Transcript: Terrell Thomas
CB Terrell Thomas
August 22, 2013
Q: It’s been two years since you last played in a game…
A: Excited, to say the least. It’s going to be fun, it was good to get out here during training camp to get my confidence back and I think that’s a great opponent to get going. The third game is a big game for the ones, so it will be a good test for me.
Q: Do you know how much you’re going to play?
A: I do not. Whatever they tell me to do. I trust our athletic staff, Ronnie Barnes has taken great care of me, he’s kind of given me the leeway to communicate with coach Coughlin on how I feel through every practice. If they tell me to play 20 plays, 30 plays, I feel I can do it.
Q: Have you felt anything in your knee this summer, whether it’s fatigue, a twinge of pain or anything at all?
A: During the spring it would feel fatigued after a workout and after consecutive workouts it would definitely get heavy, heavy legs. The only thing I’ve been struggling with is a little tendonitis in the patella tendon, which is common when coming off of patella tendon surgery. But it’s gotten better throughout the week. You know, it’s a grind in training camp so it’s part of the process. It’s good that I’m able to push through it, it gives me confidence and I think it instills confidence in the coaches that they know I’m pushing through it and am able to compete in every practice.
Q: Now that we know you have the green light for the third preseason game, is it disappointing that it took this long? Is it surprising that you are going to play in this game? Where do you think your range of emotion is, given the schedule of your first game?
A: Right on time. I think the hamstring happened to me a little bit, maybe I would have gotten in that second game but I think this is a perfect opportunity for me to get out there. I got a solid two weeks of practice in, feel real confident, made some plays and I think this is right on schedule. Barely 11 months, post-surgery, coming off my second ACL so I think it was smart to take a little more time, make sure the knee was steady and ready to go.
Q: Was there ever a point in practice that you were feeling free and easy and you forgot all of this, you were just a player?
A: Not really, I think I lost that after a while, you become a football player. The first couple of days I was really hesitant but I stopped thinking a long time ago and started reacting. The only thing I’ve been trying to work on is just my technique, doing it day after day without thinking, not dropping my eyes when I plant, getting to my leverage, getting my eyes right in my man coverage and just seeing everything and letting the game come to me. That’s the hardest part when you’re away for so long, you’ve got to re-discipline yourself with your eyes and not biting on the fakes. So, I would say, that’s the biggest thing that I’ve improved on this week: my confidence and getting back to the style that I play.
Q: What are you going to be thinking when you put on that uniform on Saturday?
A: I’m just excited to pack my bag. I haven’t done that in a long time, pick out what cleats I’m going to put in there, see my jersey back on those shoulder pads before the game. It’s a long time coming, a lot of people have been rooting for me, it’s a big day for me and my family, who have supported me throughout the whole process, the Giants and for myself. I think it speaks volume for a man of faith to overcome anything and I’m just excited to get out there.
Q: Have you determined what, in your mind, this night has to be to be a success?
A: I have to go out there and perform. I haven’t made the team yet. This is the first time that I’ve been in the position to have to make the team and it’s exciting. It’s actually driven me and motivated me to keep pushing, to work through practice and to keep getting better, to show the coaches, the GM, the owner, whatever I have to do to prove to these guys that I can still play football. I’m just blessed to have another opportunity to go out there and play football again after two years.
Q: The last time you were on the field you were a guy that people thought of as being on the edge of being a Pro Bowler, a big contract maybe coming down the line. It’s a big change to go to a guy who’s fighting to make the team. Even after all this time, is that hard to kind of get your head around?
A: It was at first but not anymore. At the end of the day I just want to play football. Whatever comes next I’m ready for. That’s what I’ve learned over this journey these last two years. I worked my butt off this last year to get back after this third ACL and this will be a big moment for me. I’ve got to go out and prove myself, that I can play against top competition. I think the Jets give me a great opportunity to do that.
Q: Is making the team this year harder in the sense that there seem to be a lot of guys who can play corner on this team?
A: Without a doubt. Prince has stepped up, we got Ross back, Hosley’s had a good camp, McBride has had a very good camp and we’ve got some young guys that can play too. My biggest thing is just to come to work every day. When I was hurt, be here early, work my butt off in the weight room, know my job. I’ve always been that type of player since I’ve been here. I just want to continue that and, when your opportunity comes, you have to perform. Up until this point I think I’ve done that. My goal through camp is just to keep building every day, whenever I’ve had a mistake, whatever I didn’t do, just keep building and I think I’ve done that and I think it’s a perfect time for me to get out there and get back on that horse.
Q: Is your hope that if you play on Saturday, come Monday you’ll be able to get right back out there and practice again?
A: Yes. Throughout training camp we had a schedule and I’ve been able to stay to that schedule. I haven’t had any setbacks on swelling, other than discomfort, that’s part of the process, we all have bumps and bruises along the way. I don’t see any setbacks going into this game.
Q: Will you be thinking about the Bears game when you go out there?
A: Not at all. This is football, you can get hurt any play. Unfortunately you can. It’s a part of the game, injury is a part of the game. It sucks to a lot of players, especially me, I was young and upcoming and I got hurt at the wrong time. It’s a part of the game. You can’t worry about being injured, that’s how you get injured, so I’m going to go out there and play 100 percent, give it my all and do my best.
Q: Coach says he’s happy with how you’ve practiced. What have you proven to yourself in practice that makes you confident that you’re going to be OK on Saturday?
A: I don’t think I proved anything to myself because I haven’t done anything yet. I haven’t made the team, I haven’t played in a game. I think this is just a building block along the journey. I’m just going to keep getting better and I think that’s the biggest thing that he saw was, throughout training camp, I kept steadily getting better and better every practice. I was able to do a little bit more with more confidence, communicating, you could just tell by my body language that I’ve gotten better.
Q: Is the Bears game the last time you made a tackle?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you expect to be emotional?
A: Yeah, without a doubt. It’s been a long journey, a long, hard one. I’ve been through a lot, endured a lot and I think this is a true testament to my faith, to my family, to the fans and just to football, what you sacrifice for this game. So I think it’s definitely going to be emotional.
Q: If you were going to come back, it was going to be here. Am I reading that right?
A: Yes. This is my home, that’s why I re-signed right away. They drafted me, I love the organization, they’re a first-class organization, have taken care of me since day one and I don’t think there’s any other way I could have done it but come back here.
Q: Do you have any idea of how you fit in with the team?
A: I just have to stay healthy, more than anything. I know I can play this game, my health has been the concern the last two years, unfortunately. Getting the confidence back, getting back to my old ways, just have to keep proving it to myself and the coaches. Where do I fit in – I don’t know. Wherever the coaches are going to use me they’re going to use me and I’ll play to that strength.
Q: They might not even know yet.
A: That’s what it is. It’s a wait-and-see. We’re going to take it slow, keep building, we know what type of player he is, but we can’t use him if he’s not healthy, so I think that’s what the goal is.
Q: Do you feel like you’re 100 percent at this point?
A: I wouldn’t say 100 percent because I’ve got the little tendonitis and I’m still working, I haven’t played football in two years. I’ve only been practicing for two weeks. I still have a lot of work to do. To me, like I said, my biggest goal was to just keep building. Every practice, every week, every month, every game, just keep getting better and better, keep correcting my mistakes, keep building confidence and keep showing everybody. I can’t say I’m 100 and I can’t tell you I’m at 80. Am I ready to go? Can I play full speed? Without a doubt.
Q: It seems like this third game you guys need the reps because you don’t get them in practice.
A: Yeah, the third game is always a big game for every team. This is where the starters play the first half, getting ready for Week 1, fourth game is usually for all the young guys to prove themselves, see how they can play throughout the whole game. This has been a game planning week, we’ve spent a little more time watching film of the Jets, planning for them compared to the first two games, so it definitely is a great test for myself and the team.