B.C. Lions lose special teams veteran Stu Foord to dislocated knee

SURREY, B.C. – The B.C. Lions have lost special teams player Stu Foord indefinitely due to a dislocated knee.

“I think that’s kind of what occurred,” Lions coach Mike Benevides said Monday. “I don’t have the terminology for (the dislocation) yet. But that’s a fair statement, and now (doctors) are trying to let it all settle down, and trying to manage his pain right now is the biggest thing.”

Foord was injured in the first quarter of Sunday’s 24-22 victory over the Saskatchewan Roughriders in Regina. He was blocked by Graig Newman while covering on a B.C. punt.

Benevides indicated Foord, a six-year CFL veteran who also plays running back, will face a long recovery period.

“I don’t think (his return) is going to be any time soon,” said Benevides. “Once I get more information, I’ll update you (media) guys on that, but I don’t see it being a situation where he could play quickly.”

Foord, a Regina native who turned 28 on Monday, was injured while playing in front of friends and family in his hometown. He was hit from the side and his knee buckled.

“Unfortunately, he was planting (his feet) and he was hit from the side,” said Benevides. “Those things are going to occur. It’s just unfortunate that he was on that play and he got hit from that direction.”

Benevides and general manager Wally Buono indicated they did not have a problem with the hit, although the returner was a fair distance away and in the process of being taken out of bounds.

“It’s tough to say,” said Benevides of the hit’s necessity. “The point of attack, the guy that’s blocking on the return team, is trying to make a play. Those things kind of happen, and it’s unfortunate. But, right now, we’re just praying for (Foord) and, hopefully, the pain will go down a little bit.”

Buono said he had not studied the play, and could not say whether the hit was illegal, but chalked up the hit to the usual happenings of football.

“To me, whether it was a penalty or not a penalty, it doesn’t matter,” said Buono. “It’s football. (The hit) was high. It wasn’t like he took his knee out. (Foord) buckled. On the replay, I can see the hit. I can see the knee buckling. … The play is the play. It’s football. That’s why they get paid. I don’t think the whistle blew, so he’s part of the action.”

Foord is in his second season with B.C. after signing as a free agent in February 2012. He spent his first four seasons with the Roughriders and also played five seasons of junior football in his hometown with the Regina Thunder.

“He’s still in Regina and he’s still being looked at by the medical staff and doctors there,” said Benevides.

The Lions visit the Winnipeg Blue Bombers on Friday.