Yet another injury for Foster
DeShaun Foster pushed the passenger side door open and gently eased himself out of the car, carefully balancing his weight to keep pressure off his broken right leg.
A guard offered to get him a golf cart, but Foster refused and stoically proceeded on crutches toward the players entrance at Bank of America Stadium.
“I’m doing OK,” he said, his voice barley above a whisper. “I’ll be OK.”
Foster will indeed eventually be OK.
But Monday, Carolina’s running back was still dealing with the emotions of yet another season-ending injury.
Foster broke his fibula when he was tackled in the third quarter of Sunday’s NFC divisional playoff win over Chicago. He’ll need surgery to repair it, but will hold off on the procedure so he can accompany the team to Seattle and play cheerleader during the NFC championship game Sunday.
It’s the third season-ending injury in Foster’s four-year career: He blew out his knee in a preseason game his rookie year, was healthy as Stephen Davis’ understudy during Carolina’s Super Bowl run two seasons ago, then missed 12 games in 2004 with a broken collarbone.
Mangini to become Jets coach
Patriots defensive coordinator Eric Mangini has accepted an offer to become the next New York Jets coach, a person familiar with the situation said.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because no official announcement has been made.
Mangini, who turns 35 Thursday, will become the youngest head coach in the league.
Ref’s decision was judgment call
Referee Pete Morelli’s decision to overturn an apparent interception by Pittsburgh’s Troy Polamalu late in the Steelers game Sunday in Indianapolis was a judgment call, the NFL said.
It came with 5:26 left in Pittsburgh’s 21-18 win over the Colts.
Polamalu made a diving catch. When he got up to run, he fumbled the ball, then recovered. Colts coach Tony Dungy challenged and Morelli ruled Polamalu had not completed the catch, so it was an incomplete pass.
“The issue was whether he had possession. The ball came loose when he was getting up. Pete Morelli determined it wasn’t a catch,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said. “That was his judgment.”
Around the league
Seahawks starting right tackle Sean Locklear was being held without bail in the King County Jail for investigation of domestic violence, the team said. … Jim Bates stepped down as Packers defensive coordinator after getting passed over for the head coaching job. … Ron Jessie, a former Pro Bowl wide receiver who played 11 seasons in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills, died Friday after having a heart attack in Huntington Beach, Calif. He was 57. … The Raiders interviewed Tampa Bay defensive line coach Rod Marinelli for their head coaching job. … The Vikings hired former Colorado star Eric Bieniemy as running backs coach and Karl Dunbar as defensive line coach.