Philip Rivers Doesn't Need an ACL to Play Tackle Football

And the legend grows. After it looked like Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers would be unable to play in the AFC Championship because of a bum knee, not only did he take the field, he had arguably the best game of his NFL career. It wasn't pretty, but it was gutty, which is something teammate LaDainian Tomlinson is taking a little heat for.

But it gets better: Rivers had super secret surgery last week to clean loose cartilage from his right knee a few days before playing 60 minutes of NFL football ... without an ACL.

According to the San Diego Union-Tribune's Kevin Acee, Rivers will have reconstructive surgery in a few weeks and is facing four-to-six months of rehab before he is ready to return to action. That seems like a small price to pay for almost taking the Chargers to the Super Bowl.

Say what you want about Rivers' on-field persona, particularly when he jabbers with fans, but I think he's earned that right given his most recent performance. The guy is tough. Annoying, sure, but still tough as hell. He's allowed to flap his gums every now and then, even if he looks ridiculous while doing so.