DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Jalen Saunders is simply happy to be back on the football field.
The New York Jets rookie wide receiver was a full participant at practice for the first time in over a week Monday after suffering a seizure that hospitalized him for two days following a single-car accident.
“I’m blessed to be alive,” Saunders said.
Coach Rex Ryan confirmed that Saunders, a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, had a seizure when he drove his car off the road on Aug. 15 on his way to the team’s facility. The incident Saunders dealt with had been previously described only as a “medical event.”
Saunders was hospitalized and had been awaiting results of tests before being cleared to return to the field.
“Everything’s straight, 100 percent,” Saunders said.
Saunders said he was first told by doctors that he couldn’t drive, but has since been cleared to get behind the wheel. He said he had no pre-existing conditions, and there is no history of seizures in his family. He has no assurance it will not ever happen again, however, but he’s not thinking about that.
“I’m not God, so I can’t just sit here and plan out my life and whatnot,” Saunders said, smiling. “I don’t know the causes for it, so I can’t really give a straight answer for that.”
The speedy Saunders practiced Sunday in a red no-contact jersey, but shed that Monday and participated fully. Ryan expects Saunders to play a lot as a receiver and punt returner in the Jets’ preseason finale at Philadelphia on Thursday night.
“I think everybody is excited to see him,” Ryan said. “I’m sure all of the Jets fans are excited. I know that I’m excited to see him play. But just for the young man, just for somebody to go through something like that and now to get back to where he is cleared to play football, I think that’s really big for him.”
Saunders has no trepidation about playing football, and the incident hasn’t caused him to approach life any differently.
“It was a scary situation, but I’ve moved on from it,” Saunders said.
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