Seahawks receiver Tyler Lockett broke a bone in his index finger and is expected to miss multiple weeks, coach Pete Carroll announced.
Carroll said Lockett’s stated goal is to return in two weeks, but the timeline isn’t entirely clear. The Seahawks medical staff was still evaluating treatment options with Lockett, and surgery is a definite possibility, Carroll added.
The injury happened in the fourth quarter of the Seahawks’ 21-13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night, on a pass intended for Lockett.
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“We’ve got to figure out what’s the right way to go,” Carroll said.
“I can’t even fathom that — I can’t fathom playing without Tyler. I got a chance to hang with him (in the locker room postgame) just to try to express what it’s like to work with a guy like this for so long. He’s such an incredible player. He’s not in tremendous pain. He’s got a broken hand. There’s no reason to feel sorry for him. He’s such a magnificent football player and a member of a team and a community … that we’re going to miss the heck out of him.”
The 30-year-old Lockett is having one of the best seasons of his career, posting 78 catches for 964 yards and eight touchdowns.
Teammates voted Lockett as a team captain for the first time before this season, and he’s become one of the most respected voices in the locker room.
“I think it’ll present us a great challenge,” Seahawks QB Geno Smith said. “He’s one of the better receivers in the league. He is a leader on this team, leader of this offense, and he’s a guy that we rely on, that I rely on. So we have guys that are willing to step up. You know, I look forward to seeing those guys step up in their new roles, but you can never replace a guy like Tyler. He’s done it for so long. He brings something to the game that not many guys can. You know, I’m just pulling for him to get back as soon as possible.”
Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated which hand Tyler Lockett injured.