. Matt Matava estimated a six-month rehab period while calling it a “correctable injury.”
Pace was injured on the first play after the two-minute warning while pass-blocking against the Panthers’ Julius Peppers, minor jostling that didn’t appear out of the ordinary.
The 31-year-old Pace was placed on injured reserve last November with a torn triceps, also sustained while pass blocking, that knocked him out for the last seven games. He also missed an early-season game in 2006 with a concussion.
Complicating matters, guard Richie Incognito has a high ankle sprain that kept him out of the opener, and he’ll likely miss Sunday’s game against the 49ers.
Bears
Chicago might have lost defensive leader Mike Brown again. An MRI exam Monday revealed the safety suffered a serious left knee injury at San Diego. Defensive tackle Dusty Dvoracek also seriously hurt his left knee.
Coach Lovie Smith would not confirm a report on the NFL’s official Web site saying they would miss the rest of the season. But he did say: “They both have serious knee injuries.”
If Brown’s injury is season-ending, it would be his third in four years. He was hurt when blocked by fullback Lorenzo Neal.
Redskins
Jon Jansen’s fibula was broken and his ankle dislocated Sunday when his right foot was hit by Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas early in the second quarter of Washington’s 16-13 overtime victory. The injury will require surgery this week and three to four months of rehabilitation.
This is another ruined season for the offensive tackle, the second in four years. He ruptured his left Achilles’ tendon in the preseason opener in 2004. The once-durable player has since dealt with two broken thumbs and a torn calf muscle, although the 31-year-old Jansen said this year he was in his best shape since college.
“I’m hoping that I’ve run out of whatever could happen next,” Jansen said. “And that what’s going to happen next is I’m going to have a healthy year and put about four or five more healthy years together and really have some great seasons left.”
Jets
QB Chad Pennington has an injured right ankle. The New York Jets acknowledged that much, but they wouldn’t say how badly the quarterback is hurt or how long he will be sidelined.
“It is the ankle, same as what was announced during the game,” the always secretive coach Eric Mangini said Monday.
Pennington injured the ankle when he was sacked during the third quarter of the Jets’ 38-14 loss to the New England Patriots. He was scheduled for an MRI on Monday, and Pennington wasn’t available for comment at the team’s practice facility.
If Pennington is sidelined for Sunday’s game at Baltimore, Kellen Clemens would likely get the start.
Giants
Eli Manning has a bruised right shoulder and it is uncertain whether the quarterback will play against the Packers on Sunday. Manning had an MRI exam Monday that revealed a contusion near the collarbone.
“They have put it in my hands,” Manning said of his playing status. “It’s how you heal, and when you start to feel good and when you can make the throws. It’s not a certain amount of time. It’s how long you take to heal. I hope I’m a fast healer.”
The Giants got other good news Monday. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora irritated the cartilage in his left knee in the first quarter, and his status is day to day. Halfback Brandon Jacobs, who sprained his right knee, will be week to week.
Eagles
Two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Lito Sheppard is expected to miss at least one game with a sprained knee ligament. Sheppard hurt his right knee in a three-way collision with teammate Sean Considine and Packers receiver Ruvell Martin in Philadelphia’s 16-13 loss at Green Bay. An MRI exam Monday confirmed Sheppard has a sprained medial collateral ligament.
“I don’t think he’ll make it this week,” coach Andy Reid said of the Monday night game against Washington.
Will James would replace Sheppard in the starting lineup.
Cowboys
Nose tackle Jason Ferguson is out for the season after tearing his right biceps against the Giants. Coach Wade Phillips confirmed Monday the injury would end the season for Ferguson, the team’s most experienced defender in his 11th season. Ferguson is scheduled to have surgery Friday.
“That’s certainly bad news for us,” Phillips said.
The 6-foot-3, 312-pound Ferguson got hurt in the first quarter of the Cowboys’ 45-35 victory.
Vikings
Running back Chester Taylor hurt his oblique, a muscle near the lower part of the rib cage, but coach Brad Childress sounded as though he expected him to play Sunday at Detroit.
“He’s a pretty tough guy,” Childress said. “There’s nothing structurally wrong. It’s just extremely uncomfortable right now.”
Rookie Adrian Peterson, who was supposed to split the carries with Taylor, rushed for 103 yards on 19 attempts and turned a short catch into a 60-yard touchdown. But Childress said he would return to the original plan of sharing the load at that position when Taylor is healthy.
Also, fullback Tony Richardson has a bruised forearm. The 13-year veteran broke his forearm last season and missed the last seven games.
Dolphins
Safety Yeremiah Bell will miss the rest of the season with a torn left Achilles’ tendon, a blow to an already thin secondary. Bell was hurt in the third quarter of Sunday’s season-opening loss at Washington.
“He had done everything to have a great year,” coach Cam Cameron said Monday. “This is the tough part of the business.”
Bell likely be replaced by Travares Tillman, who started 17 games in 2005-06, and 2006 first-round draft pick Jason Allen may be moved from cornerback to provide depth at safety.
Buccaneers
Bruised ribs forced running back Carnell “Cadillac” Williams to sit out part of the season-opening loss at Seattle. They could sideline him again when New Orleans visits Tampa on Sunday.
Williams, who was slowed much of last season by injuries, would be replaced by Michael Pittman and Earnest Graham.
“Unfortunately, we’re good at one thing now, offensively, and that’s contingency planning. We’ve had a number of guys in and out of our lineup the last few seasons,” said Gruden. “We’re going to count on Cadillac playing, optimistically. But realistically, we understand he does have sore ribs.”
Cornerback Brian Kelly is questionable because of a groin strain.
Jaguars
Kicker Josh Scobee has a strained right quadriceps muscle and probably won’t play Sunday against Atlanta. Tests showed no tearing, good news for the Jaguars, but Scobee said the team planned to bring in another kicker this week.
Scobee hurt his leg during warmups before the season opener against Tennessee.
“If you play golf, you know what it feels like when you hit a fat one and you’re swinging as hard as you can,” Scobee said.
Colts
Starting weakside linebacker Freddy Keiaho hopes to play at Tennessee after dislocating his right elbow. Keiaho injured the elbow in the first quarter of last Thursday’s 41-10 season-opening win over the Saints. Keiaho, who played most of the game with the injury, had his elbow in a brace and sat out the team’s brief practice Monday afternoon.
“It’s really a pain issue,” coach Tony Dungy said. “He’s going to get it braced up and we’ll see how he does.”
The second-year linebacker, in his first season in the Colts’ starting lineup, had seven tackles and his first career interception against New Orleans.
Texans
Houston’s win over Kansas City was tempered by the loss of strong safety Jason Simmons, the second starter at the position to suffer a season-ending injury this year.
Simmons underwent surgery Monday to repair his torn left patellar tendon after injuring it trying to avoid a collision with a lineman in the second quarter. He gained the starting job after Glenn Earl fractured his foot in the Texans’ first exhibition game.
Seahawks
D.J. Hackett, who had just moved into the starting lineup at wide receiver, is out indefinitely with a high ankle sprain.
Hackett played just one quarter in his new role opposite flanker Deion Branch before he got hurt in Sunday’s 20-6 win over Tampa Bay. At the end of Hackett’s only reception, a 7-yard gain in the first quarter, his foot was caught in the turf while trying to pivot as he was hit by Brian Kelly.
“He’s going to be down for a while. I can’t tell you for how long. Those things are very unpredictable,” coach Mike Holmgren said Monday. “This typically is longer. And in some instances it can be very, very long.”
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