Plaxico Burress preaches being upstanding off the field

Former Giants and Jets receiver Plaxico Burress made an appearance on Super Bowl Radio Row on Wednesday, with a somewhat surprising message.

The 36-year-old receiver said he wants younger players to strive to be an upstanding individual off the field, something he admittedly came to realize later than most.

“The name of the league is not only to have great players but also have great people, and I try to help out everything I can after everything I’ve been through,” Burress said.

That’s why Burress said he took time to sit down for an interview with the NFL Player Engagement folks in the back of Radio Row. That exchange will be aired on the NFL’s website that encourages players to become well-rounded to prepare them for life after football.

Burress has an eventful history in this city. He caught the winning touchdown in the Giants’ 17-14 win in Super Bowl XLII. But the following November he mistakenly shot himself in the leg in a Manhattan nightclub, missed the remainder of the season, pled guilty to illegal weapons charges and spent about 21 months in an upstate prison.

He said he missed last season with a torn rotator cuff but is rehabbing with the goal of returning to the NFL next season.