SAN FRANCISCO -- Seattle Seahawks receiver Deon Butler broke his right leg in the closing minutes of Sunday's 40-21 loss at San Francisco after being hit while scoring a touchdown.
Butler was injured moments after he caught a 2-yard TD pass from Matt Hasselbeck, hit from each direction by defenders. He was carted off the field wearing a vacuum splint. It was another tough blow for the Seahawks, who already were playing without top receivers Mike Williams and Ben Obomanu.
Medical personnel placed a vacuum splint on Butler's lower leg before taking him for an X-ray. He was quickly transported to Stanford Hospital, where he could spend a few days.
"Unfortunately right at the end, Deon gets banged up and he's going to stay here and get worked up and fixed up. He broke his leg to some extent," coach Pete Carroll said. "I don't know the particulars about it but we'll take care of him here. He was unbelievably courageous and tough about it on the field there. It was amazing how he was, but we're all sick about that."
Neither Obomanu nor Williams practiced this week. Obomanu suffered a severe laceration on his right hand, while Williams was rolled up on and sprained his left ankle last week against Carolina.
Carroll had expected Obomanu, who was to be fit with special protection for his hand, to play. Williams played last week after missing a game with a foot strain.
Losing Butler leaves the Seahawks, losers of five of seven, even more thin in the receiving group heading into Sunday's home game against Atlanta.
"You could see that there was a bump coming out of his sock. You just know. As soon as he said, 'my leg!' I looked down at his leg and went, 'Oh my goodness!"' teammate Ruvell Martin said. "I just gave him my hand, something he could squeeze onto, hold, try and comfort him as much as I could. Said a quick prayer for him and tried to get the trainers out there as quick as possible. It's just one of those things you're probably shocked when it first happens. Hopefully, he will be able to come back from this."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
