By Plaxico Burress on Potentially Landing with Philadelphia Eagles in Free Agency: “Nothing else would make me happier.”
February 28, 2012 – 12:34 pm by Michael Bean
Plaxico Burress in Philadelphia? It’s a possibility, and one that Plaxico says he’d be thrilled by. The free agent wide receiver, who returned to football with the New York Jets last year after a stint in prison, talks about wanting to play for the Eagles and how his presence would only add to an already potent offense.
Burress joined 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia with Brian Baldinger and Harry Mayes to talk about his first year back in football playing for the New York Jets, whether he has been given any indication by the Jets regarding their plans (or lack there of) for him in the upcoming free agency period, how he’d love to wind up in Philadelphia during this year’s free agency period, the added dimension he would give the Eagles’ offense, having spoken to Michael Vick about the possibility, and coming close to signing with Philadelphia last year prior to signing with the Jets.
On how he’d characterize his first year with the Jets:
“I would say for me going into the season playing for the Jets, obviously as a team we didn’t accomplish our goal. But for me personally I just wanted to get out and get my legs back under me and just go out and be productive. I feel I did pretty well. Just going out and being consistent on a week to week basis, this next year I think I’ll be a lot stronger and getting back to doing the things I know I can do, and getting back to a place where I can let myself show.”
Whether the Jets have given him any indication as to whether or not they’ll bring him back in 2012:
“As far as I understand, they’re just letting the developments unfold before making a decision on me to go back. I went up there and played as well as I thought I would, and did some things that people didn’t think I would do. But Rex and Mike Tannenbaum and Woody Johnson, I have nothing but the utmost respect for them. They brought me into a situation not knowing what they would get out of me, and just really pushed me on an individual level to get back to where I know I can be. Trusting me to start on Sunday Night Football after being away from football for two years, I certainly had to go out and not let those guys down. But I’m ready to go, man. This second year, I’m going to start training here in a week or so. Being a free agent is an exciting time for me, being in a place I want to be, and Philadelphia is obviously one of those places.”
On the possibility of landing in Philadelphia in free agency:
“Hey man, nothing else would make me happier. Obviously coming to Philadelphia, instituting myself into the offense, it just adds a unique dynamic to what’s already in place. You look at LeSean McCoy and what he did this year — he had probably the best year of any back, he and Maurice Jones-Drew. And everybody knows about what DeSean is capable of being one of the most explosive big play receivers in all of football. And Jeremy Maclin who is just getting better and better. And myself, I just see myself in that offense just being out there on the edge. You’re talking about all the guys that’s already in place in their offense, there’s just so many options. I always say you can neutralize speed, but you can’t neutralize size. I mean, you can back off a guy who runs a 4.2 or 4.3 and keep him in front of you. But when you get down inside the 20, 15, inside the red zone, you’re talking about a guy like me out there on the edge, I mean there’s only so many things you can do. You can either single or you can double. If you double, there’s an extra guy out there who can make a play. So it would be dynamic to get me down there in that offense, especially with Mike and all the ability that he has at quarterback and being able to roll out, get outside on the edge and run the ball in for touchdowns. So we’ll see what happens.”
On the allure of playing with Michael Vick and if he’s talked to him about the possibility:
“I’ve talked to Mike several times. Not football, just normal business as human beings that we’re going through in life on a day to day basis. But I talked to him twice last week. For us to get together and be able to play together on a professional football team, especially coming from where we come from, and obviously going through the things we’ve gone through, I just think it would be a special deal. I really think he can bring a championship to Philadelphia, and I would love to be a part of that.”
On having conversations with the Eagles last year before he signed with the Jets:
“Yeah, there was a lot of interest there, pretty much up to the last day that I signed with the Jets. There was a lot of conversation there. Obviously Coach Reid is a great coach, a players’ coach and one of the best minds in all of football. I talked to them a few times, they were interested in me and things didn’t work out. But the season’s over, it’s a fresh start, and I understand maybe there will be a No. 17 lined up for me next year. We’ll see.”
Listen here to Burress with Brian Baldinger & Harry Mayes on 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia
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