Denver Broncos outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware has a ruptured disc in his back and will undergo surgery on Friday, Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said Thursday.
Ware was also officially placed on the injured reserve list.
The news that Ware, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, requires back surgery suggests his time with the Broncos may be over, since he becomes a free agent in the offseason. Ware turns 35 years old on July 31, and his future as an NFL player is also in question now.
Ware suffered back problems throughout the 2015 season and missed the entire offseason because of a back injury. He returned for 2016, but only after restructuring his contract.
The Broncos also put cornerback Kayvon Webster (concussion) on injured reserve.
–Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor will travel to Philadelphia sometime in the next several days to determine whether he needs groin or hernia surgery, the Buffalo News reported.
The determination of Taylor’s injury status could have a significant impact on the Bills’ financial obligations.
If Taylor cannot pass a physical by the third day of the 2017 league season, which begins March 9, the Bills will be contractually obligated to pay Taylor $30.5 million in guaranteed money.
That would keep Taylor under contract with the Bills, and they might be stuck with Taylor even if the incoming head coach does not have Taylor in his plans.
–New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady returned to practice one day removed from sitting out due to a thigh issue.
Brady is expected to play on Sunday (1 p.m. ET) when New England (13-2) attempts to wrap up the top seed in the AFC and home-field advantage with a win over host Miami (10-5).
Wide receivers Danny Amendola (ankle) and Malcolm Mitchell (knee) sat out their second straight practice while cornerback Cyrus Jones (knee) missed Thursday’s session after being limited on Wednesday.
–Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton sat out of practice due to a shoulder injury.
Backup Derek Anderson was battling an illness, leaving third-stringer Joe Webb to take all the snaps in practice.
Newton is expected to play for Carolina (6-9) in the season finale against the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-7) on Sunday (1 p.m. ET).
–Former NFL safety and philanthropist Keion Carpenter died on Thursday morning, one day after collapsing on a run while on vacation in Miami. He was 39.
Carpenter was taken to Jackson South Community Hospital and remained in a coma for 24 hours, spokesman Casay Vaughn told the Baltimore Sun.
Carpenter played collegiately at Virginia Tech before recording 165 tackles and 14 interceptions in his six-year NFL career with the Buffalo Bills and Atlanta Falcons.
After the NFL, he started the Carpenter House, which according to its website is a non-profit organization with “a mission to strengthen and empower families from disadvantaged backgrounds by providing them access to resources, activities and structured environments that will allow them to reach their highest academic and economic potential.”
–Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert underwent back surgery earlier this week, coach Marvin Lewis revealed on Sirius XM NFL Radio.
Eifert sat out Saturday’s 12-10 loss to the Houston Texans and was placed on injured reserve two days later. The 26-year-old Eifert, who had surgery Tuesday, was recovering from offseason ankle surgery brought about from an injury he sustained during the Pro Bowl.
–Bengals coach Marvin Lewis had little interest in having the retirement rumors gain any additional traction.
“I’ll be back in 2017,” Lewis told SiriusXM NFL Radio on Thursday morning.
Lewis is signed through next season, although owner Mike Brown has the final decision on whether the 58-year-old will return for a 15th season on Cincinnati’s sideline.
With the Bengals (5-9-1) mired in their first losing season since 2010, Lewis was left to deflect questions about a potential retirement on Wednesday.
–Quarterback Robert Griffin III cleared concussion protocol and is available to the Cleveland Browns in the season finale Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Griffin led the Browns to their first win of the season, a 20-17 victory over the San Diego Chargers, in Week 16. He was sacked seven times in the game and concussed on a hit by linebacker Korey Toomer.
–Indianapolis Colts linebacker Trent Cole is dealing with the backlash of delivering the hit that caused Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to break his right fibula on Saturday.
The loss of Carr, an MVP candidate, severely hinders Oakland’s chances of making a deep playoff run, and fans of the club have attacked Cole through various social media outlets.
“Yeah, there’s been a lot of nasty things said,” Cole told reporters. “You have some people like that out there. I feel for them. That’s their team and I know how much pride the Raiders take in their team. But at the same time, there was no intent to injure Derek so there’s no need to say those harsh things.”