Pierre Garcon's foot injury has turned into the season-defining kind. It could end his season before long.
Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com reported Sunday that the Washington Redskins wide receiver could be shut down for the remainder of the season if his plantar plate tear doesn't improve by the end of his team's Week 10 bye, which is next week. The Redskins host the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
The plantar plate is the soft tissue that connects the base of the toe and the metatarsal. It works as a shock absorber. The injury causes pain when Garcon runs and sprints.
Garcon might need surgery if the injury doesn't heal with rest, and surgery definitely would end his season.
"I don't want to be on the sideline," Garcon said last month. "It is frustrating. But you've just got to think about what's best for it and what's best for your future, because this is long term.
"You don't want to make it worse just for one season. As bad as I want to be out there, it's a tough decision we've got to deal with."
Garcon had just eight catches for 153 yards and one touchdown on the season, with most of that production coming in the first quarter of the opener.
Follow Gregg Rosenthal on Twitter @greggrosenthal.
