Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald ices his right hamstring after being injured during Sunday's game against the Chiefs.
TEMPE – The struggling Arizona Cardinals lost Pro Bowl receiver Larry Fitzgerald for perhaps a month or more because of a hamstring injury.
“I’d say it will be at least two weeks, two to five maybe, two to four, it’s hard to say,” coach Dennis Green said at his Monday news conference. “It’s a real strong pull, maybe even a slight tear in there also.”
Two other starters – guard Milford Brown and nose tackle Kendrick Clancy – injured ankles in Sunday’s 23-20 home loss to Kansas City and might not play when the Cardinals, losers of four in a row, host the unbeaten Chicago Bears on Monday night.
Fitzgerald was hurt late in the first quarter Sunday, shortly after catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from Matt Leinart.
“I was trying to crack back on a guy, and he just kind of moved out of the way at the last minute,” Fitzgerald said after the game. “When I was lunging, he wasn’t there. I felt it pop on me.”
Fitzgerald has 25 catches for 336 yards and two touchdowns. Last season, his second in the NFL, he caught 103 passes, tied with Steve Smith for most in the NFL. He and Anquan Boldin combined for 205 catches, most for any teammates in league history.
Green said Carlyle Holiday, a quarterback-turned-receiver at Notre Dame, would move up from the practice squad.
“He’s been with us two years and had a good training camp,” Green said. “I think he’s ready to play and help us. We’ll decide who the starter is and who the third and fourth receivers are over the next couple of days.”
The injury also means more playing time for Troy Walters, the seven-year NFL veteran who was the team’s No. 4 receiver behind Boldin, Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson.
Walters’ 26-yard pass from Leinart set up Neil Rackers’ 51-yard field goal attempt with 2 seconds to go. The kick was wide right.