Vikings fear Greenway is out for the year

[TTRaven]

http://www.startribune.com/510/story/614644.html

Greenway feared lost for the season
Rookie linebacker Chad Greenway injured his left knee covering an Oakland kickoff return late in the first quarter.
Judd Zulgad, Star Tribune
Last update: August 15, 2006 – 11:46 AM

The Vikings might have suffered a loss far greater than their 16-13 preseason setback against Oakland on Monday night at the Metrodome.
Rookie linebacker Chad Greenway, the Vikings' first-round pick in the NFL draft, left the game in the first quarter because of an injury to his left knee. Greenway will have an MRI this morning, and indications Monday night were that it could be a season-ending tear to his anterior cruciate ligament.

Coach Brad Childress said the Vikings will "reserve judgment" until the results of the MRI come back.

Greenway wore a brace on his knee and had an obvious limp as he left the Vikings locker room. He said he wasn't sure he had a torn ligament.

"I haven't had anything done," he said. "I just know the coaches brought me off just to get me off the field. Right now it's up to the trainers, and hopefully I get back on the field as soon as possible. I don't know what it is right now."

Greenway was injured covering a kickoff with 4 minutes, 10 seconds left in the first quarter. He appeared to twist his knee awkwardly as an Oakland player blocked him.

Greenway hobbled off the field and was examined on the sideline before walking to the Vikings locker room. Many times an injured player will return to the sideline, but Greenway never reappeared.

"I just planted, and something kind of just happened where I twisted me knee," Greenway said. "I don't know exactly what happened."

Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin did not want to speculate on the injury. "We'll hold our breath until the morning and let the tests [occur]," he said.

Greenway, whose parents were scheduled to be at the Metrodome on Monday night, said Sunday he expected to see extensive playing time with the second-team defense. But because of the injury he ended up getting only one play on defense, being used in a four-linebacker set with the first team.

"It's very disappointing," Greenway said. "It's something you can't control. It's just part of the game. It's something that happens, but we'll get something figured out tomorrow and see what happens."

Said Tomlin: "It's disappointing for him, but that's part of football. We go into it with our eyes open."

Greenway, a star at Iowa, was the 17th pick in the draft and has spent training camp as the backup weak-side linebacker behind E.J. Henderson. Childress said last week that Greenway would remain in the backup role for now, but clearly the hope was he would move into a starting role sooner rather than later. Greenway had seen action with the first team, albeit limited, in a 4-4-3 set designed for short-yardage situations.

Second-year linebacker Heath Farwell saw more time than expected Monday because of the injury to Greenway and finished with a game-high nine tackles.

"I talked to Chad in the locker room and just hope for the best," Farwell said. "It's a tough deal."


Bad news for the Vikings. They were expecting big things from him this year.

[Brandon]

It's official that he is out for the year.