NYG Postgame (vs. Bills) Transcripts: WR TJ Jones -- September 15, 2019
Q: How did it feel being brought back, a situation where you were brought back this week knowing that they needed another body and you were able to produce, making sure that you stay here?
A: It feels good being able to come back and that they were comfortable enough with me to bring me back midweek and then play me. Now it’s just sharpening some things up, some details, some route stuff for myself, and then getting back into prime football shape. I was working out at home, but it’s hard to simulate shoulder pads, helmet, running with somebody pushing you or trying to get into your way. It’s really just fine-tuning things now and making sure I’m better next week than I was this week.
Q: Where were you last week?
A: Atlanta, Georgia.
Q: So, you went back home?
A: Yeah, I went back home.
Q: You just worked out on your own?
A: I have a trainer that trains me. Sean Vanhorse. He works me out down there. Two-hour sessions of everything you can think of in 98-degree Georgia heat.
Q: So, this was cool out today?
A: It was beautiful. It was a great day.
Q: What did you do, did you watch the game on TV last week, the Giants game?
A: I did. I did watch the game. I didn’t watch all of it just because of the time of day and some other things I had going on. But I watched a good bit of it because when I left, these are my guys. I built friendships that went outside of football. So, watching them wasn’t just watching the Giants. It was watching my friends play, watching people I built relationships with.
Q: How much did it hurt to leave here, to not stay?
A: It definitely hurt. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t. But at the same point, I’m back and that’s what I’m focusing on now, this feeling of happiness that I have to be back and just trying to make the most out of this opportunity.
Q: What were your emotions when you got that call, and who called you initially?
A: It would have been Ed Triggs. My agent called me first, and then I called Ed Triggs and he was like, ‘We’re bringing you back. Congrats.’ And I was like, ‘Oh man.’ I packed up my bags, rushed to the airport and made sure that I made it.
Q: How did that feel for you (the touchdown catch)?
A: It felt great. It felt great to get the first one in the regular season out of the way. It felt great coming back off of being at home the last 10 days. It was just overall great. Great to be back, I’m happy to be back. This was the place that I wanted to come back to when they let me go, regardless of when it would have happened.
Q: What about the punt return? What did you see there?
A: My guys blocked it up. We had a scheme that we had prepared and practiced all week, and they executed it to their full abilities. It kind of made the read easy on that particular play just because my guys were down there hustling, fighting their butts off. It was great. I hope that we can do more and capitalize and begin to build something on that unit also.
Q: Did you think you might go all the way there?
A: For a second, I did. Then 33 (Siran Neal) kind of came out of nowhere. It was just one of those cases where the guys blocked them up real good early to the point where he’s 50 yards away when I catch the ball, and I kind of run to him. It’s nothing to fault them at all. I know that’s a hard, long block to make, especially when you get them so well at the line of scrimmage and I’m making it all the way back to you. That’s just part of the game. But all in all, I appreciate their work, their hard work. It’s not possible to do anything in the return game without them busting their butts.
Q: When you came back this week, did you have any idea that you would be as involved as you ended up being?
A: I just came back with an open mind. They didn’t really specify anything to me when I got back. I just came back and prepared as if I was going to play wherever, whenever, and do whatever they needed me to.
Q: Was there any surprise? Obviously, you’re fired up to get this much action. But was there any surprise at all?
A: I wouldn’t say surprised, just because mentally, I prepared as if I was going to play that much just to better prepare myself for the situation in case Cody (Latimer) goes down and now I’m playing most of the plays through those last couple of drives. If I didn’t mentally prepare myself to be ready, it might have been a little tougher.
Q: What were you doing when you were not here?
A: Working out in Atlanta and hanging out with my family, my wife and kids. We have our offseason house down there because that’s where I grew up.
Q: There’s some good to that, being with your family.
A: Yeah, it’s great to be with the family. The timing of the year wasn’t the best. But I’m a glass half empty, glass half full guy. I can sit at home, sulk, not work out and be bummed that I’m not with the team. Or I can work out, enjoy the extra couple minutes or hours I get with my family knowing that eventually the call is going to come. When it does come, I have to be ready to give my all to work so I won’t have that time with my family.
Q: Did they tell you when they made the decision not to keep you that, ‘Hey, stay on alert. We may need to call you back.’
A: It was more of a ‘Stay ready, you know how the game goes.’ Injuries and everything. They didn’t say, ‘Hey, we’re going to bring you back.’ It was ‘Stay in shape. If something happens, your name is on the list we’ll consider.’ But obviously, they have other guys and other moves they could make. I just stayed in shape really to give myself the best opportunity, no matter who called, to go in and be able to get through the first practice there, let alone game.
Q: What do you think you showed in general today, with all you contributed? It can’t be anything but a high positive.
A: There are definitely some things I can work on, definitely some things that I can sharpen up. Just kind of being away from the game for 10 days and not being in the best football shape, just because you can’t really replicate shoulder pads, helmet, two-minute drills when you’re on your own. Definitely some things I can sharpen up. I was definitely able to make a couple plays, but at the end of the day, just looking to get better next week than I was this week.
Q: What’s going through your mind when you scored that touchdown?
A: ‘Did I score? Where is he at? Is he going to give me something?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, yeah,’ because when my feet tapped, I looked down and I saw it was close. I was like, ‘I don’t know where I’m at.’ I know where I left when I caught the ball, but I couldn’t tell. I didn’t know how to celebrate. I was just like, ‘It’s a touchdown. I scored!’
Q: Almost a moment of disbelief?
A: Not disbelief. The ref was kind of slow, I feel. He was looking to the other guy and they were trying to coordinate like ‘Yeah, did he score? Did he not score?’ And I’m like, ‘Did I score?’ And he was like, ‘You scored.’ And I was like, ‘Thanks.’
Q: You had to ask the ref?
A: Well, I just kind of looked at him. I kind of blacked out a little bit. I’m just excited to get back, to get that first touchdown of the year out of the way, especially my first week being back. I’m speechless.
