Plaxico Burress and the New York Jets Hoping for Another AFC East Redemption

The Northeast seems to have become the island of misfit professional athletes. Well, at least when it comes to scorned, imprisoned, rejected or altogether disliked NFL players.

The region's latest pity case: Plaxico Burress and a self-inflicted gunshot to the thigh.

It all began—for all intents and purposes—with the Patriots' landmark trade for Randy Moss. The dominating receiver who had run rampant across the league and virtually single-handedly turned Daunte Culpepper and the Vikings into a perennial playoff presence had seemingly given up on his current team, the Oakland Raiders.

Due to the league's general distaste for Moss, the Patriots were able to acquire him for a fourth-round pick in the 2007 draft. The man was past his prime, he didn't care, he was a cancer to any franchise who would waste their money on him.

He then went on to catch 23 touchdowns, setting the single-season record.

Last year two redemption songs worthy of Bob Marley found their way into the league. The obvious: Michael Vick with the Eagles; the not so obvious, and much less widely publicized: Santonio Holmes with the New York Jets.

The hero of the 2009 Super Bowl, with his toe-tapping catch, was suspended for the first four games of the 2010 season. He was also taken to court by a woman claiming he threw a glass at her and hit her in the face. This resulted in the Pittsburgh Steelers shipping the maligned receiver to the Jets for a fifth-round pick.

A second-straight AFC Championship game appearance later, the Jets have parted ways with the disappointing Braylon Edwards and are giving another troubled wide receiver a chance. The parallels between the two are slightly bizarre.

• Holmes and Burress both were drafted by the Steelers.
• Holmes was the first receiver taken in the first round by the Steelers since Burress.
• Games and yardage with Steelers: Burress—71 and 4,164; Holmes—50 and 3,817.
• Both have caught a game-winning touchdown in the last minute of a Super Bowl.
• Both fell out of favor in Pittsburgh and went to a New York-based team.
• Both players' names have 14 letters in them.
• Both players are likely to have darts thrown at their pictures in the Patriots locker room.  

Burress is a polarizing figure in the NFL, but in truth, he really shouldn't be. He was recently released from a two-year prison sentence for possession of illegal firearms, but be honest with yourself, how many NFL players don't own a gun?

Burress has the talent, there is no doubt about that. Clearly he isn't the the loudest gun on the range (too soon?), but being intelligent is not a prerequisite for athletic achievement—most times it's not even considered. The man was simply fulfilling the self-deprecating model of new-age professional sports thuggery. It's the way of the road and regardless of how the general public feels about it, things aren't going to change. 

Needless to say, New York Giants fans should hold a grudge against the man who derailed their 2009 season by tucking a Glock into the waistband of his sweatpants, then accidentally pulling the trigger in a crowded nightclub. The only others who have any real cause to be upset are Burress and his family.

The man is now poised—with a one-year, $3.017 million contract—to fulfill a new type of model: the redeemed. Most don't remember Holmes' transgressions. Everyone remembers Vick's, but few still hold them against him.

Burress' career will soon be fished out, and rescued into that same ship—hopefully Rex Ryan's redemption boat has room for one more.