Super Bowl XLVI – Wednesday, February 1, 2012(on what makes Vince Wilfork so good) “Heart. Vince is one of those guys that the good Lord put on this earth to play football. It’s his mentality. It’s his being, physically and mentally. He wants to know everything there possibly is to know about football. Run or pass, it doesn’t matter, and he applies himself in that aspect. He’s a good ball player.”
(on where Vince Wilfork has improved the most over the years) “Really staying strong. Just believing in himself. He needs to maintain strength, quickness, knowledge of the game. He can always learn a little more, but he’s been applying himself.”
(on Vince Wilfork being a big guy and maintaining his strength) “A lot of that’s natural. A couple of years ago, they challenged him in the weight room with dumbbells and he pretty much threw up the whole weight room. This was after awhile where he didn’t lift for a few days and he was throwing up this stuff and I think everybody got the picture that I saw, that you don’t really have to mess with that guy. He’s going to keep himself (strong). He’s mature. Vince came here mature. He came out of the University of Miami early, but he came here mature and, like I said, he had that mentality. Back then, it was a lot of guys, that was a plus getting guys from the University of Miami. That professional attitude and mentality (they have) because of the Michael Irvins, the guys that went back, the Ray Lewis’ that went back and were always talking to the guys.”
(on how long ago it was when he was challenged in the weight rooms) “About three years I’d say. He was doing some other kind of workout and it started out as, ‘Hey Vince, you’re supposed to be doing upper body,’ so we got the dumbbells out and kept going down the rack and they didn’t have any more weights for him. When you get the news it was like the best ever because it was like, ‘Vince just lift the whole weight room,’ and it’s like, ‘What? They have no more weights for him?’ Then, I see he had a smile on his face as big as ever. He just threw up the whole weight room.”
(on the Giants pass rush being a key to who wins this game) “Unfortunately, that’s on the offensive side of the ball, so I don’t have to deal with that. My focus is not on the Giant’s pass rush. My focus is on the Giant’s offensive line, so I have to deal with those guys.”
(on what he sees from their offensive line and if he sees a different unit then the last time they played them) “It’s just one guy that’s changed. It’s the same group. The Giants are one of those teams that can keep their offensive line together, not many injuries, they had one injury, and they work well together. That’s the task at hand is trying to separate them. Try and get the guys individually and see if we can accomplish something that way.”
(on B.J. Raji saying the Giants’ offensive line wasn’t the toughest around and if he sees that from them) “It’s a different aspect from a player than myself coaching it on film. Everybody is going to be a little more tougher or a little less. The toughness parts of it really don’t show up on the film, so I can’t agree or disagree with him. I just know the group works well with each other. They complement each other. They see a guy break down and you think someone has him and all of a sudden his teammate comes and helps him out, so they do a good job of that.”
(on how Vince Wilfork’s leadership has been helpful to him as a coach) “Vince is a great person. A lot of just his well-being is going to be a plus for you. I still don’t see what’s done behind closed doors or when they leave the facility and stuff like that. A guy like him, he has film day at his house every week and he constantly talks to younger guys. That’s what this game is all about, the younger guys playing for a veteran such as himself.”
(on all the Super Bowls he’s been a part of and if there are any pregame speeches that reminisce in his mind over the years) “You’re kind of asking the wrong person. Things like that, to me, are what’s said behind closed doors and they stay behind closed doors. That’s for the family.”
(on how the defensive line has come along since the beginning of training camp) “They’ve done real well. We’ve come together and really started working with each other very well. We’ve had some ups and downs. We’ve had some bad plays. Specific language plays, but we also have some real good plays out there, and I think that’s expected of guys. The A+ plays are the ones that you strive for, go over, and talk about in the meeting rooms. It’s not just for my emphasis, but things that the players preside over. I definitely let them elaborate and talk, and talk about things that they envision. Then, they go out there and execute it, which is tremendous.”
(on what Vince Wilfork has done this year that has allowed for coaches to put more on his plate) “Really with all honesty, he’s doing the same. He may have played more plays. I don’t know, I haven’t had time to start counting that stuff. He’s that single figure because in the past we had Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, and some other names that were out there, so they shared that limelight. Now, it’s just him, and the other guys haven’t grown into that respect yet. I think he’s doing the same thing that he’s been doing besides the interceptions. But he’s playing good football.”
(on Bill Belichick comparing Brandon Spikes to him when he was a player, and if he sees that comparison) “A lot of guys and some of my friends noticed him at the University of Florida and that his play reminded them of me. I see it. One things that he can also do is he can sub. He takes away from that stereotype of the big inside linebacker playing on third down. He plays on third down. If you want a football player out on the field, you have to figure a way to keep him out on the football field. I remember one day, it was just a joke, but (Bill) Parcells was really messing with me. I was with the Jets and he was taking off the field on third down and saying, ‘Dick Butkus in today’s game wouldn’t play on third down.’ I was like, ‘BS,’ but they knew how to keep Butkus on the field on third down, so he was smirking. Brandon’s a field general, and you need to find ways to keep your field general on the field. He wants out on the field, and it’s our job to figure out ways to keep him out there.”
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