New York Jets’ Fans: Meet Your Newest WR: Eric Decker

Feb 2, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Denver Broncos wide receiver

(87) before Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Good afternoon Jets fans. On this Saturday afternoon, let’s take in the lunch hour by learning a little more about our newest offensive weapon, Eric Decker.

Growing up in Cold Spring, Minnesota, he went to Rocori High School. While in school, he was a three sport athlete, competing in, and earning awards in baseball and basketball in addition to football.

At the University of Minnesota, Decker was having a quality career until a sprained foot ended his senior season in 2009. Here are his receiving stats from Minnesota:

Receiving & Rushing

In addition to his selection by the Broncos in the third round of the 2010 draft, he was selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 2008 baseball draft, and the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2009 draft. Obviously, we know the decision that he made.

Here are his stats for his career with the Broncos:

Receiving & Rushing

We are all excited he is here. But why did he choose the Jets? Eric talked to the media for the first time yesterday, and here is what he had to say on the topic:

I have a lot of respect for the organization. I think the history speaks for itself. I think also the culture that they have there, what John Idzik is doing, and really the coaching staff again, the owner. I think New York [and] New Jersey is underrated. I got a week to spend out there and really, it’s a beautiful place. They treat their coaching staff and their players first class and I think that’s important. I want to be part of a culture that wants to win, that wants to do big things. That was definitely an attraction for me.

Great to hear someone say New Jersey is underrated huh? For all the bad things said about the area, it’s great to hear someone’s mind open about it. He expanded upon what he liked about the area, talking about what he learned about while he was in town for the Super Bowl:

It definitely did not hurt. Obviously, I have not spent much time in New Jersey beforehand and the perceptions that you hear about the place – that it is overcrowded and all of this stuff – it really changed my mind when I got to go to the facility and see the surrounding communities. I think you get the [best] of both worlds. You get to have, if you want, that suburban-type lifestyle and you get to drive into the best city or take a train [in]. You can have the best of both worlds. That is a great thing to have. I would say that week helped to just get comfortable and understand the area a lot better.

Now, most importantly, what can he bring to the table to help out our young offense?

My goal is to take the knowledge and the preparation that I’ve learned these last four years with some great coaches, with a great quarterback and share that with my teammates. I think you win football games between Wednesday and Saturday and the preparation that we did as an offense in Denver, can be done in New York. Obviously my knowledge, looking into the different offenses that I’ve played in, on the field, in the film study room, those things I can share with my fellow receivers, with my team that will hopefully help bring along that knowledge and help their games as well.

Eric certainly has a wealth of knowledge regarding preparation to bring to the table. He did learn from the king of preparation, the one and only Peyton Manning. I can’t wait to see him get to work, and how he can make this offense, dare I say, cook?