Packers safety Charles Woodson has a broken collarbone

Green Bay Packers safety Charles Woodson has a broken collarbone and will be out about six weeks.

Coach Mike McCarthy confirmed the severity of the injury Monday, a day after the team’s 30-20 win at St. Louis.

The 36-year-old Woodson broke his clavicle in the 2011 Super Bowl win over Pittsburgh. McCarthy says Woodson is worried about his latest injury.

“He was a little nervous about it last night,” McCarthy said when he addressed reporters. “If you’ve seen the play, it was a very similar action as he experienced in the Super Bowl.”

McCarthy and defensive coordinator Dom Capers said Woodson was hurt with 2 minutes 44 seconds left in the game when he dived for a pass that Sam Bradford completed to wide receiver Brandon Gibson.

Woodson briefly rolled around on the turf before getting up, holding his right shoulder area.

Woodson stayed in the game for the next play, on which Bradford completed a pass to Steve Smith on fourth down. It appeared that Woodson, still in pain from the previous play, allowed fellow safety Morgan Burnett to secure the tackle.

Turner: no Stickum use

Coach Norv Turner said nobody from the San Diego Chargers used Stickum in a Monday night loss to the Denver Broncos on Oct. 15 or in any other game. He also said it’s a towel, not a substance, being investigated by the NFL.

Turner was reacting to an investigation by the NFL into whether the Chargers used a banned sticky substance during a 35-24 loss to Peyton Manning and the Broncos in which San Diego blew a 24-0 halftime lead.

“Nobody in this organization has used Stickum in any game,” Turner said. “The question involved a towel that has been used by this organization for over 10 years. It’s used by a lot of teams in this league. The towel is used to dry the balls, dry the gloves that the players wear and their arms. The league is looking into the towel. That’s about where it’s at.”

He said the towel was brought to the NFL’s attention by the Broncos, and that a few years ago, a member of an officiating crew told the team’s equipment staff that the towel would be good to dry his golf clubs in rainy weather.

Fox Sports reported Sunday that an equipment manager came onto the field with an illegal substance on hand towels during the Monday night game. Line judge Jeff Bergman saw the towels and tried to confiscate the substance. When the equipment manager wouldn’t give it up, the officials made him empty his pockets and found a skin-colored or clear type of tape, Fox Sports reported.

“There was nothing on the towel,” Turner said.

Panthers fire GM

Marty Hurney was fired as general manager of the Carolina Panthers one day after star quarterback Cam Newton expressed his frustration with a 1-5 start.

The Panthers have the worst record in the NFC in a season that began with big expectations. The dismissal came hours after a 19-14 loss Sunday to Dallas.

Hurney, the GM since 2002, took responsibility for the team’s failures. “I understand the decision,” Hurney said. “I’m responsible for everyone in the scouting department, on the coaching staff and in the locker room, and it all comes down to wins and losses.”

Etc.

The Chargers put kicker Nate Kaeding on injured reserve and plan to release him when he’s healthy. Kaeding kicked in the first three games before injuring his groin. In 2011, he blew out his left knee on the season-opening kickoff. ... Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew, who injured his left foot Sunday against the Oakland Raiders, will be sidelined at least for the game Sunday at Green Bay and maybe longer, Coach Mike Mularkey said. ... Cleveland Browns starting guard Jason Pinkston won’t play again this season. Still hospitalized because of blood clots in his lungs, Pinkston was put on injured reserve, ending his second season in the NFL after six games. The 25-year-old was rushed to the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday because of the life-threatening condition.

Tight end Chris Cooley signed with the Washington Redskins, a day after starter Fred Davis was lost for the season because of an Achilles’ tendon injury. Cooley was released in August by the Redskins, the team he spent his entire eight-season NFL career with. ... Tennessee quarterback Matt Hasselbeck should make his fourth straight start Sunday against Indianapolis. The veteran’s play in leading the Titans to fourth-quarter comebacks in each of the last two games makes it easier for Jake Locker to take his time healing his shoulder. ... The NFL has approved the Packers’ request for $58 million to help renovate Lambeau Field. ... Titans left tackle Michael Roos had surgery to remove his appendix.