Chiefs Haley says Jets wanted Plaxico Burress in 2000

With the Kansas City Chiefs coming to town to face the New York Jets this Sunday, there is bound to be some good stories coming from Chiefs coaches who were formerly associated with the Jets.

Head Coach Todd Haley, the Jets wide receivers coach in 2000, has the first one:

Haley, in a call with reporters on Wednesday, revealed that the Jets wanted to draft Plaxico Burress in 2000 but lost out to the Pittsburgh Steelers who drafted Burress with the 8th overall choice.

The Jets had Burress as the perfect replacement to the departed Keyshawn Johnson (traded to Buccanneers).

“We had lost Keyshawn, we had traded him to Tampa, and we were looking for a guy that could fill those shoes,” Haley told the New York media.  “(Burress) obviously had the size and ability and has kind of proven on his own, made a name for himself on his own, obviously. But when you do a lot of work on guys like that … Everything happens for a reason, but I know as a receivers coach sitting there in the draft room, I was disappointed when the Steelers took him.”

The Jets had the 12th, 13th, 18th and 27th picks that year and didn’t select a receiver until Laveranues Coles in the 3rd round.  (Tom Brady went in the 6th round with the 199th pick).

As for the Jets, Haley has nothing but positive memories.

“The Jets will always hold a dear, close spot in my heart,” Haley said. “Went through, survived some changes there, and moved over into coaching when Coach Parcells came. Going back, Mr. (Leon) Hess

just showed me so much about how a great owner operates, learned so much just from afar.  There are a lot of people still there that I spent a lot of time with in the trenches and think a lot of. When we’re not playing them, I always root for the Jets a little bit.”