Jets coach Todd Bowles will remember more about Muhammad Ali than his famous fights. Bowles was one of many people who were inspired by the former heavyweight champion, who died on Friday.

“Great man, without even talking about the boxing aspect,” Bowles said Wednesday. “What he stood for, what he stood up for, what he believed in, what he went through to help most Americans get where they are today is unbelievable. You can’t put it into words what he did. I mean, he did what a lot of people thought they wanted to do, or a lot of people thought about doing, he just did it naturally. And at a time where everybody’s praising him now, you know they wanted to crucify him back then. But he stood up and he stood his ground, and that paved the way for a lot of people in sports, and in life. Especially me.”

Bowles said Ali’s message resonated with him as a child growing up in Elizabeth, N.J.

“As a young man growing up, that taught a lot as far as respecting myself and understanding what I need to do growing up as a man,” Bowles said.

CB Buster Skrine did not participate in most of practice Wednesday after he “tweaked something in his leg,” Bowles said. It did not sound serious. … DE Muhammad Wilkerson, who is not participating in OTAs, was in the locker room briefly, but did not speak to reporters. Wilkerson, who is seeking a long-term contract, has been at the Jets building recently getting treatment from the training staff as he recovers from a broken leg. … WR Eric Decker, DT Sheldon Richardson and SS Calvin Pryor were not at practice. Bowles said he was aware that all would be absent. Decker tweeted a picture of he and his wife at a function in Nashville. … Bowles made the entire team run sprints at the end of practice, but said it was not as a punishment. QB Geno Smith said it was for committing too many penalties in practice.