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Mercury News Wire Services

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 surgery on his damaged left knee.

"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."

Chargers' Merriman to play despite injuries....