They waited for one player this afternoon at Weeb Ewbank Hall. The media masses had collected all their interviews and remained for No. 10 to arrive at his locker to address his future.
“I want to be a starter — here or wherever,” said QB Chad Pennington. “That’s what I live for as far as professionally.”
The 6’3”, 225-pounder, who has played all eight of his professional seasons in green and white, was asked if he planned on relaying the message to head coach Eric Mangini.
“He knows that. I hope he wouldn’t want me on his team if I didn’t feel that way,” Penny said. “He wants competitive guys. He wants guys who are going to say, ‘OK, I’ll show you.’”
Pennington was very open about the terms of his contract, telling reporters he has three years remaining on his deal.
“I don’t have a lot of control of what’s going on right now. I feel really good about where I am as a player and I feel really good about being a starter in this league,” he said. “But right now I’m under contract and that’s where we stand.”
He stood Sunday on the sideline, backing up Kellen Clemens as the Jets pulled out a 13-10 overtime victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. Pennington and Clemens each started eight games this season, but the second-year passer got the call in the second half. The only exception was the Titans game when Clemens backed up due to a rib injury.
“I’ve given this organization everything I have, my heart and soul. And they’ve given me the same thing,” Pennington said. “It’s one of those things that’s going to take some time and there’s no reason why it shouldn’t take some time because we’ve had a good eight years here.”
If Pennington returns for a ninth season, his professional approach won’t change.
“If I remain a Jet, I will be the best Jet I can be,” he said. “That’s always been my focus since I was drafted.”
Pennington acknowledged there are many different scenarios. It’s possible he could come back and back up Clemens, he could battle for the starting job once again, the Jets could trade him or ask him to take a pay cut, he could ask for a trade, etc. ... The picture isn’t clear.
“I don’t have a gut feeling right now. I haven’t had a chance to talk with Mike [Tannenbaum] and talk with Eric [Mangini] and get their feelings on it,” he said. “Then I’ll probably have a better feeling, once that happens.”
Last spring, Pennington — the 2006 AP Comeback Player of the Year — was named the starter. Mangini isn’t ready to anoint Clemens as his opening-day signal caller just yet.
“I'm going to look at everything, look at the games he played in and really look at the whole position,” said the second-year head coach. “That will be part of the whole offensive evaluation and a lot of that will be a function of his progress this off‑season, the things that he's able to do and the competition at that position and how that all plays out.”
Where does Pennington fit in the Jets’ plans and where do the Jets fit in Penny’s plans? We’ll find out, but the waiting game has probably just begun.
“Right now, I’m trying to do everything I can to be the best teammate I can and be the best employee I can of the New York Jets," he said, "because that’s what’s important to me and that’s what I can control."
