He participated fully in practice for the first time this season on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. He also tested out his feet in pre-game warm-ups alongside Leodis McKelvin hours prior to Thursday night's game against the Browns. Dealing with plantar fasciitis in both feet, Byrd was encouraged by his workout and told head coach Doug Marrone he was fit to play against Cleveland. Marrone had other ideas.
"Jairus Byrd told me right before the game that he was ready to go, but it was my decision to hold him out," said Marrone. "It was a coach's decision. So that's encouraging as we're moving forward with him."
Byrd confirmed that it was coach Marrone's call as to whether he played or not.
"He just didn't think it would be best for me to go," said Byrd. "It was his call once I gave him the green light. He controls all that."
When asked if he agreed with coach Marrone's decision Byrd kept it short.
"It is what it is," he said.
Marrone sounds as if he needs to get a full week of work from Byrd or any other player before considering their insertion into the lineup.
"I was happy the first time really that he was able to do some things full speed," Marrone said of Byrd's measure of practice last week. "And he practiced a little bit this week. I think it's my responsibility to make sure we put a player out there that goes full speed for a full week.
"If it was a Sunday game it might've been a little different for us, but on a short week right before… I was happy that he could do it. I appreciate that, but now we'll get him in there, get him practicing and get him ready to go."
Byrd admitted this week that he misses playing, but that it's out of his hands.
"You never want to see that and know that you're sitting there and can't do anything about it," he said. "It's not a good place."
Instead of playing Thursday night, Byrd's next chance to make his season debut will be on Oct. 13 against Cincinnati, a game for which Byrd hopes to get the green light.
"Yeah, definitely," said Byrd.
