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Ex-Jets Receiver Plaxico Burress Calls Team Prison

7/29/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress said playing for the New York Jets felt like prison on “The Joint Venture Show.”
Burress served a 20-month sentence after pleading guilty to illegal gun possession from a 2008 shooting.
After his June 2011 release, Burress signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Jets and recorded 45 catches for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011 as the team finished 8-8.

History

Historical Context

The 1995 O.J. Simpson murder trial ended on Oct 3 with a not-guilty verdict watched by an estimated 100-150 million Americans, reviving racial tensions still raw from the 1991 Rodney King beating and 1992 L.A. riots. The NFL’s handling of Plaxico Burress—signing him to a $3 million deal in 2011 after a 20-month prison term—shows the league’s struggle to balance punitive action with lucrative contracts.

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Story summary

Former NFL wide receiver Plaxico Burress said playing for the New York Jets felt like prison on “The Joint Venture Show.”
Burress served a 20-month sentence after pleading guilty to illegal gun possession from a 2008 shooting.
After his June 2011 release, Burress signed a one-year, $3 million deal with the Jets and recorded 45 catches for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011 as the team finished 8-8.

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