New England linebacker Jerod Mayo had surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle on Tuesday, and he could miss the rest of the 2013 season, according to a report from Les Carpenter of Yahoo! Sports.
Mayo suffered the injury during New England's come-from-behind victory against New Orleans. He left the game in the second half and was seen leaving the stadium with his right arm in a sling, according to Tom Curran. Mayo's status for the rest of the season is still unknown and the Patriots have not confirmed the injury. If he's going to miss considerable time, the Patriots could place him on injured reserve with the designation to return. He would then be eligible to return to the active roster in eight weeks.
Losing Mayo will be a major blow for the Patriots' defense. He leads the team with 55 total tackles, 14 more than the next closest player. He's also proven to be effective as a pass rusher and is a team captain. Rookie Steve Beauharnais is listed behind Mayo on New England's depth chart. Beauharnais has not appeared in a game this season.
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