A disheartening defeat on Thursday night for the Seattle Seahawks had the added sting of one of their top players possibly being lost for the season.
Wide receiver Tyler Lockett suffered a broken finger against the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle head coach Pete Carroll announced after the game, and there is uncertainty as to whether he'll be able to play again this season.
"Tyler Lockett broke a bone in his hand -- in his index finger," Carroll said. "It's legit and all that. We gotta figure out what's the right way to go. I can't even fathom that. I can't fathom playing without Tyler."
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Friday that Lockett suffered a spiral crack in his first metacarpal, an injury that will force him out for at least two games and indeed threatens the rest of his season, per a source.
Carroll later explained it was a spiral crack in Lockett's first metacarpal which he likely sustained when he went to make a low catch on an incompletion during the Seahawks' final drive of the game with just 3:47 left.
Not long after the game's conclusion, nothing had been decided, per Carroll, as to the upcoming treatment. The veteran head coach explained that there were a "couple different ways" that they could perform surgery and one could give Lockett a chance to return this season. However, Lockett had yet to decide on which means of surgery or if he was going to have surgery at all. Lockett did tell Carroll he expected to be back in two weeks.
On the evening, Lockett had seven catches for 68 yards, with his six-game streak with a touchdown reception coming to a close.
For the season, Lockett has 78 receptions for a team-high 964 yards.
The Seahawks (7-7) have three games remaining and are currently one spot out of the NFC playoff bubble.