Jets S Jim Leonhard having broken right thumb operated on, status uncertain

Jets S Leonhard having surgery on broken thumb

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets safety Jim Leonhard was scheduled to have surgery on his broken right thumb Monday night.

Coach Rex Ryan was uncertain of the nature of the procedure, or whether Leonhard might be sidelined this weekend or longer.

“They said when they go in, they’ll have a much better idea,” Ryan said of the doctors. “They don’t even know if they’re going to put screws in it, what they’re going to do.

“When I heard it, surgery, that doesn’t sound good to me.”

Leonhard was injured early in the first quarter on Maurice Jones-Drew’s 33-yard touchdown run in the Jets’ 24-22 loss to Jacksonville on Sunday.

Leonhard left the field after the score and went into the locker room to have the thumb placed in a cast. He came back into the game on defense, but wasn’t able to field punts as he normally does and was replaced by Darrelle Revis.

“It doesn’t feel good, I’ll tell you that much,” Leonhard said after the game. “It was on the touchdown. Missed tackle and a touchdown — it doesn’t get much worse than that — and hurt your hand.

Ryan said he wasn’t sure if Leonhard would be able to play in a cast, as he did for much of the game Sunday.

“I hope so, but we’ll see,” Ryan said. “You know, when they say surgery, though, I mean, I don’t think that sounds very good.”

Leonhard, who played for Ryan’s defense in Baltimore last season, had seven tackles, a sack and a pass defensed against the Jaguars. He’s third on the team with 58 total tackles and makes the defensive calls on the field.

Losing Leonhard would be another tough blow to a team that has already had nose tackle Kris Jenkins and running back-kick returner Leon Washington go down to season-ending injuries.