Rookie Jets defensive lineman tackled some Q&A from Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Why does holding the Lombardi Trophy mean so much to you?
A: Greatness. Your name’ll be remembered forever. You only live once, and you want your name to last throughout the ages … even when I’m dead and gone.
Q: Do you think you can be a dominant player in this league?
A: Yeah. Think that’s what I’m doing. For years to come. Years to come.
Q: Do you think you’re a dominant player now?
A: Yeah.
Q: You need more sacks though.
A: It’s all right. I’ll get there.
Q: If someone were to describe you as an animal in the zoo or the jungle, what kind of animal would you see yourself as?
A: A liger. A lion and a tiger mixed, man. I stick out in a crowd.
Q: And you have a lot of bite.
A: A lot. No bark, just all bite. … I got a little bark. … I’ll bite, then bark. That’s my type. That’s how I like to do it.
Q: Describe your on-field mentality.
A: Relentless, a bully, refuse to be denied … anything to win.
Q: What’s it like being a bully on the football field?
A: It’s taking the will from another man. It’s just something I enjoy.
Q: Can you tell when you’ve taken the will from another man?
A: Yeah.
Q: How?
A: Their movements aren’t the same as the first play. They come out with conviction, intent to win, and then you get to pound ’em a little bit. They come out, they’re trying to protect themselves a lot, they block a little different, or they don’t want to hit you as hard as they’re trying to hit somebody else.
Q: Has anybody ever bullied you on the field?
A: No. Refuse.
Q: You talk trash?
A: A lot.
Q: Why?
A: Make the game fun. If I feel like if I tell you I’m gonna beat you on the inside and I beat you inside, I own you (smile). I really own you!
Q: And you’ll say that?
A: Oh, most definitely.
Q: Do guys on the other team get offended that you’re a rookie and you shouldn’t be talking that way?
A: Oh, most definitely.
Q: What do you hear from them?
A: I’m a rookie, I don’t know nothing. I’ll say, “Well I just got a sack, so I know something.”
Q: Joe Namath’s guarantee — If you were a member of his team, what would you have thought of that?
A: I would have followed suit. Like, if we’re in the Super Bowl, you can’t tell me we’re not winning this.
Q: What would you have said to him?
A: “Let’s go get it!” I mean, confidence like that, it’ll surely bring the team up, never down.
Q: Bulletin-board material before a Super Bowl doesn’t mean anything?
A: Not at all. It’s the Super Bowl, it’s put-up-or-shut-up.
Q: So if the Jets get to a Super Bowl one day, you might even make a guarantee.
A: I won’t guarantee it. I won’t be as brash as that, but I’ll most definitely try to convince you to make you think I’m thinking that.
Q: What is your girlfriend, Sydnie Green, like?
A: She keeps me humble. She keeps me levelheaded, man. Sometimes I believe my own words I tell people.
Q: What would Defensive Rookie of the Year mean to you if you won that?
A: Small stepping stone, but m most definitely appreciative. … Small stepping stone to what I’m trying to do, I’m trying to hold the Lombardi Trophy up and … just add to the collections and accomplishments.
Q: Have you actually envisioned holding up the Lombardi Trophy?
A: Oh yeah, many times. Many times. Especially as a kid. That’s what this game had to offer besides the Hall of Fame, is just the Lombardi Trophy, you know?
Q: Do you think one day with the New York Jets you’re gonna be holding that Lombardi Trophy?
A: Very soon.
Q: Very soon? How can you say that?
A: How can I say that? I just got a good feeling.
Q: Describe Jets fans.
A: Intense. … I don’t blame ’em. If I’m paying my hard-earned money to go see the Jets win, they better win.
Q: Are you recognized around town?
A: I’m starting to get that a little bit.
Q: And what’s that like?
A: Annoying a little bit.
Q: Why?
A: You can’t have a dinner without somebody asking you for your autograph, that’s kinda annoying (smile).
Q: They shouldn’t come up to you when you’re eating dinner.
A: It’s always the same thing though — “I’m sorry if I interrupted” or “Is this a bad time?” I just say, “It’s fine.”
Q: What’s gonna happen when you get more recognized?
A: That’s when I stop showing my face in the public.
Q: That’s sad.
A: It’s not really. I’m a homebody person anyway (chuckle)
Q: What was it like getting booed at the draft?
A: I laughed, ’cause they just didn’t know what they had drafted. I laughed. I told ’em, “Come on, keep booing me, ’cause you’re gonna be cheering in a minute.”
Q: Why do you seem wise beyond your years?
A: I always grew up around older people.
Q: You also seem street smart.
A: A little bit.
Q: How did you get so street smart?
A: Growing up in St. Louis, it’s not hard to get street smart real quick.
Q: Give me an example.
A: I’d rather not get into that one.
Q: You saw some bad things.
A: It made you learn quick, man. Just simple stuff, like guys trying to jump people in school and pulling the fire alarm so they can go outside so their big brothers can get their hands on you and stuff like that.
Q: Nobody picked on you?
A: Nah, I wasn’t the getting-picked-on type. Elementary, middle school, high school, probably had one fight at each level and that was about it, ’cause everybody knew I had hands.
Q: Describe your best high school game.
A: I had four sacks in the first quarter, 16 tackles, like four [tackles for loss], and on offense I had about 3-4 catches for about, I’d say [108 yards], two touchdowns.
Q: The first time you saw New York City was the draft. What did you think of it?
A: Too busy.
Q: In what way?
A: It’s too many people. My traffic [in St. Louis] is like literally 15 minutes. Traffic out here is literally like three to four hours, so yeah, it’s nowhere near the same.
Q: Describe College of the Sequioas community college in Visalia, Calif.
A: Mizzou sent me out there. It was a struggle. … Broke, on my own, fended for myself. But it was worth it. I grew up out in junior college.
Q: What did you do for food?
A: Cleaned out people’s attics … cut grass … whatever I could to get a few bucks, man.
Q: What did that experience teach you?
A: Made me cherish my parents a lot more, and what they’re doing for me, and what they did. When I got drafted, and they found out what I was making a week for my first year, my mom broke it down to me, in three game checks, that’s their yearly salary they raised three boys on, so … It meant a lot. That means something to me.
Q: Are you more like your mom or your dad?
A: I have no idea. I have my days when I’m both.
Q: Describe your mom for me.
A: Quiet … goofy around the kids … kind … sweet-hearted, big-hearted … loving … family-first, even before herself … neat (laugh), she can’t stand for stuff to be dirty … observant.
Q: Describe your father.
A: Strict … demanding … set the standard in the house.
Q: That standard was what?
A: Greatness.
Q: Did he talk about greatness to you?
A: A lot. It’s just hard when your father’s a perfectionist, man (chuckle), when there’s no room for error growing up as a kid, even if you’re 5 years old. … He just held us to a higher standard. His kids were better than other kids.
Q: So what would he say about greatness?
A: Whatever. Just whatever you do, just be great at it. Don’t settle to be second best to nobody.
Q: Describe yourself.
A: Observant, laid back, big-hearted, loving, caring, family-first above all … always putting a smile on people’s faces and mine … jokester … know when to be serious … kinda boring too, I don’t really do too much.
Q: No hobbies?
A: Video games, that’s about it. And watching movies.
Q:Who was the biggest influence on you growing up?
A: My father.
Q: In what way?
A: Just told me, “Whatever you do, just be great at it, and no matter what it is you’re doing, just never give up on it. Sacrifices, he used to tell me about that, being dedicated, and being committed to what you want to do.”
Q: What does he do?
A: He drives an 18-wheeler for Pepsi.
Q: Did he ever take you on a trip with him?
A: That’s not a trip, bro. That’s work. And I did it a few times, and I told myself I could never work at 9-to-5.
Q: Describe exactly what he does.
A: He moves pallets of Pepsis store to store, and he has to stack ’em in store to store, for 15-hour days … leave around 5, 6 o’clock in the morning, won’t get home until 5, 6 o’clock in the afternoon.
Q: How does he feel about you being a professional football player?
A: Dream come true. I want to say it was his 50th birthday [card], saying I was his meal ticket. Meal Ticket came though.
Q: What did it say on it?
A: Love you Pops. Signed, “ Your youngest boy, a.k.a. The Meal Ticket.
Q: What year was that?
A: I was probably still in high school.
Q: So even in high school, you thought you were gonna be his meal ticket.
A: I’ve been thinking I’d be playing in the NFL since I was a little kid.
Q: Who were your favorite players growing up?
A: Mike Alstott, Tony Gonzalez, John Lynch, Brian Dawkins, London Fletcher, Jevon Kearse, Warren Sapp, Michael Irvin, Warrick Dunn, Mike Anderson, Jerry Rice, Quintin Jammer, the list can go on forever … Deacon Jones …
Q: I don’t think any of those names you mentioned are quarterbacks.
A: I don’t like quarterbacks. I really never idolized a quarterback (chuckle). I was never trying to be a quarterback. I played quarterback a few snaps.
Q: And what happened?
A: It was a fake halfback pass, threw a Go route, caught it, but he didn’t score. It was like a 50-yard pass, though.
Q: That was the only pass you threw in high school?
A: I think so.
Q: It never whet your appetite to play quarterback.
A: Nah.
Q: What did you play on offense?
A: Everything.
Q: You preferred defense.
A: Defense you’re on your own. You don’t have to depend on somebody to get you the ball or blocking for you. All you gotta do is do your responsibility and maintain your gap. It’s easier.
Q: Favorite Christmas gift.
A: I remember my mama bought me a suit for one Christmas, and I was young, and I never understood why she bought me a suit. “I’m only gonna wear this once, Easter and this and that. I don’t wear suits. I don’t like suits.” Still to this day I still don’t like suits. She said, “You look handsome in it, and I just want to see you in a suit, and it’s always good to have one.” She broadened my horizons a little bit.
Q: If you was president, you would …
A: Lower taxes. I know what taxes really mean now, so I really would lower taxes.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Thomas Jefferson, Snoop Dogg, Denzel Washington.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “The Warriors.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Samuel L. Jackson.
Q: Who would you pick to play you?
A: Anthony Anderson. Does he look like me a little bit? Do I look like him?
Q: Why did you start growing the beard?
A: Every time I cut my facial hair off I’d just get bumps on my neck, so I just kept my facial hair.
Q: Do you think it helps intimidate offensive players?
A: I doubt it. They pretty much have a beard, too.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Halle Berry.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Sweet corn, fried chicken, baked potato fully loaded.
Q: What do you think about player safety?
A: I was with the helmet-to-helmet contact. I was all for that one. OK, we can’t hit ’em in the head. But you got the devastating hit clause, you can’t hit a guy too hard, or a defenseless player. … What happened to football?
Q: It’s a softer game?
A: It’s changed a lot. The fact that I can’t hit another man the way another man’ll hit me on the field is crazy.