Free-agent receiver Plaxico Burress apparently has been working with Jon Gruden. Like Gruden, Plaxico likes everyone.
We’ve seen it in a stream of radio interviews, in which Burress apparently has been pandering to the local audience by expressing interest in playing for the home team. Radio in Philly? Plax wants to play for the Eagles. Chicago? Bring on the Bears. Miami? Plaxico wants to be a Dolphin.
But he’s not simply saying what he thinks the local fans want to hear. He’s apparently interested in every team. Or, at least, in every team that’s interest in him.
Appearing on a national platform, with Adam Schein and Rich Gannon of Sirius NFL Radio, Burress expressed interest in every team the hosts mentioned: Eagles, Steelers, Rams, and Jets.
Burress also listed his priorities, something that will go a long way toward helping him sift through his eventual options.
“Well, the head coach is going to be first and foremost,” Burress said. “It’s going to be somebody to where, well, you know, he has an open door policy, I can walk in his office and sit down and talk to him whether it’s about football or life or whatever that may be. Then, of course, second, it’s going to be a quarterback. I’m a wide receiver. I mean, that’s a no brainer. I’m not going to sit here and say it’s not. And surround myself with guys that are hungry and guys that know how to play and want to win. I mean, some guys are just happy to go out, get a check, compete, and don’t care whether they win or lose. Well, I’m not that guy. I mean, I’m a winner. I love to win. You ask the guys that I’ve played with in New York or whether it was in Pittsburgh, there’s nothing more that I hate, there’s nothing more for me than losing. I hate to lose and I’m going to put myself into a situation and put myself into a piece of a puzzle where I’m going to make it complete.”
Other factors surely include money and Plaxico’s anticipated spot on the depth chart. And plenty of teams want him. For now, he’d be interested in just about any team.