New York Jets quarterback Josh McCown requires surgery on a broken left hand and will miss the rest of the season.
McCown suffered the injury during the Jets' 23-0 defeat to Denver Broncos on Sunday after being hit by Denver's Shane Ray.
Jets coach Todd Bowles announced on Monday that Bryce Petty will start in McCown's absence, beginning with their trip to NFC South leaders New Orleans Saints next weekend.
McCown has thrown for a career-high 18 touchdowns from 13 starts this season and completed 67.3 per cent of his passes.
"I feel sorry for Josh," Bowles said. "He was having a good year."
The 38-year-old, who signed a one-year deal in the offseason, will be a free agent at the end of the year and the injury could spell the end of his NFL career.
Speaking about the injury after the game on Sunday, a visibly upset McCown said: "I looked to the right, reset, and when I threw it, I got hit and it kind of just rolled up.
"He [Ray] kind of rolled over me and either a knee or a foot or something caught my hand and it bent funny.
"I knew when it happened that it wasn't right.
"It's been the best [season] because of the guys. Not numbers. It's been the best because of the guys in the locker room."