EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Giants will have to defend their Super Bowl title without a key part of the defense that won it for them.
The Giants learned Sunday that two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora will have season-ending surgery on his injured left knee.
Umenyiora was hurt in the second quarter of Saturday’s preseason game against the Jets, and Dr. Russell Warren told the team an MRI found a tear in his lateral meniscus.
“It was obviously the news that I did not want to hear,” said Giants coach Tom Coughlin, who added that the normal recovery lasts four months and that a nonsurgical option was not discussed.
Footnotes.
Redskins defensive end Jason Taylor is expected to miss 10 to 14 days because of a sprained right knee, putting his availability in doubt for the season opener against the Giants.
• The Raiders lost two players from their already-thin offense to season-ending knee injuries when receiver Drew Carter and fullback Oren O’Neal went down in Saturday’s loss to the Cardinals.
• Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer broke his nose against the Saints, but coach Marvin Lewis said he should be ready for the regular season.
• Matt Ryan, the No. 3 pick in the draft, was named the Falcons’ starting quarterback.
• Eagles safety Brian Dawkins is expected to be ready for the start of the season despite suffering an ankle injury against the Patriots.
• The Falcons signed veteran tight end Marcus Pollard.
The Associated Press
