Packers’ Sharpe Out of Playoffs : Pro football: Receiver has neck injury that will require surgery. His career is threatened.

The Green Bay Packers spent the exhibition season learning how to play without injury-prone Pro Bowl receiver Sterling Sharpe.

Now they will have to use that knowledge in the playoffs--and maybe beyond.

Sharpe has a neck abnormality that will require surgery and could end his career, team physician Patrick McKenzie announced Wednesday.

Sharpe sustained “stinger” nerve injuries in each of the last two games, sinking to the turf in excruciating pain with numbness and then tingling in his limbs.

Trainer Pepper Burris said the injuries resulted from unusual looseness between the top two vertebrae in Sharpe’s neck. The condition was gradual and became apparent on Dec. 18 when his head snapped back while he was blocking Atlanta safety Brad Edwards.

Sharpe must undergo surgery to fuse the two vertebrae, McKenzie said. It will take eight months for Sharpe to recover from the procedure, which has yet to be scheduled.

After the recovery period, the team and Sharpe will decide whether he should play again, McKenzie and Packer Coach Mike Holmgren said.

“Certainly, any cervical spine injury is career-threatening,” said McKenzie, who added that he was unaware of any other NFL player who has had surgery on the first and second cervical vertebrae.

McKenzie said Sharpe needs to have the surgery even if he chooses never to play again.

“There could be some long-term ramifications of not having surgery that we don’t think are smart to live with,” McKenzie said.

Despite the diagnosis, Sharpe, who recovered from off-season toe surgery and tight hamstrings to catch a club-record 18 touchdown passes, was his usual jovial self in the locker room before practice.

Sharpe’s loss is a big blow to the Packers going into Saturday’s playoff game against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. He had 94 catches this season for 1,119 yards.

“It means we have some juggling to do,” Holmgren said. “We all want him to get healthy, then deal with whatever happens after that.”

Receivers Robert Brooks and Anthony Morgan figure to be quarterback Brett Favre’s main targets.

After Sharpe sat out the second half against the Falcons 11 days ago, he was given an MRI test and was cleared to play last Saturday at Tampa. He again experienced numbness in his limbs after he was tackled in the fourth quarter by the Buccaneers’ Charles Dimry.

Sharpe missed practice Tuesday when he was examined by a neck specialist in Indianapolis.

Two other Packers have suffered neck injuries. Linebacker Johnny Holland retired in the off-season because of one, and cornerback Roland Mitchell may retire after undergoing similar surgery.

In seven NFL seasons, Sharpe has 595 receptions for 8,134 yards and 65 touchdowns. He is a five-time Pro Bowl selection and a backup this season.

He broke the NFL single-season record for receptions in 1993 with 112. Cris Carter of Minnesota surpassed that total this season with 119 catches. In his last six games, Sharpe caught 43 passes for 574 yards and 13 touchdowns as the Packers made the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Sharpe walked out on the eve of the ’94 season opener, saying he wanted to be pro football’s highest-paid receiver. The team restructured his contract, giving him $2.7 million this season and ensuring he would be the NFL’s highest-paid receiver from 1995 through 2000.