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Brian Hoyer's story, seemingly pulled from a Disney movie script, took a cruel turn.
The Cleveland quarterback's season is over.
A lifelong Browns fan living out his boyhood dream by starting for his hometown team, Hoyer tore a knee ligament while running for a first down Thursday night against Buffalo and will miss the remainder of this season.
It's a devastating blow for Hoyer, who had waited five years three as Tom Brady's backup in New England to become an NFL starter and led the Browns to wins over Minnesota and Cincinnati while replacing an injured Brandon Weeden.
"This is disappointing," Browns coach Rob Chudzinski said Friday on a conference call. "It's an unfortunate thing."
Chudzinski said an MRI taken Friday showed Hoyer tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. He will undergo surgery, ending his feel-good story after just three starts and with the Browns rolling. Chudzinski said there is no other damage in Hoyer's knee, which got caught in the turf as he slid and was hit by Bills rookie linebacker Kiko Alonso.
Around the league
Bills • Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel has a sprained lateral collateral ligament in his right knee that will not require surgery but will sideline him at least two weeks and potentially longer, coach Doug Marrone said Friday. Manuel was injured in the third quarter of Buffalo's 37-24 loss at Cleveland on Thursday, when he was hit by Browns safety Tashaun Gipson at the end of a 14-yard run.
Cowboys • Receiver Miles Austin is on the verge of missing a second straight game because of a hamstring injury.Austin was listed as doubtful Friday after not participating in practice all week leading into Sunday's game against Denver.
NFL • Thousands of retired NFL players have opted out of a $50 million class-action settlement in a case that accused the league of using their names and images without their consent.
Week 5 schedule
Thursday
Cleveland 37, Buffalo 24
Sunday
Detroit at Green Bay, 11 a.m.
New Orleans at Chicago, 11 a.m.
Kansas City at Tennessee, 11 a.m.
Jacksonville at St. Louis, 11 a.m.
New England at Cincinnati,11 a.m., Ch. 2
Seattle at Indianapolis, 11 a.m., Ch. 13
Baltimore at Miami, 11 a.m.
Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants,11 a.m.
Carolina at Arizona, 2:05 p.m.
Denver at Dallas, 2:25 p.m., Ch. 2
Houston at San Francisco,6:30 p.m., Ch. 5
San Diego at Oakland, 9:35 p.m., NFL Network
Open: Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Washington
Monday
N.Y. Jets at Atlanta, 6:40 p.m., ESPN