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Season-ending injury for Rams’ star receiver

The Associated Press

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Los Angeles receiver Cooper Kupp is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his left knee, depriving the Rams’ offense of a major contributor heading into a showdown with Kansas City.

Coach Sean McVay on Monday confirmed the ACL injury for Kupp, who led the Rams in yards receiving last season. Kupp is likely to have surgery this week.

“It’s a huge loss for our football team,” McVay said. “He’s such an important part of what we do, and a great football player, great person. It’s tough, but fortunately we’ve got guys that are ready to step up.”

Kupp has 40 catches for 566 yards and six touchdowns this season, providing reliable hands in the slot and a knack for big catches. The former third-round pick from Eastern Washington has been a key contributor to McVay’s high-octane passing offense in both of his NFL seasons.

His absence will be felt right away by the Rams (9-1), who will be without one of Jared Goff’s most familiar targets when they face the Chiefs (9-1) in Mexico City next Monday night in one of the biggest games of the NFL’s regular season.

“He’s been a valuable piece of our team, and a guy we’ll miss,” Goff said. “He’s a tough guy (with) a tough family, and I know he’ll come out stronger through it all.”

Kupp was hurt on a play with minimal contact Sunday in in the fourth quarter of the Rams’ 36-31 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. An MRI exam confirmed a torn ligament for Kupp, who already missed two games last month with a sprained left knee after going down awkwardly on a horse-collar tackle by Darian Stewart in Denver.

Elsewhere:

n Buffalo Bills coach Sean McDermott says rookie quarterback Josh Allen will reclaim the starting job should he be healthy when the team returns from its bye week off. McDermott made the announcement Monday, a day after journeyman backup Matt Barkley threw two touchdowns in a 41-10 win at the New York Jets. As well as Barkley played in his first start in two years and two weeks after signing with Buffalo, McDermott stressed Allen is the starter and his continued development is important. Buffalo is 3-7, and is off until hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 25.

n The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are sticking with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their No. 1 quarterback. Coach Dirk Koetter said Monday that the 14th-year pro, who failed to produce a touchdown in the previous day’s 16-3 loss to Washington, will start next Sunday on the road against the New York Giants. The Bucs (3-6) have dropped six of seven games following a 2-0 start, with Fitzpatrick starting four of the losses after leading the team to surprising victories over New Orleans and Philadelphia while Jameis Winston was serving a suspension.

n New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton says the Saints have signed veteran receiver Brandon Marshall. His addition adds depth to an offense that already leads the NFL in scoring with 36.7 points per game and ranks in the top five in yards per game with 413.9. Last week, the Saints signed receiver Dez Bryant, but he tore his Achilles in only his second practice and never played a game for New Orleans. The Seattle Seahawks released Marshall on Oct. 30 after he’d appeared in Seattle’s first seven games this season, catching 11 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. But his involvement in the offense dropped after Week 3 and he had just two catches for 16 yards in his last four games.

n Todd Bowles remains coach of the New York Jets despite the team’s struggles that included an embarrassing loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Bowles’ job status appeared extremely shaky after the Jets’ 41-10 loss, their fourth consecutive defeat that dropped the team to 3-7. Fans at MetLife Stadium booed the team throughout and chanted for the Jets to fire Bowles. That sentiment was echoed by many fans on social media and sports radio Monday morning. Several published stories also speculated that the time to make a change would be now with the Jets heading into a bye-week break. Instead, owner Christopher Johnson opted to not fire Bowles. The two were scheduled to have their usual weekly meeting later Monday, but no change was expected.

n Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill has begun his latest throwing program with the goal of returning for the next game Nov. 25 at Indianapolis, although that may be a long shot. Tannehill was shut down after an earlier throwing program produced little progress. He missed his fifth game in a row Sunday when the Dolphins (5-5) lost at Green Bay. Coach Adam Gase says Tannehill resumed throwing Sunday and felt good. Gase says if Tannehill can get through this week with his shoulder feeling good every day, there’s a chance he could play at Indy. The Dolphins have a bye this week. Brock Osweiler is 2-3 as Tannehill’s replacement.

n Former Detroit Lions Hall of Famer Lem Barney and his wife are suing a Detroit-area pizza chain for racial discrimination after being refused service. The lawsuit filed in federal court Monday says Lem and Jacqueline Barney went to Happy’s Pizza in Commerce Township Nov. 2. The lawsuit says a manager referred them to Happy’s Southfield location because “they would be more at home there.” The Barneys are black. Southfield has a majority black population and Commerce Township is mostly white. The lawsuit says a manager told police the Barneys were denied service because workers were preparing for a corporate event. Company spokeswoman Sherrie Handrinos denies any discrimination, saying workers were preparing that day for a Nov. 6 opening. She adds many customers were referred to two closer stores, not Southfield.

n Former New York Giants running back Ron Johnson, who was the first black player to be a captain of the Michigan football team, has died. He was 71. Johnson died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was in an assisted living facility in New Jersey. Johnson was an All-American for the Wolverines in 1968. He ran for 1,391 yards that season and scored a school-record 19 touchdowns, another record that still stands. He was drafted by Cleveland in the first round in 1970 and was traded to the Giants the following season. He became the first Giants player to run for 1,000 yards in a season in 1970 and accomplished the feat against in 1972. He finished his career in 1975.

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