Special teams standout and reserve safety Steve Gleason, whose blocked punt led to a touchdown in the New Orleans Saints' home opener in the Superdome last year, is out for the 2007 season.

Rogelio V. Solis / Associated Press

Gleason played 83 games in six seasons with the Saints, making 98 special teams tackles and blocking four punts.

Gleason, 30, was put on injured reserve Wednesday, team spokesman Greg Bensel said in a text message to The Associated Press from the Saints' training camp in Jackson, Miss.

He underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in June, after the team's minicamp. The specific procedure was a microfracture, which entails creating holes in bones around the knee joint in order to stimulate the growth of cartilage. Generally, the area operated on can't bear weight for several weeks afterward.

He would have had to miss about half of training camp or more were he to attempt to come back from the injury this season.

Gleason has played 83 games in six seasons with the Saints, making 98 special teams tackles and blocking four punts.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)