NFL

Holmes won’t touch Jets’ QB issue

SLOW GOING: Jets receiver Santonio Holmes, out for the season with a foot injury suffered Sept. 30, says he misses his teammates and refuses to get involved in the team’s QB controversy. (Getty Images)

Everyone has an opinion about who the Jets starting quarterback should be, but wide receiver Santonio Holmes is keeping his to himself.

“I’ll leave that up to those guys,” Holmes said. “If I get involved in that, I’ll be the talk of the world.”

Holmes spoke to reporters at his charity bowling event in Linden, N.J. Holmes’ “Strikes for Sickle Cell” raises money for his Third-and-Long Foundation, which supports children and families suffering from sickle cell anemia. Holmes’ eldest son suffers from the disease.

It was the first time Holmes has talked to reporters since suffering a season-ending foot injury in September. Holmes, wearing a walking boot on his left foot, said he will undergo a second surgery on the foot in February and hopes to be able to run by April. He would not speculate if he will be ready for training camp next year.

Holmes had the first surgery in April to repair the Lisfranc injury, which he suffered against the 49ers on Sept. 30. The veteran receiver said being sidelined has been difficult.

“Mentally, it brings you down at times because you can’t be active,” he said. “It’s been over 20 years that I’ve been playing this sport and the first time I’ve suffered a significant injury that I can’t play in that particular season. It put me in a mindframe of, I have a long recovery and I’m just going to wait it out and take it day by day.”

Holmes has been at his home in Florida since his surgery. He returned to the Jets headquarters for the first time last week and saw some of his teammates.

“A lot of guys said they really miss me being around,” he said. “I really miss being here.”

Jets coach Rex Ryan speaks with Holmes at least once a week, the receiver said. They exchange texts or talk on the phone.

Holmes said he knew he had suffered a serious injury as soon as it happened. He wound up fumbling the ball on the play and the 49ers ran it back for a touchdown in the Jets’ 34-0 loss.

“I accepted it once it happened. My football season was over,” he said. “I just started expanding my mind, reading more, spending more time with my kids and my family, just being supportive as much as I can be.”

Holmes has watched as his team has struggled to a 5-7 record, knowing he could have helped it.

“It probably made it more hard on my guys that I just couldn’t be there and just support those guys,” Holmes said. “I think that really set the guys back that they didn’t see me around. They were used to me being there supporting and now Tone’s gone and nobody heard from him.

“It was one of those things where you just go into a shell and when it’s time to come out you come out at the right time.”