This one Thanksgiving Day back in St. Louis was the among the best of times for little Sheldon Richardson.
“It was a cold winter,” Richardson recalled. “About eight inches of snow, and we were at my grandmother’s house. It was just me and my folks and little cousins just having a good old time while we were thankful.”
The Jets, you may have observed, haven’t had a lot to be thankful for over the years. Broadway Joe Namath … a Super Bowl 45 years ago … the New York Sack Exchange … the Cinderella story of Wayne Chrebet … Bill Parcells in 1998 … Curtis Martin … Rex Ryan in 2009 and 2010 … Darrelle Revis … Muhammad Wilkerson … and now, a bright-eyed rookie named Sheldon Richardson.
There weren’t very many Jets fans on draft night who would have imagined Sheldon Richardson would have captured Defensive Rookie of the Month for November honors. The hue and cry went something like this: How could general manager John Idzik draft two defensive players, Dee Milliner with the ninth pick, and Sheldon Richardson with the 13th pick acquired in the Revis trade? How will Richardson possibly fit in Ryan’s defense? Why Richardson instead of Sharrif Floyd or Star Lotulelei?
Richardson was at Radio City when the call that would change his life came.
Ryan: “We want you to be a New York Jet.”
Richardson: “I’m glad you called.”
Ryan: “You ready?”
Richardson: “Of course!”
Ryan: “I already know you’re ready.”
From afar, Richardson felt as if he knew Ryan — passionate and intense just like him — just a little bit.
“He has a little bit of a filter now. … I’ve seen ‘Hard Knocks’, so I’ve seen what he was like back in the day, and I see how he is now,” Richardson said, and smiled.
What does Richardson remember thinking at the time?
“I liked him then. I’m a guy who’d love to play for a coach like that.”
So there the two of them were at practice Wednesday.
“I didn’t find out I was Rookie of the Month until after practice,” Richardson said.
How did you find out?
“[Ryan] made an announcement to the team,” Richardson said. “Everybody hand-clapped, and broke it down, that was the end of practice.”
Of course, Ryan couldn’t resist tweaking his prized rookie.
“He was like, ‘We got this stud on my team. He thinks he’s hot s–t,’ ” Richardson said, and cracked up.
In truth, Richardson (59 tackles, 3¹/₂ sacks, one forced fumble) is a stud.
“I always had the utmost confidence in myself and my ability,” Richardson said.
He always had this NFL dream. “Holding up the big one — Lombardi Trophy, man, trying to work for that, man,” Richardson said.
He will be waiting for that night, of course, until the Jets identify their modern-day Broadway Joe at the very least. First things first.
“[I’m] trying to make the Pro Bowl right now, man, if I couldn’t get a Super Bowl,” Richardson said.
Richardson isn’t as strong as Joe Klecko used to be, but he’s lightning quick for a 294-pound man. Offenses already have begun paying him extra attention. When Richardson describes his on-field mentality, he sounds like the young Klecko.
“Determined. Ruthless. … There’s a whole bunch of names I can call it, man,” he said. “It’s just the determination to win.”
Ruthless in what way?
“Just getting after the quarterback — any means to win,” he said.
Are you one of those guys that doesn’t like the quarterback?
“I like Geno [Smith],” Richardson said with a smile. “I like Garrard, Simms — all my guys, man.”
How about on the other team?
“Ah, can’t say the same for them. Can’t say the same for them.”
How about running backs?
“Chris Ivory, Bilal [Powell] —all them guys, man, they’re my dogs.”
Richardson also said he loves playing for these Jets fans.
“They’re intense, intense,” he said. “Crazy about their green-and-white, man. I love it.”
What kind of feedback do you get from the fans on gameday?
“Ah, man, they should be coaches!” Richardson said, and laughs. “It’s all fun and games, though. It’s the experience they get, and I’m glad they’re having a good time.”
No. 91 on your program, a dream rookie living the dream.
“It’s a blessing to be here waking up every day. Win, lose or draw, I’m just happy to be in the NFL playing. It could be worse,” Richardson said.
No turkey on Thanksgiving Day.
“I’m more of a ham guy,” Richardson said.