The New York Giants will apparently have to defend its Super Bowl title without Osi Umenyiora.
The Pro Bowl defensive end needs surgery to repair major ligament damage in his left knee and will likely miss the entire season, according to a report published on Sunday by the Newark Star-Ledger.
Umenyiora, who led the Giants with 13 sacks last season, suffered the injury during Saturday night's pre-season game against the New York Jets.
After X-rays taken on Saturday came back negative, Umenyiora underwent an MRI on Sunday to determine the extent of the damage. The results, according to the Star-Ledger, were anything but positive for the Giants.
Umenyiora, 27, appeared in all 16 games last season and was the top pass rusher on a defensive line that helped spur the Giants to an improbable title run.
His absence would considerably hamper a defence that already is without defensive end Michael Strahan, who retired this off-season.
"He definitely means a lot to this team and anytime a guy like that goes down it kind of hits you right in the throat," defensive end Justin Tuck said Saturday.
In Umenyiora's absence, one option for the Giants could be to move linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka back to defensive end.
"That's a question for upper management," said Kiwanuka, New York's first-round draft selection in 2006.
"I don't make the decisions around here, so I can't speak intelligently about that."
Umenyiora was hurt with just under 11 minutes in the second quarter of Saturday's 10-7 loss to the Jets. He was unable to put any weight on the leg and eventually was carted off the field.
A two-time Pro Bowler and an All Pro in 2005, Umenyiora has 41 1/2 sacks in 72 career games with the Giants.