Minnesota Vikings middle linebacker E.J. Henderson will miss the remainder of the season as he suffered a broken femur in his left leg Sunday night, easily the most devastating element to the loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

The Vikings’ defensive line gets much publicity, but the linebackers have played well and Henderson is the leader of the group. He was just beginning to round into form in the last month according to scouts as he was working his way back from dislocated toes, something that kept him out of 13 games last season.

Henderson was injured in the fourth quarter when he collided with Jamarca Sanford, a rookie safety, trying to make a tackle of running back Tim Hightower. Players remained visibly shaken in the locker room following the game, according to Chip Scoggins of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

“When I saw the replay, honestly it was probably the most gruesome thing I've seen on the football field in a long time,” fellow linebacker Ben Leber said.

Coach Brad Childress said that Henderson would remain in an Arizona hospital to undergo surgery.

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