Rontez Miles on IR

Jets Safety Rontez Miles Undergoes Emergency Surgery On Right Leg

December 19, 2014 5:12 PM





FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — Rontez Miles’ season debut for the New York Jets never made it to game day.

The backup safety had emergency surgery on his right leg Thursday night after he was injured in practice earlier in the day.

The team announced Friday that Miles, promoted from the practice squad this week, injured his shin area when he was accidentally kicked by a teammate on the field. Rex Ryan said it appeared to be just a bruise at first, but team doctors determined it was more serious as the pain increase throughout the day.

“Our trainers were here and their biggest fear with any kind of bruise or something like that is that something like this could happen,” Ryan said. “They’re very observant, and he had treatment after and it never got better.”

Neither Ryan nor the Jets (3-11) could immediately confirm the exact nature of the injury, but the symptoms appeared similar to compartment syndrome, which usually results from bleeding or swelling after an injury and causes high pressure in the injured area and impedes blood flow. Emergency surgery is sometimes required to relieve the pressure and prevent permanent injury.

“I was shocked by it, too,” Ryan said. “Apparently the pressure, it just kept getting worse and worse and worse.”

Miles was expected to play Sunday against the New England Patriots after being promoted Tuesday when the Jets waived cornerback Josh Thomas. He was in the locker room Thursday after practice with his lower right leg wrapped, but it didn’t appear to be a serious injury. It was considered so minor, in fact, that Miles didn’t even appear on the team’s injury report.

But Ryan said he was updated by the team doctors, who told him that Miles needed immediate surgery, around 8 p.m. Thursday. A few hours later, Miles wrote on his Facebook page that he would miss the rest of the season because of the injury and that “surgery went well.”

The 26-year-old Miles spent most of last season on the Jets’ practice squad after being signed as an undrafted free agent out of California (Pa.) He played in one game last season, and was re-signed to the practice squad two days after being cut following training camp in August.

Ryan was not certain if Miles would indeed miss the season finale at Miami next Sunday.

“We were really excited to watch him play,” Ryan said. “Then this unfortunately happens.”

In other injuries, wide receiver Percy Harvin is probable after being limited at practice with a sprained ankle suffered at Minnesota two weeks ago. Ryan revealed earlier in the week that Harvin played through a third-degree sprain — meaning the ligament is completely torn — in the Jets’ win at Tennessee last Sunday.

Special teams coach Thomas McGaughey said Harvin’s injury was so painful, he needed to be carried by a teammate — right tackle Breno Giacomini — up the stairs to the plane to Tennessee. He ended up with no catches, but had a 10-yard run and he returned a kickoff 33 yards.

“It’s feeling a whole lot better,” Harvin said. “I was able to get a lot more treatment, so compared to last week around this time, it’s a night-and-day difference. I think I’ll be able to be a little more effective than I was last week, especially coming out of my breaks.”

Defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson is questionable with turf toe, an injury that has sidelined him the last three games. He has been fitted for a couple of custom-made shoes to try to help relieve the pain since the injury against the Buffalo Bills at Detroit’s Ford Field on Nov. 24.

“It still hurts,” he said. “I mean, it’s getting a little better each and every day, but it’s still bothering me on the field.”

Wide receiver-special teamer Saalim Hakim (quadriceps) and safety Jaiquawn Jarrett (shoulder) are both listed as questionable, but Ryan seemed optimistic about their chances of playing against the Patriots.