By Josh Dhani
Founder
As you all may have heard by now, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Plaxico Burress will have to undergo surgery on his shoulder Monday after tearing his rotator cuff. The surgery will effectively end his season and possibly even his NFL career.
Last season, Burress hadn't done much, only playing four games. In those four games with the Steelers, Burress had three catches for 42 yards and a touchdown.
He was re-signed by Pittsburgh this offseason. With Mike Wallace gone, the Steelers needed a deep threat for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers have been banged up, and Burress only just adds to the list.
Currently, the Steelers are left with Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown and Jerricho Cotchery as the only major receivers that will be reliable for Roethlisberger. The injury really stings the Steelers, but it will hurt Burress the most.
Burress, the 6-5, 232-pounder, is 35 years old and doesn't have much time left. He reportedly told FOX Sports' Mike Garafolo back in the spring of this possibly being his final season. Burress was eager to see how this season would do for him, as it would be his first full NFL offseason since 2008.
Burress already knew he wouldn't be a huge impact, but he was just enough to be a reliable contributor for the Steelers. Burress does lose out on a huge opportunity here, and who knows if he decides to make a comeback for this season. He turns 36 years old in a few days on August 12.
I think it's best for Plaxico Burress to just retire now. I think he has proven enough in the NFL to walk out now.
Burress began his NFL career in Pittsburgh, being drafted eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft out of Michigan State.
Burress started getting major production in his second and third year in the NFL. In 2001, he put up 66 catches for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. The next year, Burress tallied 78 catches for 1,325 yards and seven touchdowns.
However, his numbers fell off the next two years and he headed on to play for the New York Giants in 2006. In New York, Burress posted some of his best numbers on paper, including a career-high 76 catches in his first year. He had a career-high of 12 touchdowns in in 2007.
Unarguably, the 2007-08 season will be Burress' shining moment of his NFL career. What many will remember is the Super Bowl from that season, where the Giants were able to knock off the undefeated New England Patriots.
Though many will memorize the David Tyree helmet catch, it was Burress who actually won the game for New York. Burres scored the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute left to put New York up 17-14, and eventually become NFL champions.
After the 2008 season, Burress really hit rock bottom. We all know the gun incident story, and Burress was sent to prison. He eventually returned in 2011-12 season, posting 45 catches, 612 yards and eight touchdowns. That's pretty impressive for a 34-year-old rusty receiver who hasn't been onto the football field in three years.
All-in-all for Plaxico Burress' career, he finishes with 553 catches, 8,499 receiving yards and 64 touchdowns. Those stats barely spell Hall of Fame, and I'm not sure getting that ring will even have Burress sniffing Canton, OH at all either.
But what we can all remember is that he was a huge part of that Super Bowl run for the Giants. Burress did have a lot of potential, and he had more than enough of seasons where he showed he was Pro Bowl caliber. Those three seasons lost for him does really affect his career big time, but he had a pretty solid comeback to make up for it.
Overall, Burress really has nothing else to prove or to do. He's done enough, and if he comes back, what else is there to do? It wouldn't be worth it. Many don't even see the Steelers sniffing the playoffs this season if Burress decides to go for a Ray Lewis-like comeback.
It's not worth to play another year either. He's getting up there in age, as he will be 37 by the time next season starts. I'm sure his body will show him that it's time to hang it up for good.
It's up to Plaxico Burress of what he wants to do, though. But judging off what has happened, it would only be right to walk out this way from the National Football League.
