Former Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress left the Oneida Correctional Facility Monday after serving a 20-month gun charge sentence.
The former Super Bowl winner left the facility in upstate Rome this morning. “It’s a beautiful day to be reunited with my family. I want to go home and spend some quality time with them,” he told reporters.
Burress dismantled his own career nine months after he caught a huge 13-yard pass from quarterback Eli Manning that helped the New York Giants win against the New England Patriots in the 2008 Super Bowl.
While in Manhattan that same year, Burress shot himself in the leg by accident. The gun was not registered to Burress and Mayor Bloomberg did not take lightly to the event.
Burress agreed to a plea deal and was sentenced to two-years in prison.
He was released three months early because of good behavior. He did however have three minor disciplinary infractions while in jail.
While today acts as a new start for Burress, he still has one huge challenge in front of him. Burress has said he is ready to return to the NFL.
Burress, now 33, has said he has stayed in shape while doing time. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, said he’s been doing a lot of running and strength exercises.
“There are going to be multiple teams interested in signing him,” Rosenhaus said. “I expect him to get a good contract, I expect him to absolutely be playing.”
No one knows if the Giants would be interested in the former star that helped them get to the top. When leaving the jail Monday, Burress was seen sporting a Philadelphia Phillies cap, with the Giants rival being the Philadelphia Eagles. This could be a possible tie to each other, says the New York Daily News.
Burress will have to wait and see if there even is an NFL season, as both the players and owners remain in a strike.
