Greg Olsen's return from a broken foot lasted fewer than three quarters Sunday. Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera, though, said he believes his Pro Bowl tight end avoided serious aggravation of the injury.
Playing for the first time since he was placed on injured reserve after Week 2, Olsen caught just one pass for 10 yards in Carolina's 35-27 win Sunday over the New York Jets. He was targeted four times, but left early in the second half after he felt soreness in his surgically repaired foot.
"He got a little tired. A little sore," Rivera said. "So we pulled him in the third quarter. He came back out at halftime, he wanted to give it a try. And just, it was sore. So the trainers just felt the best thing to do was to sit him down. We'll see how he is once we get him back tomorrow morning."
Rivera added that "the understanding" was that Olsen was just sore and that he didn't suffer further damage to the injury.
Olsen also didn't seem concerned after the game, saying he thought he could have played on it if he had to.
"I just think talking with the trainers and knowing just how these things are and coming off of them are sometimes a little tricky and anytime you're dealing with your foot there's only so much you can do," he said. "So, I mean, I don't know. We just thought it'd be best to not go crazy out there on that turf and live to play another day."
Olsen, a three-time Pro Bowl player, has just four catches for 38 yards this season. His backup, Ed Dickson, caught one pass for 15 yards filling in at tight end Sunday.