Miami's Culpepper will sit again on Sunday

DAVIE, Fla., Nov. 17 (UPI) -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Dante Culpepper might not play again this season because of pain in his surgically repaired right knee.

Culpepper was benched in favor of Joey Harrington three weeks ago, and has been declared out of this Sunday's game against his former team, the Minnesota Vikings.

"It was a game I was looking forward to," Culpepper said on the team's Web site. "Unfortunately, my knee isn't as good as my spirit, my soul and my mind are. I still have to be smart about my knee and keep moving along, keep progressing and keep getting better. It hurts my heart not to play in this one."

The 6-foot-4 inch, 260-pound Culpepper tore ligaments in the knee on Oct. 30, 2005 against Carolina, and underwent surgery a short time later.

After a "trade me or release me" demand, Minnesota sent him to the Dolphins in March.

This season, he has passed for two touchdowns and 929 yards.