Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Thomas to miss rest of the season
The Seahawks will be without safety Earl Thomas for the rest of the season due to his broken lower left leg, no matter how far they advance in the playoffs.
Coach Pete Carroll said Monday that further examination determined Thomas’ fractured left tibia is an injury that typically requires a recovery time of at least six weeks.
It’s the first major injury of Thomas’ career. He played 106 straight games before missing last week’s loss to the Buccaneers with a hamstring injury. He quickly recovered to play against the Panthers but was hurt in a second-quarter collision with teammate
Kam Chancellor while going for an interception.
Rivera not worried: Panthers coach Ron Rivera is not worried about losing the faith of his players in the locker room after his decision to bench Cam Newton for the start of Sunday night’s game against the Seahawks.
Rivera said in hindsight he’s “very comfortable” with his decision to keep the reigning league MVP on the sideline after he failed to wear a tie on the team flight Saturday, as required by team rules. Rivera said there was no underlying message to Newton because similar dress-code violations have been enforced in the past.
“At the end of the day everybody gets treated the same,” Rivera said.
Newton entered the game on the second series, but the injury-riddled Panthers lost 40-7. Harvin done for season:
Percy Harvin’s comeback lasted just two games after the Bills placed the receiver on the season-ending reserve-non-football-illness list because of migraines.
The move comes a month after the Bills lured Harvin out of retirement. Vikings’ Zimmer back: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer returned to work after surgery on his right eye and expects to travel with the team to Jacksonville.
Zimmer had an emergency operation last week to repair a detached retina, forcing him to miss a game for the first time in his NFL coaching career. He has had multiple surgeries on his eye over the last month.
Extra points: Falcons WR Julio Jones is dealing with turf toe, an injury suffered in Sunday’s 29-28 loss to the Chiefs. Jones missed some time in the late moments and appeared to favor his left foot while getting medical attention . ... The Broncos signed RB Justin Forsett off waivers from the Lions while placing RB Kapri
Bibbs (ankle) on injured reserve . ... Redskins S Will
Blackmon and C Spencer Long are going through the NFL’s concussion protocol after being injured in a loss to the Cardinals . ... The Titans and Browns, who had a bye week, were granted permission to wear individualized shoes in Week 14 even though the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” weekend is over . ... Former Ravens TE Mitchell Henry has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, according to his brother.