"The Jets' Santonio Holmes made good on his new captain's promotion, staying late after practice to run sprints with Derrick Mason and load up footballs for him on the jug machine.

Just a year after what Rex Ryan called "a rental season" Holmes said he was surprised when his coach pulled him aside and told him he'd be one of the Jets wearing a "C" stitched on his uniform.

"(Ryan) told me he wanted me to be one of the guys to lead from the front and I told him, I said 'Coach, I'll take that responsibility anytime.'

"And he said 'Nah, I don't want you to just lead from the front, I want you to be one of my guys, I'm going to put one of those captain's C's on your chest.' And it took me by surprise.""