Chargers' RB Ryan Mathews headed to IR with broken clavicle

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews' season ends just as it began: four months after breaking his right clavicle in a preseason game that forced him to miss the first two weeks of the regular season, the former first-round pick suffered a broken left clavicle in San Diego's Week 15 loss to the Panthers that will end his 2012 season.

 Ryan Mathews' season is over. (US Presswire)

Chargers running back Ryan Mathews' season ends just as it began: four months after breaking his right clavicle in a preseason game that forced him to miss the first two weeks of the regular season, the former first-round pick suffered a broken left clavicle in San Diego's Week 15 loss to the Panthers that will end his 2012 season.

“I just hate it for him,” fullback Le'Ron McClain said via the UT-San Diego's Michael Gehlken. “Just him bouncing back the way he did after the first one. Going into the game, he felt good today. I could see a different look in his eyes today. We were giving the ball a few times, seeing what he could do. He made a few plays, a few great runs. It sucks to come down with an injury like that.”

Mathews, the 12th-overall pick in 2010, will be placed on injured reserve this week. He's battled injuries throughout his three-year career, playing in 36 of 48 games since coming into the league. Mathews' final 2012 numbers include 707 rushing yards (3.8 YPC) and 252 receiving yards (6.5 YPC) and just one touchdown. He also had two fumbles this season but didn't register a 100-yard rushing performance.

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