Mychal Kendricks‘ awkward season came to an abrupt end Wednesday

RENTON Rasheem Green Color Rush Jersey , Wash. (AP) — when the linebacker was placed on injured reserve after injuring his left leg in the Seattle Seahawks‘ win over Minnesota.Coach Pete Carroll said Kendricks will need surgery to repair what sounds like a pair of injuries to his left knee and leg. Carroll didn't get into specifics."There's a little nick in there. There's a couple of things they're going to work on. It's not a terrible knee injury but it's going to take a little bit," Carroll said, noting it likely would have taken Kendricks at least six to eight weeks of recovery to come back. The injury brought an end to a roller coaster season for Kendricks. The Minnesota game Monday night was his first following an eight-game suspension handed down by the NFL after Kendricks pleaded guilty to federal insider trading charges. Kendricks was originally suspended indefinitely but the suspension was reduced.Kendricks started the season in Cleveland but he was released in late August after he was charged. Seattle signed him before Week 2 and he played in three games prior to his suspension."It's just been such a difficult season for Mychal. My heart goes out to him," Carroll said. "He wants to be part of this thing so badly. He doesn't get to this time around. We'll look forward to getting him back next time and being with us."When and if Kendricks ever rejoins the Seahawks is likely in the hands of a federal judge. Kendricks is expected to be sentenced sometime in the first couple months of 2019.He may still be recovering from surgery when that happens. Kendricks was hurt in the third quarter of the 21-7 win over the Vikings but missed only a couple of plays. He was examined by trainers and returned to the field. Kendricks played 76 percent of the defensive snaps."Getting back with the guys, getting acclimated to the system and practicing well, it turned over to the game, the game is just like practice," Kendricks said after the game. "We've been practicing well and we play well. And we came away with the victory."Seattle middle linebacker Bobby Wagner said that for a few moments, it seemed like a revolving door playing next to him. Kendricks left the field to be replaced by Shaquem Griffin, and then he was replaced by Austin Calitro before Kendricks was back on the field."I didn't know the extent of the injury," Wagner said. "Something might have happened, he mentioned something, but he said he felt good, said he was OK and went out there. I didn't know it was that extent until after the game."With Kendricks out, the Seahawks will likely rely on Calitro in the short term with the hope that veteran K.J. Wright will be able to return before the end of the regular season. Wright has played in just three games this season due to surgery to repair a knee injury suffered in the preseason. He returned in Week 8 and played three straight weeks before missing the past four games."He's getting close. This will be an important week to work him back in and then hopefully a couple of weeks from now we'll have a chance to get him back," Carroll said.Calitro has proven to be a capable fill-in after some struggles early in the season and he could end up being one of Seattle's main options going into next season. The second-year player started three games at weakside linebacker this season, but Calitro said it was the game he started in Week 2 at middle linebacker that really helped his development."The game just finally slowed down for me. I don't feel like I'm playing catch up as much as I was at the beginning of the season," Calitro said. "I got comfortable with both positions and know how each position is fitting off each other."NOTES: Carroll sounded hopeful that WR Doug Baldwin (hip/groin) would be able to return this week against San Francisco Will Dissly Color Rush Jersey , saying he would be monitored day to day. But he all but ruled out guard D.J. Fluker (hamstring), saying it would be "something special" for Fluker to be ready. Both players missed last week's game. Fluker was replaced by Jordan Simmons, who played well in his second start of the season. … Seattle promoted LB Emmanuel Ellerbee to take the roster spot of Kendricks. Even as he rode on the cart with a broken left leg, Earl Thomas couldn’t put aside his frustration with the Seattle Seahawks.Angry over his contract situation, Thomas had already said he would skip some practices.Unfortunately for the Seahawks, now he won’t be in the games, either.The safety was injured in the fourth quarter while defending Arizona’s Chad Williams, who caught a tying touchdown pass. Thomas, who wanted contract security beyond this season or a trade, made an obscene gesture toward the Seattle side of the field as he was being carted off.“Earl wanted an extension and at the end of the day he didn’t get that,” Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark said. “It sucks to see a guy who puts his heart into something, put his all into his team and he doesn’t get what he deserves.”Thomas, a three-time All-Pro, held out at the start of training camp before returning a week before the season despite not being granted his extension. Teammates understood his insult after the injury.“We play a very, very emotional game,” Seattle linebacker Bobby Wagner said. “I think sometimes you have to allow people to have their emotions. I don’t think nothing of it. I think he has a long road ahead of him if it is the injury he is expecting.”The Seahawks recovered to win 20-17, salvaging a victory from a game in which they also lost starting tight end Will Dissly. The rookie was carted to the locker room in the first quarter with a knee injury.Cincinnati also lost its tight end, with Tyler Eifert suffering a gruesome lower right leg injury early in the third quarter of the Bengals‘ 37-36 victory over Atlanta.Eifert had four catches for 38 yards Michael Dickson Color Rush Jersey , including a 15-yard scoring catch in the first quarter. He caught a 2-yard pass in the third and was tackled by De’Vondre Campbell and Jack Crawford. Eifert brought his hands up to his helmet as he was on his back in obvious pain. His leg stabilized by the medical staff, Eifert received encouragement from teammates before he was carted off the field with his leg in an air cast.Bengals halfback Mark Walton did not return and was being treated for a possible concussion after a helmet-to-helmet penalty hit by Brian Poole near the end of the third. Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett had an ankle injury late in the fourth and did not return.Another tight end, one the NFL’s best, also left with an injury. Rob Gronkowski departed New England’s 38-7 victory over Miami in the third quarter with a right ankle problem and did not return. The Dolphins, who had been undefeated, lost center Daniel Kilgore in the first half with an arm injury and safety Bobby McCain to a knee injury.In other games:— Bills receiver Kelvin Benjamin left in the third quarter to be evaluated for a head injury after absorbing a hard hit from Ha Ha Clinton-Dix on a play that also led to the safety’s interception at Lambeau Field, where safety Micah Hyde had a disappointing return after leaving in the first quarter with a groin injury. Hyde left the Packers as a free agent after the 2016 season.— T.Y. Hilton left the Colts‘ loss to Houston with a chest injury, returned, and then left again with a hamstring injury. Cornerback Kenny Moore III departed with a concussion in the first half, while Houston’s Will Fuller V caught a TD pass but left with a hamstring injury late in the first half, and linebacker Brian Peters did not return after injuring his ankle.— Linebacker Wesley Woodyard, Tennessee’s leading tackler, hurt his shoulder in the first quarter against Philadelphia and did not return. Safety Kenny Vaccaro went to the locker room with trainers late in the first half with an injured right elbow and watched the second half with his arm in a sling on the sideline.— Tampa Bay’s O.J. Howard left in the first half because of a knee injury and cornerback Carlton Davis III aggravated a groin injury, while Bears linebacker Sam Acho left in the first half with a pectoral injury.— Cleveland safety Terrance Mitchell broke his arm in the first half against Oakland, while Raiders right tackle Donald Penn left in the second half with a leg injury.— Cowboys defensive tackle Antwaun Woods left a victory over Detroit in the first half with a calf injury, while Lions right guard T.J. Lang didn’t return after sustaining a concussion in the first quarter.— Jaguars center Brandon Linder was ruled out at halftime with a back injury, while Jets cornerback Morris Claiborne left with a stomach illness and linebacker Josh Martin was ruled out with concussion-like symptoms.