Jets coach Rex Ryan doesn’t buy any talk that receiver Santonio Holmes is milking his injury because he wants to miss training camp, or that Holmes cares more about getting a new contract next year than he cares about helping the Jets this year.
Asked if he senses that Holmes is not trying to return as soon as possible, Ryan answered, “No, just the opposite. It’s just the opposite.”
Holmes has not practiced or played since suffering a Lisfranc injury in Week Four of the 2012 season, and Ryan says he doesn’t question at all whether Holmes is doing all he can to rehab the injury and get back on the field as soon as he can.
“Look, every one of them, even, it’s a Lisfranc injury or whatever, but they’re all different,” Ryan said. “I know a lot has been made of other guys who had the injury later than him and are on the practice field now. Every player’s different. The injury, there could be different severities and all that stuff. But I can tell you this about Holmes, he is doing everything that we’re asking him to do and he is pushing it like crazy. He’s in phenomenal shape, that’s probably as good of shape condition-wise as you can be in.”
Ryan said he is “encouraged” by the progress Holmes has made, and that no one is working harder than Holmes.
“Like I said, he is doing a phenomenal job with his rehab and he’s in there more than anybody. I mean, it’s not even close,” Ryan said.
For his part, Holmes told reporters today that he has made progress in his recovery. But he answered “no comment” when asked about talk that he’s not doing all he can to get back on the field. On that front, Ryan will comment for Holmes, and say that the Jets are satisfied with his work.