New Orleans Saints kicker Garrett Hartley, who was crucial in the team's first Super Bowl championship two years ago, will be out 6 to 10 weeks because of a hip injury, according to The Times-Picayune, which cited a league source.
Hartley injured a hip flexor on an extra-point attempt during the Saints' 40-20 preseason victory over the Oakland Raiders last Sunday and didn't return to the game.
Fearing the worst, the Saints quickly signed veteran kicker John Kasay.
Hartley was pivotal in the Saints' Super Bowl run of 2009, converting the winning field goal in overtime of the NFC Championship Game. He also had an impressive performance in Super Bowl XLIV, setting a game-record with three field goals of more than 40 yards.