Time To Wonder About Plaxico

This morning, our own Michael Lombardi discussed Plaxico Burress—whose name is being dangled in the rumor mill—and the legal issues that might prevent him from playing football in 2009. Today, I go even deeper, and ask the questions that pertain to Burress’ character inside the locker room.

The Player’s Character

Is Plaxico Burress committed to NFL football? Think about that for the second, and imagine yourself in the locker room with him sometime soon.

Last week I wrote a piece about Scott Pioli and the Kansas City Chiefs as it pertained to the “character” of some of the players he drafted. The result—a tongue lashing from Chiefs fans everywhere.

Was it warranted?

I will leave that up to you, but as a player, you view character as it applied to your locker room. And that’s it. If a player doesn’t have the same commitment or is known to have a poor work ethic, then I don’t want them in my locker room. I really don’t.

And that is why players—and coaches—view “character” differently than the front office, the media, and the fans. You don’t have to appear in the police blotter to have a red flag attached to your name.

And, this is exactly why I am talking about Plaxico Burress today. Because, we all know that every GM in this league wants a big, physical wide out on the outside—and that is exactly what Plax bring to a team.

He has made Giants QB Eli Manning into a Pro Bowler, he is a tough match up for any cornerback in this league and he is a nightmare for defenses in the red zone.

But, he has a history—as a football player—that makes me wonder what he is really worth inside a locker room.

The Burress Dilemma

Look, I don’t know this guy at all, except from a competition standpoint (and that includes a beating his Michigan State Spartans gave to my Iowa Hawkeyes in 1999).

As a player on the field he is a special talent—the type of guy that as a safety you want to call time out if you find yourself matched up against him before the snap.

But, before the off-the-field incident that has landed him on the street and facing major legal issues, Burress was a headache for the Giants. We tend to forget that Plax was suspended for his commitment to the team—before he was involved in the gun incident. He missed meetings, he missed treatments and he showed me that he was bigger than the other 52 guys.

Sure, you will hear sound bites the rest of the summer from receiver-depleted teams like the New York Jets. They will talk about Plax as an added dimension that will make their team better—because it is true.

I agree that Plaxico Burress will make the Jets—or some other team—better in the passing game and a major threat to score touchdowns in the red zone. Wouldn’t every Jets’ fan love to see Burress work with rookie QB Mark Sanchez? Just look at what he did for Manning, because having a true No.1 like Burress is huge for young quarterbacks.

Yes, I understand that, but I also understand as an ex-player what character means in a locker room. Look, I don’t care what a guy does once he leaves the practice facility or the stadium on Sundays—just as you don’t care what your co-workers do after quitting time—but I do care if it effects my team, and that is something every player stands by in this league.

Because, at the end of the day, if you don’t buy into what the rest of the roster is doing, I don’t care how talented you are.

And, that is really the dilemma here. Yes, we will hear all about these rumored teams who want Burress via his agent Drew Rosenhaus, just as we will hear about how Plax is “refocused” and committed to winning another Super Bowl.

Of course we will, but of all those teams that are reported to want to the former Giants’ star, how many of them will feel the same way if history repeats itself? Will those players speak so highly of Burress if the same lax attitude reappears in a city near you?

But Matt, Plax will show you—just wait.

OK then, I will wait, and if for some reason Burress avoids the legal system and gets through Commissioner Roger Goodell’s doghouse then he can prove me wrong—and I hope he does.

Because he is a star in this game, but that means nothing if you aren’t on pace with the 52 other guys wearing the same jersey as you.

And that is what character means to a player.

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