Cheer up, Joe Flacco. We have some much-welcomed good news on the state of Dennis Pitta's damaged hip.
Coach John Harbaughannounced Monday that the Ravens tight end did not suffer ligament or cartilage damage when he fractured and dislocated his right hip during practice Saturday, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Pitta underwent surgery on the hip Saturday night. With no other complications involved, it is expected that Pitta will be able to return for the 2014 season.
"Basically, the ball was pushed out of the socket and pushed backwards," Harbaugh said Monday. "It's an injury that happens a lot of times in car accidents. He got his knee caught up under him when he fell. I think there's only eight documented cases of this in football that I've read about. It's a very rare football injury.
"The good news is that there's a fracture, but it's in the big part of the bone," Harbaugh added. "It's a very tight fracture. It didn't move at all. There's no ligament damage, there's no cartilage damage. It's a clean break. It's good news. Nothing has changed as far as our plans as far as plans as far as the season goes. He'll be back in the future."
The question is if that future will involve the Ravens. Pitta is scheduled to be a free agent after this season.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.