Plaxico Burress emerged from almost two years in prison on Monday and immediately insisted he was ready to play in the NFL again.
Former Giants man released from jail and eyeing return to NFL
Plaxico Burress emerged from almost two years in prison on Monday and immediately insisted he was ready to play in the NFL again.
The former New York Giants receiver was jailed for two years on gun charges in August 2009 and was released from prison in Rome, NY, three months early for good behaviour.
Burress caught the winning touchdown pass for the Giants in Super Bowl XLII in February 2008, but just nine months later his world fell apart after he went into a Manhattan nightclub with a handgun tucked into his waistband.
The gun, which turned out to be unlicensed, slipped and went off injuring Burress in his own thigh, but injuring his career and his life even more as he was then imprisoned.
Burress was greeted by his agent Drew Rosenhaus on his release, and as he thanked everyone for their support he revealed that he wanted to get straight back into football.
Trying times
"I just want to thank God for bringing me through one of the most trying times in my life," Burress said as he left the Oneida Correctional Facility. "It's a beautiful day. It's a beautiful day to be reunited with my family. I want to go home and spend some quality time with them.
"I'd like to thank everybody for their prayers and words of encouragement. I'd like to thank all my fans all around the world for the thousands of letters, for their unwavering support. As far as football is concerned, if and when everything gets settled, when they get back on the field, I'll be ready."
The six-foot-five Burress was one of the best receivers in the league before his sentence, but he is unlikely to return to the Giants to continue his career.
With the current lockout saga dragging on in the NFL, the futures of players such as Burress are even more clouded, but Rosenhaus says that plenty of teams are interested in acquiring his services once play is resumed.
Rosenhaus says Burress will head back to Florida to spend time with his family and begin working out immediately to get himself into football shape, and promised he has learnt a harsh lesson throughout the episode.
Lesson
"He's learned an awful lot," Rosenhaus said. "He knows that he obviously made a mistake. To miss two NFL seasons in the prime of your career. To not be with your family, most importantly. To lose out on millions and millions of dollars. These are things that have forced him to certainly evaluate his life."
"He's going to be a top free agent. There are going to be multiple teams interested in signing him. I expect him to get a good contract. I expect him to absolutely be playing."
Although he will be 34 by the time a new season starts, Burress would still be amongst the best deep threats in the league, although he would need to get the clearance of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell to resume his career.
Michael Vick, who served 23 months in jail on dogfighting charges, returned to the NFL and made the Pro Bowl last year, and the quarterback recently admitted he would love to see Burress join him at the Philadelphia Eagles.
Burress will remain on parole for two years and has to attend anger management and undergo drug testing, while he will also likely only return to playing football under certain conditions similar to those Vick did.
Despite the lockout, plenty of teams will already be vying for position to bring in such an experienced and successful receiver as Burress.
