Chargers' Merriman will forgo surgery, play with knee injury

[Ruhskins]

Originally Posted by Riggo44

You would think his buddy Lavar would tell him how much fun it is to play football when your knees aren't healthy.
S.D is probably thinking they need him to reach the S.B. and they wouldn't be able to resign him after next season any ways. So if he really hurts his knee and can't play again there actually only losing him for the 2009 season. It's pretty obvious to me by letting him play this year that the Chargers don't care about his carrier long term.
Merriman is a fool for letting the Chargers use him like this.

The Chargers won't reach the SB if he blows out his knees and ends his career.

[GMScud]

I just can't get over how foolish and shortsighted this decision is. Total meathead. He's still got a lot of mileage left- IF he shuts it down, has the surgery NOW, and rehabs for next year. What poor, ill-advised short term thinking this is. Now he'll play maybe half the season at 75%, then hurt himself to the point he has no choice but to have the surgery. At that point he'll be well behind where he'd be if he just got it done now. And that's best case. Worst case he ends his career, and misses out on tens of millions of dollars and a possible shot at the Hall of Fame. Unreal.