Problems With Shoulder Sideline Safety Shelton

What started as a bothersome shoulder in game against Cleveland last year has suddenly deteriorated into a career-threatening injury for Charger safety Anthony Shelton.

Shelton, a third-year player from Tennessee State who started three games at strong safety last season, separated his right shoulder last year and reinjured it in the first minicamp and again the third day of practice.

He was told Wednesday by team physician Gary Losse that his career could be over.

Losse operated on Shelton last year to repair a separated shoulder. He operated Monday to “clean the degeneration” in Shelton’s shoulder that had developed from further hitting on it.

“He had some degeneration of the joint from wear and tear,” Losse said. “With the rigors of football, it’s a common injury in the knee and shoulder.”

But when asked how often an athlete recovers from this type of injury, Losse said, “You just don’t see (recovery) very frequently in the shoulder.”

The news caught Shelton off guard.

“I was kind of shocked,” he said. “I’ve prepared myself for this. My father’s a Realtor and my mom owns real estate. If football doesn’t work out we can go back home and it’ll be Shelton and Son.”

Coach Bobby Ross said he was prepared for the worst.

“I kept getting worried because he just never could take a blow on that thing,” he said. “My fears have been correct.”

Shelton became a Charger on Sept. 4, 1990, when he was claimed on waivers from San Francisco. He was the 49ers’ 11th-round pick in 1990.

After starting the first three games last season, Shelton was blamed for contributing to a porous pass defense and was replaced by Martin Bayless. He much of the season playing in nickel situations, although he started in place of Stanley Richard in the 11th game at New York. He had his best game against Atlanta Sept. 15, when he made six tackles and intercepted the only pass of his career.

But Shelton was place on injured reserve Nov. 30 and did not return.

This season, Shelton found himself in a reserve role at free safety behind Delton Hall, a Plan B free agent from Pittsburgh.

After his shoulder had recovered from the separation, Shelton injured it again when tight end Derrick Walker fell on it in minicamp.

Then on third day of camp, he twisted it when he hit a running back. Since then, he has been on the sidelines.

“Overhead motions were bothering me,” he said. “There were loose particles in the shoulder that were grinding against the cartilage.”

Losse said the decision on Shelton’s future will be made in coming weeks.

“It hinges on his healing,” he said.

Losse did not rule out the possibility of Shelton returning this season, but Shelton apparently has.

“There’s nothing I can really do,” he said. “I don’t want to come back too early. It’ll be really threatening then.”

Ultimately, Losse said, the decision on whether Shelton should continue playing is Shelton’s.

“I’ll advise him of the medical risks,” Losse said. “When you have a wear-and-tear phenomenon and you continue to subject your shoulder to further wear and tear. . . . He has to decide whether that risk is worth taking.”

If it’s not, Shelton said he’s been satisfied with his career.

“I’ve been playing for a long time,” he said. “The life span of football is three years. This is my third year. I’m well aware of that.”

And if this is it?

“Who knows, I might miss it,” he said. “Then again, I might not.”

The list of players who will not play Saturday against Phoenix seems to be growing by the hour. Those who are definitely out: Shelton, Bob Christian (hamstring), linebacker, Billy Ray Smith (calf), receiver Shawn Jefferson (hamstring), Nate Lewis (leg), Donnie Elder (knee), Gill Byrd (ankle) H-back Craig McEwen (arch).

Ross said Byrd would play if it was the regular season.

“We want to give him a full rest so that when we go to New England, he’ll be able to fully go,” Ross said.

Receiver Anthony Miller (knee) is questionable.

With all the injury problems at wide receiver, Ross said Walter Stanley and Yancey Thigpen get the opportunity to start.

Ross said three quarterbacks will play against Saturday, but he did not name them. He said the time will be divided equally. Ross also said the kicking will split evenly between John Carney and Carlos Huerta.

The Charger defense won the battle of the goal line at the end of afternoon practice. After Marion Butts plunged across, rookie safety James Fuller intercepted a pass. Then, linebacker Galand Thaxton ended practice with a jarring hit on running back Peter Tuipulotu.

The team will not work out in pads again before Saturday’s game. It will practice this afternoon (3:30) and twice Friday.