Leonard Floyd in concussion protocol, but serious injury avoided

Leonard Floyd had a sore neck Monday and was placed in concussion protocol, but the Bears know it could have been worse.

The rookie outside linebacker was placed on a backboard at Met Life Stadium following an eight-minute delay after the crown of his helmet collided into teammate Akiem Hicks’ side in the fourth quarter Sunday. Floyd was taken via ambulance to the hospital, but released in time to join his teammates on the charter flight home.

“The real serious stuff is behind him,” coach John Fox said Monday at Halas Hall. “Obviously it was a scary situation. Anytime you see any kind of head or neck injury, it’s concerning.”

Fox didn’t rule Floyd out for Sunday’s game against the Titans.

“It’s a little bit too early to say,” Fox said. “We were just very, very happy and relieved it wasn’t anything career-threatening or very serious.”

Floyd was one of four starters to leave the game Sunday: tight end Zach Miller (broken right foot) is likely out for the season, while left guard Josh Sitton reinjured his right ankle and cornerback Cre’Von LeBlanc was placed in concussion protocol.

The team’s most high-profile injured player, right guard Kyle Long will undergo surgery Monday to repair his right ankle ligament, Fox said. Long went on injured reserve last week after being carted off the field in Tampa.

The torn labrum in Long’s shoulder, which bothered him all season, will be fixed in the “distant future,” Fox said.

The Bears must deal with the injury rash, left tackle Charles Leno said.

“This is our year for us and I’m not going to make any excuses,” he said. “I’m just out there trying to do what I can to help our team win, regardless of who we have out there.”

NOTE: The Bears waived defensive lineman Jimmy Staten.