NEW YORK, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The New York Giants have placed veteran defensive tackle Keith Hamilton on injured reserve, which officially ends his season.
Hamilton ruptured his right Achilles tendon in the first quarter of Sunday's 17-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The 11-year veteran will undergo surgery before the week ends.
The 1992 fourth-round draft pick has missed only
eight games in 10 years. He began the season fourth on the franchise's all-time sacks list with 61 1/2, and is a solid run-stopper.
Rehabilitation will take at least six months, time Hamilton will use to ponder his future.
New York Newsday reported Wednesday that Hamilton considers retirement "a possibility" after the initial shock about his injury wears off.
"Once all that stuff goes away, the one thing I am going to do is fight to get back," he told the paper.
A bigger factor, according to the paper, is whether or not he can negotiate to return to the Giants when he get healthy. Injuries have ended his last two seasons.
"We have every expectation he'll come back if he wants to," General Manager Ernie Accorsi told the paper. "When I make my list of all-time players I've loved, he'll be on the list. He could play in any era."
To take Hamilton's spot on the roster, the Giants signed defensive end Byron Frisch, who had three sacks in 13 games with Dallas last season.
