Kathy Willens/Associated Press

Giants running back Brandon Jacobs made it very clear Monday that he hopes to help defend the team’s Super Bowl title next season. But Jacobs also said that he has no plans to retire if the Giants choose not to keep him and would not rule out considering the Jets if he ends up on the open market.

It was an interesting stance for Jacobs to take, though perhaps fitting since it came during an interview to promote Jacobs’ coming appearance on a professional wrestling show. Jacobs will be part of the “TNA Impact!” show on the Spike channel both this Thursday and next Thursday, where he is expected to be in the ring with wrestling star Kurt Angle.

Jacobs, who grew up a wrestling fan, said he was excited about the appearance although his tense post-game interaction with Jets Coach Rex Ryan in December was ostensibly less contrived. Still, Jacobs said Monday that he doesn’t hold a grudge.

“I want to be a Giant,” said Jacobs, who is due a $500,000 bonus in March that may force a decision from the Giants. Jacobs added: “It was a situation. We were rivals then. There’s no apology needed.”

He concluded: “I like the way Rex handles his business. The guys on that team I know, know how I feel.”

Last off-season Jacobs restructured his contact with the Giants to help the team retain Ahmad Bradshaw, and Jacobs said he was hopeful a similar agreement could be worked out this spring. Despite the Giants’ success in the passing game this season, Jacobs said he believed that he and Bradshaw could thrive with the Giants.

“It wasn’t drawn out on a paper and scripted not to give me carries,” Jacobs said. “It’s just the way things went. No one is against me. No one wanted that to happen. We were getting beat most of the time. We had to go to the air. Ahmad didn’t get that many carries either.”

For now, Jacobs can do little but wait and see how his contract situation plays out. His appearance on the wrestling card was a last-minute development – teammate Jason Pierre-Paul was originally scheduled but backed out – and Jacobs said he was embracing the opportunity to “show another side of myself.”

Growing up, Jacobs watched wrestling all the time, he said, and was a fan of Shawn Michaels, the Hart brothers, Razor Ramon and Andre the Giant, among others. While boxing is his true passion outside of football, Jacobs said he planned to enjoy himself during the tapings Monday.

“Don’t worry about me getting injured or anything,” he said. “The other guys are the ones who are going to have to worry about avoiding injuries. This is going to be fun for me.”



Extra Points: The Giants officially announced the departure of the quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan, who will join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as the offensive coordinator under Coach Greg Schiano. The Giants also announced the signings of three players to reserve/future contracts: defensive end Craig Marshall, tight end Ryan Purvis and offensive lineman Chris White.