Last season Jets receiver Santonio Holmes was widely regarded as a divisive figure in the team’s locker room. A report out of today’s Organized Team Activity suggests that Holmes still needs an attitude adjustment.
Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com reports that Holmes was “disgusted” and “bothered” today when he felt that the Jets’ coaches were working him too hard, that Holmes “staged a mini-meltdown” and that he “exchanged words with receivers coach Sanjay Lal.”
After the practice session, Holmes confirmed that he thought the coaches were asking too much of him and that he wanted to ease back into things after missing much of the Jets’ voluntary offseason work while visiting an Air Force base in Germany.
“I was talking to the coach, letting him understand it was too many reps today,” Holmes said. “I’ve been gone for a while, so I can’t be at full tempo like the rest of the guys and where they want us to be at.”
Of course, there was nothing stopping Holmes from working out on his own while he was in Germany so that he could be in good enough shape to keep up with his teammates when he returned. But Jets coach Rex Ryan apparently wasn’t too bothered by Holmes wanting to do less work today.
“He’s a veteran guy, he knows his body,” Ryan said.
And Holmes knows his body isn’t ready to go all-out for a full practice right now, and he’s making sure his position coach knows that, too.