Torn Achilles’ Tendon Sidelines Alzado

The Raiders learned Thursday that defensive end Lyle Alzado, who was thought to have a bruised calf, instead has a torn left Achilles’ tendon and will be lost for the rest of season.

Alzado, 36, will undergo surgery today at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

“The future depends on me and my body,” a subdued Alzado said Thursday. “What I do in rehabilitation.

“I found out yesterday (Wednesday). It didn’t make me too happy. I was pretty upset. But there’s nothing I can do about it.

“I’m a little down. But I’ve had a lot of stuff happen to me in my life and I’ve come back. The worst thing anyone can do is count me out.”

Achilles’ tendon injuries are serious, but Alzado’s is not thought to be career-ending.

“I’m confident he’ll come back,” Dr. Robert Rosenfeld, Raider orthopedist, said Thursday. “His age isn’t really a complicating factor.”

Alzado has started all season at defensive right end, although his backup, Sean Jones, a 22-year-old second-year man, has played considerably.

Jones will become the starter. The Raiders put Alzado on the injured-reserve list and signed 23-year-old free agent David Ponder, late of Dallas. Ponder spent one season with the Cowboys on injured reserve and was with them for eight games this season before being waived.

Alzado suffered the injury in last Sunday’s 13-6 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. He said later that he thought someone had fallen on it. It was first diagnosed as a bruise but when it didn’t respond, and when the swelling went down, a re-examination found the tear.

Coach Tom Flores called it “a blow to the football team and the entire organization, physically and emotionally.”

Said teammate Howie Long, when it was still thought to be a bruise: “He has been playing well. Lyle’s a big-play guy. He makes a big play or two a game, but it’s a big play.

“Also, he lends an emotion to the defense. Like when Terry Bradshaw walks into a huddle, or Joe Greene or Jack Lambert, that type of thing. He lends an intimidation to the defense that no one else can.”

The Raiders made one other switch, waiving rookie safety Ricky Williams and signing Don Bessillieu, 29, who has played parts of five seasons in the NFL, including four games with the Raiders in 1983. Bessillieu was in the USFL for the last two seasons. Starting free safety Vann McElroy is not expected to play this week because he has a pulled hamstring.