Quarterbacks Aikman, Hostetler Head Long Injury List : Pro football: Former Raider Beuerlein will take over for the Cowboys. The Giants’ Simms will regain job.

Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman might be out for the season because of a torn ligament in his right knee, New York Giant quarterback Jeff Hostetler will be sidelined for at least two games and his teammate, linebacker Lawrence Taylor, needs more testing on his sprained left knee.

NFL teams spent Monday diagnosing injuries from Sunday’s games. The list includes San Diego Charger quarterback John Friesz (ankle), Denver Bronco wide receiver Mark Jackson (wrist), Cowboy tight end Jay Novacek (knee) and Giant offensive tackle Doug Riesenberg (ankle).

“We don’t want him back until he can be productive and not endanger himself,” Cowboy Coach Jimmy Johnson said of Aikman. “We won’t put Troy into the game unless he is 100% ready. We’re not going to aggravate the injury.”

Former Raider Steve Beuerlein, who led the Cowboys to their victory over the Washington Redskins, will start even though he has a sprained left ankle.

“A year ago we were flat when Aikman went down,” Johnson said. “We think we can win with Beuerlein.”

Hostetler suffered broken bones in his back when tackled by Broderick Thomas in the third quarter against Tampa Bay. That makes Phil Simms the No. 1 quarterback again, a position he held from 1984 until this season, when Hostetler won the job in training camp.

“Things won’t change much,” Simms said. “For 12 weeks we’ve had our ups and downs. So far we haven’t been statistically good for any one stretch.”

Ray Handley, the Giants’ rookie coach, walked out of a news conference when pressed by a reporter to say whether Simms would be the Giants’ No. 1 quarterback when, and if, Hostetler is able to return to the lineup.

“That’s a ridiculous question,” Handley said, later adding: “I don’t want questions about the quarterback situation here with the Giants. It’s not fair to Hostetler, Simms or me.”

Taylor, the Pro Bowl linebacker who in 11 seasons has sat out only one game because of injury, was scheduled to undergo testing on his sprained left knee Monday night.

Meanwhile, New Orleans quarterback Bobby Hebert said he will try to practice with the Saints on Wednesday to test the injured right shoulder that has kept him out of action for three weeks.

“He’ll go out with pads on, and he will throw to the extent he can throw,” New Orleans Coach Jim Mora said.

“When he can execute his job without pain, he’ll play.”

Friesz was joined on the Chargers’ medical list by cornerback Gill Byrd. Neither is expected to practice this week in preparation for Sunday night’s game against the Raiders, Coach Dan Henning said.

“We’re hoping that they may be ready for some duty, but we won’t know that until the end of the week,” Henning said.

Friesz, a second-year pro who led the Chargers (3-9) to two consecutive victories before Sunday’s loss to the New York Jets, sprained his left ankle when he was sacked by Erik McMillan in the second quarter. Byrd suffered a stretched right Achilles tendon on the Jets’ first play from scrimmage.

Miami tackle Alfred Oglesby might sit out the rest of the season because of a knee injury, and Dolphin receiver Fred Banks will do so because of a broken leg.

Pittsburgh Steeler wide receiver Chris Calloway, who suffered a sprained right knee, will sit out Thursday’s game at Dallas.

Steeler tight end Eric Green, who suffered a broken right ankle during practice last week, underwent surgery Monday. Green, the Steelers’ leading receiver with 41 receptions and six touchdowns in 11 games, won’t play for the rest of the season.

Riesenberg has a sprained right ankle and cornerback Mark Collins has a rib injury, making both questionable for the Giants’ game against Cincinnati on Sunday.