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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 San Diego Chargers' star outside linebacker decided Wednesday to play this season rather than have his damaged left knee repaired now.
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"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. He spent several days seeking outside opinions. He returned Tuesday after seeing a doctor in Miami.
Merriman 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, he'll be looking at a rehab of six to seven months.
"I'll have the surgery at any point," he said. "Nobody knows. I kind of left it on the table when to have it. Not even doctors can tell me that."
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While denying reports the situation could be career-threatening, he pledged to be "the same old Shawne Merriman. That's what I'm hoping."
With his nonstop energy and spasmodic sack dance, the player known as "Lights Out" has been the face of the Chargers' defense the past three seasons. He has 39½ sacks in that span, more than any other NFL player. He's played in three straight Pro Bowls.
Right or wrong, Merriman's decision was big for a team that has Super Bowl expectations.
Star running back LaDainian Tomlinson, knocked out of last season's AFC championship game after aggravating a knee injury, was happy to hear Merriman will play.
"How do you tell a warrior to sit down? That's what he is, a warrior. He's trained for this. It's hard to tell a guy to sit down," Tomlinson said.
"Obviously it was a big relief for a lot of us. We all know what Shawne brings to this team, especially the defense," the running back added. "He's an impact player, a difference-maker. You just kept your fingers crossed that he was going to be able to play. But I think in the back of all our minds, knowing Shawne, we know what was in his heart and that he really wanted to play, and that any cost possible he was going to find a way to get out there on that field."