Season over for Bears’ Urlacher

Finally healthy after two years, Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher launched his regular season by making a run at Aaron Rodgers, lowering his shoulder and plowing over the Green Bay Packers quarterback in the first quarter.

His 10th season was off to a good start. And then, it ended.

Chicago’s star linebacker went on injured reserve after having surgery Monday to repair a dislocated right wrist and will not be back this season.

With Urlacher out, Hunter Hillenmeyer is expected to start at middle linebacker Sunday when the Bears host the defending champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chicago also signed linebacker Tim Shaw, who was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars this month, to a one-year deal Monday.

Polamalu doesn’t need surgery

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu doesn’t need knee surgery and said that he will be back in three to six weeks as expected.

Polamalu tore the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in Thursday’s victory against Tennessee on a blocked field-goal attempt during the second quarter. He sat out three weeks in 2007 because of the same injury.

Players to donate brains for science

Three NFL players announced that they will donate their brains and spinal cord tissue to a Boston University medical school program that studies sports brain injuries.

Even though dozens of former NFL players have agreed to donate their brains after death, center Matt Birk of the Baltimore Ravens, linebacker Lofa Tatupu of the Seattle Seahawks and receiver Sean Morey of the Arizona Cardinals are the first active players to do so.

Garcia is back with the Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid confirmed that the team signed quarterback Jeff Garcia, a 10-year veteran who played for Philadelphia in 2006 and was 6-2 in eight starts -- including the playoffs -- while Donovan McNabb was injured. The team needed a backup in case McNabb, who suffered a broken rib in Philadelphia’s 38-10 win over Carolina in its opener, is not able to play this week against the New Orleans Saints.

Third-year pro Kevin Kolb filled in for McNabb and will start this week if McNabb is out, Reid said.

Etc.

Indianapolis Colts Coach Jim Caldwell said he was waiting to meet with team doctors about Anthony Gonzalez’s right knee injury. He didn’t say how long the third-year receiver might be out. Gonzalez hurt the knee in Sunday’s 14-12 victory against Jacksonville, on a play in which he crumpled to the ground without touching another player. . . . The Carolina Panthers have come to terms with veteran quarterback A.J. Feeley and have put backup Josh McCown on injured reserve. The move comes one day after McCown injured his left knee and ankle in relief of struggling starter Jake Delhomme. McCown was wearing a protective boot on Monday. . . . Jacksonville defensive end Reggie Hayward will sit out the rest of the season after breaking his left shin.