Shoulder tear puts Jets QB out for year

Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2005 | 9:49 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICES

The New York Jets' worst fears were realized Monday when they learned that Chad Pennington had torn the rotator cuff in his right shoulder during Sunday's 26-20 overtime loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars and would be lost for the season to the same injury that caused him to miss three games last year.

The injury is a severe blow to the Jets, who made it to the second round of the playoffs last season and had loftier expectations for 2005.

Even before the extent of Pennington's injury was disclosed, Jets coach Herman Edwards was acting like someone who knew that he had lost his best quarterback. He announced that Brooks Bollinger, the third-string quarterback, would make his first NFL start, Sunday at Baltimore.

Bollinger, 25, is being pressed into action because Jay Fiedler, Pennington's backup, also sustained a shoulder injury Sunday.

The Jets will have to look for fresh arms where they can find them, either by trading for another team's backup or No. 3 signal caller or picking from a list of free agents that includes former Jet Vinny Testaverde, Shaun King, Rohan Davey and Neil O'Donnell.

"Can't go in a game with one quarterback," Edwards said. "I don't know. We'll figure it out."

Spikes' agent, Todd France, said his client was flying Monday to Birmingham, Ala., where Dr. James Andrews was to perform surgery within the next two days.

Valerie Denise Jones, a 26-year-old model, said Henderson came to her apartment early Sept. 16 after she didn't take his calls, according to a police report. She told police that Henderson, a 6-foot-7, 328-pounder, kicked in the front door, grabbed her shirt and threw her to the couch.

There was no warrant for Henderson's arrest, and the state attorney's office had not yet determined whether to file charges.