Giants’ Warner to Start Friday

New York Giant Coach Tom Coughlin announced Wednesday that two-time most valuable player Kurt Warner would start Friday night’s exhibition opener against Kansas City.

Rookie Eli Manning, the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, will replace him during the second quarter and play deep into the third, as will most of the second team.

The decision surprised no one, least of all the quarterbacks, in part because of Warner’s experience and in part because Warner had been getting more repetitions with the starters.

“That’s fine with me,” Manning said. “Obviously, Kurt is deserving and I look forward to just getting in the game and getting a feel for things and seeing where I stand. It wasn’t a big shocker out of nowhere.”

Said Warner: “I mean, obviously it’s good, but I think everybody knows there is a long way to go here.... The way things kind of played out in practice, it looked like it was leaning in that direction, at least for the first game.”

Coughlin said Warner got the nod by design, not because he outplayed Manning. He rated the two even so far and would not say who will start Aug. 19 against Carolina or when he might name a starter for the Sept. 12 opener against Philadelphia.

“I think when I feel it’s the right time to do it, I’ll do it,” he said. “I certainly am well aware of when the first game of the year is, thank you.”

Tight end Jeremy Shockey practiced for the first time since surgery on his right foot June 22, but he will not play against the Chiefs.

*

Arizona receiver Anquan Boldin, last season’s offensive rookie of the year, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery and could be sidelined at least eight weeks.

Coach Dennis Green initially said an MRI found “a slight tear” in the cartilage and thought Boldin would be able to return within two weeks.

But during the procedure, doctors found and repaired a more significant tear, Green said.

“We are looking at what is typically an eight- to 12-week injury,” Green said about the length of Boldin’s rehabilitation.

*

San Diego quarterbacks coach Brian Schottenheimer, son of Coach Marty Schottenheimer, underwent surgery this week for thyroid cancer but is expected to rejoin the club for Saturday’s exhibition game against Indianapolis.

Schottenheimer said his son had his thyroid gland and some lymph nodes removed.

“It went extremely well and the prognosis is excellent,” he said.

*

Detroit linebacker Boss Bailey will miss much of the season while recovering from knee surgery.... Indianapolis left tackle Tarik Glenn returned to the practice field after missing more than a week of workouts because he was overweight.... Miami safety Chris Akins is expected to miss the season after undergoing knee surgery for torn ligaments.