The Sports Xchange

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles went down with a right knee injury with just over nine minutes to play in the third quarter in Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears.

Following the 18-17 loss, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said the preliminary report he received was that Charles had a torn ACL. Charles tore his left ACL in 2011.

At the end of a run up the middle, Charles was hit by linebacker Sam Acho and stopped for no gain. Charles stayed on the ground for several minutes and was eventually helped off the field by teammates. As he came off, he was unable to put any type of pressure on his right leg.

Bears inside linebacker Shea McClellin left the field after the first play of the third quarter with what appeared to be an injury to his left leg.

—New York Giants tight end Daniel Fells could have his foot amputated from a staph infection, according to NFL.com.

Fells has had five surgeries to stave off the infection and doctors are fighting to avoid amputating his foot, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported Sunday.

Fells has been hospitalized for more than a week as he battles a persistent Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection that necessitated being placed in the Intensive Care Unit on Friday, according to the report. He is expected to undergo more operations on his foot, which is at risk for further infection.

According to Rapoport, citing a source with knowledge of Fells’ condition, doctors also fear that the MRSA has infected his bone and could travel into his blood.

Giants spokesman Pat Hanlon told ESPN.com that it “is a serious situation that has been taken seriously from the beginning. We’re all fighting for Daniel.”

Fells, 32, was placed on season-ending injured reserve Monday.

—Defensive end Greg Hardy made his debut for the Dallas Cowboys in the starting lineup Sunday against the New England Patriots.

Hardy started after serving a four-game suspension for a domestic violence case involving his former girlfriend. The Cowboys have used DeMarcus Lawrence and Jeremy Mincey as their starting defensive ends this season.

Leading up to the game, Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said the team admonished Hardy for his controversial comments about Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s wife and a reference to guns.

On Sunday, the NFL broke its silence about Hardy’s comments.

“I couldn’t disagree more with Greg Hardy’s comments, and they do not reflect the values of the league,” NFL vice president of social responsibility Anna Isaacson told NFL.com. “We are working hard to bring attention to the positive role models many other players represent and also to continue our education with all members of the NFL family.”

—The Miami Dolphins are among multiple teams expected to inquire about New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton’s availability after this season, according to ESPN.com.

The Indianapolis Colts also have been mentioned as a possibility for Payton, league sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Colts head coach Chuck Pagano has no contract beyond this season.

Payton, 51, has two years remaining on his contract after this season, but teams could approach the Saints about a potential deal. The Saints would be entitled to compensation in exchange for letting Payton go to work for another NFL team.

Payton is 81-51 in his eight-plus seasons with the Saints.

Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell was promoted Monday after Miami fired Joe Philbin. Campbell played tight end for the Cowboys when Payton was Dallas’ offensive coordinator and ended his playing career under Payton in New Orleans.

—Baltimore Ravens running back Lorenzo Taliaferro (foot) was a late scratch after being listed as probable leading up Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns.

—Browns cornerback Joe Haden was active and returned to the starting lineup.

Haden did not play last Sunday against the San Diego Chargers with a broken finger after he was listed as probable. The Browns had listed Haden as questionable against the Ravens.

Haden left Sunday’s game late in third quarter with a potential concussion and did not return.

—The Bears were without top receivers Alshon Jeffery and Eddie Royal for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs.

Jeffery (hamstring) was limited in practice over the past week and did not work out Friday. Royal (ankle) did not practice all week.

—The Tampa Bay Buccaneers played the Jacksonville Jaguars without three members of their original starting offensive line.

Left guard Logan Mankins was inactive with a groin injury and backup tackle Kevin Pamphile was pressed into duty in his place.

The injury to Mankins meant the Bucs had three injury replacements on the starting line in Pamphile, center Joe Hawley and right tackle Gosder Cherilus (for Demar Dotson). The two others were both rookies, in left tackle Donovan Smith and right guard Ali Marpet.