CLEVELAND – Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer will miss the rest of the season with a torn right knee ligament.
Hoyer, who began the year as Cleveland's No. 3 quarterback and led the Browns to wins in two straight starts, was injured at the end of a scramble in the first quarter of Thursday night's 37-24 win over Buffalo. Hoyer had sparked the first-place Browns (3-2) after replacing Brandon Weeden.
Hoyer's knee was bent awkwardly when he slid on an 11-yard run and was hit from the side by Bills rookie linebacker Kiko Alonso.
Hoyer waited five seasons for a chance to start, and he quickly became a fan favorite because he's from Cleveland and grew up rooting for his hometown team.
Weeden replaced Hoyer against the Bills and rallied the Browns to their third straight win.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org