Browns running back Montario Hardesty suffered a left knee injury vs the Bears.
UPDATED: 12:23 a.m.
Montario Hardesty relished his first-quarter touchdown run Thursday night, but his debut game was over all too briefly when he suffered a left leg injury just minutes later.CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns rookie running back Montario Hardesty hobbled out of the Browns' locker room late Thursday night on crutches, with a full brace on his left leg and very concerned expression on his face. He'll undergo an MRI Friday to determine the extent of his injury.
"I'm hoping for the best and I'm going to pray for the best,'' said Hardesty, standing at his locker. "I'm discouraged about it now, but I'm going to make sure I stay strong-minded, and whatever it is, I'll be back.''
Hardesty, who injured the leg making a cut on a 2-yard run in the second quarter, was asked if it was a knee injury, as was originally announced in the press box.
"Not necessarily,'' he said.
He declined to be specific, but said it didn't feel like anything he's had before. He suffered a torn anterior cruciate in his right knee in 2005 and had a left scope in 2006.
"I'll go in tomorrow and find out more and get back on a program to get back on the field,'' he said.
Asked about his reputation for getting injured, he said, "It's somthing that happens in football. I'm just making sure I stay positive, and turn my focus to getting better.''
He admitted he was frustrated after missing most of preseason and seeing his first action against the Bears.
"I can't say it's not frustrating,'' he said. "Being out there today and getting back into the flow of football (was great) and then something goes wrong, but at the same time I'm not going to put my head down.''
He said, "I'm hopeful that whatever it, it can be done as fast as possible and I'm definitely going to work hard to come back.''
James Davis, who replaced Hardesty in the game and is now almost certain to make the team, said, "I feel bad for Montario. I tried to encourage him. I hope he can come back.''