Cut Santonio Holmes Some Slack

Jun 7, 2012; Florham Park, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes (10) runs with the ball during the New York Jets organized team activities at the Atlantic Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-US PRESSWIRE

Santonio Holmes has done a lot of things to get us angry. 2011, especially the end of it, is all the evidence we need for that. Holmes was selfish, and frankly, acted like a small child. He gave everyone reason, including his teammates, to get annoyed with him. I was ready to lead the charge. I had a personalized shirt made with “Tone Time” on the back, and by the end of 2011, I wanted to burn it.

But it is time to stop holding this against Holmes. He has behaved very well the past few months, and from all accounts at Jets camp, has been a model teammate. He has been running hard, and doing his best to coach up his teammates.

Everything he has done so far has been scrutinized, to an obsurd level. He missed OTAs because he was in Germany visiting with troops. It seemed as if he almost got attitude for doing that. Some of his comments prior to camp activities were questionable, I’ll give you that. But that has been all. He is being scrutinized to an obsurd level.

Especially yesterday.

He took himself out of OTAs early yesterday. It turns out that he did so because he felt he was doing too many reps, and he didn’t want to rush too hard getting back to work and risk injury.

Fair? I think so.

But yet reporters still gave him a hard time. Check out some of these comments

Santonio Holmes’ definition of “overworked in practice” is 35 snaps. In June. In shorts. That is mind-boggling. The coddling by Jets management makes it infinitely worse. He was scheduled for 35 snaps, bailed out after 25 due to “fatigue.” Amazing.

You see? People take everything he does, and magnify it.

Let’s now take a look at what actually was said, first by Santonio Holmes himself:

“I was talking to the coach, letting him understand it was too many reps today,” Holmes said. “I’ve been gone for a while, so I can’t be at full tempo like the rest of the guys and where they want us to be at.”

When coach Ryan heard about the situation. He had no problem with it:

“If he thinks he’d be stretching it to give five or 10 extra reps, you have to be smart about it,” Ryan said, adding, “If a guy thinks he’s tight … you don’t want a guy pulling (a muscle). He knows his body better than anybody.”

This is a non issue, and would be had anyone else done it. But, Santonio Holmes did it, so it gets magnified.

By accounts, Holmes threw his helmet down on the field. People take that out of proportion, assuming that he had a “meltdown”, as was reported, or that he was angry. Unless you were two inches from him, you don’t know he was angry. Folks are assuming he was angry, and you know what they say about assuming.

He was not being “coddled”, as a media member put. Coach Ryan was being honest. If a veteran feels his body is not ready to do something, that player is the guy that is going to know it. Who knows their body better than the person living in it?

Santonio Holmes’ comments on the situation were honest, and very respectful. He didn’t say he was frustrated with anybody, he said he explained to the coaches what was going on. Rex Ryan said he was OK with what happened.

What do these reporters want? Do they want him to tear something, and be carted off for the rest of the season during OTAs? Will that make anyone feel better? He’s being a team player by making sure he keeps his body safe. He has been away, he is not in the same shape as the other guys, and recognizes this.

The bottom line is, it is time to cut Santonio Holmes some slack. He is doing his best to return to a good attitude, and act as a team player. If the reporters out there are right, and he is the same guy he was before, he will actually DO something that is incorrect. Then get all over him, I’ll help. But let’s not get on his case for not doing anything wrong, OK? Give the guy a break.