Ryan Kalil injury: Panthers center placed on injured reserve

Carolina Panthers center Ryan Kalil has been placed on Injured Reserve with a foot injury that will require surgery and he will miss the rest of the 2012 season. Kalil injured the foot in Sunday's game against the Seattle Seahawks.

Panthers defensive coordinator Ron Rivera told Joe Person of The Charlotte Observer that Kalil is suffering from a Lisfranc fracture.

"It's unfortunate. He was having a terrific year in spite of our situation," Rivera said. "Individually he was doing great. We're just going to hope for the best and we'll go from there."

Kalil put an ad in the paper before the season guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory.

Despite the injury, Rivera says that now is the time for the entire Panthers team to step up and get motivated:

"He's certianly one of the emotional leaders and it's hard to replace those kind of guys," Rivera said. "But the truth of the matter is, it's time for us as a team to step up anyway. And this is anothe one of those things that's going to try us. That's why we keep guys as back-up players. Now they've got their opportunity."

As of now, the Panthers have only one healthy center on roster in Jeff Byers. Combo center/guard Geoff Hangartner was inactive last week and fellow combo center/guard Mike Pollak was placed on injured reserve last week with after hurting his shoulder. There is the chance that the Panthers could sign a free agent to help on the offensive line.