Bart Scott on Possibly Not Playing on Sunday

Aug 30, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott (57) during warmups prior to playing the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Jets 28-10. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE

Every coach that has been around the league for many years have guys that are classified as “his guys”. What do we mean? Guys that are identified with that coach, and with that coach’s system. Bill Walsh had Joe Montana, Bill Belichick has Tom Brady, Chuck Noll had Joe Greene and others, the list goes on.

If ever there was a guy that is identified as one of Rex’s guys, especially on defense, it’s Bart Scott. Any guy that goes with a coach from a coordinator job to their first head coaching job fits that bill to a tee. Bart Scott is Rex Ryan’s defensive coach on the football field. He is so identified with him, that he has played 119 straight games. That streak is in jeopardy, as Bart Scott has been troubled by a toe injury. Rex acknowledged that possibility at practice yesterday:

I guess there’s a chance. How many games has he played in a row? He has played a lot and by the way that’s two words. That’s the only thing I learned in English class. (laughter) That injury is a tough one. The toe injury, that could have kept him out the last three weeks. It really could have, but he’s that kind of guy. He’s going to push all the way. Sometimes we have to look at it too. If it’s up to Bart, you know he’s going to play, but maybe we need to look at it and say, ‘You know what Bart.’ We’ll see how it goes (and) how it progresses. Right now, he hasn’t practiced, but Bart knows this system. He’s been in it for 10 years. I think he’s okay. Mangold, (it was) the same type of thing with Nick before, but we’ll see. The thing about the toe injury, my brother is getting killed because I said he literally was crying. He said he wasn’t crying, he was venting to me. He really wasn’t crying, but he was close.

Bart did admit that it will be tough if the streak has to come to an end:

Yeah, it’s tough, because I pride myself on showing up for work and putting a day in, every day. Not only the work that you put in in a game, but also in practice. I pride myself on not really ever missing a practice and showing up and continuing to show my teammates that working hard and being there with them, how important our chemistry is.

There is nothing wrong with Bart wanting to play, he is a competitor. Many would be happy to see Bart not play anymore, and see Demario Davis on the field full time. Could Bart’s toe problem accelerate the end of his career as a starter? We will find out soon enough.