Patriots S Harrison's injury appears career-ending

- By HOWARD ULMAN

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Rodney Harrison's career is almost certainly over after the hard-hitting but injury-plagued safety of the New England Patriots tore his right thigh muscle.

"It appears as though the rehab could take 8 to 10 months," a person familiar with the injury told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team has not made an official announcement.

"For all intents and purposes, his career is over," the person, who confirmed the nature of the injury, said in an e-mail Tuesday.

Harrison, a 15-year veteran, two-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl champion, tore the quadriceps muscle without being hit while chasing scrambling quarterback Jay Cutler on the last play of the third quarter of the Patriots' 41-7 win over the Denver Broncos on Monday night.

Harrison has had persistent thigh problems as far back as last season's playoffs.

"He's had a slight tear all (this) season," Bill McLaughlin, a marketing representative for Harrison, said Tuesday. "He was getting treatment on it."

Harrison was listed on the Patriots injury report with a thigh problem before their first two playoff games last season. The injury kept him out of practice two days before New England's 21-12 win over San Diego in the AFC championship game. He was not on the injury report for the Super Bowl, won by the New York Giants 17-14.

Harrison played in all three of those games.

The NFL Network first reported Tuesday that Harrison had a torn quad. The Boston Globe later reported he had a torn right quad. During the game, it was announced he had a knee injury.

Harrison played in all six games this season and was not listed on any injury reports but "was injured the whole time," McLaughlin said. "He's played through injuries before."

Harrison, in the final year of his contract, might have retired anyway after this season following a succession of serious injuries in two of the three previous years.

After being injured Monday, Harrison pointed to his teammates and waved to the crowd as he was driven off the field on a cart.

Coach Bill Belichick gave no update on the injury during his conference call Tuesday, but said after the game that it didn't look good.

"It was difficult for all of us to watch Rodney be carted off like he did," Belichick said Tuesday. "We hope that all goes well for him."

The Patriots (4-2) already are without quarterback Tom Brady, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in the opener, and running back Laurence Maroney, whose season ended when he went on injured reserve Monday with a shoulder injury. Belichick refused to say if Maroney would need surgery.