Tight end Zach Miller dislocated his left knee on a controversial play during the third quarter of the Bears' 20-12 loss to the Saints on Sunday at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
After the game, Bears coach John Fox announced the injury, which was diagnosed at a New Orleans hospital.
On a third-and-10 play from the Saints' 25-yard line, Miller landed awkwardly on his left leg while trying to make what was originally ruled a touchdown catch. He needed to be carted off the field, and replays on the video board of his leg bending the wrong way drew groans from the crowd.
To make matters worse for the Bears, officials overturned the touchdown upon review, saying Miller didn't have control of the ball. The Bears settled for Connor Barth's 44-yard field goal to cut the Saints' lead to 14-6.
"It doesn't really matter what I think," Fox said when asked if he thought it was a catch. "That was the rule. You know our restrictions (about criticizing officials)."
Referee Carl Cheffers told a pool reporter that Miller did not complete "the process of the catch."
"We ruled that he was going to the ground as part of the process of the catch," Cheffers said. "So when he goes to the ground, he has to survive the ground. He went to the ground, and he temporarily lost control of the ball. The ball hit the ground. Therefore, it's incomplete."
Miller also suffered a serious injury in 2016, when he missed the final six games with a broken foot. He has 20 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns this season.
"He's a great teammate," Fox said. "He is loved in our locker room. You hate to see (an injury) happen to anybody, especially somebody like that."
