DT Jay Bromley
August 14, 2016
Q: How are you feeling?
A: I feel good, I feel good. It feels good to be back on the field finally. It’s been way too long.
Q: Was something nagging you in the offseason and that’s why you went to get the procedure or was it planned all along?
A: In OTA’s my ankle started bothering me, so I had some pain and we had it checked out. There were bone spurs and it was really nagging, so we decided to get those handled.
Q: Was it anything like someone stepped on it which aggravated it?
A: No, I think it was just something that happened over time. It got to the point where it was just really aggravated and I really couldn’t deal with it on a day to day basis. I went out there today and it felt great, so it was necessary.
Q: How much fun was it watching the first defensive line group the other night?
A: It was a lot of fun. Seeing Hank and Snacks on the inside and JPP and OV on the outside, it’s always fun watching those guys in practice and especially on game days.
Q: How tough was it to be sitting out the first two weeks of camp?
A: Very tough. You get to sit back and you see Hank and Snacks. You see them getting better every day and that’s the hardest thing. All I could do is go in the training room and give it my all. Go out and run sprints the best I can. I really can’t work on my technique as much so that’s something I have to pick up on these upcoming weeks.
Q: What is your goal as you set it the next several weeks? Do you get snaps week three against the Jets? There’s competition here, you know that.
A: Yes, I would not have it any other way. I don’t look to come back and think anything is handed to me. I look forward to the challenge, I see those guys getting better each and every day, so I don’t mind starting in the back and having to work my way back to the front. It makes it that much more joyful for me when I get there. I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work and effort getting my wind back and technique back and my pads right, all those nuances of the game that we don’t even think about.
Q: How far behind are you?
A: Hard to tell, I really don’t know. Today felt good, it was hot today so there was limited reps. Tomorrow will be a full padded practice and I’ll have more reps. Really I’ll just get a feel for it the more days that I practice, where I’m at conditioning wise and then where I’m at with my technique.
Q: How much did you feel the pressure from the competition?
A: Not so much feel the pressure. More than anything, I just really enjoy watching people get better honestly. When I come back, I don’t even look to be, I’m not working to be second string. If I’m not working to be the best DT on this team, why should I be here? Watching Snacks and watching Hank, that’s the best way to go about it. Seeing what they do on a consistent basis. I want to out-do them. If I’m not taking that into consideration and working towards being better than them every single day, then I’m not helping this team or organization. I look at it as, when I came back I wasn’t going to be number one anyway, so it doesn’t really matter who is number 2, 3, 4, 5.
Q: Do you feel that in the locker room? I’ve heard several guys talk about competition and how it’s motivating you guys.
A: That’s what it should be. I feel like when you think about some of the best players in sports, they were motivated by the best players. Not necessarily overlooking anyone, but I aim for number one. If I miss, then I’ll hit number two, but as long as I aim for number one, my goals and the way I approach the days and I approach the weight room and my technique and my conditioning is all top of the line.
Q: Only one day in, do you know if you will play on Saturday?
A: I don’t know yet; I don’t know how this goes or if I need a certain amount of practices. I don’t know if it goes on how I’m feeling, but I’ll take it one day at a time but we’ll see when it rolls around what the doctors and everyone says.
Q: Coming out of last season, what was the one thing that you said when we start next season, I’m going to be better at blank?
A: I felt like when I first got into the league, I was so focused on weight and I thought that was equivalent to how physical I can play and how strong I was, so I played at like 295 my senior year of college and when I got to the league, I went up 10-15 pounds. I thought that was going to make me play better, but now I realize, it took me two years, a little bit too long to realize that I don’t need to be 315-320 to be productive in this league. I’m sticking at my weight that my body feels good at, that I feel the most athletic at and really just be disruptive as possible. I think coach Graham gives us the opportunity to be flexible with our techniques as long as we are disruptive and causing havoc.
Q: Are you back to 295?
A: Today I didn’t even get that many reps, I lost like eight pounds. I was like alright well this is the first time I’ve been in the 300s since college. I’m looking forward to just continuing to get faster, stronger and playing with my technique.
Q: The lunch room is better here though?
A: To get your weight up, yes.
Q: How important is this season for you?
A: Very important. It’s year three for me. I’ve seen something Odell said, it’s year three, let’s go, so I guess that’s the same way I take it. I see the success that he’s had and the success that other people have had and honestly I feel like this is the most talented team I’ve been on thus far. I want to make it to the postseason, win a Super Bowl. I’m from New York City, all those good things, take into consideration. I just want to enjoy the game as long as God blesses me to play it. When I couldn’t play when I was hurt, it makes you value the game that much more so that’s what I want to do.
Q: You’re full go at this point?
A: That’s up to the doctors but anything they ask me to do, I’m going to do it.
Q: At practice how much did you do?
A: I was in and out of reps, there wasn’t that many reps to go around today, but it felt good. I felt good out there. I felt strong.
