Chris Snee to have surgery, miss rest of season
Chris Snee celebrates against the New England Patriots during Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 5, 2012. Credit: Getty
Chris Snee, an anchor on the Giants offensive line over the past decade, told reporters Friday that he likely is headed for season-ending hip surgery.
"I've always been able to play through things, but clearly I couldn't," said Snee, 31. "The best thing for me is to watch my team play."
Snee said he will meet with doctors on Saturday to have his right hip examined. The Pro Bowl guard suffered a torn labrum in his right hip sometime in the Giants' first couple of games. He said he would not get into how it happened, nor did he want to conjecture about whether it could end his career.
"Right now, I'm just trying to get over the frustration of this," he said. "I'll deal with the surgery and the rehab and think about that later."
Snee came into camp this year hoping to play following offseason hip surgery on his left hip. Instead, he started having problems with the opposite hip. Snee has been unable to move the injured hip and has not practiced with the team since a Week 3 loss at Carolina.
"I was secretly hoping I would wake up and things would be different and I would respond to the medicine," he said. "It's frustrating. It's a new situation for me. I've always been able to play through things. Some things no one knew about and I things I kept to myself. I had to be honest with everyone because it really got to the point where I was doing no good."
Snee likely will be placed on injured reserve Friday, thus creating a roster spot for newly acquired linebacker Jon Beason from the Panthers. The Giants structured a deal for Beason on Thursday night pending his passing of a physical Friday.
The Giants believe Beason will be well enough to pass the test and play for them this season. Snee, not so much.
Snee, who was a second-round pick in 2004, the same draft that produced Eli Manning, had missed just one game since his rookie season before sitting out last week's loss in Kansas City. In 2010, he was named to the All-Pro first team at guard and he was a Pro Bowler in 2008-10 and again in 2012.
Snee admitted to mulling retirement this offseason but underwent surgery on his other hip and rehabbed to return to the team this summer in training camp. A source close to Snee said that the player plans on returning in 2014 as of now, but with a hefty salary cap number, injury concerns and one year left on his contract, it's hard to say whether the Giants will be receptive to that. One likely solution would be a pay cut similar to the ones Corey Webster and David Diehl took this past offseason to play out the final years of their current contracts.
The Giants could also be making other roster moves Friday or Saturday. Will Hill is eligible to come off the suspension list, and the Giants would have to clear a spot for him if he is to play on Sunday against the Eagles. The team also may need an extra cornerback if injured Corey Webster, Aaron Ross and Jayron Hosley are unable to play. That could mean promoting Charles James from the practice squad and dropping someone else from the 53-man roster. Tight end Adrien Robinson and center David Baas could be candidates to land on injured reserve for such transactions.
The Giants already addressed one roster need this week when they signed offensive lineman Dallas Reynolds and waived running back Da'Rel Scott on Tuesday.