C.J. Uzomah has made it crystal clear that he plans to play for the New York Jets against his former team, the Cincinnati Bengals, in Week 3 on Sunday. That’s despite a hamstring injury that sidelined him last week and limited him in practice Wednesday.

“I can’t miss this game,” Uzomah told the New York Post. “I want to play in this game.”

Uzomah played seven seasons with the Bengals before signing a three-year, $24 million contract with the Jets this offseason. He had an NFL career-high 49 receptions and five touchdowns last season with the Bengals. He caught another 15 passes during the playoffs and appeared in his first Super Bowl, playing despite a sprained knee in Cincinnati’s 23-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.

“I have nothing but great things to say about those guys,” Uzomah said. “They treated me well the seven years I was there. To have that be the last product of myself wearing those colors, I’m super happy about that. That’s what I hope I’m remembered for there, for sure.”

After quickly emerging as a leader during OTAs and training camp, Uzomah has had a slow start to his Jets career. He was a forgotten man in their Week 1 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, playing just 23 snaps and failing to be targeted even once in the passing game. Then he sustained a hamstring injury in practice last week and was inactive for New York’s thrilling 31-30 win against the Cleveland Browns.

Sitting out that game wasn’t easy for Uzomah. The Browns, of course, are a major rival of the Bengals, so old habits are tough for Uzomah to break with his dislike of Cleveland.

Tyer Conklin, who also signed with the Jets in the offseason, emerged in camp and the first two weeks of the season as their top tight end. He’s caught 10 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown. But he’s also fumbled once in each of the first two games, though both were recovered by a Jets teammate.

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“I will get that sh** straightened out,” Conklin said Monday.

The Jets deploy double tight end sets often, so there’s plenty of opportunity for both Uzomah and Conklin to shine. And Uzomah plans for that to be the case this week when the Jets (1-1) host his former team, which arrives at MetLife Stadium 0-2 and is hungry for its first win.

“They are going to come out with a vengeance, for sure,” Uzomah said. “But so are we. We are trying to make this about our locker room and our narrative: ‘One win doesn’t mean anything in this league. You have to stack them.’ We know who they are, but we know where we are trying to get to.”