Osi Umenyiora’s Hip Injury May Bother Him all Season
New York Giants defensive end (DE) Osi Umenyiora has decided to put off hip surgery this season. He already missed all of the 2008 season following knee surgery and has been battling an ongoing hip problem since 2006.
Umenyiora recently went to see more doctors and was told that he would need surgery on his hip. However, that would cause him to miss at least half the season, and after already sitting out a full season two years ago, and with his team coming off a mediocre 2009 season, he is not ready to sit out the next few months.
The defensive end discussed the matter with the Giants and will try to manage the situation as he has in the past. The problem could be that the situation may worsen the more he plays on it. His future with the Giants may come down to “pain management and luck” a team source said.
Umenyiora has dealt with the pain for a while now. It is a common thing for him to receive shots before games to deal with the pain and discomfort in his hip. Surgery seems unavoidable and is the only long-term solution to the problem. Umenyiora is hoping the surgery can wait until after the season, as the recovery time for such a procedure is at least three months.
The player’s agent Tony Agnone told a New York newspaper that a possible work stoppage next year would be the perfect time for Umenyiora to have surgery done.
Last season was not the easiest for Umenyiora. Following a clash with now-fired defensive coordinator Bill Sheridan, he lost his starting job and the Giants defence really struggled down the stretch.
Perry Fewell was hired to be the new defensive coordinator, giving Umenyiora a fresh start with the Giants. Several teams inquired about whether Umenyiora was available for a trade given his injury problems and his reduced role with the team, but the Giants claimed he wasn’t available.
Umenyiora is one of the best pass-rushers in the league, and along with fellow DE Justin Tuck, they make for one dangerous combination on the front-four for the Giants. Their old teammate, Giants legend and fellow defensive end, Michael Strahan, thinks so too. Strahan recently predicted a strong season for the Giants and he is confident that Umenyiora can bounce back this season, saying injuries are not easy to play with and it requires patience.
"He has a hip issue, and that is not easy to play with," Strahan said. "He had knee surgery and no one that has knee surgery comes back and has a great season the next season, but the year after they feel confident and don't worry about it [anymore]. A lot of people were like. 'He didn't have 16 or 20 sacks [last season],' and it is hard to get that [amount] healthy."
Umenyiora is also battling for a starting spot on the opposite end of Justin Tuck against Mathias Kiwanuka, and Strahan thinks the competition will suit them both well.
"I think it will be great," Strahan said of the two battling it out. "They are like brothers. They will all get the chance to play. We never looked at it like we had four starters. Whoever came in the game, we considered you a starter. You don't have to look at it from vanity reasons, 'I'm the starter.' That doesn't matter. What matters is winning."
Umenyiora is a two-time Pro Bowler with 48.5 career sacks since entering the league in 2003. He had 13 in the Giants 2007 Super Bowl winning season and a career high 14.5 in 2005. His numbers dropped to 7 last year in a reduced role.
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