S Jabrill Peppers
September 11, 2020
Q: Practice yesterday, we heard it got off to a little bit of a rocky start. How was it today in your opinion?
A: Rocky start, yeah. It just wasn’t up to the standard. We know on Monday there is no do-over. Today, I think we came out focused, great attention to detail and I think we stacked another great day.
Q: Obviously, it’s been a while since you played. How do you balance coming out with enough energy but not coming out too overhyped to where you start making mistakes and getting sloppy from all the excitement?
A: At this point in our lives, I think we all know what it takes to get the job done. I think that excitement before games has always been in us. Me, since Pop Warner. Every guy is different, everybody has different processes that they go through on game day. We all want to come out knowing what we have to do and ready to play at a high level.
Q: The other day Coach Judge said he wouldn’t rule out using you on offense. How would you feel about having a role with the offense this year?
A: I’ll do whatever it takes to win.
Q: Would that be fun for you since you played some at Michigan?
A: Absolutely, absolutely. Definitely.
Q: Losing Xavier McKinney back there, now you have Julian Love beside you. Is there anything you can do with all the new faces back there to kind of get everybody on the same page heading into Monday night?
A: In this business there are guys always in and out the door. It’s kind of easy to gel together because we all know we’re all here for one common goal and that’s to win. Football is football, things don’t change. Just the terminologies and things like that do. It’s not as challenging but it does take a little while to build that cohesion. I think we’re doing a great job.
Q: Obviously you spent two years in the same division as Ben Roethlisberger. What kind of challenge do he and that offense present?
A: Ben’s been doing it for a while. I’m sure you guys don’t need me to tell you what threats he poses. Big, strong arm, he’s more mobile than most people think. Tough, willing to sit in the pocket. He extends plays and those guys do a great job getting open for him. We know we have a tall task at hand, but we’re ready for it.
Q: How did it feel when you were named captain? Are you excited that Thomas McGaughey basically told us the other day that you are going to be used in punt return a lot this year? Kind of like a flashback you your Michigan days, how did that feel when you heard that?
A: Me personally, I believe that being named captain is one of the highest honors in football. Especially voted by your peers, it’s a tremendous honor, I take great pride in that. It was actually a goal of mine my rookie year to become a captain. I know what it means to wear that “C” on your chest, especially here in New York. I’m going to do my due diligence to make sure I abide by that. That’s something he told me since virtual spring zoom meetings. I will be featured a lot more back there. I’m ready, I’m ready to accept the challenge. I’m ready to do what I can to help this team win ball games.
Q: You’re a Jersey guy. I know you were probably only like five years old, but does 9/11 hold any special significance because you are from the area and this area was hit.
A: Definitely. I still remember that day very vividly. Prayers go out to the families that were affected by 9/11. I personally know a couple who had their dad in there, their uncle, their sister. I definitely remember this day very vividly. Being from here, it definitely does hit a little bit harder. I definitely want to send my condolences and my prayers out to the victims of 9/11.
Q: Do you recall what you were actually doing at the time you heard about it?
A: I was actually in school and they stopped school. You could kind of see the smoke from across the Hudson. Safe to say they let us out early and then you go home, and you see everything on the news. It was just a crazy day.
Q: What’s it like to have the football in your hands? You don’t get to do that very often as a safety and a defensive back. When you do get the ball in your hands, does something change inside of you?
A: Definitely, you have to have an offensive mindset. For me, I get an exhilarating feeling. I don’t know, there’s just something about having the ball in your hands, the importance on it. You basically have the fate of the team in your hands. It’s up to you whether you do something positive with it or you do something negative. Just that adrenaline, it gets my nerves going. It’s something I like to do and I look forward to. It brings good feelings, to answer your question
