Jerricho Cotchery had herniated diskEmail Print Comments By Rich Cimini ESPNNewYork.com Archive It was an out-of-character season for the sure-handed Jerricho Cotchery, who dropped a team-high eight passes -- and now we know why. Unbeknownst to the public, the New York Jets' veteran wide receiver played with a painful herniated disc throughout the season and underwent back surgery Feb. 3, Cotchery revealed Wednesday to ESPNNewYork.com. [+] EnlargeAP Photo/Mark Duncan Jerricho Cotchery's full-extension snag in Cleveland was his signature moment of the season. The procedure was a microdiscectomy. Cotchery said doctors "shaved off" the piece of the disc that was pressing against a nerve. He said the condition worsened in October, causing shooting pain down his leg and into his foot. He decided to tough it out, waiting to address it until after the season. In retrospect, he wishes had the surgery before the 2010 season. "It wasn't a good feeling," Cotchery said. "It was pretty painful. I wouldn't want any football player to have to go through that." Cotchery said his rehab is going well and he hopes to start running in three to four weeks. He's confident he'll be ready for training camp -- if there is a training camp. Because of the lockout, Cotchery isn't permitted inside the Jets' facility, forcing him to rehab at a private facility in New Jersey. "That's the toughest thing, not being around the people that know my body the best," he said. "I can't even talk to [the Jets' trainers], that's the crazy part about it. I like the place I go to, but everything I need is in the Jets' facility." Even though Cotchery is confident about a full recovery, his surgery adds more uncertainty to the up-in-air receiving corps. He's the Jets' only experienced wideout under contract. Santonio Holmes, Braylon Edwards and Brad Smith are free agents. General manager Mike Tannenbaum has said he's hoping to re-sign all three players, but that might be difficult. A lot will depend on the new collective bargaining agreement. It was a difficult year for Cotchery, who lost his starting job to Holmes and missed two games with a partially torn groin. Actually, he hurt the groin on one of the signature plays of the season. His groin popped while running a route against the Browns, but he hopped eight times to get open and made a diving catch. Some teammates called it one of the greatest plays they'd ever seen. Jets blog Looking for more on the green and white? ESPNNewYork.com has you covered. Blog Cotchery finished with 41 receptions for 433 yards and two touchdowns. In the playoffs, he led the Jets with 12 catches, although he did have a drop against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game. His back was an issue last offseason, but he decided to hold off on surgery, hoping it would heal with rehab and exercise. It didn't. He said it didn't require daily treatment, but would flare up on a fairly regular basis. He played through it, risking permanent damage. "You try to eliminate that thought, but it's in the back of your mind," he said. "Chances are, if you have a herniated disc, it's probably going to rupture at some point." Cotchery is upbeat about his prognosis. "My back is feeling good and I'm progressing really well," he said. "I can't wait to get back on the field." Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow him on Twitter.
He'll be fine. My buddy has a herniated disc and may need surgery as well. That shit is fuckn' painful I hear.
Cotchery is of my favorite Jets of all time. Really happy to hear surgery went well and he is soon to begin rehab. We need him back for years to come!
I'm surprised he played with a herniated disc....pretty risky move. I herniated a disc in my lower back last Sept (a month before the TGG tailgate/bash)....to this day, I'm still worried about moving or twisting the wrong way. I'm glad Cotch survived and got the surgery he needed. Hopefully, he'll come back 100%
I aggravated mine right before my trip to NY this week by get this....... sneezing. I fucking sneezed and now my back is killing me. Walking 5-10 miles a day in New York did it wonders.........not.
I had the same surgery about a month and a half ago - I have no idea how he played through that pain. J-Co is one tough SOB.
There are boys, then there are men, and then there are Jerricho Cotcherys. Proud to know this beast as a Jet. Fuck everyone who shittalked him this season.
I don't remember seeing this reported anywhere during the season. This shows what a tough competitor he is. I know he didn't have his best season, but J-Co has been a hell of a player for the Jets the past 4-5 years. Definitely one of my favorite Jets.
Fuck the haters. This explains a lot. Can't wait to see what Sancho can do with a healthy J-Co, his experience, and hopefully both Smokey and the Bandit.
Wow! Jerricho is the man that is all I can say. Back pain is hard enough to deal with as it is then you throw football into the mix. I am glad he is on the road to being 100%.
J-Co plays for the love of the game, and for our Jets, and I give him maaad props, but it was a risky move. Hope he gets what he needs quick.
wow i take back everything i said about him during the season. he's one tough bastard to have been able to play with that. now we know why he had the dropsies. he had some HUGE plays during the course of the season
Your right about that brother. Cotch has turned into one of my most favorite JETS, right up there with Toon.
Wow, that explains his out of character season then. I can't wait to see what he can do next year at 100% with Sanchez in his 3rd year.
