Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress has drawn a stark comparison between his tenure with the New York Jets and his time spent in jail. Burress, who spent 20 months incarcerated after pleading guilty to attempted weapon possession in August 2009, likened the feeling of entering the Jets facility to his first day in prison.
"They're both kind of similar because when I walked into prison my first day, I was like, 'Damn, man, you are a f�***ing loser,'" Burress said in a recent appearance on 'The Joint Venture Show' with Lil Wayne and Craig Carton. "And I had the same damn feeling every day I walked through the door with the Jets. I was like, 'Damn I hope we can win this weekend.' Loser."
Burress, who was selected No. 8 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2000 NFL Draft, played 12 seasons in the league. He was instrumental in the New York Giants' Super Bowl XLII victory in 2008, catching the game-winning touchdown against the New England Patriots. However, just nine months after this career highlight, Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg with an unlicensed firearm outside a New York City nightclub.
Following his release from prison, Burress played one season for the Jets in 2011, appearing in 16 games and starting three. He then played four games for the Steelers in 2012 before retiring. He has since faced numerous legal and financial challenges.
In the years following his NFL retirement, Burress has encountered issues including foreclosure proceedings on properties, settling liens related to a car accident claim, and a tax evasion charge that resulted in probation and restitution. He was accused of not paying a mortgage on a New Jersey home, leading to foreclosure in 2018, and also faced a judgment for an unpaid country club tab.
