Braylon Edwards: Guest Blogger GQ

Penning-10 · Aug 10, 2010

New Blog from Braylon: http://su.pr/1I6jlo

Braylon Edwards will be blogging for GQ all season. Look for his weekly posts on Tuesday or Wednesday mornings for the next five-plus months. In case you missed it, be sure to check out Braylon's first post from last week.

When the schedule comes out in the offseason, I try not to pay too much attention. Since I'm from Detroit, I always look to see if we've got a game against the Lions—just so I can prepare myself for that ticket headache. And this year, obviously, I'm anxious about playing the Browns in Cleveland. Those are the two games that I'm circling. Otherwise, I'm used to all the cold-weather stuff—except maybe Lambeau Field, or Buffalo in December or January. You don't want that.

[Editor's note: Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is currently holding out for a larger contract, and things are getting ugly. Revis hasn't yet appeared at training camp, and the Jets rejected Revis's latest contract proposal. Owner Woody Johnson told ESPN yesterday that he doesn't expect Revis to play for the Jets this season. Nonetheless...] Nothing helped me prepare for games last season more than Darrelle Revis guarding me during practice. We have a rivalry. He has this personal vendetta because I scored on him in both games we played against each other when I was in Cleveland. He doesn't forget anything, so when we're at practice, he tends to bring that back up and use it. We fight like crazy out there. But it's great. He's definitely one of the best, if not the best defensive back in the league.

We go over each other's moves right after the play. Let's say I run a good route and get him with something. He'll ask me, "B, what'd you do differently on that?" And I'll tell him. I'll say, "I know you do this" or "I anticipated you trying to wait for me, but this time I just attacked you." And it works vice-versa, too. He may gauge one of my moves early and break for a ball, and I'll ask him, "How did you know I was going to do that? What did I do to tip you off?" We talk right after the play so that it's fresh in our heads.

In the locker room, I find myself in this middle ground where I still have a common bond with the young guys, but I'm old enough to have seen a whole lot. Fortunately, we have guys on our team who take on the veteran role, so I don't have to figure that out yet. We've got Damien Woody, who's heading into his 12th season in the league, Jason Taylor who's heading into his 14th, and now LaDainian Tomlinson, too. LT has already had an impact in so many ways. He's a future Hall-of-Famer. The guy's work ethic is incredible, and he still has a lot of juice left in the tank. You tend to follow guys that lead by example. It's natural. And lots of time they don't have to say anything. But it makes it even better when a guy like LT can lead by example and speak on it.

While we're still waiting for the action to really start up on the field, let me tell you all a little bit about something that I spend a lot of time with off the field. I started the Braylon Edwards Foundation back in 2006 with my mom with the intention of getting more involved in my current community. In 2007, we started this million-dollar scholarship initiative in Cleveland for the public school system. Next year, those kids from that Cleveland initiative will graduate—and now that I'm grounded in the New York area, I'd like to start working on some projects in Newark with the same sort of idea. It's really just one of the primary things I care about when I'm not playing football. I'd love for things to work out with the Jets so that I can be in the New York area for the rest of my career to develop programs like this one.

One last thing before I go: don't forget to check out the premiere of Hard Knocks tomorrow at 10 p.m. on HBO. Like I said last week, I think it will be a good thing for us. It'll get that exposure out there.

[Editor's note: One last thing from us, too. Don't miss the glowing profile of Edwards that ran in the New York Times this past Sunday]

— Braylon Edwards
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JetFanInMD · Aug 10, 2010

That is some pretty good writing. Thanks for posting it here.

I'm impressed at how well he communicates. He may have a future in broadcasting after he's done with the Jets

IEightOne · Aug 10, 2010

Jet In Brooklyn said: ↑

No question. He's gonna be a Jet for a long time IMO. Santonio will be nice, but I think he's only a rental.
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I agree. I just think Santonio is going to want to get paid big time and to be a #2 i dunno if the jets are willing to do that

Irv · Aug 10, 2010

I like what I'm reading about and hearing from Edwards this offseason. I had doubts about his consistency last season, but I like his attitude. If he has his mind right with a full season including camp with the team, he will be huge for this offense and a Jet for the long haul.

Pluvrr · Aug 10, 2010

Thanks for bumping this. Forgot about Braylon's weekly blog.

Penning-10 · Aug 19, 2010

New Blog from Braylon: http://su.pr/6RE6Uc

Our training camp is up in Cortland, New York, which is three-plus hours from the city. It's not the middle of nowhere, but it's close. It's pretty secluded. I feel like I'm on a mission up here, like you've left your friends and family to attain a goal. Every player has his own room, but they're set up like suites. So you've got somebody close to you. And there's only one bathroom, shower, sink, and toilet in each suite, so it's wise to pick a clean roommate. Right now, I'm with Laveranues Coles. Laveranues is quieter than most guys in the evenings. He's just got his laptop, talking to his kids, relaxing on the Internet. Whereas I'm more of a cartoon person—I kick my feet up, I'm usually icing my knee or my ankle, and I'm watching cartoons: Family Guy, Boondocks, Aqua Team Hunger Force, Robot Chicken, anything on Cartoon Network. And obviously we're watching Hard Knocks now, too.

It only took a few days for us to stop paying much attention to the Hard Knocks crew. It died down quickly. If they ask to mic you up because they want to film you for a practice one day, then you notice it more. But I kind of forgot the whole thing was happening until they aired the first episode last Wednesday. Some guys got together to watch it, but most us just watched it on own own. It wasn't on until 10pm, and by that time the time guys are pretty tired. I actually didn't see it when it first aired because I was getting a massage. I heard about it from family and friends. I think they're the ones who really get a kick out of it. "Oh man, I saw you on HBO!" Some of the guys have practiced a little harder, done a little extra because they knew the cameras were rolling. But for the most part, we're all behaving the same. It's been cool, but it already feels a little old.

We were much more excited about our first preseason game on Monday against the Giants. That was electrifying. Just getting out there to see the entire Jets Nation, to play in our new stadium for the first time—I think we responded well. And I believe that if the starters had played the whole game, we definitely would've beaten the Giants. We really only played a half, and they ended up getting the victory in the second half.

The game was also a nice break from all the talk about Darrelle Revis and his contract negotiation. As players, we all understand what Darrelle is doing. We'll always be together, because at the end of the day, the owners have their union and we have ours. With some teams, owners and players work better together, but at the end of the day, it's still us versus them. And the money situation for football players is a little different than in basketball and baseball. Most people don't realize that. In football, a guy can get cut anytime and not make his money, so that's why you have to protect yourself. And in Darelle's case, you have your head coach, your general manager, your owner, and the rest of the football world telling you that you're arguably the greatest defensive player in the league. So you want to work toward the guaranteed money. A lot of times when people read about our deals in the media, in the New York Post or on the Internet or wherever, they think, "Oh my God, he's making all kinds of money." But they're not familiar with the "funny money." It may be reported as one thing, but that doesn't mean that guy is actually making that full amount. So as a player, you've got to do what's right for you.

— Braylon Edwards
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Penning-10 · Aug 25, 2010

New Blog from Braylon: ttp://tiny.cc/lgvry

The beard kind of took off during the preseason, and it's developed a personality of its own. For some reason, it's just this thing that interests people a great deal. I trimmed it up a little bit for the Giants game, just evened it out, made it a little neater, because the big thing now is just keeping it groomed. My teammates are pretty positive about it, but I've got Coach joking around, and Bryan Thomas giving me a hard time. But his jokes are incredibly corny, so it's nothing even worth paying attention to. The beard's definitely staying, and I believe it could be an important element of this season.

I think during the preseason games, personal performance has been less important that just knowing we have so many receiver weapons on this team: LaDainian Tomlinson, Jerricho Cotchery, Dustin Keller, Santonio Holmes. So the ball is going to be spread around. Someone else might have a big game where you don't get a look, and you've got to be okay being a supporting player. For all of us receivers, we've just got to relax and understand that fact. If the ball doesn't come your way, don't panic, don't get frustrated. That was the big thing for me in that game against the Giants—that I was very patient, and that I had a good time out there blocking and clearing out for guys, and then I got a couple passes in the second quarter. You've just got to bide your time, and be ready to make the play when it happens.

Even in preseason games you've got to go 100 percent. People say the preseason is about not getting hurt, but it's when players go out there trying not to get hurt, that they get hurt. If you have people operating on different levels—one guy going 70 percent, and one guy going 100 percent—that guy going 70 percent is going to get hurt. Even in the preseason, I just see it as another chance for me to compete. I've got guys trying their hardest to tackle me, disrupt my route, and knock me down, and I can't allow that to happen.

A lot of the time up at camp in Cortland was spent with the receiving core. Going over practice as receivers, studying tape as receivers. But we did spend some time together as a whole team, too. They provided three optional meals for us every day in a cafeteria. At dinner, you don't have to eat it, but you have to check in. So for the first week, guys were content with the café. But then it grew very much the same: all types of chicken breast, cooked the same way every day, but with different types of sauces on it; baked potato four days a week, and soup for the fifth; a salad bar that never changed, with the same crispy, ice-cold lettuce; and every other day it's stir-fried in the middle. During the second half of our time up there, people started going to the restaurants in town: places like Applebees, or this fish-fry place, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell. But we're through with Cortland now, and it felt great to sleep in my own bed.

When a player gets cut, sometimes it's expected, sometimes it's surprise and silence. When it happens to a guy who's been here for a while, who's familiar with the team and who's made a lot of friends, that's especially tough. A friend of mine got cut this year: wide receiver Britt Davis. He and I got pretty close last year. I considered him a friend, and he was actually going to be my roommate during camp—but then they cut him. And so it's, Oh shit, my boy's not going to be here. You have to understand it, every one of us—to try to be on top of your game at all times. Sometimes you're not right for one team, but are prepped to hit a homerun with another. For me, there was just something about coming to the Jets last year, where I felt like I fit right in right away.

— Braylon Edwards
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ace_o_spades · Aug 25, 2010

His new blog doesn't even mention Revis lol

Mambo9 · Aug 25, 2010

They eat at Taco Bell, Pizza Hut or fried fish place!?!?!?!? That's a pretty stupid way to go if you are a professional sport player...

BadgerOnLSD · Aug 25, 2010

Mambo9 said: ↑

They eat at Taco Bell, Pizza Hut or fried fish place!?!?!?!? That's a pretty stupid way to go if you are a professional sport player...
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You've obviously never been to Cortland. Doug's Fish Fry is probably the healthiest food there.

Jerseyboyisback · Aug 25, 2010

Where in chatman does he live?? we should all go to his house get some autographs

Miamipuck · Aug 25, 2010

Jerseyboyisback said: ↑

Where in chatman does he live?? we should all go to his house get some autographs
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I heard he is really nice to the fans that camp out on his lawn and peer into his windows all night, looking at him while he oil wrestles with Kerry.

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