Fast Break

Football

Seahawks FB Strong retires

Longtime Seattle Seahawks fullback Mack Strong has a neck injury that will end his career.

Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that Strong woke up Sunday feeling tingling in his hands. After getting hit hard twice early in Sunday’s loss at Pittsburgh, Strong felt his hand and arm going numb, Holmgren said.

An examination determined he has a pinched nerve in his neck. It won’t require surgery, but Strong told reporters at Seahawks headquarters in Kirkland on Monday that it will end his career.

The two-time Pro Bowler turned 36 this month and has spent 15 seasons with the Seahawks.

Holmgren also said wide receiver and former Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch will miss two games because of a foot sprain. He hopes to have Branch back for the Nov. 4 game at Cleveland after the Seahawks’ bye week.

Baseball

Villone takes Clemens’ spot

Roger Clemens was removed from the New York Yankees’ division series roster Monday under a new rule this year and replaced by left-handed reliever Ron Villone.

Clemens re-injured a hamstring Sunday and left in the third inning of New York’s 8-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.

Under the new rule, Clemens would have been ineligible for the A.L. Championship Series if the Yankees had advanced. The Rocket could have returned to the roster if New York had reached the World Series.

Football

Delhomme out for the season

Jake Delhomme last week called surgery on his strained right elbow “a last resort.”

After experiencing pain trying to throw Monday, the Carolina Panthers’ quarterback decided the worst-case scenario couldn’t be avoided.

Delhomme will have season-ending ligament- replacement surgery on his elbow next week, leaving the Panthers without their leader on offense and scrambling to find another quarterback.

The Panthers are left in a precarious position, as Delhomme’s backup, David Carr, is also banged up.