Alstott Injury: Bucs Hoping For Best Katherine Smith, The Tampa Tribune, published 25 October 2004 Has Mike Alstott played his last down as a Buccaneer? The fate of the six-time Pro Bowl fullback will be learned today when he has an MRI to determine the extent of the damage to his right knee. Alstott was injured on a carry late in the third quarter. He was helped from the field and later carted to the locker room. A television report from the sideline said Alstott had suffered a torn ACL, but Jon Gruden said after the game it was an MCL injury, and hoped it was ``not a severe injury.'' Ironically, Alstott suffered the injury on the same day receiver Joe Jurevicius was making his return. ``It was just devastating watching him,'' said Jurevicius, who came back from a torn MCL and a back injury. ``I was in that position last year and the one thing that I have learned is just how quickly this game can go and it's true.'' Alstott was averaging 6.2 yards per carry heading into the third quarter when it happened. On second-and-7 from the Bucs' 33-yard line, Alstott was tackled in the backfield and as he was falling backward, Chicago linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer landed on top of his right knee. Alstott fumbled on the play and it was recovered by the Bears. Dave Moore said when he saw his friend on the ground, he knew it was bad. ``When he was laying out there, he had that look on his face like it was serious,'' Moore said. ``You hate to see that just because of the style of player he is and all he's gone through with his neck injury. It's just a shame to see it happen.'' The fact Alstott, 30, was on the field this season is a testament to his determination and passion for the game. The nine-year veteran battled back from last year's serious neck injury, which required season- ending surgery. ``Nobody thought he would come back from the [neck] injury,'' running backs coach Art Valero said. ``There were a lot of questions, but then he came back. He's one of those guys who keeps battling back.'' Will there be another comeback? ``It's going to be a tough road again,'' Moore said. ``Hopefully it's nothing too serious, but it looks like he did a pretty good job on it.'' Alstott, who was gone from the Bucs' locker room by game's end, injured his left knee against Chicago during the 2000 season. He missed three games with a third- degree sprain of the MCL, returning for the final two regular-season games and the postseason loss to Philadelphia. ``Mike will be back,'' Valero said. ``Don't count him out on anything. Mike will be back, however long they say. If they say four weeks, he'll be back in two, just because that's Mike. He's a stubborn guy.''