Two days after saying the X-ray of wide receiver Santonio Holmes revealed “good news,” Jets head coach Rex Ryan had to stand behind the same podium on Wednesday and make official that his only true playmaker on offense is done for the season.
The Lisfranc injury to his left foot was suffered in the fourth quarter of the Jets’ 34-0 loss to the 49ers. Holmes made a routine catch and as he started to turn, went down immediately and threw the ball away mid-fall. The resulting fumble resulted in a touchdown, but the loss of Holmes extends well beyond that singular play.
“Obviously it’s something you wish wouldn’t have happened to one of your best players but that’s part of the business,” Ryan said.
Located in the “midfoot,” a Lisfranc injury can be a complicated recovery due to the multiple bones and tendons in the area. Ryan said he expects Holmes “to make a full recovery.” Ryan didn’t know when Holmes was going to have the surgery.
The injury to Holmes comes a week after star cornerback Darrelle Revis was likely lost for the year with an ACL tear.
“It does check the resolve in your team but I think that’s one of our strengths,” Ryan said.
To help offset the loss of Holmes, the Jets signed Jason Hill, a wide receiver now entering his seventh year in the league. In a career that included stops in Jacksonville and San Francisco, Hill has 76 catches for 1,028 yards and eight touchdowns.
Holmes disappointed last season with 51 receptions for 654 yards but a team-leading eight touchdowns.
Follow Jets beat writer KristianRDyer on Twitter @KristianRDyer.
