Jets likely to start Fitzpatrick despite thumb surgery
NEW YORK — It was a busy day for the New York Jets in the operating room.
Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick had a torn ligament in his left thumb repaired, and running back Zac Stacy had season-ending surgery on his broken left ankle.
Coach Todd Bowles said during a conference call that Fitzpatrick is still on track to return for the Jets’ next game at Houston on Nov. 22.
“That’s the plan,” Bowles said.
Fitzpatrick tore the ulnar collateral ligament in the thumb on his nonthrowing hand at Oakland on Nov. 1 and played through it in two games while wearing a brace. With a break after New York’s 22-17 loss to Buffalo on Thursday night, Fitzpatrick opted to have the procedure now instead of after the season.
Fitzpatrick’s injury is expected to take several weeks to heal, but he and the Jets are confident he will be able to continue to play through it using the brace and wrap on the thumb.
The Jets also signed former British recordholding discus thrower Lawrence Okoye, who competed in the 2012 London Olympics, to the practice squad as an offensive lineman.
The 6-6, 304-pound Okoye put his discus career on hold in 2013 to pursue an NFL career despite never having played football in high school or college. He was signed as undrafted defensive lineman by San Francisco that same year.
Okoye spent his rookie season on injured reserve and last year on the 49ers’ practice squad. He was cut after training camp this summer and signed to Arizona’s practice squad in September — also as a defensive lineman. He was cut Oct. 21.
Joyner earns fine for late hit
St. Louis cornerback Lamarcus Joyner has been fined $23,152 by the NFL for his hit that left Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater with a concussion.
Joyner made a shoulder-first hit on Bridgewater, who returned to practice Thursday after his head hit hard against the turf early in the fourth quarter Sunday. Bridgewater is expected to start Sunday at Oakland.
Tennessee linebacker David Bass was docked $17,363 for a hit to the jaw of New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, who needed stitches. Bass was penalized for roughing-the-passer on the play.
Odds and ends
Oakland plans to activate safety Nate Allen from the injured reserve list and add him to the 53-man roster in time for Sunday’s game against Minnesota. Allen, one of several key free agents signed by the Raiders in the offseason, has not played since injuring the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during Oakland’s season opener on Sept. 13. … Pittsburgh has not completely ruled out playing Ben Roethlisberger this weekend. The Steelers listed their veteran quarterback as questionable for Sunday’s game against Cleveland. Roethlisberger left with a mid-left foot sprain in the fourth quarter of last week’s win over Oakland. … Cleveland coach Mike Pettine would not say whether Josh McCown or Johnny Manziel will start Sunday when the Browns visit Pittsburgh. With McCown still limited by injured ribs, Manziel took the majority of snaps with Cleveland’s starting offense this week in practice. Signs are pointing to the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner making his fifth career NFL start — and third this season — on Sunday. Manziel started in place of McCown last week and passed for 168 yards and one touchdown in a 31-10 loss to Cincinnati.