Aug 26, 2008 - 4:44 PM
0 shoutsEAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- New York Giants Pro Bowl defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who is expected to miss the entire season, underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee.
Umenyiora, who led the Giants with 13 sacks last season, suffered the injury during Saturday night's preseason game against the New York Jets.
"The doctors were very pleased," New York coach Tom Coughlin said. "The surgery went well. The knee looked good. The prognosis is very, very optimistic for a full recovery."
The Giants also will begin their title defense without Super Bowl hero David Tyree, who was placed on the physically unable to perform list (PUP) Tuesday. He has not practiced since the start training camp after undergoing right knee surgery in May and will be ineligible for the first six games of the regular season.
"Medically, we feel that he will be much stronger and better with some more time," Coughlin said.
Tyree always will be remembered for his miraculous 32-yard reception that set up Eli Manning's game-winning touchdown pass in the Giants' 17-14 Super Bowl victory over the previously unbeaten New England Patriots.
After Manning somehow avoided a sack, Tyree caught a pass and clutched the ball against his helmet while falling to the ground with safety Rodney Harrison all over him.
While it would seem like a long shot at best, Coughlin was asked about the possibility of Umenyiora returning for the playoffs in January.
"That would be something that the doctor would have to have a great deal of input on because there wouldn't be sense in going that long and then not having him fully ready to go," Coughlin said.
Umenyiora, 27, appeared in all 16 games last season and was the top pass rusher on a defensive line that helped spur the Giants to an improbable title run. His absence will considerably hamper a defense that already is without defensive end Michael Strahan, who retired this offseason.
A seven-time Pro Bowler, the 36-year-old Strahan retired this past June, ending a record-setting 16-year career spent exclusively with the Giants.
When asked if the Giants had considered luring Strahan out of retirement, Coughlin admitted that he had recently spoken to the four-time All-Pro but claimed that the conversation centered around the future Hall of Famer's new broadcasting career.
Strahan, who ranks fifth on the NFL's all-time list with 141 1/2 sacks, will work on Fox Sports' pregame shows on Sundays this season.
"I haven't really talked to anyone at this point in time about anything," Coughlin said. "I am sure that (general manager) Jerry Reese and I and ownership will look long and hard at whatever options are out there and do what is best here at this point in time."
Even without Strahan, the Giants figured to have one of the league's best defensive lines - a unit headlined by Umenyiora and defensive end Justin Tuck, who had 10 sacks last season.
In Umenyiora's absence, the Giants have moved linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end. Kiwanuaka was a first-round draft choice as an end two years ago, but played strongside linebacker last year.
"I talked with (Kiwanuka) and he was more than ready to do whatever we wanted him to do that was in the best interest of the team," Coughlin added.
With Kiwanuka moving up to the line, Danny Clark will replace him on the strong side and Gerris Wilkinson will be the weakside linebacker.
"Obviously, this isn't the way you want it to happen, but it is an opportunity for a lot of guys, and I am one of the guys that has to step up and take advantage of it," Kiwanuka said. "I was told all along that if something were to happen that this is a position I could find myself in. I am ready to step in there, and hopefully there won't be a letdown at all and we just have to get on it and keep the ball moving."
Umenyiora was hurt with just under 11 minutes in the second quarter of Saturday's 10-7 loss to the Jets. He was unable to put any weight on the leg and eventually was carted off the field.
A two-time Pro Bowler and an All Pro in 2005, Umenyiora has 41 1/2 sacks in 72 career games with the Giants.
