BEREA, Ohio (AP) Browns starting safety Jordan Poyer could be lost for the season after sustaining a lacerated kidney.
Poyer remains hospitalized in Nashville, Tennessee, with the serious injury, which came after he was blindsided on a vicious hit in the second quarter by Titans running back Antonio Andrews, who was flagged for a personal foul.
Browns coach Hue Jackson said he had several text messages with Poyer on Monday and that the 25-year-old is in good spirits.
Jackson does not know if Poyer will play again this season.
”He took a major hit,” Jackson said. ”Obviously that’s going to take some time for him to heal from. I think obviously a kidney is a serious thing. I hope we can (get him back), but if we don’t I do understand that too because that’s something that’s very serious.”
Poyer was down for several minutes after he was drilled by Andrew while covering a punt.
Before halftime, he was transported to Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital for observation. Jackson said the team is hoping he will be discharged soon. Jackson does not know if Poyer also has a concussion.
Poyer’s injury is the latest – and most troublesome – for the Browns, who have been ravaged by medical issues all season.
Jackson does not think the hit by Andrews was malicious and chalked it up to being part of the game.
”It’s football,” he said. ”You have an assignment. You have a guy to block and the guy’s clearly in your sights and you see him. I don’t think the player was intentionally trying to hurt him. I think he was trying to do his job, which was block him, and he did. He blocked him. He might’ve led with his head a little bit, but that’s what he got flagged for. That’s part of this game.”
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