Duke QB Sirk undergoes surgery for ruptured Achilles tendon

Chris Baird, Triangle Sports Network
Chris Baird, Triangle Sports Network
Chris Baird, Triangle Sports Network

DURHAM, N.C. – Earlier in the week, Duke Blue Devils head football coach David Cutcliffe announced that rising redshirt senior quarterback Thomas Sirk suffered a ruptured left Achilles tendon during a team conditioning session on Tuesday morning.

As a result, Sirk was scheduled to undergo surgery on Wednesday morning, performed by Dr. Claude T. Moorman III, Duke’s head team physician and the executive director of the Duke Sports Science Institute.

No timetable was set for Sirk’s return, but he previously missed the 2013 season after suffering a ruptured right Achilles tendon in April of that year.

The six-foot-four-inch, 220-pound Sirk started 12 games in 2015 and completed 251-of-427 (.588) passes for 2,625 yards with 16 touchdowns and eight interceptions while rushing for a  team-best 803 yards and eight scores on 163 attempts.

Sirk’s 3,428 total offensive yards rank as the second highest single-season total in school history.

In the ACC, Sirk finished the season ranking third in total offensive yards per game (285.7), fifth in passing yards per game (218.8) and 10th in rushing yards per game (66.9).

In addition, he guided an offense that was one of just three units in the league to rank among the conference’s top five in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and passing offense, joining Clemson and North Carolina.

Sirk guided Duke to a 44-41 overtime win over Indiana in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl by compiling 318 yards of total offense while rushing for two touchdowns and throwing for a third score and was named the game’s co-MVP along with running back Shaun Wilson.