Knee Injury Sidelines Brown for Season

New York Giant running back Gary Brown is out for the season after arthroscopic surgery found “extensive cartilage damage” in his left knee.

After Friday’s practice, Coach Jim Fassel said that the injury and repair should not preclude Brown from returning next season. Brown cannot begin rehabilitation until he is off crutches, which could take six weeks, team spokesman Pat Hanlon said.

The damage to Brown’s knee is a “long-term wear-and-tear injury” not related to a sprain that the back sustained in the final preseason game, Hanlon said.

LeShon Johnson will replace Brown in the starting lineup Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, with rookie Joe Montgomery expected to make his first pro appearance, as backup.

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Wide receiver Curtis Conway was scratched by the Chicago Bears for Sunday’s game with Tampa Bay because of a sprained ankle.

Also declared inactive Sunday for the Bears (3-3) were quarterback Shane Matthews (hamstring), linebacker Sean Harris (ankle) and running back James Allen (knee).

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Steve Young, sidelined indefinitely because of his latest concussion, is gathering medical advice on whether he should play again and no decision on his football future is imminent.

49er General Manager Bill Walsh had said the club planned to address Young’s future next week but that now has been delayed indefinitely. The possibility remains that Young could be put on injured reserve if doctors recommend a prolonged period away from football.

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As the mystery surrounding Matt Turk’s broken finger deepened, the Washington Redskins signed 39-year-old Brian Hansen to punt in Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

To make room for Hansen on the roster, the Redskins released guard Rod Milstead.

Meanwhile, no one wanted to say much about a report in The Washington Post that cast suspicion on Turk’s injury. The report cited unidentified sources who claimed the Redskins suspect that Turk broke his finger playing basketball Monday.

That would appear to contradict the account of Turk’s brother, long snapper Dan Turk, who said he saw Matt’s injured left middle finger on the plane as the team returned from Sunday’s game at Arizona.

Turk could be fined for not playing against the Cowboys if it is confirmed that the injury resulted from basketball and not football.