A special Thanksgiving for Burress

FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

Plaxico Burress will handle the Thanksgiving Day cooking chores at his northern New Jersey home Thursday.

"I'm going to deep fry the turkey, drop it in some peanut oil, and I'm gonna throw down," the Jets' 34-year-old wide receiver said Wednesday with a smile while standing in front of his locker. And after Burress, his wife and two children finish their early afternoon meal, they'll hit the road for dessert.

"I'll eat at home first, then go by the Tyrees and see if I can get some sweet potato pie," Burress said, referencing his friend and former Giants receiver David Tyree. Next, it's on to Giants running back Brandon Jacobs' house to "see if I can get me a little banana pudding."

It will be an especially joyous Thanksgiving holiday in the Burress household, the first time the family has celebrated the holiday together since Burress was released from an upstate New York prison after serving a 20-month prison sentence for illegal weapons possession. Burress accidentally shot himself while partying with some Giants teammates at a New York nightclub on Nov. 28, 2008.

"Being where I was at for the past two years and having a chance to spend the whole day with family, just take it all in, it's a special time," Burress said.

The holidays were always the hardest during his prison stay.

"Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Halloween, just not being able to be there, to see the emotions, the jubilation on the kids' and your wife's faces," he said. "It doesn't feel good knowing you're away from your family on the holidays . . . I'm here this year for the first time in two years.

"We're blessed and thankful to be together."

Burress also is thankful to be playing again, after it looked as if his career might be over afterhis self-shooting. After months of legal wrangling following the incident, he was given a two-year sentence on Sept. 23, 2009. He was released four months early for good behavior from the Oneida Correctional Facility.

Burress has made a point of giving back as the result of his experience. Just days after his release, he announced a joint partnership with the Brady Center To Prevent Gun Violence to spread awareness about the dangers of gun possession, particularly among at-youth risk in inner cities. Burress was honored by the group last month at its annual gala in New York City.

Burress also visited his hometown of Virginia Beach this week in a pre-planned event to distribute Thanksgiving meals to needy families, and participated in an event honoring the top 17 students at a middle school in East Harlem. Burress also donated 20 computers to the school, and arranged for the 17 students to attend Sunday's game against the Bills at MetLife Stadium.

Both events were emotional for the veteran receiver, particularly his return home, where his wife, Tiffany, had continued the family's charitable endeavors during Plaxico's incarceration.

"It was an amazing thing to see the people rally around my wife and friends," he said. "To me to go back for the first time in two years, it was emotional, people out there crying. People will have food on their tables for Thanksgiving. When you see things like that, those kinds of emotions, it affects you.

"I grew up in those humble beginnings, and it meant a lot to be able to go back," he said. "That's the message I was trying to send, that even though I'm away, I'm still a part of home."

Home for Thanksgiving has new meaning for Burress, who knows there are more important things than football. The day is about family, and Burress will appreciate the moment, perhaps as never before.

That deep-fried turkey will taste better than ever, too.