FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Tony Richardson sneaked up behind Brett Favre and dumped a shovelful of snow on his helmet and shoulders, causing the surprised quarterback to arch his back and groan.
“He always gets me,” the New York Jets fullback said with a laugh Friday. “So I felt like I had an opportunity to get him back.”
The Jets practiced in the snow during the first major storm of the season, frolicking in a few inches of the white stuff like children.
“Anytime it snowed when I was a kid, I was racing outside to get a football and try to get a game going,” wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery said. “I just felt like a kid being out there today, just diving in the snow.”
With the forecast calling for snow and temperatures in the 30s in Seattle today, coach Eric Mangini opted to have the team hit the slopes, er, practice field rather than stay indoors.
“You’ve just got to really focus and pay more attention to keeping your feet up under your body so you can keep your balance,” wide receiver Chansi Stuckey said.
And for anyone wondering if the Jets (9-5) were tight heading into this weekend’s game against the 3-11 Seahawks, one look at practice dispelled any of those thoughts.
Kris Jenkins threw snowballs at Nick Mangold, while Eric Barton tossed them at anyone within aim.
“Everyday you’re out there with Barton is like you’re out there with a 3-year-old,” said linebacker Calvin Pace, who put a face shield on his helmet to help protect himself from wayward snowballs.
“You see one guy pick up a snowball, then everybody’s picking up a snowball,” Cotchery said.
Even members of the Jets’ media relations department grabbed shovels and helped clear the yard markers. Two players seemed particularly unperturbed by the snow: Offensive lineman Robert Turner practiced in short sleeves and shorts, while linebacker Brandon Renkart also wore shorts.
“This was new to me,” said Pace, who never played or practiced in snow during his first five seasons with Arizona or during college at Wake Forest. “I don’t even know how you go about playing in the snow. I guess you try to stay as warm as possible and try not to slip out there.”
Another factor that could play a role in the Jets’ success is how well Favre plays in the wintry weather. Once known for his uncanny excellence for playing in freezing conditions, the quarterback has struggled in his past few outings in the cold.
Favre is 67-23, including 2-1 this season, when playing in temperatures of 45 degrees or less. But he’s also 1-6, including the playoffs, on the road when the temperature is below 34 degrees. It’s currently expected to be around 34 and snowing at kickoff today.
If practice was any indication, Favre should be just fine in Seattle.
“I told Laveranues (Coles), ‘Man, he’s throwing it like it’s 90 degrees out here,”’ Cotchery said with a big grin. “He was zipping it and every ball was a spiral. I think he’s very comfortable with this weather.”
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