It was a frightful sight that quickly overrode the uplifting, warming picture of the Jets having Vinny Testaverde back in the pocket throwing passes for the first time since he ruptured his left Achilles nine months ago.
Shortly into his first full team practice at yesterday’s Jets’ minicamp at Weeb Ewbank Hall, Testaverde fired a pass to Dwight Stone and down the
Jets’ franchise quarterback went, spinning to the artificial turf.
“He fell right at my feet,” Al Groh said after practice. “I saw it out of the corner of my eye. He slipped on the wet surface.”
For several people, particularly Groh and backup Ray Lucas, who rushed to help Testaverde up, their hearts were firmly planted in their throats.
“He rolled over and got right up,” Groh said, relieved.
“The turf was wet and I had on dry turf shoes and I threw a post that Dwight Stone made a great catch on, but I did slip,” Testaverde said. “Ray came running over to help me up. That was probably a good little test for me, too, to know I can slip and roll the ankle a little bit and be OK.”
The incident blew away a few of the butterflies Testaverde said he had before practice.
“I had a nervous stomach the last couple of days anticipating getting out there,” Testaverde said. “I was real anxious to get started. I’m happy that the first practice is over. I was looking forward to getting around the guys, taking some snaps and feeling like a part of the team again.”
Groh said seeing Testaverde back was “uplifting.” Testaverde said his arm felt strong and there was no pain in the left leg. His teammates said Testaverde was throwing darts.
“I liked what I saw out of Vinny,” Groh said. “I was very pleased with what he did. This was the 10th or 11th time Vinny’s been out there throwing with us and progressively he looks stronger and more confident.”
Guard Randy Thomas noticed a distinct difference in the huddle with Testaverde back in command.
“I didn’t get to play with him but a few snaps last year, but you can feel his leadership in the huddle,” Thomas said.
“He looks like he just picked up where he left off [from ’98],” punter Tom Tupa said. “He came out in his first practice and was firing the ball.”
Said center Kevin Mawae: “As long as he stays healthy I think he’ll be back where he was two years ago.”
To ask for his career-best numbers of 29 TDs and only seven INTs again this year is likely a bit much to ask. But at least a comparable performance is the goal.
“My arm feels fresh,” Testaverde said. “But it’s not my arm that’s a worry. It’s the speed of the game in my mind’s eye. The slower it goes, the better it is. [Yesterday] was a good test for me to get out there and get in with the team drills, which I hadn’t done.
“I’m anxious to get through this week. I haven’t worked my Achilles that hard to see how it’ll respond to this test. I don’t anticipate any problems. If we had to play tomorrow, I’d be ready to play.”
Testaverde, too, made it clear that he’s not merely trying to come back just to come back.
“I don’t want to come back as just another player,” he said. “I want to come back as the player I was before I was injured.
“The next big test is that first game when we go live against another team and I know I have to push off to step up and avoid a big hit,” he went on. “When the action is live, that’ll be a big test for me.”
Testaverde, though, insisted that he’s not thinking about the injury when he’s out there in practice.
“That’s the only thing that’ll prevent me from being successful – constantly thinking about the injury and the psychological standpoint of not moving forward,” Testaverde said.
For the record, yesterday’s step was a significant stride toward Testaverde’s complete return.