Santonio Holmes: "I definitely have to be accountable"

Acquired by the New York Jets in a trade from the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night and suspended for four games today for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, wide receiver Santonio Holmes said he's well aware that he can't keep getting into trouble.

Holmes is being investigated by police for a glass-throwing incident in Orlando, Fla., and is facing a civil lawsuit in that case from a female college student who alleges that the NFL player caused a laceration near her eye. A witness has taken responsibility for throwing the glass.

Holmes has been arrested previously for possession of marijuana and domestic violence, also admitting to selling drugs as a teenager.

"I definitely have to be accountable for my actions now," Holmes said during a conference call today, per ESPN.com. "I need to get a hold of all the players, spend some time with these guys, show them what type of work ethic that I have, always on time to the meetings, front and center, establishing a great relationship with all the players on and off the field so those guys can understand who I am and where I came from.

"I don't think I need to dig myself out of any hole. These guys are opening their arms to me right now. All I have to do is walk into them."

The Jets only surrendered a fifth-round draft pick in exchange for Holmes, a former Super Bowl MVP.

"We understand that there's risk, significant risk," Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum said. "We're moving forward together. Santonio is one of ours. Now it's up to us to make it work. ..

"A guy with his production at 26 years old, he would not have been available if these indiscretions didn't happen and, obviously, the suspension. But with that said, he just felt like with what we had to give up, the risk and the price was reasonable for us."

Tannenbaum expressed confidence in coach Rex Ryan's ability to keep order in the locker room.

"When you look at Rex's ability to relate to people and connect with players, he's really outstanding at that," Tannenbaum said. "He's done that his whole life, his whole career. He has a very unique ability to connect to a lot of different types of people.

"He loves working with different types of people. He believes giving people second chances, and he's energized by those challenges."

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