Raiders’ Sapp Is Sidelined for the Season

The Oakland Raiders put defensive tackle Warren Sapp on injured reserve Saturday because of a right shoulder injury, prematurely ending his 11th NFL season.

Sapp, who turns 33 in December, had been listed as doubtful during the week for the Raiders’ home game today against the Miami Dolphins after injuring his shoulder during the Raiders’ 16-13 victory at Washington last Sunday.

The Raiders said Sapp has a torn rotator cuff.

Sapp wasn’t sure when he was injured. He had an MRI exam Wednesday and Coach Norv Turner didn’t immediately know the results, though Oakland downgraded Sapp to out on Friday’s injury report.

“It’s not a separation, no,” Turner said Friday. “They’re just making sure in terms of the structure and everything inside.”

The team decided to put Sapp on injured reserve because the injury wasn’t getting better. But it isn’t considered a threat to his career.

Sapp was having a comeback year after struggling in his first season with the Raiders in 2004 after nine years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He agreed to a seven-year, $36.6-million contract with the Raiders in March 2004.

Sapp had returned to the tackle position in the 4-3 alignment in which he excelled at Tampa Bay, where he was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection.