SAN DIEGO -- Manti Te'o couldn't identify at what point during last week's game against the Buffalo Bills he suffered his third foot injury in 13 months, nor does he have a specific timetable on when he will return to the field.

However, the San Diego Chargers' inside linebacker confirmed that he suffered a fractured right foot -- the same foot in which he suffered a fractured right bone in during August of his rookie season last year that forced him to miss the first three regular season games, and ultimately required offseason surgery to repair.

Te'o had an X-ray done on the injury after the game on Sunday. The latest foot injury is different from the fracture he suffered last season, according to Te'o.

Te'o said he reinjured his foot during the Buffalo game, and said that it wasn't something he's been dealing with for an extended period of time.

"After the game, everything starts settling in and the adrenaline goes down, you start feeling little nicks and bruises," he said. "So it's something that I've got to deal with."

The Notre Dame product also suffered a sprained left foot that forced him to miss the final two preseason games this season.

Asked if he's concerned that the injured foot could be a chronic issue, Te'o said he believes that with rest and rehabilitation he can control the injury. Te'o also said he does not know if he'll need surgery a second time for his current foot injury.

"I always think about things in a positive light, and I'll make sure that it's not one," he said. "That's something I've got control over, and I'll make sure I'm doing everything possible to make sure my body is right. It's happened twice already; hopefully it doesn't happen a third time."

Coach Mike McCoy refused to be specific about Te'o's injury.

"He'll be back on the field when he's healthy. He's week-to-week right now. He was sore after the game and after running tests on Monday we diagnosed it the way it is,'' the coach said.

Asked if it's a stress fracture, McCoy said: "He'll be week-to-week. He has a foot injury. I'm not a doctor.

"He has a foot injury and he'll be out there when he's ready to go," McCoy continued.

The injury comes at a bad time for Te'o, who was starting to live up to lofty expectations heaped on him as the second-round selection by the Chargers in the 2013 draft. Through three games, Te'o led San Diego with 19 combined tackles.

Kavell Conner likely will take over at inside linebacker next to Donald Butler with Te'o out.

"It was very disappointing for me," Te'o said. "I was starting to get rolling, starting to get more comfortable in there. And I was able to make a couple more plays, and be in situations to make plays.

"I don't know how many weeks it's going to take, but in a couple weeks I'll be healthy. I'll be ready to go. But there's other people -- kids even -- that are battling things where they won't heal from things. And when you put it in that perspective and think about it in that light, what I'm going through is nothing. I've just got to keep working."

Last year as a rookie, Te'o played 13 games, along with two playoff contests, while dealing with the broken foot.

So he wants to make sure his foot is fully healthy before returning to the field this time.

"You're never going to really play healthy," he said. "But you want to come back at a time when you know that you can produce, and go out there and make plays to help the team win. Until you get to that point, you have to do what's best for yourself and the team, and that's stay in the training room and get healthy."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.