Bears’ Cox Out for the Season

Bryan Cox’s thumb surgery was more complicated than anticipated, so the excitable Chicago Bear linebacker is done for the season.

The Bears learned Monday that Cox’s final game came the previous day, when he played with a broken left thumb against Tampa Bay.

“There was a little more damage than they could see on the CAT scan. There were three fragments in a weird position,� Bear trainer Fred Caito said.

Caito said doctors were sure Cox did no further damage by playing. Cox will be replaced at linebacker by Barry Minter.

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New Orleans defensive end Renaldo Turnbull, who had a tantrum after allowing quarterback Steve Young to slip past him for a two-point conversion in the Saints’ loss to the 49ers, was suspended for a week.

“I suspended Renaldo for conduct I consider detrimental to the team,� Coach Rick Venturi said.

In other Saint news, defensive end Darren Mickell has completed a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s substance-abuse policy and will return to the team this week.

Also, offensive lineman William Roaf will sit out four games because of a partially torn ligament in his right knee.

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The Minnesota Vikings expect to sign free-agent running back Leroy Hoard today to help their anemic ground game.

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The Carolina Panther medical staff determined quarterback Kerry Collins’ knee sprain doesn’t appear to be severe.

“He should be able to work back into things on Wednesday,� Coach Dom Capers said. “I think he should be able to do everything.�

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A majority of city voters are unwilling to spend public money to build a new stadium for the San Francisco 49ers, according to a San Francisco Examiner poll.

The poll showed only 21% of the city’s voters believe the city “should contribute significantly� to a new stadium.

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Washington defensive linemen Tony Woods, who sat out the 38-13 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday because of a sprained knee, probably will sit out next Sunday’s game against Arizona as well.