Burress' case expected to adjourn until fall

June, 14, 2009
Jun 14
9:14
PM ET
Print
By Matt Mosley

Posted by ESPN's Sal Paolantonio

On Monday morning in Manhattan criminal court, a judge is expected to adjourn the case of Plaxico Burress again -- this time until September and perhaps set a trial date for early 2010 for felony weapons charges. Burress accidentally shot himself in a Manhattan night club last November.

This further delay is exactly the Burress game plan to get back on the field in 2009. So what will be his next move?

 Burress
  • Plaxico Burress and his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, will begin the process of getting Burress into an NFL camp.
  • Three teams reportedly are seriously interested: The Jets, Bears and Buccaneers. But there may be others.
  • Rosenhaus will have to convince one of those teams to take on the risk of signing Burress without knowing what commissioner Roger Goodell will do next. Under the Personal Conduct Policy, Goodell has broad powers to penalize or suspend Burress when "the conduct itself does not result in the conviction of a crime."

The Personal Conduct Policy states Goodell can punish any "conduct that imposes inherent danger to the safety and well-being of another person."

Said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello: "We reserve the right to act accordingly at the appropriate time."

Rosenhaus and the NFL Players Association will argue that the New York Giants suspended Burress the final four games of the 2008 season and that Burress has already lost $27 million in bonuses and wages -- in another words, he's already been punished enough, especially since he's yet to be convicted of anything.

    If Goodell punishes him further prior to the trial, the players association is expected to file a grievance on Burress' behalf.

    But then there is this simple moral issue: Does any team want to carry Burress on its roster while the gun charges are still pending in Manhattan Criminal Court? That's especially true of the Jets, who will no doubt face serious public relations repercussions in New York, where public opinion appears to be firmly against giving Burress favorable treatment.

    Sal Paolantonio is an ESPN bureau reporter based in Philadelphia.

    Sort comments by: Most Recent | First Posted

    NFC EAST SCOREBOARD