Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington will miss the rest of the season with a potentially career-threatening throwing shoulder injury, a source close to Pennington has informed ESPN.com.
Coach Tony Sparano called Pennington's shoulder injury "long-term," but said Chad Henne might be available for Thursday night's game against the Chicago Bears.
Third-string quarterback Tyler Thigpen is the most likely starter against the Bears after finishing Sunday's victory over Tennessee when injuries sidelined Miami's top two quarterbacks.
Pennington, reinstalled as the Dolphins' starting quarterback last week, was hurt on his first play in Sunday's 29-17 victory. He was hit while throwing an incompletion on the first play, completed a pass on the next play, then left the game.
As an insurance policy, the Dolphins signed free-agent quarterback Patrick Ramsey on Monday, a source told ESPN Senior NFL Analyst Chris Mortensen. According to the source, they also worked out former Bengals signal caller J.T. O'Sullivan.
Pennington lost his starting job to Henne in Week 3 of last season, when the two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year suffered a season-ending right shoulder injury.
