CLEVELAND -- The Seattle Seahawks fear a torn Achilles for second-year tight end Will Dissly, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.
Dissly, who was off to a historic start to his career, went down on an incomplete pass in the end zone in the second quarter of the Seahawks' 32-28 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. He limped off the field with the help of members of the team's medical staff, favoring his left foot, then left the sideline on an injury cart after being examined in the blue medical tent.
"He did hurt his Achilles," coach Pete Carroll said. "We don't have the final on it, but it's a serious one. He's got to get some tests and stuff like that, MRIs and all that, but it's a big loss. He's been playing great football. You saw him, he was running in the open field and it just happened like Achilles do. They come out of nowhere. Really, it's a devastating injury for him for this season. Will's done everything he can. He's been an unbelievable Seahawk. Every play that he's been in for us, last year and this year, he was just top flight and a first-class competitor in all ways, and it's just unfortunate that he's going to have to miss this deal here if the tests come through like we think they will."
Dissly's injury put a damper on a victory that pushed the Seahawks to 5-1 for only the third time in franchise history. He was walking with crutches and a boot on his left foot postgame.
It's the second serious injury in as many years for Dissly, who tore his patellar tendon in Week 4 of his rookie season. A fourth-round pick out of Washington last year, Dissly caught four touchdowns over Seattle's first five games this year to lead all NFL tight ends. His six touchdowns in his first eight career games was tied for the most by a tight end since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Dissly entered Sunday with 23 catches for 262 yards, having emerged as one of Russell Wilson's go-to options in the passing game in addition to being a strong run-blocker.
"That was tough on Will and on us, tough on me," Wilson said of Dissly's injury. "I've developed such a great relationship with Will, and I just want him to keep the faith. He's had a tremendous year. It's tough because it's back-to-back years and stuff, but I think that he's still young. If anybody's tough as nails, it's him. There's nobody tougher that I know. He'll come back stronger. We'll support him. We'll love him. It's just a tough part of the game, unfortunately, just injuries and stuff. I think that, more than anything else, I just want him to stay encouraged, keep the faith and keep believing that great things are going to be in store for him. We'll make sure that we do everything we can to make sure that's the case."
The Seahawks have only two other true tight ends on their 53-man roster in Luke Willson and Jacob Hollister. The Seahawks brought back Willson after trading Nick Vannett last month and promoted Hollister from the practice squad Friday. George Fant serves as a de facto tight end but started at left tackle against the Browns with Duane Brown inactive.