Cotchery Says He Went to the Steelers Because They are a “Legitimate” Contender

Jerricho Cotchery arrived to his new team today and addressed the local media.  We all know that Cotchery had asked for a release and that Rex and Mark had asked him to stay, but we hear more quotes of why left.

Jerricho’s main reason, he felt that he was NOT the future and that he was under appreciated.  I also think that the culture of the Jets, once Rex arrived, did not mesh well with Jerricho.

“It was time for a change, time for a change of scenery for myself and the organization as well,” Cotchery told The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It was time to move on. Future-wise I didn’t really see myself fitting in.

  “People on the outside looking in might say, well you been there that long, you’re part of the future, but I didn’t really see it that way. I think it would have been beneficial for both sides to move on.”

If you had ever spoken to the WR, and I have in 2009 Jets Training Camp, he is soft spoken.  He does all his talking on the field and was doing it as the number two receiver for his entire career until Santonio and Braylon showed up last year.  It was clear that Jerricho’s role was going to be similar to last years, the number three and he wasn’t going to have any of it.

Because Jerricho doesn’t complain and isn’t a talker to the press, that’s why when he was in talks of leaving the team, first in a trade and then in a release, it shocked Jets Nation.  What bothers me is that he picked the Steelers as the team for him.  He states that their culture is exactly what he’s looking for.  So we hear all these stories that every player in the NFL wants to be with the Jets and Rex and here you have a case of a player who wanted out.

“I’m just here to help the team get to the Super Bowl and winning it,” Cotchery said. “You’re always a contender, as the Steelers are every year, legitimately. My goal is to come in here and make some plays and win that Super Bowl. “That’s exactly why I came here — to play for a Super Bowl contender. And the atmosphere. The way they handle their guys over here, it’s something I need at this time. It’s the best atmosphere for me to thrive in as a player and as a person.” – Quotes from the NJ.com

Now I’m not saying Rex did anything direct to J-Co, but it was clear that Cotchery didn’t like the new regime and the direction Rex was taking the Jets.  It’s too bad, because I really like him on the Jets, he was a tough player was a rare WR in the league who didn’t shoot his mouth off.