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Ward: Burress To Steelers Would Be 'Great Story'

NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Jailed ex-Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress has a fan in Hines Ward.

According to Burress' former Steelers teammate, Plaxico would be welcomed back to Pittsburgh "with open arms."

"How great would that be?" Ward told the Star-Ledger during Tuesday's Super Bowl media day. "For Plax to come back with the Steelers and help us win another Super Bowl, that would be a great story."

Burress "will be playing" in 2011, according to his agent, Drew Rosenhaus.

"It will be a very happy ending to a very tough, tough story for him," Rosenhaus said last month on Showtime's "Inside the NFL."

Although Ward would welcome back Plax, he's not about to lobby the Steelers organization.

"I'm not going to do that, because I'm not that type of guy," said Ward. "Who am I to tell the owner or organization what to go do?"

 

Burress went to the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan on Nov. 28, 2008, with an illegal .40-caliber handgun tucked into the waistband of his track pants.

The weapon slipped down Burress' leg and fired, injuring his right thigh.

Burress accepted a plea deal, and on September 22, 2009, was sentenced to two years in prison. The Giants released Plaxico one month earlier.

Although Burress has been denied twice for work release by the New York Department of Correctional Services because of the nature of his crime, the embattled wide receiver is expected to be released after serving 20 months.

According to analyst Phil Simms, a New York-Plaxico reunion is unlikely.

"I don't think he'll come back to the Giants. One, they are loaded at the receiver position," Simms said. "I think it might be best for him to move on and connect with the coach or the receiver coach that he can have a special relationship with and further his career along."

Should the Giants consider bringing back Plax, or will he land with the Steelers? Sound off in the comments below!

(TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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