PRO FOOTBALL REPORT : WEEKDAY UPDATE : CHARGERS : Butts Might Stay Out for Rest of Season

Coach Dan Henning, concerned about the possibility of long-term problems to the injured foot of running back Marion Butts, said he might not play him for the remainder of the season.

Henning said Butts was better Tuesday upon examination, but he said he has been advised that further activity may sideline Butts for an extended period of time.

“It’s a strained something in the foot,” Henning said. “When they tell you this guy could be further injured to the point where you could lose him for a year, then you got something to think about. He’s been arguably the biggest threat we have, and to lose him for a year would be foolish under these conditions.”

Butts is the NFL’s leading rusher with 1,225 yards, and is being closely pursued by Detroit’s Barry Sanders with 1,148 yards and Buffalo’s Thurman Thomas with 1,143 yards.

“Butts wants to play,” Henning said. “I told him that’s going to be my decision. Whether he jumps on the table and wants to play and can run up and down the field, if I feel that’s still a definite possibility that he can get hurt, then there’s a good chance he won’t play the rest of the year.”

Rod Bernstine, who has been on injured reserve with a hamstring pull, has been the team’s No. 2 rusher with 399 yards on 82 carries.

“I would say it would be 90-10 we would probably activate Bernstine,” Henning said. “We’ll definitely start to practice him and see how he is before we use that move. If he’s not 100 percent then we’ll have to do something else.”

The Chargers announced a five-year contract extension to the Noble Broadcasting Group and XTRA radio to broadcast games through the 1996 season. XTRA, which has broadcast the games the past four years, produces an eight-hour game day package for all 20 pre-season and regular-season games.