No Regrets? Snippy Santonio Holmes Leaving Jets' Issues 'In The Past'
NEW YORK (WFAN/AP) -- Santonio Holmes' message was loud and clear on Monday.
He's not dwelling on last season's problems.
Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has tried to smooth the tensions in the locker room that helped lead to a disappointing 8-8 season. He and wide Holmes were at the center of the issues, and their relationship was in serious need of repair, especially after Holmes was benched by former offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer in the season finale in Miami for arguing with teammates in the huddle.
"It happened down in Miami," Holmes said, "and that's where it's going to stay: down in Miami."
Sanchez called Holmes in the offseason to get past their differences, and the two worked out together in Florida along with a few teammates.
"I think it's the leadership part of Mark," Holmes said. "He's portraying those leadership qualities of being a guy that's going to be here for a while. By reaching out to me and wanting to spend some time with me and just chit chat and put everything behind us, I think it was a great thing for he and I to establish."
Holmes' tone turned a bit snippy, however, when he was asked about the locker room issues from last season.
"That happened in the past," he said, addressing reporters for the first time since after his benching in Miami. "We're worried about the 2012 season, and if you're not concerned with that, we don't have anything else to talk about."
He also didn't sound particularly contrite when asked if he regretted anything personally about how last season ended.
"Why should I?" Holmes snapped.
"I gave my statement after the game was over with and that was that," he added. "I left it at that. That's why (the media) didn't have anything to talk about this offseason. You didn't have anything to say to Santonio Holmes because I answered the questions correctly and I left it where it was at."
Some fans and media speculated that the Jets might look to get rid of Holmes because of the issues, but he said that never crossed his mind.
"Nope," he said, before being asked why. "I signed a five-year contract."
Regardless, coach Rex Ryan is with his teammates when it comes to putting last season far behind them. He stressed a "new beginning" for the team during a brief meeting.
"I don't care what you call it, a brotherhood, a tribe or whatever," he said. "We want to be special, and I think that starts right now with the offseason program and the conditioning and the OTAs and the minicamp."
Ryan, Holmes and center Nick Mangold all believe the Jets' chemistry problems were a learning experience, but it's not something any of them are thinking about now.
"We're not bickering little school children," Mangold said. "We're able to understand that things happen in the moment. This is a new team. This is not the 2011 Jets.
"This is the 2012 Jets, and we're looking forward to making it a much better year than it was last year."
Do you think we'll see the same unhappy Santonio in 2012? Sound off in the comments below...
(TM and Copyright 2012 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.)
