Ex-NFL Tight End Severs Tendon in Kitchen Knife Accident

DON'T TRY TO CATCH A FALLING KITCHEN KNIFE ... or you could slice your tendon open like ex-Detroit Lions tight end Joe Fauria.

You remember Fauria ... he blew up a few years ago over his awesome TD dances (including the legendary 'NSYNC "Bye Bye Bye" celebration).

But he wasn't dancing yesterday -- when he tried to grab a falling knife. The good news, he grabbed it -- the bad news, the blade ripped through two of his fingers, severing a tendon in the process.

The 28-year-old ex-UCLA star went to the hospital where he got stitched up and bandaged.

Fauria issued a statement on the whole thing -- "PSA: do not attempt to catch falling kitchen knife. The 'catch everything' motto is great for football. Not so much for life."