Jets’ wide receiver Decker has hip surgery

NEW YORK >> Eric Decker will be sidelined a bit longer than initially expected.

The Jets wide receiver, already on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, underwent surgery Tuesday on his hip.

The Jets announced on their website that the hip surgery was deemed necessary after Decker had an evaluation when he was placed on IR last week with a torn rotator cuff in his right shoulder.

The team said the anticipated recovery time for Decker’s hip surgery is six months. When the wide receiver is able to get off crutches during that period — it’s uncertain how long that will take — he will then have the surgery on his shoulder, with recovery time expected to be eight months.

So, if Decker hypothetically needs two months to get off crutches, the shoulder procedure requires about eight additional months of recovery time. He could miss time during the 2017 season, but Decker could also still be ready for Week 1, in a bestcase scenario.

“It’s probably too early for that,” coach Todd Bowles said during a conference call of Decker possibly missing the start of next season. “It’ll probably be close, but I’ve got to see how he heals.”

In a post on her Twitter page , Decker’s wife Jessie James said he has “quietly battling these injuries for years and fighting through them.” She added that her husband is “doin great!! Get ready 2017. He will be ready to rock!!!”

Decker, who had nine catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns, injured his shoulder at Buffalo on Sept. 15 and it worsened the following week at Kansas City in Week 3. Steelers coach Mike Tomlin officially ruled out Roethlisberger for Sunday’s showdown with the Patriots. Roethlisberger underwent arthroscopic surgery on Monday to repair cartilage in his knee suffered in a miserable loss to Miami last weekend.

Landry Jones will make the third start of his career for Pittsburgh (4-2). Jones went 1-1 last season, though he was injured early in the one victory and Roethlisberger came on in relief.