Burress won’t practice until ankle is healed

Super Bowl hero Plaxico Burress said he won’t practice with the New York Giants until his troublesome right ankle is healthy.

“Of course I definitely want to be out there,” Burress said Sunday after watching the morning workout at the University at Albany. “Like I said, Plaxico Burress has to take care of Plaxico Burress.”

Burress, who caught the game-winning pass in the upset of the New England Patriots, has not practiced since the Giants opened training camp on July 25. The last time he practiced was before the Super Bowl. He skipped the optional offseason workouts and refused to take part in the veteran minicamp in June because his contract, which will pay him $3.25 million this season, was not renegotiated.

The veteran wide receiver noted Sunday that he has given up hope that he will get a new deal, although general manager Jerry Reese said that the team hopes to have a new one by the start of the season.

While a new contract might help, the big issue for Burress is his ankle. He is determined not to let it bother him all season. He injured it in training camp last season and practiced less than 10 times because it hurt too much.

The right ankle is the same one that prevented him from practicing last season, but the injury is different. Doctors are trying to stabilize it with orthotics.

“I have to make all the right judgments as far as my health, as far as my ankle, before I go out there,” Burress said. “When I go out on that football field, I want to be running 100 mph with no restrictions. That’s what I am trying to accomplish being on the sidelines, getting healthy and going out and being explosive and jumping up in the air and catching ball.”

Despite limited practice time, Burress had a team-high 70 catches for 1,025 yards, combining with Eli Manning for a career-best 12 TDs last season.

Coach Tom Coughlin has said he would like Burress to practice before the team breaks camp next Sunday. Burress doesn’t know if that will happen.

He is receiving treatment three times a day.