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Plaxico Burress: Mark Sanchez battled secret shoulder injuries last season

Plaxico Burress said Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez had shoulder issues that "a lot of people didn't know about" last season. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Plaxico Burress

Former New York Jets wide receiver Plaxico Burress revealed Monday that Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez battled shoulder injuries last season that "a lot of people didn’t know about."

Sanchez threw only five passes for longer than 21 yards last season, so Burress was asked in a New York radio interview Monday why Sanchez didn't open up at all downfield.

“He definitely has enough arm,” Burress said in the radio interview with WFAN on Monday, according to ESPN. “He was battling some injuries last year, shoulder-wise that a lot of people didn’t know about ... different things like that. But I think he really turned a corner.”

Sanchez did not appear on the injury list with any shoulder-related issues during the season. He had a neck injury listed in Weeks 15 and 16. He also had a shoulder issue in 2010 that was thought to be a slight cartilage tear, but he decided against surgery.

But ESPN questioned the validity of Burress' comments, because the wide receiver is still unsigned and looking for work after a dismal campaign with Sanchez and the Jets last season.

Burress has not signed with another team yet, and the market for veteran wide receivers seems to be constricting. So is the wide receiver just trying to excuse his own lack of production last season by pointing to his quarterback?