Notebook | Seahawks DE Patrick Kerney is out for the season with shoulder injury

RENTON — In a season full of bad breaks and misfortune for the Seahawks, more bad news came Wednesday: Pro Bowl defensive end Patrick Kerney was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.

Kerney, the Seahawks' sack leader this season with five, missed the past three games with a shoulder injury. He had an exploratory operation on the shoulder in Alabama two weeks ago that did not reveal another torn labrum, which was good news at the time. But the injury didn't respond well enough to treatment or rehabilitation, and the decision was made to shut Kerney down.

"Anytime you get injured it's disappointing. You've got to sit back and take it for what it is," Kerney said. "The problem is just range of motion. ... Just got to get it right."

This is Kerney's second time on injured reserve. He missed the final six games of the 2006 season with Atlanta because of a torn pectoral muscle that required surgery.

Kerney had offseason surgery for a torn labrum suffered during the playoffs last season. He reinjured the shoulder toward the end of the game at San Francisco on Oct. 26.

Kerney also had 21 tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery this season.

The Seahawks claimed rookie defensive end Brandon Miller off waivers from Atlanta, and Miller is expected to be at Seahawks headquarters today.

Shaun's sympathy

Shaun Alexander is feeling for his former teammates as they go through the misery of a 2-8 season.

"Honestly, it still kills me on the inside because I love those boys," he said Wednesday.

He became the NFL's Most Valuable Player and spent the first seven years of his career in Seattle; his new team, Washington, faces the Seahawks on Sunday.

"I've seen just about all of them come in and watched them mature as players," Alexander said. "To see Lofa [Tatupu] go through all the bumps and bruises and know that he can't move as well as he did, I feel that. I went through that. Seeing Matt [Hasselbeck] with the whole back thing and people looking at the team and wondering what's going on, I feel that. I feel that for the boys because those were my guys."

Alexander was referring to all of the injuries the Seahawks have dealt with this season. As for himself, he's glad to be back in the NFL but not expecting much of a reaction from the Qwest Field crowd when he takes the field. At least nothing like the smattering of boos he heard as he struggled to get his yards the past two seasons.

"I'm the third running back," Alexander said dryly. He's behind starter Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts.

He added, "There's not like a taunting thing that can go on and there's not like a really jovial thing that can go on. I'm just a part of the system out here instead of being an impact to the system in Seattle."

Alexander has 11 carries for 24 yards in four games. He was signed on Oct. 14 when Washington was dealing with injuries at running back.

Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren never wanted the Seahawks' career leading rusher to go. But the decision to release Alexander in the offseason was not Holmgren's call.

"That happens with personnel. Not everyone agrees on everything all the time and the reasons for it," Holmgren said. "I wasn't sure he'd lost his quickness, let me put it that way. The last two years he had been hurt. His leg and then his wrist, and that clearly affected him. And he had never been hurt before."

Notes

• QB Matt Hasselbeck missed practice Wednesday with soreness but is expected back today.

• S Jamar Adams, activated for last week's game, was returned to the practice squad, and the Seahawks re-signed TE Jeb Putzier, whom they released Saturday, to the active roster.

• CB Josh Wilson stumbled and landed awkwardly on his right ankle in pass coverage during practice and had to be helped off the field. He didn't return from the training room.

• Pete Gross, the Seahawks' original play-by-play announcer, will be inducted to the state's Sports Hall of Fame along with Jim Zorn on Sunday with a ceremony to be held before Sunday's game between Seattle and Washington. Gross called all but five games in 17 years with the Seahawks. He was inducted to the team's ring of honor in 1992, days before he died of cancer.

Times staff reporter Danny O'Neil contributed to this report.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com