Vikings’ Smith Out for Season

Minnesota Viking running back Robert Smith, who suffered a complete tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee and at least a partial tear of the posterior cruciate ligament Monday against the Chicago Bears, is out for the season again.

It is the second time in Smith’s four NFL seasons that a knee injury ended his season--it was his right knee in 1993--and he also missed nearly the entire second half of 1995 because of a badly sprained ankle. A hip injury cost him two games in ’94.

Smith was hurt when his left leg twisted under him as he was hit by Bear safety Marty Carter while going out of bounds. Smith, who entered the game as the NFC’s second-leading rusher with 693 yards, was uncertain when he will have surgery.

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New York Giant rookie wide receiver Amani Toomer will miss the rest of the season after surgery to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, the team said in East Rutherford, N.J.

Toomer, the former Michigan star who was the Giants second-round draft choice, underwent reconstructive surgery Monday. Toomer injured his knee last Thursday during practice.

Toomer caught only one pass this season, but had made a huge impact on special teams, returning two punts for touchdowns. His 16.6-yard punt return average is the NFL’s second best.

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A car carrying three Washington Redskins players overturned while avoiding another car in Colonial Beach, Va., injuring two of the players, police said.

State police spokesman Mary Evans said the names of the players involved were not immediately made available.

One of the players was taken to Fairfax Hospital by helicopter. A second was taken to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg by ambulance. The third was treated at the scene.