Santonio Holmes‘ name hasn’t been mentioned on Pro Football Rumors since July, when a report indicated he had worked out for the Bengals. While one might assume that the apparent lack of interest since then would discourage Holmes’ desire to continue his playing career, that’s not the case, according to the veteran receiver.
“I’m just waiting for that call,” Holmes tells Joe Starkey of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. According to Starkey, the former Steeler said he has been training for the past year in Florida and is in “tip-top shape.” However, despite the fact that he’s just 31 years old, Holmes hasn’t drawn much interest after some underwhelming seasons with the Jets and Bears.
Most recently, Holmes played in nine games for the 2014 Bears, catching just eight balls for 67 yards. Both marks were career-lows, and it was the first time in nine NFL seasons that the former first-round pick didn’t find the end zone.
With Holmes’ on-field production on the decline in recent years, it’s also worth noting that he hasn’t always been viewed as the most positive influence on a team’s locker room. So any interested suitors would have to weigh the potential off-field impact of signing Holmes at a time when his on-field impact seems to be increasingly limited. The Ohio State product clearly doesn’t have retirement plans yet though, so we’ll see if he catches on anywhere in the coming months, or in time for the 2016 season.