▁His ▁ 3 9 . 5 ▁s acks ▁are ▁the ▁most ▁for ▁any ▁player ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁ed ging ▁out ▁Jason ▁Taylor ▁by ▁just ▁one ▁full ▁s ack . ▁He ▁had ▁also ▁been ▁named ▁First - Team ▁All - Pro ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁ 2 ▁seasons , ▁while ▁ear ning ▁a ▁Second - Team ▁All - Pro ▁selection ▁in ▁his ▁ 3 rd ▁season . ▁▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁season ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁training ▁camp , ▁M err iman ▁had ▁difficulty ▁with ▁his ▁injured ▁kne e ▁and ▁sat ▁out ▁of ▁practice ▁for ▁over ▁two ▁weeks . ▁Initial ▁reports ▁were ▁that ▁his ▁recovery ▁would ▁take ▁a ▁few ▁weeks , ▁but ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 3 , ▁M err iman ▁reported ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁te ar ▁in ▁both ▁his ▁posterior ▁cru ci ate ▁lig ament ▁and ▁later al ▁coll ater al ▁lig ament . ▁He ▁was ▁told ▁by ▁do ctors ▁that ▁he ▁could ▁sust ain ▁a ▁possible ▁career - th re aten ing ▁injury ▁should ▁he ▁choose ▁to ▁play ▁without ▁having ▁surg ery . ▁M err iman ▁with h eld ▁his ▁decision ▁whether ▁or ▁not ▁to ▁play ▁while ▁seeking ▁several ▁different ▁professional ▁opinions , ▁including ▁that ▁of ▁well - known ▁sur geon ▁James ▁Andrew s ▁of ▁B irmingham , ▁Alabama . ▁ESP N ' s ▁Mike ▁Tir ico ▁reported ▁in ▁the ▁Ch arg ers ' ▁Monday ▁Night ▁Football ▁game ▁that ▁M err iman ▁went ▁to ▁Miami , ▁Florida