The Bears fear inside linebacker Danny Trevathan is lost for the season after he was helped off the field in the fourth quarter Sunday with what coach John Fox said was a substantial right knee injury.
“At this point, it appears to be serious,” Fox said, before saying the team hadn’t run enough tests for a full prognosis.
Trevathan was in pain after suffering a non-contact injury during Titans running back Derrick Henry’s three-yard run with 2:52 to play.
“It’s hard to put a value on a guy that’s a leader on this team,” defensive end Akiem Hicks said. “You have to take it in stride. We’ve had our bumps and bruises as far as guys being available this year.
“You just hope that he’s all right — even more so for his sake and for him being able to go on and play further.”
The Bears’ most high-profile offseason signing, Trevathan suffered serious injuries to his other knee in 2014, sustaining two fractures and dislocating his left kneecap. Trevathan missed Games 3 and 4 this season after having surgery to reattach a right thumb ligament.
The Bears leaned on him even more Sunday with fellow inside linebacker Jerrell Freeman suspended for the first of four games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
“We bring up another guy — that’s just the way this game is played,” outside linebacker Willie Young said. “It’s a physical game; guys are going to always go down. And just another opportunity for another guy, a young guy to come up and make a play right now.”
The Bears will rely on John Timu, who started once for Trevathan this year.
“Definitely leaves a gap in the room,” rookie inside linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski said of Trevathan. “People have to step up.”