Jet Suffers a Broken Vertebra

Dennis Byrd, a defensive end for the New York Jets, suffered some paralysis in his lower body Sunday after colliding with teammate Scott Mersereau and suffering a broken vertebra.

Team spokesman Frank Ramos said surgeons at Lenox Hill Hospital were trying to determine whether to perform surgery.

“He has some paralysis below the waist,” Ramos said. “There is none above the waist.”

No prognosis was available.

On the second play of the third quarter, Mersereau and Byrd charged quarterback Dave Krieg of the Kansas City Chiefs, who fumbled. The two Jets ran into each other, and Byrd’s helmet appeared to hit Mersereau’s chest and shoulder.

“I was coming from the outside on a stunt and I went to grab Krieg,” Mersereau said. “As I stepped up, the next thing I know, I was hit in the sternum. At first I didn’t even know who hit me.

“The hit was hard enough to bend me over backward. When I found out it was Dennis--well, my thoughts, my heart and my prayers went out to him.

“It’s really hard to see something like that. You think about it and you think about it, then your competitive nature takes over.”

Mersereau walked off the field, but Byrd stayed on the turf. He was lifted on a stretcher and placed on a golf cart, surrounded by trainers and doctors.

“It makes you reflect on how fragile things are and what is important and what’s not,” Jet Coach Bruce Coslet said. “Our hopes and prayers are to wish Dennis the best. Our prayers are with him. He’s fighting it right now.

“Don’t jump to conclusions. He’s one tough son of a gun.”

Byrd, 26 and in his fourth NFL season, sat out the first month of the season because of a shoulder injury.

“If I know Dennis,” said rookie Mario Johnson, who replaced Byrd after the injury, “he’ll be walking into this locker room before long.”