ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) -Rookie Bills safety Jairus Byrd likes to remind his father, former Chargers defensive back Gill Byrd, that he intends to one day have more interceptions in the NFL.
Jairus never mentioned anything about trying to do it all in one season.
“No, I didn’t give him a timetable,” Byrd said, referring to his father, who had 42 interceptions during a 10-year career that ended in 1992. “But I want to be better than my dad was. That’s my ultimate goal. If you’re going to play the game, you’ve got to play it to be the best.”
He’s not the best Byrd yet, but the second-round draft pick out of Oregon is off to a flying start.
Thrust into the action due to injuries four weeks ago, Byrd has five interceptions, all coming in the past three games. He ranks second in the NFL this season, one behind Saints veteran Darren Sharper, and on Thursday was named the league’s defensive rookie of the month.
kie to have five interceptions in the same month since Bears safety Mark Carrier did in December 1990. And Byrd’s had two interceptions in each of his past two games, which hasn’t been done by a rookie since Cowboys’ cornerback Everson Walls did it in 1981.
“I’m honored man. I couldn’t have done it without everybody, the coaches, players,” Byrd said. “They’ve helped me, taught me, shown me tough love.”
He’s needed all the help he can get, because the quick start to his NFL career came after a delayed beginning. Byrd missed all but three of the team’s spring minicamps because of Oregon’s late exam schedule. He missed the first three weeks of training camp while recovering from surgery to repair a sports hernia.
So much for all the emphasis NFL teams place on practicing.
“No, practice isn’t overrated,” defensive coordinator Perry Fewell said with a laugh. He noted the player spent extra time studying film, and the Bills were forced to initially alter several packages they had planned to include Byrd.
And yet, Fewell, added, “Some players are naturals,” noting Byrd’s always displayed a knack to track the ball, much like a baseball player.
“But for him to progress this quickly, yes, that is a surprise,” Fewell said.
0 and 200 pounds – to play free safety.
The transition has been nearly seamless.
Byrd’s interception streak began in his second start, a 6-3 loss to Cleveland on Oct. 11, when he easily caught an overthrown deep pass by Derek Anderson. Byrd then intercepted Mark Sanchez twice in a 16-13 overtime win over the Jets. Then came his two against Jake Delhomme in a 20-9 win last weekend, with both turnovers setting up Bills touchdowns.
Count his father among the impressed, but not surprised.
“Jairus has always set the bar high,” said Gill Byrd, a Bears defensive assistant coach. “Some individuals run from competition and the pressure of being an athlete’s son. Jairus has embraced it. He’s not afraid to go after it.”
Byrd never forced the sport on his son, but Jairus did grow up in a football environment. He would work out with his father, and hang around at times when Gill was an assistant with the Rams. He also introduced his son to several players, including defensive back Aeneas Williams, who mentored Jairus.
Gill Byrd first had an inkling his son had the potential to play in the NFL during Jairus’ first start at Oregon against Oklahoma. The youngster was beaten by a deep pass for a touchdown, but it was negated because of a holding penalty. The Sooners came back at Byrd on an out pass on the very next play, which Jairus broke up.
special,”’ Byrd said. “Most of the time you get beat deep, you play off, you’re scared, you’re turning to run too soon. But he did what he was supposed to do the very next play.”
A former first-round pick, Gill Byrd considers his son a better athlete than he was. And he joked that with all of Jairus’ connections to the NFL, he should have far more than five interceptions by now.
“Ask him why he’s slacking off,” he said, rooting for Jairus to surpass his interception total.
“I look forward to the day, Lord-willing, when he will have more than I had,” Gill Byrd said. “I want to do everything I can to get him to that point.”
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