Late Hit by Packers’ Martin May Have Put Bears’ McMahon Out for Season

Quarterback Jim McMahon could be out for the remainder of the season after his shoulder injury was aggravated when a Green Bay Packers lineman slammed him to the turf, Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka said Monday.

“I doubt if we will have his services the rest of the year,” Ditka said. “He has shoulder discomfort. It’s all up to the doctors in L.A.”

McMahon was scheduled to leave for Los Angeles today to see Dr. Frank Jobe, an orthopedic surgeon.

In the second quarter of Sunday’s 12-10 victory, McMahon was tossed to the ground by Packer nose tackle Charles Martin, who was ejected for the personal foul by referee Jerry Markbreit.

“The ball had been thrown, the quarterback was at rest and he (Martin) came in and took the quarterback, picked him up and stuffed him,” Markbreit said.

McMahon, making his first start in a month because of a rotator cuff tear in his right shoulder, landed on the injured shoulder.

“I’m sure the flagrant foul affected him.” Ditka said of the play, “but he was having problems before that.”

NFL official Dick Maxwell said Sunday night the league automatically reviews plays involving ejections, and Martin faces a possible fine or suspension.

Martin said Sunday that his late hit on McMahon was a mistake.

“I did the wrong thing, true enough, and they took me out of the game for it,” Martin said. “I think I got a little too rough. I just took him down. I wasn’t thinking of his shoulder injury or anything.”

Ditka said backup quarterback Mike Tomczak would start Sunday against Pittsburgh, adding, “We’ve got to get Doug Flutie ready to play in the next two weeks.”

Ditka said of McMahon: “If he needs surgery, he’ll definitely be out the rest of the year. If they say give him a couple of weeks of rest, that’s what we’ll do.”