Tuesday Media Transcript: DL Dexter Lawrence

DL Dexter Lawrence II -- August 6, 2019

Q: What are you looking forward to in your first NFL game?
A: I’m really excited, I’ve never been to an NFL football game, so the first one I’m able to be at I’m going to be playing in, so that’s kind of exciting. Also I kind of think of it as a player now, the excitement is there but it’s also like another game. I’ve been playing football all my life so not too many nerves, I’m just ready to go.

Q: What team did you grow up rooting for?
A: The closest team to me was probably the Panthers, but I grew up a Giants fan.

Q: Was that by plan, not going to a NFL game before your first?
A: No, no, it just kind of just happened that way. I never could make it.

Q: Before the game what do you think it will feel like stepping onto the field as a Giant?
A: Well, it’s a night game too. So all the lights are going to be on, it’s going to be exciting. I like playing under the lights. It’s honestly just a moment I dreamed of my whole life, so I’m just excited. I’m getting tired of practice right now. I’m ready to go play a game and just prove myself each and every day.

Q: How much more comfortable do you feel now than a few weeks ago?
A: A lot more comfortable. When I first got here, we had OTAs and just getting adjusted. You know I didn’t play football since like early December, so it was a little rough and then we got to training camp. The first couple of days, it was a little slow but now I’m feeling myself. But as the days went on and the weeks stacked up, I feel a little more comfortable but I’m not satisfied. There’s a lot I still have to work on and I’m trying to get better every day.

Q: You didn’t play at the end of last season; do you carry that as kind of a chip going forward? Like the way last season ended was not how you wanted it to end. Did you have to prove yourself here?
A: Not really. It is what it is. I kind of got over it when it happened. It was just unfortunate to have to go through something like that, but what is also exciting is the first regular season game is in Dallas, and that’s the first game I missed, so that’s going to be a little exciting right there.

Q: How’s your roommate holding up?
A: Daniel (Jones)? I don’t know. Actually, I haven’t seen him the last couple of nights. I’ve started to get to bed a little earlier and he comes in a little later, so we haven’t had our nightly talks (laughter).

Q: What is he like as a roommate?
A: What you all get. Kind of quiet. I’m bringing it out a little bit, his personality, ‘swag,’ I guess is what they used to call him. I’m bringing that out. I ask him questions about what QBs look at. Do they look at the fronts, do they look at if we are over, under, and things like that. We talk about stuff like that.

Q: Who has more swag on the field, you or him?
A: I guess we’ll have to see.

Q: Are those nightly talks about football?
A: We try to not talk about football too much. Obviously when we aren’t here, that’s our time to debrief and talk about life and things like that.

Q: What impressions do you have of him on the field?
A: I knew when I played him in college he was really good. In the first half, he was killing us on the field, up and down the field, but they just couldn’t score. I knew his talent when they drafted him. I said, ‘okay, he deserves to be there.’ I respect that. That’s why I wanted to be his roommate, just to keep his mind straight and not think about stuff like that. I want to be that kind of guy to motivate him a bit more, and show him, since I don’t get into that stuff. I just do what I have to do and be where I have to be.

Q: You wanted to be his roommate, why?
A: To motivate him. I knew he was getting it hard and all of that stuff, so just to be there for him.

Q: What do you mean? The reaction after the draft?
A: Yeah.

Q: When you played him, did you take a shot at him?
A: Oh yeah, multiple shots. He’s still feeling them (laughter).

Q: Does he remember this?
A: Oh yeah, he remembers (laughter).

Q: Did you request that you guys room together?
A: Yes, I did. It was in the rookie minicamp meeting and they were asking about roommates. I said, ‘I want to be roommates with Daniel,’ and that kind of thing.

Q: Did that come from the offseason? At the Town Hall, I saw videos and it seemed like you too were back and forth passing the mic?
A: I just liked his personality. He’s humble and he’s hungry, you can tell. He will never tell me he had a good day, even when I think he had a good day. That non-satisfaction will just keep him getting better each day.

Q: Do you have that attitude, too?
A: Definitely.

Q: What has been the best nightly chat you guys have had?
A: Best nightly chat? It’s just life. You can’t know about all that (laughter).