Another concussion sidelines Dolphins' Trent Green

07.10.2007 21:00 Sport and Travel - Source: USA Today

Green was back in the locker room after the Dolphins' 22-19 loss, with a bandage behind his right ear. He was not made available to the media, but he was going to fly back to Miami with the team, coach Cam Cameron said.

The 37-year-old Green was sidelined for more than half of last season for the Kansas City Chiefs after sustaining a concussion in the opener.

Cameron doubted Green would play next week when the Dolphins face Cleveland. He wouldn't speculate on Green's future beyond that.

"That will all work itself out," Cameron said.

The Dolphins had the ball at the Texans' 25 on Sunday when Green gave the ball to Ted Ginn Jr. The rookie fumbled, then picked the ball up and reversed field as the defense chased him.

Texans defensive tackle Travis Johnson hit Green in the head with his knee before Ginn was tackled by Anthony Weaver. After the play ended, Johnson stood over Green and taunted him, drawing a 15-yard penalty.

Johnson apologized to Houston coach Gary Kubiak during the game for the penalty. But Johnson was furious later, accusing Green of blocking him at the knees on purpose.

"The bottom line is, it was a malicious hit. It was uncalled for," Johnson said. "He's like the scarecrow. He wants to get courage while I wasn't looking, and hit me in my knee instead of trying to hit me in my head. God don't like ugly, you know what I mean?

"My knee ain't never hurt like it hurt today," Johnson said. "If you want to hit me, hit me in my head, hit me in my chest, don't hit me in my knee. I'm trying to eat just like everybody else. So, to hit me like that, that showed me what type of man he was."

The Dolphins ripped Johnson after the game.

"I didn't see it," said running back Ronnie Brown. "I just heard guys saying that he was standing over him. When a guy is laying down, not moving, that's just something you can't do."

"It was really a classless play," said kicker Jay Feely.

Green lay still for several seconds as medical staff rushed to check on him. The Dolphins gathered near midfield and kneeled to pray a few feet away.

"You're uncertain what's taking place," Cameron said. "It's out of your hands and you just pray for the best."

Green was strapped to a stretcher and carted off as both teams crowded around him. He was moving his arms on the field and Cameron said Green was receptive when he spoke to him.

"When they got him on the board, he was smiling, and he looked at me and was talking," Cameron said. "I said, 'Hey, how we doing?' He said, 'I'm OK, I'm OK."'

It was the second serious injury in the last two games at Reliant Stadium. Two weeks ago, Houston defensive tackle Cedric Killings was taken off the field on a stretcher after getting hit on a special teams play against Indianapolis.

Killings broke a vertebrae in his neck and was hospitalized for five days.

Green was acquired by the Dolphins in June. Cleo Lemon replaced him and was 15-of-27 for 151 yards. Lemon was appearing in his fifth game in four NFL seasons.

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