Plaxico Burress, whose touchdown catch won last season’s Super Bowl for the New York Giants, could face jail after accidentally shooting himself in a nightclub on Friday night.

Burress, the wide receiver, had visited Latin Quarter, in Manhattan, carrying a concealed handgun. At some point, the weapon slid down his trouser leg. As he fumbled to retrieve the gun, it discharged, the bullet passing through his right thigh.

In a statement released by prosecutors, a witness heard a popping sound before Burress’s legs began to shake. The statement said the person saw a bloody pistol fall out of his trouser leg and land on the floor.

Burress, 31, could be ready to play within a month, but fitness is the least of his problems. Yesterday, he was led to the court in handcuffs and pleaded not guilty to a charge of criminal possession of a weapon, which could lead to a jail sentence of up to seven years. His gun permit, issued in Florida, is not valid in New York and had expired.

Bail was set at $100,000 (about £67,000) and Burress was ordered to return to court on March 31. Benjamin Brafman, the defence counsel, argued for no bail, saying: “He has 35 million reasons to come back to court,” — referring to his $35 million contract with the Giants. However, Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, is unwilling for any leniency to be shown to the football star.

“I think it would be an outrage if we didn’t prosecute to the fullest extent of the law,” Bloomberg said in a televised press conference.

This year, a survey found that there has been an annual average of one arrest per NFL team since 2000. Most are alcohol-related, but firearms offences are becoming more common. Adam “Pacman” Jones, of the Dallas Cowboys, was suspended by the NFL for being present at a triple shooting at a Las Vegas strip club in 2007. Chris Henry, of the Cincinnati Bengals, pleaded guilty in 2006 to aggravated assault with a firearm. Terry “Tank” Johnson, also of Dallas, was found in possession of six unlicensed guns, including assault rifles, in 2006 and was present, in violation of bail, when his bodyguard was shot and killed at a nightclub.

But some players fear for their safety after two were shot dead last year. Sean Taylor, of the Washington Redskins, was murdered during an attempted robbery at his home in November and Darrent Williams, of the Denver Broncos, died outside a nightclub in the early hours of New Year’s Eve. Players believe that their wealth and celebrity mark them out.

The NFL announced yesterday that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the New England Patriots in the international-series game on October 25, 2009 at Wembley Stadium. It will be the third time London has staged a regular-season NFL match.