Seahawks' Sidney Rice headed to IR

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RENTON, Wash. -- Sidney Rice's season is being cut short.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll announced Wednesday that Rice would be placed on injured reserve after suffering two concussions within weeks of each other.

Carroll had already ruled Rice out for Thursday night's game against Philadelphia after Rice was injured in last week's game against Washington.

"We have to give him time, so he's going to have to sit for a number of weeks before he could play anyway so we just want to make sure we take care of him, don't bring him back too soon and get him right," Carroll said. "He's been banged up all season and this is just one more situation we have to deal with."

Rice has endured a season of injuries that started with a labrum injury in his shoulder during the preseason that caused him to miss the first two games after signing a five-year, $41 million contract with Seattle this offseason as a free agent. Rice suffered his first concussion less than three weeks ago against Baltimore and then was re-injured against the Redskins.

It hasn't been the season the Seahawks had hoped to get from Rice. He has just 32 catches for 484 yards and two touchdowns. His best game was his first back in September when he had eight catches for 109 yards against Arizona. He also had seven catches for 102 yards versus Cincinnati but was limited to three or fewer receptions in his other six games.

Rice was shut out last week against Washington for the first time since Dec. 21, 2008, against Atlanta. Rice was injured making a diving attempt at a pass across the middle. He got up visibly woozy and was helped to the sideline.

Carroll said that it was going to take a couple of weeks for Rice to be cleared from the concussion and that the more prudent move was sitting him down with just four games remaining. He added that Rice's head injuries are not career-threatening and will also allow more time for Rice to begin rehab work on his shoulder, which as of now does not require surgery.

"It's the right thing for us to do. He knows that. He just doesn't want to hear it. I told him yesterday, you know, sometimes somebody has got to step in and tell you what you would never decide," Carroll said. "We have to do that for him because as a competitor, there's no way he would step out right now."

Carroll said the team would activate linebacker Mike Morgan from the practice squad to the active roster to take Rice's spot. Ben Obomanu will move into the starting lineup in place of Rice and Deon Butler will be active for the first time this season. Butler hasn't played since breaking his leg in Week 14 last year at San Francisco.

After a breakout 2009 season for the Minnesota Vikings where he racked up 1,312 yards receiving with eight touchdown catches, Rice had hip surgery last August and missed the Vikings' first nine games in 2010.

The 6-foot-4, 202-pound wideout finished the year with 17 receptions for 280 yards and two touchdowns.

He was selected to his first Pro Bowl in 2009 but missed the game when he was injured in the NFC Championship Game against New Orleans.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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