SAN DIEGO — The surgeon’s knife can wait. Shawne Merriman is going to play football, two torn knee ligaments and all.
A day after visiting a fourth doctor, the Chargers’ star outside linebacker decided Wednesday to play this season rather than have his damaged left knee repaired now.
“To be as simple as possible, I just want to play football,” Merriman said. “That’s what it comes down to. I know what’s on the table. I know what’s on the line. I put a lot of work in this and I want to play.”
Merriman said late last week that he has tears in both the posterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments in his left knee, which he hurt in a game at Tennessee in December.
Merriman, whose 39 1/2 sacks over the past three seasons lead the NFL, said all four doctors he saw said he needed surgery, but there “just wasn’t a time frame on that. My knee still looks pretty good. The decision was left up to me to play. If you give a football player a decision to play, you know, I’m going to play.”
When he does have surgery, Merriman will be looking at a rehab of six to seven months.
Footnotes.
With an increased workload one day after returning to practice, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning showed no lingering effects from the knee surgery that kept him out for the past six weeks.
• Lofa Tatupu has a bone bruise in his right knee, but Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said the Pro Bowl linebacker will be fine for the season opener Sept. 7 at Buffalo.
• The Ravens acquired Buccaneers defensive end Marques Douglas for a late-round draft choice in 2009 and a conditional 2010 draft selection, reacting quickly to defensive lineman Dwan Edwards’ season-ending back injury.
• Defensive end Derrick Harvey ended a 33-day holdout by signing a five-year, $23.8 million contract with the Jaguars.
• Kicker Jay Feely was cut by the Chiefs one day after signing a one-year deal.
The Associated Press
