The Jets, who have watched several of their free agents sign with the Browns in recent days, yesterday signed veteran special teams standout Larry Izzo.
This likely was a welcome sight for Jets special teams coordinator Mike Westhoff, who has watched the Jets’ roster become somewhat depleted of role players, including linebacker David Bowens, defensive tackle C.J. Mosley and cornerback Hank Poteat.
Westhoff coached Izzo with the Dolphins early in Izzo’s career.
Izzo, a 13-year veteran and three-time Pro Bowler, spent the past eight seasons with the Patriots after playing the first part of his career in Miami. The Jets are the third team in the AFC East he will have played for.
“I am very excited about the opportunity to play for the Jets and [owner] Mr. [Woody] Johnson,” Izzo said in a statement.
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Izzo also has been listed as one of 39 potential witnesses federal prosecutors may call to testify at Barry Bonds’ perjury trial. Izzo is expected to testify that Bonds’ personal trainer, Greg Anderson, gave him performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 along with instructions for how to use them, according to federal prosecutors.
According to court documents, Izzo will testify that he contacted Anderson and then met with him, submitting a number of urine samples in the process of obtaining the performance-enhancing substances, prosecutors stated in a document outlining their witness list for Bonds’ trial.
Izzo previously has acknowledged testifying before a federal grand jury investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO), a California firm at the center of the steroid scandal in sports.
He has not, however, publicly admitted obtaining performance-enhancing drugs.