Why Shawne Merriman Shouldn't Play

Is that picture right there.  It is Reggie Williams's-formerly of Dartmouth and the Bengals-right knee.  ESPN's Jemele Hill reported on this and it is easily one of the best cases I have ever heard to take a season off.

We have all heard that despite two torn ligaments Merriman has decided to play through the pain this season.  Williams made the same decision despite his doctors telling him of the possible consequences of microfracture surgery and the need for a prosthetic knee at some point.  Williams decided instead to play for 3 seasons on his bad knee and has, since he retired, had 14 surgeries on his knee, four of which were to prevent amputation and has had multiple fake knees put in.

Now I won't rehash Hill's entire story because you can just click the link to get it, but suffice it to say that before I figured that Merriman must know what he was getting himself into but after just seeing that picture I have to say that either someone is not telling him the truth or he is the dumbest man alive.