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On Wednesday, the New York Giants officially signed quarterback Russell Wilson and introduced him to the team's beat writers via Zoom.
Wilson proved to be very talkative, transparent, and insightful. He addressed a wide range of topics and didn't shy away from any questions.
Using his own words, here are nine notable takeaways from Wilson's first pow-wow with members of the New York media.
"I expect to be the starter and come in here and be ready to rock and roll every day," he said. "This team is really looking for somebody to lead them in every way in terms of process and the offseason, during the season, our habits and our thought process, how we create a great winning culture, and how do we continue to establish that, to really build on things that we do well and things we need to continue to do.
"I think the big part for me is just try to -- this might be my 14th year to be able to lead an amazing group of men that really have big hopes and goals and dreams and desires, and we all share the same goal.
"I think that's the best part about it. I get to be around a lot of extremely talented guys."
"Watching this freak of an athlete in (Malik) Nabers. This guy, when he touches the ball, he may score every single time. He's been exciting. Got to talk to him along the way. He's fired up and we've had a lot of good conversations so far," Wilson said.
"Just really excited to get to work. Excited about the young guys, guys like Theo (Johnson) and what he can do and the experienced guys like Darius (Slayton) and his ability to get down the field and make plays.
"I think I talked to Jalin Hyatt today a little bit too. He's a guy that's been untapped in terms of what knows he's capable of. It's just been a really good process. And there are many others. Wan'Dale Robinson, he is like a running back. Every time he touches the ball, he's hard to tackle, his ability to make people miss, his ability to get away from guys and his ability to escape. I've played with some guys that before.
"And many others along the way. Obviously, the backs and they're able to do. They're so young and talented. And then the guys up front. It always starts with the guys up front, what they're capable of. Seeing a guy like Andrew Thomas in the weight room and doing squats, just being around him a little bit.
"Just guy GVR (Greg Van Roten), talking to different guys along the way. Just been a really smooth process that's given me a lot of confidence."
"Really love just the whole process here. Just obviously Joe and Coach Daboll and the rest of the staff and people here, just the environment," Wilson said. "I think Daboll is one of the most competitive guys. You get to see it in terms of his play-calling over the years. He's coached some amazing guys, guys like Josh Allen, Tua, Jalen Hurts in college and stuff, just some other places he's been.
"There has been some familiar people I know that he knows as well that he's close with. We've been able to bond on that and just the experience of loving the game. This guy has won five Super Bowls I believe it is, being with the Patriots, won a national championship. He's been around greatness and knows what it looks like and sounds like.
"This guy has been the coach the year not that long ago, couple years ago. There is a standard that he knows what that looks like, especially offensively, and how he sees the game. I really love that part about him and what he brings to the table.
"What I really like about Dabs is just his mentality, his attack mentality. We haven't been able to talk a whole bunch of ball yet, but I've been able to see a bunch over the years and understand who he is."
"First of all, Aaron Rodgers is a tremendous football player. He's done some amazing things in this league," Wilson said. "I've been fortunate that I've been able to do some great things, too."
"I obviously love playing in MetLife Stadium. A lot of good memories here," Wilson said. "Some of my most fond memories of this game that I poured my heart and soul into every day happened right here in this stadium right across the street in MetLife Stadium.
"I'm excited to create some more memories with some amazing teammates for this amazing fan base. Really, what it takes, though, is just one day at a time, being crazily obsessed with the process and the days and what we can do and just winning the day. What happens is great things happen with that.
"It's a collective effort, but when I pulled up to the stadium and the facility today and when I pulled up last week, it makes me feel some type of way. It makes me get excited about the possibility of what this team can do."
"I think that first part of it is our habits and approach every day, our study habits, how we go to work every day, how we push each other every day on and off the field. I think winning is a process," Wilson said. "Winning is also a habit. So how we go about that, what our habits are like daily, our approach, mentality, how we communicate with one another.
"It’s funny. My old mental coach, Trevor Moawad, who passed away cancer. He is one of my closest people I've ever known. He used to always say, simple wins. Sometimes it’s the little things you do well. If I use basketball terms, I get to go to the Knicks game tonight. I'm excited to go watch them play. At the end of the day, you’ve got to make your free throws and layups. Same thing in football. You’ve got to hit the ones that are open, make the big plays.
"You’ve got to also do all the fundamentals really well offensively, defensively, special teams. All the things we know. These guys in this locker room are really excited about the opportunity and what we can bring to the table. I’ve been talking to a bunch of guys, all the O-linemen, some of the tight ends, running backs and receivers, different guys."
"I think the first thing is you always handle yourself first. Get yourself prepared at the highest level and control what you can control. Part of that is doing everything I can to be my best every day," Wilson said. "Then from there, from leading in that sense, everybody else grows with you from that. They learn from you. They see how you work. See your practice habits and mental habits, how you go about it and your approach every day. So I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to lead not just the quarterback room, but really the locker room in every way. My approach, what that looks like, I'm excited about the opportunity. Obviously like to lace up the cleats and get after it and be on the field and help our football team win.
"Obviously, I'm expecting to come in there and be a starter, and earning that every day because that’s your mentality and approach. I just believe that when you play this position my goal every day is to step on the field and help our football team win and ultimately to be the best in the world and be one of the best that can do it. I think that's my mentality, understanding that.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to lead everybody. It’s not just one room, one guy, one thing. It's the whole organization. I think that's the thing that you realize being a quarterback in the National Football League. You’ve got the best fricking job in the world. You're one of 32. Reality is you’re like a CEO of a corporation, the whole process of it all. So, you're not just leading one person. You're leading a whole entire fan base, too. I'm excited about that and the approach of that every day. I know what my talents are and what I'm capable of. I'm excited to put those between the white lines."
"Sometimes I love the underdog mentality as well. I think that's kind of been my approach every day of my life. I don't know, maybe being 5-foot-11. I don't know what it is," Wilson said with a laugh. "A lot of people tell you that you can’t do something. But I love challenges. I love adversity. I love all that stuff. I think the best part is just trying to bring us to the other side of winning and what that looks like.
"This is a football team that I got to play last year in a great battle. Just a lot of great football players on that field. Like I said, just focused on -- not focused on the end goal. Focused on the process, and I'm just enjoying today, the opportunity of today, and being a New York Giant.
"We'll get to work with these guys and have a lot of fun and really, really challenge every guy every day to be our best, most importantly starting with myself. Just wanting to be that for myself every day and for this team."
"What really was exciting was the players, the guys. Just the some of the guys I got to meet here at the facility, but also, too, some of the guys that I've admired playing against," Wilson said. "Guys like Dexter Lawrence and (Brian) Burns and other guys that you get to admire, guys I played with. Guys like Chris Manhertz and (Greg) Dulcich and many others.
"When you’ve got Dexter Lawrence chasing after you, Sexy Dexy, it's never a good thing. Now I'm glad he's chasing after the other quarterbacks."
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants sign Russell Wilson: 9 takeaways from first press conference
Continue reading...
Wilson proved to be very talkative, transparent, and insightful. He addressed a wide range of topics and didn't shy away from any questions.
Using his own words, here are nine notable takeaways from Wilson's first pow-wow with members of the New York media.
Expects to start
"I expect to be the starter and come in here and be ready to rock and roll every day," he said. "This team is really looking for somebody to lead them in every way in terms of process and the offseason, during the season, our habits and our thought process, how we create a great winning culture, and how do we continue to establish that, to really build on things that we do well and things we need to continue to do.
"I think the big part for me is just try to -- this might be my 14th year to be able to lead an amazing group of men that really have big hopes and goals and dreams and desires, and we all share the same goal.
"I think that's the best part about it. I get to be around a lot of extremely talented guys."
Excited about offensive playmakers
"Watching this freak of an athlete in (Malik) Nabers. This guy, when he touches the ball, he may score every single time. He's been exciting. Got to talk to him along the way. He's fired up and we've had a lot of good conversations so far," Wilson said.
"Just really excited to get to work. Excited about the young guys, guys like Theo (Johnson) and what he can do and the experienced guys like Darius (Slayton) and his ability to get down the field and make plays.
"I think I talked to Jalin Hyatt today a little bit too. He's a guy that's been untapped in terms of what knows he's capable of. It's just been a really good process. And there are many others. Wan'Dale Robinson, he is like a running back. Every time he touches the ball, he's hard to tackle, his ability to make people miss, his ability to get away from guys and his ability to escape. I've played with some guys that before.
"And many others along the way. Obviously, the backs and they're able to do. They're so young and talented. And then the guys up front. It always starts with the guys up front, what they're capable of. Seeing a guy like Andrew Thomas in the weight room and doing squats, just being around him a little bit.
"Just guy GVR (Greg Van Roten), talking to different guys along the way. Just been a really smooth process that's given me a lot of confidence."
High praise for Brian Daboll
"Really love just the whole process here. Just obviously Joe and Coach Daboll and the rest of the staff and people here, just the environment," Wilson said. "I think Daboll is one of the most competitive guys. You get to see it in terms of his play-calling over the years. He's coached some amazing guys, guys like Josh Allen, Tua, Jalen Hurts in college and stuff, just some other places he's been.
"There has been some familiar people I know that he knows as well that he's close with. We've been able to bond on that and just the experience of loving the game. This guy has won five Super Bowls I believe it is, being with the Patriots, won a national championship. He's been around greatness and knows what it looks like and sounds like.
"This guy has been the coach the year not that long ago, couple years ago. There is a standard that he knows what that looks like, especially offensively, and how he sees the game. I really love that part about him and what he brings to the table.
"What I really like about Dabs is just his mentality, his attack mentality. We haven't been able to talk a whole bunch of ball yet, but I've been able to see a bunch over the years and understand who he is."
Not concerned with Aaron Rodgers reports
"First of all, Aaron Rodgers is a tremendous football player. He's done some amazing things in this league," Wilson said. "I've been fortunate that I've been able to do some great things, too."
Loves playing at MetLife Stadium
"I obviously love playing in MetLife Stadium. A lot of good memories here," Wilson said. "Some of my most fond memories of this game that I poured my heart and soul into every day happened right here in this stadium right across the street in MetLife Stadium.
"I'm excited to create some more memories with some amazing teammates for this amazing fan base. Really, what it takes, though, is just one day at a time, being crazily obsessed with the process and the days and what we can do and just winning the day. What happens is great things happen with that.
"It's a collective effort, but when I pulled up to the stadium and the facility today and when I pulled up last week, it makes me feel some type of way. It makes me get excited about the possibility of what this team can do."
What makes a winner
"I think that first part of it is our habits and approach every day, our study habits, how we go to work every day, how we push each other every day on and off the field. I think winning is a process," Wilson said. "Winning is also a habit. So how we go about that, what our habits are like daily, our approach, mentality, how we communicate with one another.
"It’s funny. My old mental coach, Trevor Moawad, who passed away cancer. He is one of my closest people I've ever known. He used to always say, simple wins. Sometimes it’s the little things you do well. If I use basketball terms, I get to go to the Knicks game tonight. I'm excited to go watch them play. At the end of the day, you’ve got to make your free throws and layups. Same thing in football. You’ve got to hit the ones that are open, make the big plays.
"You’ve got to also do all the fundamentals really well offensively, defensively, special teams. All the things we know. These guys in this locker room are really excited about the opportunity and what we can bring to the table. I’ve been talking to a bunch of guys, all the O-linemen, some of the tight ends, running backs and receivers, different guys."
Doesn't expect to sit behind a rookie
"I think the first thing is you always handle yourself first. Get yourself prepared at the highest level and control what you can control. Part of that is doing everything I can to be my best every day," Wilson said. "Then from there, from leading in that sense, everybody else grows with you from that. They learn from you. They see how you work. See your practice habits and mental habits, how you go about it and your approach every day. So I'm excited about the opportunity to continue to lead not just the quarterback room, but really the locker room in every way. My approach, what that looks like, I'm excited about the opportunity. Obviously like to lace up the cleats and get after it and be on the field and help our football team win.
"Obviously, I'm expecting to come in there and be a starter, and earning that every day because that’s your mentality and approach. I just believe that when you play this position my goal every day is to step on the field and help our football team win and ultimately to be the best in the world and be one of the best that can do it. I think that's my mentality, understanding that.
"I'm excited about the opportunity to lead everybody. It’s not just one room, one guy, one thing. It's the whole organization. I think that's the thing that you realize being a quarterback in the National Football League. You’ve got the best fricking job in the world. You're one of 32. Reality is you’re like a CEO of a corporation, the whole process of it all. So, you're not just leading one person. You're leading a whole entire fan base, too. I'm excited about that and the approach of that every day. I know what my talents are and what I'm capable of. I'm excited to put those between the white lines."
Loves being the underdog
"Sometimes I love the underdog mentality as well. I think that's kind of been my approach every day of my life. I don't know, maybe being 5-foot-11. I don't know what it is," Wilson said with a laugh. "A lot of people tell you that you can’t do something. But I love challenges. I love adversity. I love all that stuff. I think the best part is just trying to bring us to the other side of winning and what that looks like.
"This is a football team that I got to play last year in a great battle. Just a lot of great football players on that field. Like I said, just focused on -- not focused on the end goal. Focused on the process, and I'm just enjoying today, the opportunity of today, and being a New York Giant.
"We'll get to work with these guys and have a lot of fun and really, really challenge every guy every day to be our best, most importantly starting with myself. Just wanting to be that for myself every day and for this team."
Sexy Dexy
"What really was exciting was the players, the guys. Just the some of the guys I got to meet here at the facility, but also, too, some of the guys that I've admired playing against," Wilson said. "Guys like Dexter Lawrence and (Brian) Burns and other guys that you get to admire, guys I played with. Guys like Chris Manhertz and (Greg) Dulcich and many others.
"When you’ve got Dexter Lawrence chasing after you, Sexy Dexy, it's never a good thing. Now I'm glad he's chasing after the other quarterbacks."
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants sign Russell Wilson: 9 takeaways from first press conference
Continue reading...
