Star outside linebacker Shawne Merriman ended his 2008 season Tuesday when he told the San Diego Chargers he will have surgery on the two torn ligaments in his left knee.
Merriman's decision came two days after the Chargers lost to the Carolina Panthers in a game in which he barely resembled the player who had an NFL-high 39 1/2 sacks in the last three seasons and played in three straight Pro Bowls.
Merriman didn't immediately return e-mails and telephone calls seeking comment.
"Shawne informed me he did not feel right and thought it best to shut it down," Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith said in a statement. "Shawne is a great player and an inspirational leader. He will be missed. We wish him a successful surgery and a speedy recovery."
Second-year pro Jyles Tucker is expected to take Merriman's spot.
--
Coach Jeff Fisher said the Tennessee Titans didn't have the luxury of waiting to be sure about the safety of quarterback Vince Young before calling police for help in finding him.
That led to four hours of uncertainty Monday night before Young contacted the Titans and met with Fisher, a psychologist and police crisis negotiators at the team's headquarters before driving himself home. His mental state has been questioned heavily the last two days, in large part because of his reaction to being heavily booed in Sunday's opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Young has a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and Fisher said that the quarterback would not play Sunday at Cincinnati.
What prompted the call to police? Fisher wasn't saying.
"I was given some information from people that were close to him late afternoon, early evening that was quite honestly very concerning to me. I'm not going to go into specifics, but it was concerning to me," Fisher said.
--
The Seattle Seahawks released punter Ryan Plackemeier, running back Justin Forsett and wide receiver Jordan Kent and signed veteran punter Jon Ryan to take Plackemeier's spot. . . . The Miami Dolphins put rookie starting guard Donald Thomas on the injured reserve list. . . . Jacksonville signed veteran guards Milford Brown and Chad Slaughter, put Vince Manuwai on injured reserve and waived rookie cornerback Isaiah Gardner.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Washington will allow Savannah to transfer
