EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Minnesota Vikings tackle Phil Loadholt will have surgery on Friday to repair a torn pectoral muscle and is expected to miss the rest of the season, coach Mike Zimmer said.
Loadholt left Sunday's game with a shoulder injury and would not address his status with reporters after the game. The 28-year-old is in the second season of a four-year contract he signed in 2013.
His injury is the second to the right side of the team's offensive line, behind which the Vikings have found much of their success running the ball over the past three seasons. Right guard Brandon Fusco had season-ending surgery on the same injury in September.
"That's just part of football," Zimmer said of the injuries. "Obviously we'll miss him, but we're not going to let it hold us back."
Mike Harris replaced Loadholt during Sunday's game and is expected to start at right tackle on Sunday against Carolina. The Vikings also used Austin Wentworth at right tackle when Loadholt briefly left their third preseason game with an injury, and Zimmer said the team could look to bring in extra help at tackle.
"We'll continue looking," Zimmer said. "We haven't said for sure if we're going to do this or we're going to do that."
