Broncos' Dobbins goes on IR; season likely over, sources say - ESPN

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — It turned out Denver Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins' hope that he could help revive the team's offense was not to be, as the sixth-year running back was placed on injured reserve, the team announced Saturday.

The move likely ends Dobbins' season if the Broncos don't make it to the Super Bowl, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Dobbins suffered the injury in the third quarter of last week's 10-7 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders and has already undergone surgery. He said he believed the injury occurred on a hip-drop tackle, which is not allowed by league rules, but added after the game he believed he was «OK'' and hoped for good news from the team's medical staff.

But Dobbins, who is playing on a one-year deal, had not practiced since the injury as he and the team gathered information even as coach Sean Payton continued to say a move to injured reserve was one of the possible outcomes.

It means the Broncos (8-2) will be without their leading rusher Sunday when they face the Kansas City Chiefs at Empower Field at Mile High, and beyond. Sources told ESPN's Schefter on Saturday that Dobbins could be available to return if the Broncos were to advance to the Super Bowl on Feb. 8.

After the win over the Raiders, Dobbins, who has 772 yards rushing on 5.05 yards per carry this season, said he wanted to be part of the solution for the team's offensive struggles. Dobbins is one of nine running backs with enough carries to qualify who have averaged at least 5 yards per carry this season.

»This is probably the best team I've been on, and we owe it to the fan base, we owe it to ourselves to stop playing how we're playing," Dobbins said of the team's offense after the win. «We got to do better; we just have to do