1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:03,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to The Giants Huddle. Get him in a Huddle, 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:04,800 Speaker 1: Get him in a Huddle, Get him in a Huddle, 3 00:00:04,800 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: a New York Giants podcast. Hi, everybody, I'll hold the 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:11,120 Speaker 1: Tino was welcome to episodes two of the Giants Huddle podcast. 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: Today we sit down and talk to Giants legendary wide 6 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: receiver Romanti Tumor. I want to remind everybody the Giants 7 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:20,599 Speaker 1: Huddle can be found on giants dot com and all 8 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,959 Speaker 1: of your favorite podcast platforms and services, including iTunes and 9 00:00:25,200 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 1: tune in. Now we welcome in the most prolific wide 10 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: receiver and Giants history, Almanti Tumor. Romanti. Always great to 11 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,000 Speaker 1: see you, Paul. I think you messed up. You gotta 12 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: say Ring of Honor because that's my biggest thing that 13 00:00:38,240 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: that I really I really like that about being a 14 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:43,760 Speaker 1: career Giant is that I'm in the Ring of Honor. 15 00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 1: So all that other stuff is good. It was good, 16 00:00:45,800 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: it was a start, but we need to get the 17 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:50,640 Speaker 1: Ring of Honor in there a little bit earlier. And 18 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,680 Speaker 1: I shouldn't have to bring it up myself. I really shouldn't. Well, 19 00:00:53,720 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: that was in two thousand ten. You were the first 20 00:00:56,320 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: class member with that first class of the Giants ring 21 00:00:59,720 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: of are folks here, that's my biggest that's my biggest honor. 22 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: Why why don't we start there? Then? What is the 23 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:09,479 Speaker 1: first thing that came into your mind when you heard 24 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,120 Speaker 1: you were going to go into it? And then the 25 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: night that they actually started putting the names up in 26 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: the stadium? What what was passing through the thought process? 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: I just really felt validated, you know, because you know, 28 00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:25,760 Speaker 1: I felt like I've been snubbed in the Pro Bowl 29 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,880 Speaker 1: a couple of times, and you know, I felt like, 30 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 1: you know that I didn't I didn't um get a 31 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: lot of outside of recognition as much as I got 32 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:39,520 Speaker 1: inside the Giants organization. And so for the Giant organization 33 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,000 Speaker 1: give me recognition. I thought that that kind of made 34 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:43,480 Speaker 1: up for a lot of the other stuff that that 35 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: kind of bothered me throughout my career. Does it give 36 00:01:46,560 --> 00:01:49,480 Speaker 1: you any kind of chills or hair on the back 37 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,320 Speaker 1: of your neck or something when you walk into the 38 00:01:51,320 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 1: building and you see that your number in your name 39 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 1: is actually there within the stadium. Yeah, it tells me that, um, 40 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:04,240 Speaker 1: you know, to be remembered as a Giant and to 41 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: be a part of some of the you know, the 42 00:02:06,000 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: best teams and to have my name up there. I 43 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,920 Speaker 1: just think it's important. It's important to me that my 44 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 1: form and my family, my kids will be able to 45 00:02:13,520 --> 00:02:17,119 Speaker 1: see me up there, you know, for for a long time. Um, 46 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's it's a whole career that it 47 00:02:20,520 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: really encompasses. And that's why one of the things that 48 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:26,320 Speaker 1: makes it special because things in sports are so you know, instantaneous. 49 00:02:26,400 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: That's more of a slow burn kind of award that 50 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:32,320 Speaker 1: not everybody can get. I've got you down as holding 51 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:37,480 Speaker 1: these key giants records, career catches, career receiving your arts, 52 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: career touchdown receptions, and straight games with a catch. Those 53 00:02:43,360 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 1: are all very very significant marks. Which one of those 54 00:02:47,639 --> 00:02:49,960 Speaker 1: are you most proud of? Are you most happy to have? 55 00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:53,480 Speaker 1: You know what? Honestly, I I had a great time 56 00:02:53,480 --> 00:02:57,200 Speaker 1: playing New York. I had a great experience playing in 57 00:02:57,200 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: the NFL, even though it was one of the hardest 58 00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:01,880 Speaker 1: things I've ever done in my life for thirteen years. 59 00:03:01,880 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: But the memories that I have you sur up any 60 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: of this, the records, you know, the records, I mean, 61 00:03:09,600 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: they mean a little bit to me. I think they 62 00:03:11,160 --> 00:03:13,760 Speaker 1: would probably mean more to like my kids or my 63 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: my wife or my family. But to me, what's the 64 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:20,640 Speaker 1: experiences the way outweigh all this other stuff? All right, 65 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:23,120 Speaker 1: let me ask you this then, because you talk about 66 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:27,160 Speaker 1: the experiences, most people think automatically that a Super Bowl 67 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: championship has got to be the best experience of a 68 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:33,000 Speaker 1: guy's life. You were just talking about the Ring of Honor, though, 69 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 1: as we opened this thing up, can you at all 70 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 1: compare and contrast what it is to be a world 71 00:03:40,040 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: champion as opposed to what it is to be inducted 72 00:03:43,480 --> 00:03:45,880 Speaker 1: into a Ring of Honor by the people who you 73 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,600 Speaker 1: played for. Well, when you win a championship, I've been 74 00:03:49,640 --> 00:03:53,400 Speaker 1: on a lot of um, a lot of teams, so 75 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:56,840 Speaker 1: some were better than that Team's a lot we're worse 76 00:03:56,880 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 1: than that team. But there's a lot of luck involved 77 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:01,840 Speaker 1: in that, right. But when you get inducted into the 78 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: Ring of Honor, it it doesn't just talk about one 79 00:04:06,120 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 1: season that you had. It talked about your entire career, 80 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 1: your approach, your everything to be in the Ring of Honor. 81 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 1: It's much more than just a Super Bowl run or 82 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: or you know, a great season or three or four 83 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:25,599 Speaker 1: great seasons. It talks about thirteen years of work that 84 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:30,720 Speaker 1: this organization decided was deemed worthy of putting in their 85 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:32,560 Speaker 1: Ring of Honor. That's why it means more to me 86 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,719 Speaker 1: because it's such a it's more cumulative than just one 87 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: single season, because the duration and the amount of time 88 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 1: that that it exemplifies is a big deal. Yeah, definitely, definitely, 89 00:04:43,760 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: especially in the Giants as well, you know, I mean 90 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:48,480 Speaker 1: the you know, the Ring of Honor being in um 91 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: you know, one of the flagship NFL teams, and there's 92 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 1: a difference. I mean, I don't think people who are 93 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,760 Speaker 1: outside of the NFL, besides Giant fans, when you're in 94 00:04:59,760 --> 00:05:03,720 Speaker 1: the NFL, no matter where you are. I remember my 95 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,839 Speaker 1: first experience with the Giants was they asked all the 96 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: people at the combine to go and take a test, right, 97 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: and the Giants test was I mean, it took forty 98 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,960 Speaker 1: five minutes, and every other every other test was like, 99 00:05:19,040 --> 00:05:21,200 Speaker 1: oh yeah, come in, we'll see how you know, talk 100 00:05:21,279 --> 00:05:23,839 Speaker 1: to we've heard about that test. So it took forty 101 00:05:23,839 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 1: five minutes. So we're taking the test. Half of the 102 00:05:26,800 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: guys like forget this. I don't want to be on 103 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,960 Speaker 1: the Giants anyway. I don't want to just walking out 104 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:34,320 Speaker 1: of the meeting and I'm just like, wow, this is 105 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 1: the way they kind of weed people out, you know, 106 00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: right off the bat. And so I took the test 107 00:05:40,240 --> 00:05:42,039 Speaker 1: and the questions were really easy. I mean some of 108 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: them were like have you seen a car um? Do 109 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,280 Speaker 1: you ever feel like hurting people? Or something? Weird questions, 110 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,039 Speaker 1: but they were just questions and maybically mainally just to 111 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: make sure that you pay that you're paying attention. So 112 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 1: I took the test and I'm like, wow, this is 113 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: a little different. And every other team will you go to? 114 00:06:02,279 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 1: They always referenced the Giants in a weird way. It was. 115 00:06:05,160 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 1: It was the weirdest thing. I don't know how it happened, 116 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,560 Speaker 1: but it's when when I went to college, the same thing. 117 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,160 Speaker 1: I went to Notre Dame and they're always talking about, oh, Michigan, 118 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:14,360 Speaker 1: this Michigan. That. Well, I want to go to Michigan, 119 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 1: you know. So then I go to uh Good Choice, 120 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: and I was even I went to u c L 121 00:06:19,440 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 1: A same thing. They kept talking about Michigan. Or I 122 00:06:21,360 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 1: went to Washington, Washington, they kept talking about Michigan. I'm 123 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: gonna go to Michigan, you know. You know, I went. 124 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: I met with the people from Washington. They kept talking 125 00:06:28,800 --> 00:06:31,359 Speaker 1: about New York. I went to the people, um, you 126 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: know Dallas, they kept talking about New York. So it 127 00:06:33,240 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 1: was one of these things where the team kind of 128 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: really the interest in the team and me got elevated 129 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,560 Speaker 1: just because of the respect that they have amongst the 130 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: NFL community. And I don't think people really understand how 131 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 1: much respect the Giants have amongst the NFL community, as 132 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,040 Speaker 1: you know, in that in that group of people, tell 133 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:56,160 Speaker 1: me if you can the differences between what you were 134 00:06:56,200 --> 00:06:58,440 Speaker 1: feeling at the combine when you were coming out of 135 00:06:58,480 --> 00:07:00,720 Speaker 1: Michigan compared to what you were feeling at your pro 136 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: day as you were going through some of the drills 137 00:07:03,360 --> 00:07:05,880 Speaker 1: and as you were getting interviewed by the different teams 138 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:09,840 Speaker 1: that were interested in you. The combine was the most 139 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: uncomfortable and athletics I've ever been in my life, just 140 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 1: because you walk around half naked all the time. You 141 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 1: know they're measuring weird things. You don't know what the 142 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,320 Speaker 1: measurements mean, and like half the time I'm trying to 143 00:07:22,360 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: figure out why they're asking me these questions instead of 144 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,280 Speaker 1: just answering answering the questions. And this is one of 145 00:07:27,320 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: the reasons why I don't think like, I don't know 146 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: if I did very well what I mean, my personality things, 147 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:34,920 Speaker 1: because I really wasn't answering what I thought. I was 148 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:38,800 Speaker 1: trying to outthink the testers and be like, you know, 149 00:07:38,840 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: they'd ask me questions and I'm like, why not not 150 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: listening to what he was asking? Why would he be 151 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,360 Speaker 1: answering me asking me this, did you get coached up 152 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 1: going into the combine? Answer? But they do that now? Yeah, 153 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: Now I had no idea what I was getting into. None, 154 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:56,840 Speaker 1: Like I got on a plane and I'm like, well, 155 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 1: am I being Indiapolis? Uh Um? I don't know what 156 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,080 Speaker 1: they want from me. I know they want me to 157 00:08:03,120 --> 00:08:06,200 Speaker 1: run a forty, but anything else, I know, I'm gonna 158 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: have to jump vert a vertical. I'm gonna do some 159 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,760 Speaker 1: weird drills, catch some balls. I had no idea what 160 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 1: what to expect, and uh, I think And it was 161 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:21,360 Speaker 1: Remember there was a shroud of secrecy throughout the combines. 162 00:08:21,440 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: It wasn't on TV. They didn't even allow agents, They 163 00:08:25,040 --> 00:08:29,240 Speaker 1: didn't allow anybody who wasn't involved in the NFL, even 164 00:08:29,280 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: in the hotel. And then the stadium was empty. The 165 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: only people that were in the stadium was the NFL personnel, 166 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:40,960 Speaker 1: the scouting departments from the different teams in the league. 167 00:08:41,520 --> 00:08:43,640 Speaker 1: So it was like you walked into a black hole 168 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: and nobody, I mean nobody had cell phones because there 169 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:51,679 Speaker 1: wasn't cell phones. Um, so you had no idea what 170 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:54,240 Speaker 1: was going on. I mean, so people would come out 171 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:56,400 Speaker 1: and it was almost like you know, you know when 172 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: you go off and get off a ride and at 173 00:08:58,240 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: one of the amusement parks and you look in the 174 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,079 Speaker 1: people's faces trying to figure out what went on. That 175 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:05,400 Speaker 1: was what was like? That was That was what it 176 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: was like. When like people that went from in college 177 00:09:08,960 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 1: came back from the combines, like what was it like, 178 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 1: they'd be like, oh man, it was crazy. And that's 179 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: kind of because because the pro day is geared to 180 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:20,560 Speaker 1: make the athletes more comfortable because there weren't a more 181 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:23,200 Speaker 1: familiar center. You're you're at your own place. That's your 182 00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:25,199 Speaker 1: own place. That made you feel better. You've been through 183 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: the combine, so you're like, whatever, I've already put down 184 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:29,600 Speaker 1: a great time. I've already done all what I had 185 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:31,160 Speaker 1: to do. Let me just add on to what I 186 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:33,520 Speaker 1: can do. Now. You're six three plus. You told me 187 00:09:33,520 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: you did a four three at your pro day and 188 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:37,360 Speaker 1: I asked you if that was win dated and you 189 00:09:37,400 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: looked at me. I mean, I think because of my 190 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,000 Speaker 1: running style, a lot of people thought I was slow 191 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: from my career exactly. I get it. Yeah, No, you 192 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:54,959 Speaker 1: don't get it. Well, let's transition. When you came into 193 00:09:54,960 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: the NFL out of Michigan is a second round picking 194 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,520 Speaker 1: ninety six with the Giants. You started out as a 195 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: punt returner primarily and actually ran back over your first 196 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:08,640 Speaker 1: three years three punt returns for touchdowns before you wild 197 00:10:08,720 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: up becoming a very big part of this receiving corps. 198 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 1: Is that something even though you return kicks at Michigan, 199 00:10:15,720 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: is that something that you envisioned yourself doing long term 200 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,240 Speaker 1: or was it, Hey, I'm just gonna do whatever they 201 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 1: want me to do when I get to the league 202 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 1: and then I'm eventually going to be a receiver. No, 203 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: I wanted to be a receiver. Um, it's funny because 204 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:29,840 Speaker 1: I didn't get drafted by I got There was a 205 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:33,400 Speaker 1: guy who was a who was working. He was an 206 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:36,280 Speaker 1: intern with the Giants when he went to inter intern 207 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:40,080 Speaker 1: at UM Michigan and he was getting his business degree. 208 00:10:40,800 --> 00:10:43,680 Speaker 1: And after he got his business degree. He went straight 209 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: to becoming the assistant general manager of the Detroit Lions. 210 00:10:47,160 --> 00:10:49,840 Speaker 1: So he was as he was leaving, I was going 211 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,560 Speaker 1: through the draft, so he was kind of transitioning from 212 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,679 Speaker 1: college to pro. So I remember right after the combines 213 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,600 Speaker 1: I went up to him out and he was like, hey, man, 214 00:10:58,679 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: you know, we would love to draft at you, but 215 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: we're looking for somebody that can return punts. And I'm like, well, 216 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 1: I returned punts and like he's like, yeah, you did. 217 00:11:06,240 --> 00:11:10,320 Speaker 1: But so then and then when I got the Giants, 218 00:11:10,360 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: I didn't think I didn't even think I was gonna 219 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:15,200 Speaker 1: return punts. Like I didn't return punts or anything. I 220 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 1: caught punts in practice whatever, and I'm I was always 221 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:21,560 Speaker 1: been good at that. But then like a week before 222 00:11:22,679 --> 00:11:27,160 Speaker 1: it was the last preseason game and coach Joe D. Camillis, 223 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: I'm sitting on the sideline I got pulled out of 224 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:32,319 Speaker 1: my fourth quarter of the last game of the preseason. 225 00:11:32,320 --> 00:11:34,000 Speaker 1: He's like, yeah, you know, pretty good preseason, but get 226 00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 1: ready to return punts. I'm like what. He's like, Yeah, 227 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 1: You're gonna returning punts next week against the Buffalo Bills. 228 00:11:39,559 --> 00:11:44,600 Speaker 1: And I'm like what. I was like, I had no 229 00:11:44,679 --> 00:11:47,920 Speaker 1: idea I would be the starting part returner for the Giants. 230 00:11:48,679 --> 00:11:50,400 Speaker 1: You're a good at it. Thought I was really good 231 00:11:50,440 --> 00:11:53,400 Speaker 1: at it. But I think because I didn't get a 232 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 1: chance to think about it, he just like you're you're 233 00:11:56,800 --> 00:11:59,760 Speaker 1: gonna start and that's it. And I was like, okay. 234 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:02,040 Speaker 1: And then I wasn't playing as a receiver. So I'm like, 235 00:12:02,120 --> 00:12:04,839 Speaker 1: if I don't do punt return I'm not going to 236 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:07,680 Speaker 1: be active. I'm gonna be you know, I'm not gonna 237 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna be active. I'm not gonna be a 238 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,800 Speaker 1: dress every game. So I was like, well, until I 239 00:12:11,840 --> 00:12:15,040 Speaker 1: get better receiver, I'll do this. See. I remember when 240 00:12:15,080 --> 00:12:17,320 Speaker 1: when you blew out your your ah c L as 241 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: a rookie halfway through the season, and then I remember 242 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:22,520 Speaker 1: you had the surgery and the sort of scar on 243 00:12:22,520 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: your on your knee, your locker room on the east 244 00:12:24,920 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 1: side of the Giants locker room, and then I remember 245 00:12:27,400 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 1: when you came back, they still let you return to punts. 246 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 1: You still did it so armah because because because that's 247 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:37,199 Speaker 1: when the new coach and staff came in and they drafted, 248 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,439 Speaker 1: and they drafted I kill you and Chris Callaway on 249 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,560 Speaker 1: the receiving corps at that time too. Yeah, so I 250 00:12:44,679 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: Kill You was number four overall in the draft, so 251 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: I was so they were like, I think we're gonna 252 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: start like stuff like all right, all right. So I 253 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 1: didn't really play that much that year, and I didn't 254 00:12:56,880 --> 00:12:59,280 Speaker 1: really do that well because I still was trying to transition. 255 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,240 Speaker 1: So basically I was a rookie trying to figure out 256 00:13:02,280 --> 00:13:06,040 Speaker 1: the system how and because at that time NFL and 257 00:13:06,080 --> 00:13:07,559 Speaker 1: I guess it's the same way the NFL and college 258 00:13:07,559 --> 00:13:11,319 Speaker 1: are completely different, right in terms of like in Michigan, 259 00:13:11,320 --> 00:13:13,000 Speaker 1: if you like you had to know that, you didn't 260 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: have to know the protections because if the quarterback didn't 261 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:19,679 Speaker 1: point out in Michigan who you were hot off of, 262 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:22,840 Speaker 1: you just weren't hot. So in the NFL, it's like 263 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: you gotta know where the MIC is because you know Mike, 264 00:13:26,040 --> 00:13:30,040 Speaker 1: you know, uh, then you got you got the will 265 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,400 Speaker 1: and then the next person off is who you're hot 266 00:13:32,400 --> 00:13:33,760 Speaker 1: off of him? If you got to know that, the 267 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: quarterback is not gonna show you or tell you anything. 268 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:39,440 Speaker 1: So I would always miss sighted justs and which is 269 00:13:39,440 --> 00:13:41,720 Speaker 1: what it's called a sided and that's when the blitz 270 00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:43,880 Speaker 1: comes and I'd always miss those and I didn't really 271 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:46,520 Speaker 1: know the plays that well because in college you just 272 00:13:46,559 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: rep it wrap things out. You practice for so long 273 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: you just you're gonna get a rep at what you're doing. 274 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,199 Speaker 1: And if you don't know anything in college, there's a problem. 275 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: But in the league, it's like you gotta learn from 276 00:13:55,559 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: the board because we don't have time to keep repping 277 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 1: things out. So it took me a to figure that out. Like, look, 278 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,679 Speaker 1: you have to pay attention in meetings and you have 279 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 1: to really understand how to learn by not even doing it. 280 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 1: I want to go to a date here November six. 281 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 1: I had looked this up because despite the fact that 282 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,080 Speaker 1: I've got a great memory for Giants football, there are 283 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,200 Speaker 1: some things that got through the Cracks Cardinals game. You 284 00:14:18,280 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 1: catch your first touchdown pass from Danny Cannell. It goes 285 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: for fifty six yards. What do you remember about that? 286 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:28,840 Speaker 1: I remember like that whole off season was just like 287 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,520 Speaker 1: I was just going after it, like you know, the 288 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 1: coach told me that I was. I didn't know the plays. 289 00:14:38,160 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: I went to College Fossil and I asked him why 290 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 1: I didn't start, and he said, well, you don't know 291 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 1: the plays. You're not in very good shape, and um, 292 00:14:44,960 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: you don't you don't get off the line of scrimmage. Well, 293 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 1: these are not good things. No. I was like, well, 294 00:14:49,880 --> 00:14:51,640 Speaker 1: what else is there to be that makes you a 295 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: part retarder? And that's what that makes you exactly. So 296 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,240 Speaker 1: I was like, you know what. I went that offseason. 297 00:14:56,320 --> 00:14:58,400 Speaker 1: I was like, I'm doing everything I can. So I 298 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,800 Speaker 1: went and ran every day, not but most days I ran. 299 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:04,000 Speaker 1: I ran a three mile loop. And then I took 300 00:15:04,240 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 1: martial arts so I can learn how to, you know, 301 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 1: use my hands well. And then I remember grabbing Ken 302 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: Graham and pulling him in the office and then like, look, 303 00:15:11,520 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: teach me everything I have to know about wide receiver. 304 00:15:14,680 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: So I knew all the plays, I knew everything under 305 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: the protections. And so at that time I was being 306 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,360 Speaker 1: to be more comfortable, but still like I didn't just 307 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:23,320 Speaker 1: like I got out of there on the field and 308 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:27,280 Speaker 1: they didn't just like throw me out there, right. So, um, 309 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:29,840 Speaker 1: I started I started practicing well, I started doing well, 310 00:15:29,880 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: and then I could just start feeling my confidence come up. 311 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:34,920 Speaker 1: And then they put me in the game and threw 312 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 1: me ball. I caught it and I ran a touchdown. 313 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: It was one of those things You're just like, yes, 314 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,320 Speaker 1: I can do it. Yes, this is this work is validation, 315 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 1: this work is paying off, and my career is gonna 316 00:15:45,920 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 1: take off after this. I am on an upward project 317 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: trajectory and I can play in this league. I knew it. 318 00:15:52,560 --> 00:15:54,680 Speaker 1: I just wouldn't let everybody else know. You know what's 319 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: funny about that, though, because you get that first touchdown catch, 320 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 1: but then it's not untill two years later, on September six, 321 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,960 Speaker 1: with Kid Graham as the Giant starting quarterback, you get 322 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: your first one hundred yard game against the Washington Redskins. 323 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:10,360 Speaker 1: Five catchers for one oh five, and it was actually 324 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: Carrie Collins who came off the bench to throw you 325 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: a fourteen yard in the fourth quarter that put you 326 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: over a hundred. What was different about that as compared 327 00:16:19,040 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 1: to the first touchdown to to reach the hundred plateau. Honestly, 328 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,000 Speaker 1: I don't really I remember the game because we got 329 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: blown out by like fifty I think they scored fifty 330 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 1: on us, and that was so I didn't even really 331 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:33,080 Speaker 1: get the chance to celebrate. And I don't even really 332 00:16:33,120 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: remember until we you know, until we did all our 333 00:16:35,480 --> 00:16:39,760 Speaker 1: due diligence. But I remember that we got beat so 334 00:16:39,800 --> 00:16:41,800 Speaker 1: bad that game and they scored fifty on us. And 335 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:43,840 Speaker 1: that was the first time I ever saw the toss sweep. 336 00:16:43,880 --> 00:16:47,680 Speaker 1: That's what I remember, the tass sweep. When you were 337 00:16:47,760 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: in they light have been bunch bunch formation and the 338 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 1: number one, which is you know, usually the Y, he 339 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:58,600 Speaker 1: cracks down. Number two, which is usually the X. He'll 340 00:16:58,680 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: he cracks down as well. And then the inside guy 341 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 1: in the bunch uh leads out the uh the running 342 00:17:04,840 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 1: back in the toss sleep and that remember it was 343 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:13,120 Speaker 1: it was I just remember being very embarrassed after that day. Wow. 344 00:17:13,720 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 1: I didn't remember getting a hunter yards, but I remember 345 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:17,880 Speaker 1: the toss sleep and I remember getting getting blown out. 346 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 1: The negative sticks with you longer than the positive. It 347 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:23,240 Speaker 1: really does, it really does. I want to go back 348 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:27,520 Speaker 1: to a game in in when the Broncos came into 349 00:17:27,600 --> 00:17:31,720 Speaker 1: Giant Stadium, and for me, it's not a game that 350 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:33,840 Speaker 1: a lot of folks remember because the Giants did not 351 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 1: do well that season forgettable too many people. But for me, 352 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 1: it was remembering you running down the south sideline in 353 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:44,840 Speaker 1: front of the Broncos bench with under a minute to 354 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: go to catch a bomb from Kent Graham that ruined 355 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:50,680 Speaker 1: the Broncos bid for an undefeated season as they would 356 00:17:50,720 --> 00:17:53,560 Speaker 1: trying to chase the seventy two Dolphins. That to me 357 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:57,159 Speaker 1: was a very big Amanti Tomor moment. Yes, because that 358 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: was that was later on in that same year when 359 00:18:02,119 --> 00:18:04,440 Speaker 1: I was getting some playing time, but it was starting 360 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: to be evident that I was I was gonna be 361 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:10,840 Speaker 1: getting I should have been getting more playing time, that 362 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:14,199 Speaker 1: I should have been out there more often. And I 363 00:18:14,240 --> 00:18:17,679 Speaker 1: remember after that year, uh, working out in the bubble 364 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: and Jimmy Robinson coming up to me and saying, yeah, 365 00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:22,760 Speaker 1: you know, we probably should have started you that year, 366 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:26,200 Speaker 1: but you know we had other reasons. That that eats 367 00:18:26,240 --> 00:18:32,159 Speaker 1: me up to this day. But I remember that I 368 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 1: was the punt returner. We had just lost the lead 369 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:37,679 Speaker 1: to the Broncos and we beating We were beating him 370 00:18:37,680 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: the entire game, and they punting me the ball on 371 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:46,919 Speaker 1: the drive that this that started are the last drive 372 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: and I and I muffed it and and then I 373 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:55,199 Speaker 1: picked it up and I ran backwards to try and 374 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:58,120 Speaker 1: get around the edge. So as I'm running backwards, I'm 375 00:18:58,160 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: losing yards right, and then I get tackled and I 376 00:19:01,560 --> 00:19:03,560 Speaker 1: lose like I can't remember many yards I lost, but 377 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: I remember losing yards and I remember being like so embarrassed, like, oh, man, 378 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:11,679 Speaker 1: I messed up the game. And then I remember Roman Oben, 379 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:14,560 Speaker 1: who was my roommate for the majority of my time. 380 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: I remember walking him in the offense running onto the field, 381 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,000 Speaker 1: you know, transitioning from offense to from part return offense, 382 00:19:22,600 --> 00:19:25,880 Speaker 1: and I go, Roman, what's the personnel grouping? Which? Who 383 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: do we have? What? What? What's going on? And I 384 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:32,200 Speaker 1: remember Roman looking at me and just turning his head 385 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:35,560 Speaker 1: and just walking on the field like you screwed this up. 386 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:37,920 Speaker 1: I don't care, I don't want to pay any attention 387 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: to you, and like giving me the cold shoulder, and 388 00:19:39,760 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: I'm like, whoa, this is serious, my boy. Roman. He 389 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,199 Speaker 1: didn't even say anything to me, like I'm trying to 390 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:48,800 Speaker 1: I'm trying to figure out if I'm gonna get off 391 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:50,879 Speaker 1: the fielder come on and come on the field. Of 392 00:19:50,920 --> 00:19:54,400 Speaker 1: course it was, um I guess ten personnelity. I guess 393 00:19:54,440 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: the four receivers and one running back. But man, I 394 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 1: remember him giving me a cold shoulder, and I'm like, man, 395 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 1: I gotta do something because this is I can't ruin 396 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: this entire game. That pass may have been the most 397 00:20:08,359 --> 00:20:11,520 Speaker 1: important and greatest pass they can't grab ever throw because 398 00:20:11,520 --> 00:20:15,800 Speaker 1: it was right on you. Yeah, now I remember it was. 399 00:20:15,600 --> 00:20:17,280 Speaker 1: It was kind of like a it was an under 400 00:20:17,280 --> 00:20:19,440 Speaker 1: thrown ball, right, So I ran by the guy I 401 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:23,160 Speaker 1: can't remember, he's a Hiu steak guy. I remember, and 402 00:20:23,359 --> 00:20:26,520 Speaker 1: the ball was remember it was it was an under 403 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:30,680 Speaker 1: thrown ball and the ball was inside. But Tito Paul 404 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:32,680 Speaker 1: was so interested in me and he thought I was 405 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:36,240 Speaker 1: gonna beat him over the top that he overran it. 406 00:20:36,359 --> 00:20:39,280 Speaker 1: I stopped, came back underneath, and it made the catch 407 00:20:40,320 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: and and I got both feet down and then I remember, 408 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,119 Speaker 1: I just I just knew I was in. So I 409 00:20:45,119 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 1: got up and I started celebrating, right, and then one 410 00:20:47,359 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: referee is like, he's like, no, it's incomplete. And then 411 00:20:52,320 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: the other referee has his hands up behind me. I 412 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: didn't even care because I knew I was in, So 413 00:20:57,320 --> 00:21:01,000 Speaker 1: I was just jumping around. I was going nuts, and um, 414 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 1: you know they finally this is before they had replay too, 415 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,359 Speaker 1: so the referees had to get together and come up 416 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:10,520 Speaker 1: with the right call right there on the spot. They 417 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 1: could have very easily said nope, it wasn't it, And 418 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: there was no replay. There was no replay NFL replay, 419 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 1: so anyway, and then that was kind of like another 420 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: one of those things where I was like, look, this 421 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: is I'm gonna be good in this league. I don't 422 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 1: know if I'll be on the Giants because my contract 423 00:21:29,280 --> 00:21:31,359 Speaker 1: was up at the time. I hope that was gonna 424 00:21:31,359 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 1: be on the Giants. But I was like, oh yeah, 425 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:36,159 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'm gonna hit the bank this year, you 426 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 1: know what I mean, Like, this is this is, this 427 00:21:38,920 --> 00:21:42,640 Speaker 1: is looking all things are pointing to me being an 428 00:21:42,720 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: NFL receiver, a full time starter sooner than later. I 429 00:21:47,280 --> 00:21:49,439 Speaker 1: want to check you to the two thousand season for 430 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: a second, because you guys go to the super Bowl 431 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,679 Speaker 1: with a dominating forty one. Nothing went over Minnesota in 432 00:21:55,720 --> 00:21:59,680 Speaker 1: the most lopsided a conference championship game the NFL and 433 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,479 Speaker 1: were Seene Kerry Collins was five touchdown passes over yards. 434 00:22:05,760 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 1: The euphoria at Giant Stadium on that field of mud 435 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,639 Speaker 1: is welling to Marry Cold. It was truly remarkable, and 436 00:22:12,720 --> 00:22:15,640 Speaker 1: it was one of the most explosive events that's ever 437 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:19,640 Speaker 1: happened in that building. I remember being in the tunnel 438 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 1: and I didn't know we were just so focused on plant. 439 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 1: We didn't know about any I didn't know about anything right. 440 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: And then I remember looking out and I remember seeing 441 00:22:30,400 --> 00:22:34,760 Speaker 1: all the whole crowd with those white like towels and 442 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,159 Speaker 1: they were spinning them in the air. And then I 443 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:39,960 Speaker 1: looked out and there was LT with his like shirt off, 444 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,440 Speaker 1: like I don't know, I don't know what he was doing, 445 00:22:42,960 --> 00:22:46,080 Speaker 1: but I'm like, that's LT, you know. And all the 446 00:22:46,119 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: other giants were like going crazy, and I'm like, this 447 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:54,000 Speaker 1: is a big deal. They got LT looking crazy, they 448 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 1: got the towels. I said, this is gonna be great. 449 00:22:56,640 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: And I got hurt the week before. I hurt my 450 00:22:59,400 --> 00:23:03,879 Speaker 1: ankle and my knee, and I remember, I remember coach 451 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:07,919 Speaker 1: uh Sean Payton. I'm sitting on the train table and 452 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 1: Sean Payton's like, man, money, you're gonna be ready this week. 453 00:23:12,280 --> 00:23:15,760 Speaker 1: I'm like, I don't know, Coach. He's like, because this 454 00:23:15,840 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 1: secondary is the worst I've ever seen. He's like, we 455 00:23:20,640 --> 00:23:22,640 Speaker 1: are going to put the ball up in the air. 456 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 1: You better be ready. So then I remember thinking, I 457 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:28,680 Speaker 1: go over, I get off the table. I'm my coach. 458 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:30,280 Speaker 1: I think I'll be ready, and I start jumping on 459 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:32,479 Speaker 1: my leg and I started jumping up and down on 460 00:23:32,480 --> 00:23:37,159 Speaker 1: one leg. I'll be ready to coach that goodness for that, 461 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:40,879 Speaker 1: because that was that was an incredible not only offensive showing, 462 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 1: but to shut out at that time what was considered 463 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:47,560 Speaker 1: one of those incredible offenses ever, Chris Carter, Randy Moss, 464 00:23:47,960 --> 00:23:51,200 Speaker 1: who else was Who's the quarterback? They had Robert Smith 465 00:23:51,240 --> 00:23:54,120 Speaker 1: in the back. That was the last year and ever 466 00:23:54,160 --> 00:23:56,520 Speaker 1: since they lost Robert Smith, they lost a lot. I mean, 467 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: he was a phenomenal player that is way underrated in 468 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 1: that whole system because the running threat really made Moths 469 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:09,840 Speaker 1: and Carter more viable options. Let's let's go now. Years later, 470 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:12,280 Speaker 1: you get the second a c L injury. This time 471 00:24:13,440 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: again you have to go have surgery, and people are saying, well, 472 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:17,440 Speaker 1: I don't know about the money if he's gonna be 473 00:24:17,480 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 1: able to come back from this one. But you do 474 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,560 Speaker 1: it again. And of course a year later in two 475 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,080 Speaker 1: thousand seven, the Giants go to the Super Bowl and 476 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 1: win it. Great postseason run. But I'm going to ask 477 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: you about one thing in particular. The week leading into 478 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:36,360 Speaker 1: that game in Arizona, Plexico, Burris knee blows up and 479 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:38,879 Speaker 1: you obviously know about it. The media really doesn't know 480 00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: much about what's going on. But you guys inside, no, 481 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:44,119 Speaker 1: I didn't know what happened. That's what I want to 482 00:24:44,119 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: ask you about, because what what exactly was going through 483 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 1: your mind? What did you know? What didn't you know? 484 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,680 Speaker 1: Because if Plexico is not the lineup, that's a big deal. 485 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:57,080 Speaker 1: That's a really big deal. That's a really big deal. Um. 486 00:24:57,200 --> 00:25:01,639 Speaker 1: I didn't know how he got I just knew that 487 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: he was hurt, and he hurt himself Tuesday, right on 488 00:25:06,640 --> 00:25:08,760 Speaker 1: the player's day off. I don't know what happened. I 489 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:10,639 Speaker 1: don't know why. I don't know any stories that he 490 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: slipped in the bathtub. Okay, okay, um, that's all I'll say. 491 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:20,439 Speaker 1: I don't know. I mean, I don't know, but I 492 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,959 Speaker 1: just remember seeing him at practice and he was like, Hobblem, 493 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: like you gonna be at right He's like, ye'all be fine. 494 00:25:24,680 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: So I just took him for his word. He said 495 00:25:26,080 --> 00:25:27,920 Speaker 1: it's gonna be fine. He's gonna be fine. He didn't 496 00:25:27,960 --> 00:25:30,399 Speaker 1: practice all week, but he didn't practice the entire season 497 00:25:30,440 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 1: because he had a bad ankle, So I wasn't really 498 00:25:32,240 --> 00:25:36,200 Speaker 1: it wasn't anything different. Uh. And I remember Dave Tyree 499 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:39,479 Speaker 1: because they put Dave Tyree in his spot because they 500 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,320 Speaker 1: figured he'd come back, and if they've moved me or 501 00:25:42,400 --> 00:25:44,760 Speaker 1: moved anybody else over to his spoty would kind of 502 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:47,399 Speaker 1: mess up the whole flow of things. So what basically 503 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:48,960 Speaker 1: what they did was they just left everybody else to 504 00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,560 Speaker 1: where they were supposed to be. Me and Boss were 505 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:54,200 Speaker 1: you know were, and then put Dave Tyree and as 506 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:56,679 Speaker 1: the X because I played Z at the time, and 507 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,119 Speaker 1: so you know, we went through a practice. Everything was fine, 508 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,240 Speaker 1: and then and Friday, which is the day where everything 509 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:07,520 Speaker 1: has to be tiptop, is our last practice. Dave Tyree 510 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:11,280 Speaker 1: proceeded to let the ball just beat the hell out 511 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:16,120 Speaker 1: of him. I mean, he dropped everything. I mean it 512 00:26:16,200 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 1: was like, we just can't say, man, plex go better 513 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:24,240 Speaker 1: come back because this dude is cutting board hands. Man, 514 00:26:24,320 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: he is killing the game right now. He's making everything, 515 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:31,880 Speaker 1: and this the whole team was like, god, dang Dave 516 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 1: trying to pass him a cup of water, you drop it. 517 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: I mean it was crazy and uh but so uh 518 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 1: so so I was just I just I just knew 519 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:46,520 Speaker 1: that he was gonna come back for the game. He 520 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,679 Speaker 1: had to because there was nobody we would be able 521 00:26:48,680 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: to compete, So everybody's just thinking, oh, Dave's just taking 522 00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:54,639 Speaker 1: you know now. The way he tells the story is 523 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:58,040 Speaker 1: it was literally hours before the game, he's talking to 524 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:00,560 Speaker 1: Ronny Barnes in the trainer's room and there's still not 525 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:04,720 Speaker 1: sure that he's coming back into into play. It's probably 526 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:07,040 Speaker 1: good that he didn't leverybody else know, and and then 527 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,280 Speaker 1: you know it's decided that, you know what, he can go? 528 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:13,160 Speaker 1: How much I mean is that a Willis Reid Knicks 529 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 1: kind of moment? And I know you're not that old, 530 00:27:15,960 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 1: but you know the story about when Willis Reid comes 531 00:27:18,280 --> 00:27:21,560 Speaker 1: out Game seven nine NBA Finals against the Lakers. Today, 532 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:23,760 Speaker 1: nobody thinks, yeah, nobody thinks he can play, but he 533 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,640 Speaker 1: comes out and the inspiration picks up the whole team. 534 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 1: Was there a Burrust type moment like that for you 535 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,359 Speaker 1: guys you actually saw him come out onto the field. No, 536 00:27:34,480 --> 00:27:36,479 Speaker 1: because we knew we thought he was gonna play anyway, 537 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:38,360 Speaker 1: you always did. We always thought he was gonna play. 538 00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 1: I always stought he was gonna play, So I never 539 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,200 Speaker 1: really thought. I never thought anything of it. So it's 540 00:27:44,200 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 1: a good thing that we didn't know then, a good 541 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:51,120 Speaker 1: thing that you know, Dave wasn't going to have to play. 542 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,320 Speaker 1: But then Dave goes out and has one of the 543 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:55,840 Speaker 1: best Super Bowl catches in a Super Bowl history, and 544 00:27:55,880 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: he has a touchdown. Listen to David's career, right, he 545 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:00,639 Speaker 1: has a memory, he has a touch down in the 546 00:28:00,640 --> 00:28:03,760 Speaker 1: Super Bowl. Right, he played in a Pro Bowl. Right, 547 00:28:04,400 --> 00:28:06,840 Speaker 1: he has one of the best Super Bowl catches of 548 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 1: all time? The best? Okay, yeah, the best? I agree 549 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: with you, the best. That's amazing. There's a lot of 550 00:28:15,840 --> 00:28:18,040 Speaker 1: guys with gold jackets. They don't have careers like that. 551 00:28:18,960 --> 00:28:22,199 Speaker 1: They don't have all those three boxes checked off. Not 552 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:23,959 Speaker 1: to take anything away from David because he was a 553 00:28:23,960 --> 00:28:30,359 Speaker 1: phenomenal player, but wow, unbelievable. So now I remember the 554 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 1: rig ceremony and it was a Tiffany's in New York, 555 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: and you and Michael Strahan get your rings as everybody 556 00:28:37,600 --> 00:28:40,440 Speaker 1: else does, and the questions are coming about, Hey, is 557 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:42,760 Speaker 1: this it is a Monty tumor going to come back 558 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:44,800 Speaker 1: for another year? Is Michael Strahan going to come back 559 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:48,160 Speaker 1: for another year? As it turned out, your only other 560 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 1: football experience was a short time in training camp with 561 00:28:50,600 --> 00:28:52,760 Speaker 1: the Kansas City Chiefs. Well I played the next year, 562 00:28:52,800 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 1: We played the next year, but shortly after that, that's 563 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: all it was. And and I wonder if in retrospect, 564 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:02,040 Speaker 1: as we started this conversation and so kind of how 565 00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:04,959 Speaker 1: I want to wrap it up, how important was it 566 00:29:05,000 --> 00:29:08,680 Speaker 1: really for you to have not only been a giant 567 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:11,240 Speaker 1: your whole career, but have been able to take the 568 00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: full circle go to Super Bowl, then get to win 569 00:29:14,400 --> 00:29:17,520 Speaker 1: a Super Bowl and and then wind up being a 570 00:29:17,600 --> 00:29:23,960 Speaker 1: Ring of honor? Guy? Was there anything left undone? Um? Undone? 571 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:29,560 Speaker 1: I felt like I personally could have been different circumstances, 572 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:31,920 Speaker 1: different situations I could have had I could have I 573 00:29:32,320 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: think I could have done more, you know, as a 574 00:29:34,560 --> 00:29:39,520 Speaker 1: receiver personally, but in terms of what the group did 575 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: and how we um you know, beat the Patriots and 576 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:46,280 Speaker 1: had that run, and you know, that was one of 577 00:29:46,280 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 1: the most satisfying things of my career, just being able 578 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:52,040 Speaker 1: to do it as I've always wanted to do it 579 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,920 Speaker 1: on the road four times and you know, went in 580 00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:59,400 Speaker 1: four road games, road Warriors. I wanted. I I like 581 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:01,400 Speaker 1: that that was something that you know, deep down I 582 00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:05,920 Speaker 1: always wanted to do. UM. But I felt like there 583 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 1: were times in my career where I was that it 584 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: was more in my prime where we just weren't a 585 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: very good team, and there was things that just that 586 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:19,800 Speaker 1: held me personally back. But other than you know, other 587 00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:24,000 Speaker 1: than a little bit of you know, selfishness, I could say, 588 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 1: there's nothing I could have. I felt that everything, and 589 00:30:28,680 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 1: being uh inducted into the Ring of Honor kind of 590 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,640 Speaker 1: quelled a lot of that stuff because no matter how 591 00:30:34,680 --> 00:30:36,920 Speaker 1: many more statistics I got. I think that's one of 592 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:40,200 Speaker 1: the best things, because it's the organization that I came 593 00:30:40,320 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: up through. It's every they know everything about me. I've 594 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: been there for thirteen years. Everything about, you know, my 595 00:30:48,520 --> 00:30:53,000 Speaker 1: approach the game had been validated um by people that 596 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: are more important than writers that don't even know me. 597 00:30:57,240 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 1: That is so cool, because you're right. It's it's about 598 00:31:02,480 --> 00:31:06,640 Speaker 1: the respect that people who know most about you have 599 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 1: thrown your way. And I've often said to people that 600 00:31:10,600 --> 00:31:13,200 Speaker 1: I think if a organization put you in a Ring 601 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,040 Speaker 1: of Honor or retires your jersey, I could understand why 602 00:31:16,040 --> 00:31:20,600 Speaker 1: that's more meaningful. I'd like to, but I don't know that. 603 00:31:20,640 --> 00:31:22,000 Speaker 1: I don't know that they're gonna do it. I don't 604 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: think that's all right. That's okay, Amanti Tumor, thank you 605 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: so much for your time. This has been a tremendous 606 00:31:28,080 --> 00:31:30,360 Speaker 1: amount of fun as we go down memory lane. Thank 607 00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:34,320 Speaker 1: you that is Giants Legend and Ring of Honor inductee 608 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 1: Amanti Tumor, and thanks for listening to us. We want 609 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 1: to remind everybody The Giants Tuttle can be found on 610 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: giants dot com and all your favorite podcast platforms and 611 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:46,640 Speaker 1: services including iTunes and tune in. Thanks for joining us. 612 00:31:46,680 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 1: We'll see you next week on another episode of The 613 00:31:49,000 --> 00:31:50,600 Speaker 1: Giant Huttle. So long, everybody,