" When Dolphins quarterback Chad Pennington dropped his son off for T-ball this week, he couldn't help but realize he is in the midst of trying to make one of the toughest decisions of his football career.

On Sunday, Pennington sustained a torn capsule (and possibly a torn labrum) when he dislocated his right shoulder in the third quarter of a loss at San Diego, and he will undergo season-ending surgery Friday.

But the major concern weighing on Pennington's mind isn't just the procedure -- it also is on the decision of whether a two-time NFL Comeback Player of the Year should continue his 10-year career and attempt yet another return, his trainer, Charlie Petrone, said Tuesday.

``It's one of those things he needs to figure out: Does football define Chad or doesn't it?'' Petrone said. ``The guy has been playing football for so long. He's at a crossroads wondering what kind of identity he has after football.''

Pennington also isn't certain whether his time in Miami is done, which is what he realized when he dropped off his son and thought about how much he and his family have enjoyed their year in South Florida.

When Petrone returned a voice mail Tuesday, he delivered a poignant, deliberate message from Pennington after speaking with the Dolphins veteran: ``I'm not dead yet.''"