National Football League

Jets DE Ellis recovering from hand surgery

Published Feb. 11, 2010 3:15 p.m. ET

foxsports

New York Jets Pro Bowl defensive end Shaun Ellis is recovering from surgery on his broken left hand and should be ready in time to participate in most offseason workouts.

Ellis told The Associated Press on Wednesday that the procedure, during which screws were inserted into the hand, was performed last Tuesday, two days after he played in the Pro Bowl.

"I did have the surgery and my recovery is coming along," Ellis said in an e-mail.

He was injured during the Jets' 17-14 playoff win at San Diego on Jan. 17, and wore a cast against Indianapolis in the AFC championship.

Ellis said he was told it would take four to six weeks to heal.

He also said he would not need any medical procedures on the knee he had arthroscopic surgery on last offseason, though he dealt with occasional swelling during the season.

"My knee is fine," he said. "All that would happen was my knee would swell. It should be a lot better this season, considering I had surgery before workouts and I never had time for it to rest."

Ellis injured his hand on the Jets' first defensive play at San Diego when it "just gave out" when he was blocked by an offensive lineman. He said at the time that he'd have surgery after the AFC championship game, but postponed it a week after he was added to the Pro Bowl roster.

Ellis replaced Indianapolis defensive end Robert Mathis for his first Pro Bowl appearance since 2003.

The 32-year-old Ellis, the Jets' longest-tenured player, was a first-round draft pick out of Tennessee in 2000. He had 6 1/2 sacks during the regular season and ranks third in franchise history, behind only Mark Gastineau and Joe Klecko, with 68 sacks.

Ellis had 56 tackles and two forced fumbles despite being suspended by the NFL for the season opener for violating the league's substance abuse policy following a marijuana arrest in November 2008.

He also set the franchise mark for postseason starts with his ninth, and had the first playoff sack of his career against Cincinnati.