Shawne Merriman: “I would love for their to be a ‘Bolt on the side of my head for the rest of my career, period.”
February 2, 2010 – 4:30 am by Zach Krantz
As of next month, Shawne Merriman’s contract with the San Diego Chargers will expire. There’s plenty of uncertainty about Merriman’s future with the Chargers and whether or not he will be back with the team next season. It’s worth remembering up front though that Merriman will be a restricted rather than an unrestricted free agent next season – a year that’s looking more and more like it’s going to be played without a salary cap. Basically, San Diego controls his future and will have every opportunity to sign him for a reasonable price if they want to. Merriman was a Pro Bowler in his first three seasons, but missed the entire 2008 season with a knee injury. He returned this past season from the debilitating injury and surgery, but he recorded only four sacks while playing through a painful foot injury.
Off the field issues may influence the Chargers decision. His run in with Tila Tequila perhaps reminded the team that Merriman just may not be have enough upside on the field for what they might have to deal with off the field. His injury prone past plus the fact that the club used a first-round pick on Larry English last April (English plays the same position as Merriman) all adds up to the possibility that it could in fact be ‘lights out’ for Shawn ‘Lights Out’ Merriman in San Diego. Shawne Merriman joined Darren Smith on XX 1090 in San Diego and talked about these issues, as well as about how last season ended for the Chargers, his thoughts on the Super Bowl and what he thought would happen with him and the Chargers going forward.
Asked if he understood what’s going on with the NFL and the CBA and what it means to him next season:
“Yeah I have been hearing it for a year now, so with that being said I just kind of let it be one of those things that just fall out of the air. The best decision is going to be made at the end of the day and you can’t get involved too much in that stuff. You have an agent and you have a team that goes back and forth with him. That’s it; you can’t do anything more then that.”
Asked what the odds are he will be back in a San Diego uniform next season:
“I have no idea at all. You know I have said over a thousand of times I think San Diego is one of the greatest places to be, honestly. The fans have been great, the organization since I have been here has been great, my teammates I mean I will probably have relationships with those guys the rest of my life. I have been attached to the community for years with all different charities and foundations in San Diego alone. I would love to come back, I would love for their to be a bolt on the side of my head for the rest of my career, period. Because of the business side of it, that’s not always possible and I understand. I just want to go back to playing football.”
Asked if he feels like he is wanted back in San Diego:
“Well I said that originally, but it’s kind of in limbo. I think that I have put a lot out on the field. I think that I have put in a lot of work and time. I played my hardest that I can possibly play and you don’t know if your career is going to end in this place or that place, everybody likes a sense of security and that’s not there right now. Of course I am going to be questioning a lot of things right now; I just want to go back to playing football.”
Asked if there are any misconceptions about himself that he would want to clear up with the fans:
“One of my biggest things and I not sure if it started a year ago or two years ago is this whole Hollywood image thing; I put more time in then just about anybody in that building. I worked as hard as anyone and I love the game of football. If I am good at doing something else and I enjoy doing something else in my off time, that’s my thing and I am doing something constructive. So I think the whole Hollywood thing and all that needs to go out the window because that’s not fair to me. If you see the work I put in, the amount of things I have played through and what I do with the game of football and how I am with my teammates, and what I mean to this team…I think that Hollywood thing should be out of the window from the start.”
Listen to Shawne Merriman with Darren Smith on XX1090 in San Diego
Tags: Larry English, San Diego Chargers, Shawne Merriman, Tila Tequila
