Rams’ Canidate Out for Season After Suffering Broken Wrist

St. Louis Ram rookie Trung Canidate is sidelined for the season because of a broken right wrist.

Canidate, the team’s first-round draft choice from Arizona, suffered the injury in Sunday’s 38-24 victory over the New York Giants.

The running back also sat out almost all of training camp because of a sprained ankle and six games of the regular season because of a sprained foot.

Canidate’s latest injury usually takes six weeks to heal, Coach Mike Martz said. Doctors placed screws in the wrist, which would allow Canidate to return in three weeks to a month, but cautioned that that was a risky proposition.

“It’s right at the joint of the wrist and you’ve got to be real careful,” Martz said. “Otherwise, you’ll risk having that thing kind of [look] goofy the rest of your life.”

The Rams put Canidate on injured reserve and replaced him on the roster by signing Chad Dukes, who was with the Washington Redskins when Ram offensive coordinator Bobby Jackson was running backs coach in Washington last season.

*

Thurman Thomas will sit out the rest of the season because of a torn ligament in his right knee and might consider retiring.

The Miami Dolphin running back, ninth on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, suffered the injury while making a cut on a reception in Sunday’s 17-7 victory over the San Diego Chargers.

Thomas, 34, will do some rehabilitation work over the next month before deciding whether to have surgery, Miami Coach Dave Wannstedt said.

*

Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Akili Smith was benched as the starter, replaced for at least one game by Scott Mitchell.

Smith hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in six games.

*

Brett Favre insists he will play Sunday despite a sprained foot that threatens his streak of 135 consecutive starts, an NFL record for quarterbacks.

Tests showed no serious damage to Favre’s left foot, which was injured on a sack by Warren Sapp on Sunday in the third quarter of Green Bay’s 20-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Favre limped off the field and didn’t return. He had a protective boot on his left foot Monday.

“I didn’t think there was a chance,” Coach Mike Sherman said. “I’m encouraged that it has improved. He says he’s playing on Sunday. That remains to be seen. Knowing him, he’ll do everything he can to get into that game on Sunday.”

*

Tennessee Titan backup quarterback Neil O’Donnell was hospitalized because of a severe viral infection. O’Donnell, who has been fighting the infection for the past few days, probably will spend a couple of days in the hospital, Coach Jeff Fisher said. . . . Dallas Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman could be fined for bumping a referee in Sunday’s victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Aikman was trying to get Ed Hochuli’s attention to call time out late in the second quarter when his arms went into the referee’s chest. The league office said all plays are under review and no punishments will be announced until Wednesday, at the earliest. . . . Carolina Panther fullback William Floyd will be sidelined two to four weeks after suffering several broken ribs in a loss to the New Orleans Saints. He will be replaced by Chris Hetherington, one of Carolina’s best special-teams players, Coach George Seifert said. . . . Packer receiver Antonio Freeman was fined $458 and will have his driver’s license suspended for 15 days after missing a court hearing on a speeding ticket. Freeman was pulled over for driving 102 mph in a 65-mph zone Oct. 2.