NEW YORK GIANTS MEDIA DAY - LINEBACKER JACQUIAN WILLIAMS - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on media day) “I’m taking it all in. It’s a great opportunity to be here. All the teams are not here, so I’m taking advantage.”

(on veterans giving advice) “David Diehl told me more than once that it’s still a normal week for us with just a couple things added on and just be ready.”

(on his forced fumble in San Francisco) “It was just me going down there, seeing the ball. He (San Francisco 49ers returner Kyle Williams) made a good move, so I do respect that. I saw the ball and stuck my hand out.”

(on what his teammates did after his forced fumble) “I did get a lot of love and a lot of respect from my teammates. A lot of emotions came from my family and friends.”

(on the Super Bowl) “There’s been a lot of love, a lot of respect and a lot of people around that are happy for us. It’s great.”

(on if Indianapolis will root for the Giants because of the Peyton Manning connection) “Yes I would expect so. Family is family, and I’m pretty sure they will.”

(on getting to the Super Bowl) “I always felt like we could get here even with the injuries. The guys that were hurt, I know I’m just a rookie, but I could see that they were tough. I knew they were coming back. As long as we could hold them off until they got back and have everybody, we could do it. I have confidence.”

(on making the Super Bowl as a rookie) “You have guys like Chris Canty that came up to me and showed me a lot of emotions and told me how happy I should be and how long it took for him to get here. That just made me thank God and put a big smile on my face.”

(on Saturday night) “My night, just preparing for the game and all that. I just need rest. I will definitely rest and get my mind mentally right for everything.”

(on eliminating nerves) “You can’t. It’s just something that you have to wait for game day. Some guys probably can’t sleep. I’m not one of those guys.”

(on if he will bring a camera to the field) “I’ll leave that for someone else. I have a job to do. Sunday is a big job.”

(on the rookie class) “Especially on special teams, we made a big contribution to the season. That’s the biggest thing. We worked hard and all of that.”

(on his forced fumble against San Francisco) “The moment is crazy. That’s something that people wait their whole life for. As a little kid, I always said I wanted to make a big play for my team, and I had the opportunity early.”

(on assistant special teams coach Larry Izzo) “Izzo, he is a special teams (coach). He has a lot of confidence on what he does and what he coaches. He has a lot of film to show you that it’s possible, so that’s good.”

(on if Izzo having played helps him coach) “It definitely does. The film doesn’t lie and to see him go around and just fly around, that’s amazing.”

NEW YORK GIANT’S MEDIA DAY - LINEBACKER CHASE BLACKBURN - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on his secondary job) “Thant could have been good too. That would have been helping the kids, and not hurt them. If that’s what I was going to do I wanted to be the best teacher I can be.”

(on Ohio guys playing) “Right and that is just on our team. I don’t even know how many Ohio guys they have on their team. Obviously, Ohio is a great state for high school football. The coaches take it very serious in the state of Ohio, and there are a lot of colleges to develop the players to be ready for this level. There are a lot of players to come out of Ohio, and there are not many Super Bowls that have had no Ohio natives playing in the game.”

(on the Patriot’s offense) “Right, I don’t worry about the defense. I trust our offense to get the job done. They have a great quarterback, receiving core, and running game. The Patriots have averaged one hundred and thirty yards rushing the football in the playoffs, and last couple games of the season. That will be a challenge for us. We cannot let them get the run going because Tom Brady can be dangerous when he runs play action pass. We need to stop that early and pursue the passing game. We know they are dangerous with the passing game as well, but that gives us a chance to get some pressure on the quarterback.”

(on his hair advice) “I cannot cut it either. Since I got back to football I got to let it keep growing. It has been eight weeks and I plan on cutting it when we win.”

(on buying tickets for family) “Yeah we got all of them. I tried to get more than I got. They were expensive, but since it is such a short drive we do not have to put up with the hotel and flight expenses. I appreciate the support from everyone, but there are only so many tickets you can get.”

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS MEDIA DAY - LINEBACKER TRACY WHITE - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on what his favorite part of Media Day is) “It’s my first time. It’s kind of crazy. It’s a new thing with the fans being able to buy tickets and come watch us do interviews. It’s pretty cool.”

(on how he’s prepared for the game) “This is my ninth year (in the league) and my first Super Bowl. Just being here is a great experience, and it’s what you play for your entire career.”

(on how the Patriots got here this year) “Everything has come together. There’s a lot of accountability and everybody is working towards one goal. We’ve been working hard and playing hard, so that’s why we’re here.”

(on whether he would consider this game a rematch from the 2007 Super Bowl) “It’s a little different because the teams are built differently with different players.”

(on taking this whole experience in) “I’ve been playing for a while, and it’s hard to get to the Super Bowl. When I get in (the game), I’m going to take in all that I can.”

(on what his teammates who have been to the Super Bowl before told him) “Expect anything, because anything can happen. They’ve been guiding us through on what to expect and how to practice throughout the week to get ready for the game.”

(on the importance of Rob Gronkowski playing) “We’re trying to get everybody to play. We’re not too worried about Gronkowski, he’ll be out there.”

(on which way he sees the game going) “It’s going to come down to who wants it the most.”

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS MEDIA DAY - LINEBACKER ROB NINKOVICH - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Saturday, January 28, 2012

(on the Patriots’ defense playing with confidence) “Coming here, obviously we have a great opportunity and there has been a great tradition of winning. When you get here, Bill (Belichick) is only going to play the best guys and the guys who are going to contribute the most. Coming in in 2009 (with the Patriots), if someone told me I was going to be the starting linebacker for the Patriots in two years, I don’t know if I would have believed them. Everybody has been working really hard all year. We’ve had our ups and downs on defense and obviously, we gave up some yards that we didn’t want to give up. At the end of the day, we did great in turnover ratio and we really stayed together as a group. We fought through the whole season and worked hard. Once the regular season was over, we knew it was a one-game season in the playoffs. We prepared the best we could each week in the playoffs. Whoever we had to face, we were going to be prepared for them.”

(on the team having a motto this year) “No. We’re all working really hard. The one thing about the group is that there are a lot of guys who came from free agency or a lot of guys who were cut and had a lot to prove. I think when you go through that route of getting cut, not having a roster spot, wanted to only be a special teams guy and trying to break into the roster on that aspect, it’s kind of tough. Coming here, it’s really been a blessing for a lot of guys. You take every moment and every opportunity you have and you make the best of it.”

(on being told he could only play as a long snapper with the Saints and how he’s used that as motivation) “When (New Orleans Saints Head Coach Sean Payton) told me I was a long snapper, I didn’t think he was seeing me in the right way as a football player. I think that was my only opportunity to be on the team and that was it. He told me my only chance of making the team was as a long snapper so I just went and snapped a ton of balls. I tried to improve on that. At the end of the day, it didn’t work out there and I came here. So it was just my fate to come to New England.”

(on why New England is a good fit for him) “I think they gave me the opportunity and the way they play their defense, they are really an “edge” team. You have to have bigger guys on the outside as linebackers who set the edge. Bill (Belichick) has always preached setting the edge and stopping the run. If you do just that, that’s one area of the game that he emphasizes. Coming in here, I was able to do that.”

(on what it is like playing close to his college of Purdue) “It’s pretty nice being 45 minutes away from Purdue and about two- and-a-half hours from home. So, yes, it’s pretty cool. The family could just jump in the car and they didn’t have to get on a plane or anything like that.”

(on how many tickets he had to secure for his family) “Just my family. My mom, dad, sister, nephew and finance. That’s it. Once you give a ticket to a cousin, everyone else wants one too. I can’t open the flood gates.”

(on having an extended family) “Yes, I have a big family. They are all going to be watching and cheering for me.”

(on the success of Purdue’s alums in the Super Bowl) “I think Purdue is obviously a great program. We have a lot of guys in the NFL and a lot of defensive ends that were a little bit undersized and moved to the outside linebacker spot. It’s a great school and I have great memories of being at Purdue.”

(on playing at Joliet Junior College prior to playing at Purdue) “That was an experience. Coming out of high school, I wasn’t the biggest guy. I had to put on some weight and really develop and mature. The best option for me was to go to JJC. That made you appreciate everything. I had my high school pads, had to buy my cleats, had one pair of gloves all season and had to drive to practice every day and the games. So, it really made me more hungry to continue. I have great respect for Coach Bob MacDougall. He called me up and I really didn’t think to go to a junior college. He called my house, talked to me and made me go that way.”

(on playing football in junior college giving him more motivation to succeed at the next level) “I’ve always had to prove people wrong. My whole life, guys have been turning heads and overlooking me. You have to go out there and perform. Your performance is what defines you as a player. The more plays you make, the more people recognize you. When I was at junior college, I made a lot of plays. I decided to go to Purdue even though they had a lot of starters there. I thought if I went in there and competed well, I’d have an opportunity. Coming into the NFL, I knew that I’d be a special teams guys and I’d have to do whatever I could to get on defense. Once I got on defense, I had to make a name for myself.”

(on having success in college against Indiana University) “Yes, I think IU helped me get to the NFL. I had eight sacks in two years, which isn’t too bad.”

(on working construction prior to starting his football career) “Right before I went to junior college, I worked a couple weeks of nights. From 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. I did iron work with steel and things my dad has done for 30 years now. It was on a bridge off of Interstate 57. I was over water and it was kind of scary. I opened up my eyes to knowing I didn’t want to be an iron worker for the rest of my life. I’m not a big fan of heights. Looking up (at Lucas Oil Stadium), someone had to put that up there. I don’t think I could have done it.”

(on being from an area where tough football players have come from) “Getting to the NFL is a lot of work. All of the time and effort put in to getting to where you are right now. You have a great appreciation for it. I look back at the years I’ve played and I could write a book about it. Just the ups and downs and the injuries you have to get through. Rehabbing for eight months after a knee injury. Emotionally, it’s tough. You want to be playing, you know you have the skills to play, but you just don’t have the opportunity. To anybody who is listening and looks at my story, work hard and once you get your chance, make the best of it.”

(on his junior college football program being taken away) “Joliet Junior College – they took its program away. I think it’s sad for the kids who need that step to get to the next level. Obviously, if I didn’t have that, I wouldn’t be where I’m at right now. I feel bad for those kids who won’t have that there for them. I think there are other places that they can go. Just for guys in this area, it kind of takes away some of their options.”

(on selecting Purdue coming out of junior college) “Coming out of junior college, I had a lot of Mid-American Conference offers. Toledo (was one). Iowa said I was a little small for them so that wouldn’t have worked out for me. Illinois offered me a scholarship as a long snapper and I didn’t want to do that either. Purdue was really my only offer. My goal was to go to the Big Ten.”

(on what kind of player he thought he would become as he developed) “When I first started playing football my freshman year of high school, I didn’t know anything. That was my first year of playing. I was playing offensive guard and I was terrible. I didn’t know the game. There were tapes of my pulling and guys completely running past me and just killing the running back. I had a lot of learning to do so they just moved me to defense the next year. It’s something that fit me well. Chasing the ball and the pass rush stuff was natural for me. It’s been a long road, but defense is 100 percent. When I went to Purdue they offered me a scholarship, but they didn’t have enough scholarships on defense so I signed as a tight end. On the first day of two-a-days, I asked to play the first practice as a tight end and the second as a defensive end.”

(on the NFL being a realistic goal for him) “That’s always in the back of your head when you’re in college. That’s your projection. You want to get in the NFL and that’s your dream. Not until after my senior year was over did I realize that this was really going to happen. With agents talking to me and telling me I had a chance to get drafted. That was the first time I knew it was going to happen for me. It was a pretty cool feeling.”

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS MEDIA DAY - LINEBACKER JEROD MAYO - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on his football dream) “To be honest with you, this team. It is all about the team, we just want to win.”

(on Victor Cruz) “Cruz he possesses that down field threat. He can stretch the field and he can run those irregular slot routes. He’s a dangerous player.”

(on defensive plan for the game) “We don’t know what they’re going to do. You know those first few possessions will be interesting. I think both teams have done a good job in terms of making those adjustments, during halftime and obviously on the sideline. We’re trying to figure out what they’re going to be doing, so we’ll switch it up.”

(on his feelings about the last time these two teams met) “It was a good game, but unfortunately we were on the wrong side of that ending. This is a different team. We have some new players, some new key guys.”

(on Indianapolis and the experience thus far) “It’s been a great experience so far, the fans have really been good to us. The hospitality has been good, they love us out here. As soon as we got off the plane, they threw us Super Bowl scarves. It’s been a lot of fun so far. But at the same time, we’re out here to work hard. ”

(on his feelings towards Tennessee and Coach Fulmer) “You know he was a great coach. He’s also a great father figure. You come out a man. You start out as a boy, and he raises you and then helps you become a better football player. And beyond that, I have to mention his defense. He’s just a great coach.”

(on his initial feelings of media day) “It’s been great so far. There is a lot of media. At first it is a little overwhelming, but I guess then you get used to it. We’re having fun.”

(on the Giants offensive line) “They have a great line. They do a lot for the guys out front. And when they don’t protect Eli, you can count on his to make plays with his feet. You can count on him to do a great job running the ball.”

(on how different Eli and Payton are as players) “That’s a tough question. They’re different. Eli is doing a better job in terms of running the ball, especially on third downs you can count on him to make those plays. Payton has a different gift.”

(on looking forward to the Super Bowl game) “I’ve played it over and over in my head. So many times. I’ve even thought about it when I was a kid, and dreaming about the Super Bowl. And now it’s finally here.”

(on trying to be the Super Bowl MVP) “I mean you always want to be the one to make those plays. You want to be the one to be the MVP. But then there are those days where you just focus on winning that game.”

(on his college career preparing him for the NFL) “My coaches just really paved the way for me. They’re extremely professional and they take football seriously. They’re constantly studying film, breaking down film. They by far had a major influence on my life.”

(on how the fans in the South and his favorite Tennessee tradition) “Well, you know those fans down there. Football is huge. My favorite tradition would have to be running through the ‘T.’ You know when you see that ‘T’ coming up it’s time to play some ball.”

(on his best college memory) “It would probably have to be playing in the SEC Championship Game. Even though we came up on the short end of the stick, we played a great game. We just came up a little bit short.”

(on the hospitality in Indianapolis) “Everyone has been more than welcoming.”

(on Eli Manning) “He’s been amazing in the playoffs. He’s also very dangerous and he’s been making a lot of plays for them. We’re going to handle him the best we can. We’re going to have to attack him in different ways. But we have guys that can make those plays.”

(on the Patriots line up) “This will be the first time that we’ve had the same group of guys for three weeks in a row since I can remember.”

(on what’s going to give the Patriots an edge) “I think that it’s just having the same group of guys out there as the past couple of weeks. We’re finally coming together and getting guys healthy.”

(on his feelings of this being his first Super Bowl) “I’m just taking it as a regular work week, and we’ll celebrate whatever we have to when it’s over. It’s easy to focus when you have a coach alike Coach Belichick, who keeps everything isolated from everything. He just does a great job of keeping us in focus.”

(on his teammates feelings and the Super Bowl experience) “You know you can prepare your whole life for this moment.”

(on if experience matters in the Super Bowl) “I don’t think so. We have some veterans we have some newer guys. But we have a great coach in Coach Belichick. He’s won multiple rings and he’s as good as there is. We’re just going to go out there and do our thing.”

(on what have the veterans told him) “To just go out there and do business like it’s a normal game. We’re in a hotel where it’s just us and we’re away from everyone to focus.”

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS MEDIA DAY - GUARD LOGAN MANKINS - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on if the team is playing its best right now) “I don’t know. We’ve had a good couple last games, so that’s always good. I know we need to play our best this game. You want to have confidence going into the game. I think we have confidence right now.”

(on what it’s like to see Tom Brady try to come back from injury) “That was pretty impressive. I went through it before, so I know how hard it is. It takes a lot of hard work. There’s good days going through it and bad days. He’s done a great job and he looks like the old Tom Brady still.”

(on if he ever doubted that Tom Brady could come back from injury) “No, I had pretty good confidence in Tom. I know his work ethic and how much it means to him to play football, so I knew he’d make it back.”

(on what the night before the Super Bowl is like) “We do everything the same as we do throughout the year. We have our meetings and everyone goes to their room and just tries to rest or visualize the next day. Try to keep it as a normal game as possible and do everything that you do normally.”

(on if he was able to get a good night sleep last time he was in the Super Bowl) “Yeah, I was, I think. That was a while ago, but I think it was a little different for me being younger then and my first time. This time I know everything that’s going on. I’ve been around a lot longer, so I think it will be a lot easier.”

(on playing a Super Bowl in a cold city rather than one with beaches) “Yeah, you’re right and I’m kind of glad for that. I’d rather our team be focused on the game than the night life, going to the beach or worrying about things like that. We’re here for one job and that’s to play a good game and hopefully win. We’re not too concerned with how the city looks. It’s been great. Indianapolis has shown great hospitality and they have everything set up very nice.”

(on how much pressure there is to block for Tom Brady) “A lot. That’s our job and if we don’t block for Tom, our offense isn’t going to do any good. We know it falls on us to keep him up.”

(on the key to keeping Tom Brady off the ground) “Just staying on your man, keeping the defensive linemen off them or if they’re blitzing, picking those up and just blocking those guys for as long as it takes. For as long as he needs, that’s how long we’re supposed to block for.”

(on if experience matters in a Super Bowl) “I don’t think so. I think it comes down to execution, whichever team executes the best. We had a pretty experienced team in ’07 and we lost, so I don’t think it comes down to that. I think it comes down to how you play that day.”

(on what a fourth Super Bowl win would mean to Tom Brady’s legacy) “It would mean a lot. How many have won four? A couple? Two? So he would be three. I’m sure those guys are in the Hall of Fame, so it would mean a lot. It would be a great legacy for him.”

(on if he thinks Tom Brady is the best quarterback in the League) “Oh yeah, by far. Well, not by too far. I think those other guys are pretty good. Not to take anything from them, but Tom Brady does a great job. I’ve never played with them. I only know Tom, but he’s pretty darn good.”

(on if there was ever a time in his career where he hated coming to Indianapolis) “Oh yeah, I hate coming here to play the Colts. I like it a lot better when they come and play us. They’re a good team. That’s probably why we hate them. They were good for a long time. They had a down year this year, but I’m sure they’ll get it back.”

(on if Tom Brady is motivated by rankings) “He might be. I don’t know personally, but I don’t think he needs to be motivated by that. Tom, he just wants to do the best job he can to the best of his ability and that’s what drives him to be the best. If people say he’s the best, he’s still going to work really hard. If they say he’s losing it, he’s going to work just as hard as he was before. I don’t think that stuff affects Tom.”

(on if he expects the Giants defense to respond with more stunts if the offensive line changes things up) “Possibly. We have a lot of different protections anyway. Every team we go against, we have max protection, empty protection. We try not to give the same look every single time. The defense, they’re doing the same thing too. They’re trying to change it up, so we’re not used to what they’re doing.”

(on how much it helps to have Coach Belichick who’s been in multiple Super Bowls) “I think it helps a lot. He knows how he wants to schedule the week because he’s done it quite a few times now, and he knows how he wants to do everything because he’s been through it so many times. I think it helps a lot and I think he’s putting us in good positions.”

(on what the best part about being an offensive lineman is) “Blocking. That’s all we do is block, so that has to be the best.”

(on what the worst part about being an offensive lineman is) “There’s no bad part for us. We’ve got it pretty good. I think it’s a great job to have and I wouldn’t want to play one of those other positions. They have to run too much.”

(on if he’s always been an offensive lineman) “No, I didn’t play offensive line until I got to college. I was a tight end and linebacker in high school.”

(on if the coaches gave everyone advice to watch what they say to the media) “Not so much. I think every team has PR guys tell them, ‘Whatever you say is going to be out there for everyone to see and it could be used in different ways.’ We’ve been told that so many times, I think it should be engrained in the guys, but guys still slip up and say stuff they shouldn’t.”

(on if winning the Super Bowl would be special for Robert Kraft and his wife) “Definitely special. That’s who we dedicated the season to. A win would be big for that. That would be very special for Mr. Kraft, his family, the whole team. It would really feel great, so hopefully we can get a win.”

(on what he was told to expect from Media Day) “I’ve been here before, so I knew what to expect. It’s a circus.”

(on if the team considers Media Day a necessary evil) “For me personally, I’d rather not be here. I’d rather be at the hotel watching film or even just taking a nap, but I know it’s part of the job. We have to be here.”

(on if he’s surprised he signed a long term deal with the Patriots) “I thought there was always a chance that something would happen. I just stuck to what I thought was right and it ended up working out for the best. I’m very happy to be with New England still and I think they’re still happy to have me or I wouldn’t be here. It’s worked out for both of us and it’s going very well.”

(on the challenges of the Giants defensive line) “A lot of challenges. They’re one of the best defensive lines in the game, got a lot of speed, a lot of good players and they wreak havoc on a lot of guys.”

(on if there is one guy in particular on the Giants defensive line to look out for) “They’re all good. They all do different things good, so you got to be aware of who’s in the game, who you’re going against and what his strengths are.”

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS MEDIA DAY - GUARD BRIAN WATERS - Ingles

Super Bowl XLVI – Tuesday, January 31, 2012

(on what being at Super Bowl week for the first time in his career is like) “Oh, it’s fun. This is fun. You get to have a day like this where you get to relax and enjoy the moment, so it’s cool.”

(on who is the most wired-up out of the young guys) “That’s a good question. We try to keep everything calmed down as much as possible. We let the energy kind of increase as the week goes on, so I don’t know. But there are a lot of good candidates for that award.”

(on already having one practice under their belt this week) “I am glad we got that out of the way so we can get things on course for the rest of the week. We aren’t usually in practice on Monday, but two weeks (in between games) is a long time, so we want to get as much pad stuff and as much hitting out of our system to get back to a routine as best as possible.”

(on how important Offensive Line Coach Dante Scarnecchia has been to getting Waters adjusted to the Patriots) “Well he has definitely been an important key to it because he is the guy that helps my transition. He knows what things I knew and didn’t know coming in, so he helped really emphasize the things I didn’t know and made it easy for me – simplified it. Really, instead of trying to learn the whole playbook at one time, we really focused on week-to-week until we got really familiar with what we were doing.”

(on if Scarnecchia was hard on him when he first got there) “Oh yeah. He definitely didn’t slack off on me. He didn’t treat me any different from anybody else.”

(on Waters’ role during the regular-season game when the Patriots were down to their “third-string” center Nick McDonald) “(Helping McDonald block) is just something that a lot of teams do now so the center can keep their eyes on the defense. It is something that is transitioning and believe me, a lot of old school coaches don’t really like it, but it something that a lot of teams are doing now.”

(on what it says about Scarnecchia that he can be down to his third or fourth-string center and not miss a beat) “Well, he is a very good coach and the reason he is a good coach is because he expects everybody to play a high level – no matter where you are, no matter how old you are, no matter how high you were drafted. If you’re on this football team, there is a reason you are on this football team. He expects you to be a performer.”

(on what it is like blocking for Tom Brady) “It is really no different than any other quarterback to be honest with you. That is our main job – to protect the quarterback and give the running backs a chance to be successful. And that’s pretty much it. It doesn’t matter if it is Tom Brady or anybody else, but it definitely doesn’t lighten the pressure (because of) the fact that it is Tom Brady.”

(on what the biggest challenge is in stopping the Giants from getting to Brady) “To be honest with you, (trying to get to Brady) is pretty much every team’s biggest task when they go against us. So, we expect that from every team. Some teams just have the type of talent to get it done and the Giants do. They have the type of individual talent and as a group to get that done, so we definitely have hard days of work ahead of us. We know that is a key part of being successful as a football team – to make sure that Brady stays clean and gets an opportunity to get the ball out to those special players that we have out there in the skilled positions.”

(on the difference in the Giants’ defensive line from the first time he played them) “I don’t think there is much different other than the fact that their guys are a little bit healthier. I think (Justin) Tuck was coming off an injury. They are deep, they’re a deep group. They are doing a lot more things as far as how they are scheming up and moving people around, but there is not much different besides the fact that they are playing better.”

(on the best part of being an offensive lineman) “The fact that you are able to play as physical as you are (allowed to play). You don’t really have to worry about fumbling and different things like that. You really are able just to put your hands on players and if you have that physical mentality, it is a great position for you.”

(on the worst part of being an offensive lineman) “Nobody notices you unless you are doing something wrong. That is the only time you get your name called is when you are messing up.”

(on which other positions he played growing up) “I played everything, pretty much. I think the only positions I haven’t played are wide receiver and defensive back. No quarterback either, but I have played everything else. I came into this league as a tight end.”

(on what he would be doing if he wasn’t playing football) “I’d probably be coaching. I love the game and I love developing and working with young people, so yeah, I’d probably be coaching.”

(on being on this side of Super Bowl Media Day for the first time and what he sees) “It is a different view from down here than watching it on the television, that’s for sure. I like this view better. I am excited like everybody else. It’s one of those things where you try not to get too excited because it is a long week; we still have a few days ahead of us.”

(on the matchups between the Patriots’ offensive line and the Giants’ defensive line) “There are so many of them – both individually and as a group. Those guys are really good. It is evident by the way they play. They are a key to the whole football team because their ability to do what they do really well allows the other guys to be successful and it also allows our offense to stay within their game plan, knowing that those guys can make plays for them both with the run and the pass and being very effective against the other team’s offense. So, like I said, they can throw different guys at you. They have a bigger group that can try and stop the run and they have a smaller group that can really pick up the pass pressure, so it is definitely something that we have to pay close attention to.”

(on how the tightness as a group of the offensive line has evolved throughout the season) “I’ve had an opportunity to know a couple of these guys before I got here. I had a lot of respect for Matt Light and Logan (Mankins) and the way they played the game before I got here and then just working with Nate (Solder) and Sebastian (Vollmer) – those are two of the most talented football players, especially young players, that I have ever been around. So, it has been a really good group. Even the young guys like Donald Thomas and Nick McDonald, Ryan Wendell, those guys have really stepped up when asked, whether it be for a handful of plays or to start a game when they had never started a game in their careers. It just shows that these guys are professional and they love the game and they have a lot of respect for each other that they stay accountable to each other. It’s a good group; it’s definitely a good group.”

(on how much interaction the players have with Owner Robert Kraft) “We have a lot of interaction because he is always there – he is there every day. He is in the locker room. He works out with us at times. He uses the same facilities that we use as far as with the trainers and different things like that. He is very approachable. He comes by and speaks. He is a very hands-on owner; a very family-type owner. He is definitely an owner that a lot of guys have exposure to because he is always around.”

(on his role as an NFLPA executive committee member during the lockout) “It wasn’t an easy process. There were a lot of guys involved with that, but honestly, the concern was for the game and making sure we didn’t interrupt this great product that we have. The fans around the world really enjoy this game and I think we all knew the responsibility that we had that if we were to interrupt that, it would have been bad for everybody.”