Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears offense wasn’t the only thing getting pounded on Sunday Night Football. In their 51-23 loss last night to the New England Patriots, the Bears defense was getting hurt as well. Only it wasn’t all the New England Patriots’ doing.
Chicago Bears defensive end Lamarr Houston has been ruled out for the season today after rupturing his ACL during a sack celebration. The Chicago Bears Houston hurt his knee late in the fourth quarter after sacking Patriots backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
At the time, the Patriots had long since sat starting QB Tom Brady because the game was in hand. Houston’s celebration seemed out of place at the time because of that, not to mention because it came against a backup QB. Hearing that the Chicago Bears DE is now lost for the season because of the celebration snafu makes the situation even worse.
After the game, Houston told reporters “I probably shouldn’t have celebrated while they were blowing us out,” and he acknowledged he would get an MRI today. That MRI revealed the ACL damage, which the Chicago Bears medical team says will sideline Houston as he undergoes a six-to-eight-month rehabilitation process.
Houston’s injury after a tackle celebration is similar to an injury suffered by Detroit Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch. Earlier this season Tulloch tore his ACL while celebrating a tackle.