Giants defensive end Justin Tuck tackles a Christmas Day Q&A with The Post’s Steve Serby:
Q: What does Christmas mean to you?
A: Christmas for me means the birth of Jesus Christ, it gives an opportunity to celebrate all the great things in our lives — family, friends, our health, and more importantly, giving.
Q: As a child, what was one of your favorite Christmas memories?
A: One of our traditions was we used to sleep in front of the Christmas tree. That’s probably the reason why I thought Santa Claus was real. We’d wake up in the morning and the Christmas presents would be there (laugh). So I thought Santa was magical, because he got presents in there while I was sleeping in front of a tree.
Q: Did you have a favorite Christmas gift?
A: Not really. Obviously I had some great Christmases and some great gifts, but I don’t think I had a favorite one.
Q: Did you ever dress up as Santa?
A: I have before. I’m a little too skinny.
Q: How old is your son Jayce now?
A: Jayce is 3 now. He’s making cookies with his grandma right now.
Q: Does he have any Christmas gift requests?
A: He wants a dinosaur and an octopus.
Q: Jonah is six months. So this is your first Christmas with the two of them.
A: Now it’s kinda man-to-man — my wife takes one and I’ll take the other one, we kinda work it that way.
Q: How would you compare your frame of mind this Christmas to last Christmas?
(Jayce interrupts in background)
Q: What did he want?
A: He said, “Grandma’s taking his something away.”
Q: The place you’re in this Christmas as a person and as a New York Giant?
A: I’m in a great place, honestly. I’m just trying to live in the moment, I guess. I guess I’m thankful for the opportunity a lot more than I was when I was younger.
Q: When you reflect back on this season, what are your thoughts?
A: Obviously had a lot of aspirations of getting back in the playoffs and making another run, but that didn’t happen.
Q: What do you expect as far as your future with the Giants?
A: You know what, I don’t know. I think I’ve done a great job this season, and I’m not really worried about it. Just go out there and play good football, and things will take care of themselves. But honestly, me and the Giants haven’t discussed it none whatsoever. And that’s kinda how I wanted it, to be honest with you. So, I really don’t have anything to report whatsoever.
Q: Are you optimistic that you’ll be able to retire as a Giant?
A: Sure I am.
Q: Why are you?
A: I think I’ve got a lot of good football to play, and I felt like I did what they asked me to do for nine years. Hopefully, that will continue. But time will tell.
Q: You really thought at the start of this season this was a Super Bowl-contending team, didn’t you?
A: Sure I did. Absolutely. The people that we brought in to help us get over the hump … missing the playoffs by one game last year, and also understanding just how this team seems to find it and play together at the end of the season to get on runs like we have before … yeah, I felt very good about our chances.
Q: What will it take to get this team back to being a Super Bowl contender, and how far away or how close do you think this team is?
A: I don’t think we’re that far away, honestly. If we can get everybody healthy and plug a few guys in that really are hungry to go out there and win another Super Bowl, then I don’t think we’re that far. We have a great coaching staff. I think Eli [Manning]’s gonna have a great year next year, I really do. I think a lot of people are down on him right now, but I feel like that’s not gonna last considering I know how hard he works. And defensively, I think we hit our stride, honestly. I think we’re gonna be a lot better next year. Obviously, that depends on what direction [general manager] Jerry [ Reese] and his guys are gonna go in this offseason as far as free agency. But, if I had to take a guess on just seeing the team we have right now and if everybody’s back next year, I’ll feel pretty confident in it.
Q: You don’t think there will be wholesale changes?
A: I don’t know. I don’t get paid to make those decisions, I can’t tell you what another man’s thinking. Or other men are thinking.
Q: What are your thoughts on Coach Coughlin and leaving his coaching staff intact?
A: I think that’s a great choice, to be honest with you. I feel confident in our coaching staff from top to bottom.
Q: What did you learn about Coach Coughlin that maybe you didn’t know?
A: I don’t think I learned anything I didn’t know, I think it just reconfirmed some things as far as his drive and his will to win considering the obstacles he went through both professionally and in his family, personally [the loss of his brother]. He’s never wavered, he’s always continued to have that drive and that commitment to team first, and trying his best to get us prepared to win football games. That has never changed, and I don’t see it change at all. I know everyone talks he’s older now, things like that, but I haven’t seen any wavering … he’s not acting like a near 70-year-old man. I think he’s got a lot of fight in him, and I think we all see that.
Q: What do you expect next season from Jason Pierre-Paul?
A: Everyone knows that when he’s healthy, he is one of the more dominant defensive players in this league. So hopefully he can get his body right. Obviously, I know about not being right and how your play suffers. And I think he’s a prime case of that this year, so hopefully these last weeks of him not playing will give him a chance to start getting into the offseason, and he’ll be the JPP of old next year.
Q: Antrel Rolle and Jon Beason?
A: Antrel has been, I think, our MVP, to be honest with you. Consistent ball player, great leader. Everyone knew what type of player Beason was before the injuries. He instantly came in and helped this defense and really solidified us in the middle.
Q: What’s the rest of your [Chrismas Eve] going to be like?
A: First I’m gonna clean up all these clothes in this room here, and make it look presentable. And then we’re gonna continue to cook cookies, and I’m gonna go cook some ham for dinner, then we’re gonna go to church, come back and eat, and then I think we’re gonna open a few presents today, and I think that’ll be all.
Q: It’s your wife, your kids and your mother-in-law? Who else is there?
A: My parents-in-law.
Q: You’ll do the cooking?
A: Today it’s gonna be a collective effort of mother-in-law, wife and me. And I think I’m in charge of drinks (laugh).
Q: What kind of drinks?
A: For me, non-alcoholic. For everybody else, probably some expensive red wine.
Q: You won’t have any red wine?
A: I might have a glass, but I got a game to prepare for this week.
Q: What will Christmas Day be like for you?
A: I think my day will be fun watching my family open gifts and just being thankful for health and the blessings God has given us. And then I’ll be going to practice to prepare for the Redskins.
Q: What does having a wife like Lauran means on Christmas to you?
A: I don’t know how to word it, but just a complete support system. She is awesome in every degree of that word. I’m tremendously blessed to have a support system like her, and a woman that’s continued to be there in all facets, personally, professionally. A great mother. She can work on her cooking, but we got time for that.
Q: Do you think anybody can beat the Seahawks?
A: Yes, I think every team that’s gonna be in it the next round can be beat. Obviously, they’re one of the teams that are gonna be a little bit more difficult, especially if they end up getting home-field advantage, those guys play awesome up there. But you just saw Arizona go up there and beat ’em, so yeah, they can be beat, but talk is cheap, you gotta play the game, and those guys are from top to bottom, I think are probably the best team in the NFL right now, but sure they can be beat.
Q: Some NFC team will be using your locker room and the Super Bowl’s in your backyard. And you guys won’t be there.
A: I can say I think the word is disappointing. We had aspirations of representing the NFC in that game, but it won’t happen and you move on. I think for us, it’s a learning experience, and whoever gets the opportunity to sit in my locker, I’ll make sure I clean it out for him.
Q: Will you be going to the game?
A: I doubt it.
Q: Your Christmas Day message to Giants fans?
A: We appreciate them having our back through thick and thin. We will try our best to make sure that next year’s Christmas … we’re doing a lot more giving than we gave this year.