Surgery Expected to End the Season for McNabb

Donovan McNabb’s season is likely over. So is the Philadelphia Eagles’ hope of returning to the Super Bowl.

The Eagles’ quarterback will have surgery for a sports hernia and is expected to miss the final six games, another crushing blow for a team that had still hoped to make the playoffs without suspended receiver Terrell Owens.

“I’m disappointed that the injury has reached this stage and has ultimately ended my season,” McNabb said in a statement. “I wanted so much to help this team turn it around and was unable to do that.”

All-Pro cornerback Lito Sheppard also appears out for the season because of a severely sprained ankle suffered in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants that will require surgery.

Monday’s announcements came one day after the reigning NFC champions fell to 4-6 with their fourth straight loss.

“McNabb had played through several injuries and hoped to delay surgery for the sports hernia until after the season. Last Thursday, Dr. William Meyers recommended that McNabb have surgery now, echoing the advice of another doctor over the weekend.

Coach Andy Reid said McNabb will have the operation after Thanksgiving, and recovery time is eight to 10 weeks.

Neither McNabb nor Sheppard was put on injured reserve yet, meaning each could return should the Eagles make the playoffs.

McNabb passed for 2,507 yards, 16 touchdowns and has a passer rating of 85.0 this season. A feared runner, McNabb was reluctant to leave the pocket this season, rushing for only 55 yards in 25 carries.

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San Diego Charger tight end Antonio Gates said his sprained right foot was feeling better and he didn’t rule himself out of Sunday’s game at Washington.

An MRI exam showed no significant damage. Gates was hurt in Sunday’s victory over Buffalo.

Gates, who set an NFL record for tight ends with 13 touchdown catches last year, leads the Chargers with 56 catches for 784 yards and seven scores.

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St. Louis Ram quarterback Marc Bulger likely will miss a few weeks because of a bruised throwing shoulder.

An MRI revealed no tear or separation. Bulger also sustained a mild concussion in Sunday’s loss to Arizona.

Jamie Martin finished Sunday and likely will start this week at Houston.

Meanwhile, Ram punter Bryan Barker apologized for disrupting Sunday’s halftime tribute to the armed forces by kicking the ball over bands and color guards.

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Miami Dolphin linebacker Zach Thomas likely will miss the next two games because of a separated right shoulder.

The middle linebacker’s status for the rest of the season was not known as doctors evaluated the severity of the injury sustained in the first half of the Dolphins’ loss to Cleveland.

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Defensive lineman Bryant Young could miss the rest of the San Francisco 49ers’ season after a torn ligament was discovered in his right knee.

Young, tied for the NFC lead with eight sacks this season and injured in Sunday’s loss to Seattle, won’t need surgery but will be out three to six weeks, the team said.

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The Detroit Lions filed a grievance against third-year receiver Charlie Rogers seeking a return of $10.1 million of his $14.4-million signing bonus, claiming his suspension for four games for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy left him in default, Booth News Service reported.

The next step is a grievance hearing, which NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said might be months away.

Rogers was suspended for four games by the NFL on Oct. 5, and missed a fifth because of a poor week of practice.

Meanwhile, Lion linebacker Teddy Lehman was placed on injured reserve, ending his season because of a foot injury suffered against Chicago on Oct. 30.

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New York Jet quarterback Brooks Bollinger will start Sunday against New Orleans despite a concussion that sidelined him for most of Sunday’s loss to Denver.