Jets’ Brian Winters describes playing through abdominal injury

Jets guard Brian Winters spikes the ball during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 3, 2017. Credit: Lee S. Weissman
Jets guard Brian Winters said he was excited to start offseason workouts on Monday in Florham Park, N.J. But when he was asked how difficult it was to play through an abdominal injury, he was direct.
“It was horrendous,” Winters said on a conference call Monday. “I wouldn’t give that to any of my worst enemies, it’s something that’s very tough and hurtful. From the time I woke up to the time I went to bed. Not only when I was doing stuff, just walking in general was painful. It was good to finish. I’m happy I got the surgery and got fixed and I’m excited for the season.”
Winters suffered an abdominal injury in a Week 2 loss at Oakland. He remembers the specific play in which he got hurt, a stretch run where he was blocking for running back Bilal Powell with five minutes left in the first half. Winters said he felt a pop as he was blocking and just tried to fight through it the rest of the game.
Winters finished the game and kept playing though the pain until it became too much. After 13 games, Winters underwent surgery to repair his abdominal area. It was the second consecutive year Winters failed to finish the season because of injury. In 2016, Winters’ season ended after 13 games because of a shoulder injury.
Now he hopes he can finish a season completely healthy.
“It was good, I feel great, rehab went well (and) I had a good offseason,” Winters said. “It’s good to be back in the building and be back with everybody and move forward and continue to work to this next season.”
n Robby Anderson is in the building
As the Jets’ players started their offseason program on Monday, wide receiver Robby Anderson was in attendance. Anderson wasn’t available to speak with reporters on a conference call, but his offseason has been anything but quiet. He was arrested in Florida in January and charged with nine counts, one of them for allegedly threatening to sexually assault the arresting officer’s wife. Some of those charges have been reduced or dismissed according to court records.
Despite having 15 wide receivers on the roster, Anderson’s spot remains secure especially after CEO Christopher Johnson expressed hope he would remain on the team.
Yet, the front office along with Johnson is concerned about Anderson’s behavior.
“I’m sure he’s focused and he’s handling his stuff the way he needs to handle it,” wide receiver Jermaine Kearse said. “I think his main focus is the same focus as everyone else’s is getting right and getting our midst ready and take it into OTAs and training camp.”
n New linebacker is cool with everything
With the offseason program starting, newly signed inside linebacker Avery Williamson said he was pleased with the first day.
“First day was smooth,” said Williamson, who spent the last four seasons with Tennessee. “It was definitely good to meet everybody and get a lot of positives today.”
In the offseason, Williamson signed a three-year contract worth $22.5 million with $16 million in guarantees to replace last year’s leading tackler Demario Davis.
n Jets Streams
As the pros got back to work at Florham Park, the Jets had a scheduled visit with USC quarterback Sam Darnold planned for Tuesday. Darnold is one of the 30 national visits the Jets can have with college prospects. . . . The Jets claimed kicker Nick Rose off waivers. Rose spent last year with the Redskins and Chargers converting 78.6 percent of his field goal attempts. . . . S Rontez Miles and TE Neal Sterling signed their restricted free agent tenders Monday.