Super Bowl XLVI – Monday, January 30, 2012(on what is different about this team as compared to the beginning of the season) “I just think the work that we’ve been putting in all year long with the fact that we didn’t have a mini-camp, no offseason program, and that we were still able to find a way to get it done with the leadership of our head coach pushing us each and every day. I think guys really started getting the picture, seeing what he was trying to explain and tell us, ‘If we do this, do that, we will be ok.’ I think at first guys saw it, but now guys really start believing it and really have a lot of faith.”
(on his relationship with QB Tom Brady now compared to earlier in their careers) “I think we’re just older. I think when you’re playing this game you develop this friendship. We’re always going to have this bond. We’re always going to be connected to each other for this one special reason, but I think the friendship that we have off the football field, the way we communicate off the football field, is more important than that. I just think that overall, the time and the amount of years that we’ve been playing together.”
(on giving advice to younger players on the team) “I’m the older guy, exactly. It’s crazy. I’m one of the older guys. I was just talking to DP (Former Patriots WR David Patten) about two or three days ago. I was talking to David Patten. He was one of the guys I looked up to and he and (Former Patriots WR) Troy (Brown) showed so much love to me when I was a young guy, and now I have the same opportunity to do the same thing for those young guys.”
(on what WR Wes Welker means to the offense) “He means a lot. I think everybody has - like I’d been saying early on - I think everybody has a role. He has a very important role on the offense as far as with our group, with the offensive side of the ball, and also with the team. (TE) Aaron (Hernandez), myself, (TE Rob) Gronkowski, Tom (Brady) has a role, the front line has a role, just not one particular guy. I think everybody has a certain piece that makes this puzzle the way it is.”
(on if he sees a difference in Welker this year) “No. This guy’s a hard worker, but the same player. Take nothing away from him. This guy, he deserves everything he’s gotten.”
(on if he feels like a forgotten man in the offense among higher profile players) “No, that’s cool. I just do my job. I can’t worry about who is controlling and who’s saying A, B, C, D. I just do my job. I’m not here to be the one that says, ‘Hey I need all the attention.’ That’s not me.”
(on if Head Coach Bill Belichick is joking with the team at all behind the scenes) “No. It’s serious. There’s no jokes going on with us. We just had a great practice. We’re about to get out of here pretty soon to go watch this film, but there’s no joking going on. Everything is serious. Guys are pretty laid back, relaxed, but when taking the field we’re very serious.”
(on if he’s surprised that the team is laid back) “No. That’s how we’ve been all year. The thing is – like I was saying earlier – this is not the year to start coming in here changing the way we’ve been conducting ourselves, just continue doing what we’ve been doing.”
(on if there is anything specifically he can pick out about the Giants defense) “Everything. For them to go into Lambeau (Field), well start off and they beat Atlanta at home, and then for them to go into Lambeau and win the way that they did, they’re playing great ball.”
(on what the Giants defense did well against them the first time they met) “I wouldn’t say what they did. I know what we did wrong. We try to focus on us and aren’t worried about what the Giants are doing. We made a lot of mistakes. We didn’t score in the red area. We didn’t convert on third down. That’s what we didn’t do, and unfortunately they beat us in the red area ratio, they beat us in the third down ratio, and that’s why we lost the game.”
(on the mentality today of getting back to work) “Exactly. Today it was. We felt that early on. It was good. All the guys were very anxious to get in the meeting room, to get our playbook, to listen to coach break down the film, kick the meeting off, and then we just had practice. So everything is pretty much going the way we expected.”
(on if the team has said anything about Super Bowl 42) “No. This team doesn’t talk about the past. Since the day we knew we were going to the Super Bowl, in the locker room nothing was spoken about Super Bowl 42. It’s behind those guys. They lost the game. It is what it is. They didn’t play good football and they lost. This is a different game, different team, different players, and it’s going to be a different game Sunday.”
(on if he’s treating the Super Bowl experience differently now compared to last time) “No. I think overall the only thing I will say that I’m really treating (differently) is I truly enjoy sharing the knowledge with the younger guys in our group and talking to the guys about the experience in the past, but as far as talking about what we did in the Super Bowls in the past, those guys watched the game. I’m pretty sure they’ve seen the highlights that have been shown on the NFL Network and ESPN and all that stuff. I’m not treating it any different. Practicing hard, doing everything we’ve been doing all year long.”
(on how the two tight end sets have evolved) “It’s just based off of game planning, game situations. We try to sit back and take advantage of whatever the defense gives us, and if that comes about, we’re going to take advantage of it.”
(on why the organization has been so successful) “For one, there’s a lot of stability here. You have the same owner, same head coach, same quarterback, so it starts with those guys. There’s a little turnover, but it’s not in the main places. When you have the same head coach, your coaching staff is pretty much the same and your quarterback, your leader. You look at most of the teams that have a lot of the issues, it’s because they have a lot of turnover within the organization…up in the front office, and then your coaches are cycling in and out. If you don’t have any stability within that part, then there’s no way that you’re going to be successful somewhere else.”
(on if this is one of the best franchises in the league) “Yes sir. It’s very evident. There’s a reason, not only with the stability, but the types of guys that the organization brings in to help this team be successful. Guys buy into the program each and every year, and that’s what it’s about.”
(on his transition after being reacquired by the team) “I think it was pretty smooth. There was a lot of different terminology. Some of the terminology was a little different, but there were bits and pieces that I remembered from the past that once I started hearing it, I knew exactly what it was. I would say the transition wasn’t as hard when you’re used to playing with a certain guy, playing with Tom (Brady), and then the things we did off the football field, in the classroom, it just helped out on the football field. The transition was pretty smooth.”
(on his personal feelings on returning to the team) “I was excited, very honored, and blessed to have the opportunity to come back to the same team that drafted me. Guys don’t get the opportunity to go through that phase. I was just very thankful.”
(on what he’s seen from the Giants that’s different from when they played in November) “Those guys are flying around. The defensive line is doing a great job, guys in the secondary are playing great. Most of all, they’re healthy. They’ve got guys like (CB) Prince (Amukamara) who weren’t there, (DE) Osi (Umenyiora) wasn’t there as much, and then on the offensive side of the ball what those guys are doing, (QB) Eli (Manning), I don’t think…(WR Hakeem) Nicks didn’t play did he? So they’re healthy. They’re playing good at the right time.”
(on using the Indianapolis Colts’ practice facility) “It’s a little different, but I thank the Colts for allowing us to come in and use their facility. There’s some nice stuff, man. You can tell it’s a first class organization. From what we’ve seen today, it’s a first class organization.”
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