Broncos RBLenDale White tore Achilles tendon has 0 comments

Sep 3rd 2010, 20:49 | FFN-Score: 17 points

Broncos running back LenDale White tore his Achilles tendon Thursday night and will miss the regular season, a team source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter on Friday.

White was hurt on a 9-yard run and stayed down momentarily before walking off the field gingerly in the second quarter at Minnesota.

White was signed to back up Knowshon Moreno and Correll Buckhalter after his sudden release by the Seahawks this spring.

With White having to serve a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, he won't get paid the first four weeks of the season while he is on injured reserve.

White, trying to revive his career with his hometown team after a fallout in Tennessee and a short stay in Seattle, was injured in Denver's 31-24 exhibition loss.

White was signed after Moreno (hamstring) and Buckhalter (back) got hurt in camp last month. He had been released by Seattle, where Pete Carroll, who coached him at USC, is now coach.

Although he sprained an ankle two days after his arrival in Denver, White had come back strong. He scored twice in the preseason, including a 2-yard run Thursday night against the Vikings before he got hurt on a 9-yard run in the second quarter.

The Broncos were hoping it was just another ankle injury that could heal in September. Now he faces an arduous recovery, and there's no guarantee he'll ever get back on the football field. Many a running back has seen his career ended by a ruptured Achilles tendon.

The Broncos could bring back Justin Fargas, whom they released last week, or scour the waiver wire Saturday when teams must trim rosters to 53 players. With Denver's top three tailbacks sidelined for much of last month, Lance Ball capitalized on his carries to seemingly nail down a roster spot.

Although Buckhalter returned to action this week, Moreno's first competitive carry this year won't come until the Broncos' opener at Jacksonville on Sept. 12.

White said last week he was thankful for the chance to play for his hometown team because he felt his support network of family and friends could help him get his NFL career back on track.

And having to rehab a sprained ankle only made him all the more eager to return to the field and play for the Broncos.

"I am excited to get back to football," White said on Aug. 24, one day before he returned to practice. "Once you are playing football, there's nothing that can be said. You can't say I wasn't working out in the offseason, I didn't do this, I wasn't doing that. Now, I'm here. I'm playing football and I'm trying to get better every day.

"So that's what I just can't wait to do just get on the field [and] show my teammates I'm here for the long haul. I'm going to work hard for them and you know I'm going to continue to get better every day. You know, rehabbing is not easy. You are in there for 13 hours a day. You can't wait to get in and play football, believe me."

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.