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Tillman (knee) has been placed on injured reserve, Joe Person of the Charlotte Observer reports.
Tillman was playing with a partially torn ACL, knowing that he could suffer a full tear at any moment. It finally happened in Week 17, leaving the Carolina secondary without two of its top three cornerbacks for the playoffs, as Bene Benwikere suffered a broken leg in Week 14. Robert McClain will likely be the new starter across from Josh Norman, with Cortland Finnegan serving as the nickelback. Set to turn 35 in February, Tillman will likely give some thought to retirement despite proving that he's still a starting-caliber player. If he does decide to come back, he'll face a serious challenge to be ready by Week 1. Either way, he'll be universally regarded as one of his generation's top defensive backs, likely garnering serious consideration for the Hall of Fame.
