WR Kadarius Toney
May 14, 2021
Q. Can you explain what happened with your cleats in the beginning there, and then I have a follow-up after that, please.
KADARIUS TONEY: I think just the wrong size. They figuring that out right now.
Q. Wrong size?
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah.
Q. So did you get the right ones?
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah, I ended up getting it eventually, yeah.
Q. And could you just talk about one of the reasons the Giants like you is your ability to break tackles. Is it speed, agility, quickness, toughness, mindset? What is breaking tackles about to you?
KADARIUS TONEY: Maybe just mindset knowing that I'm playing like the ability that you're blessed with, you know what I'm saying, do it consistently.
Q. Have you ever done drills barefoot like that before?
KADARIUS TONEY: I do whatever it take, you know what I'm saying. I do whatever it take. I don't remember.
Q. You could have stopped. Why did you keep going?
KADARIUS TONEY: It's just me. It's that dog mentality.
Q. And did you have a chance to talk to Kelvin at all? He was a first round draft pick wide receiver?
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah, of course, he's my teammate. We always going to talk and show respect to each other, so yeah.
Q. What was your first impression of being here in the area, the Giants, everything that you've seen so far?
KADARIUS TONEY: Really I'm just thankful for the opportunity to just be here and be with Coach Judge and receiving coaching from Coach Tyke Tolbert so far.
Q. They have coached kind of hard; is that something you notice? That stood out to us last year when we saw them at first. What about you?
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah, they coach pretty hard. I mean, any player that's like willing to do what it take to win, like they going to respect whatever coach they have available.
Q. You said your cleats were fine at the end. You didn't run the conditioning at the end, though.
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah.
Q. Were you still dealing with the cleats at that point?
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah, it was kind of, yeah, basically just cleat. I mean, yeah, it was just a safer route to go, I guess you could say.
Q. We actually met at your pro day.
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah, yeah, I remember.
Q. After I very, very long pro day. You remember that?
KADARIUS TONEY: Yes, ma'am.
Q. You were sweating more that day than you were today but welcome to this area.
KADARIUS TONEY: Thank you.
Q. I wonder if the Giants have brought up punt returning to you yet?
KADARIUS TONEY: Not yet. I'm just trying to figure out and get better day-by-day and take it for what it is day-by-day.
Q. Would you like that opportunity early in your career?
KADARIUS TONEY: I'm thankful for any opportunity you know what I'm saying, just me coming here and getting up under Coach Judge, I'm just thankful and grateful to really be here.
Q. What was today like for you? What were your nerves like? I'm sure you didn't expect it to go the way it did, one foot on the field, one foot off the field?
KADARIUS TONEY: I was pretty anxious to get out there but at the end of the day I have to take the situation for what it is. Like you know what I'm saying, like if I was limited to anything, like I just had to deal with that, you could say what -- really as far as nerve-wise, I was eager to really just go out there and show the coaches what I can do and they came and took a chance. The least I can do is show them my ability and what I can actually bring to the organization.
Q. Why did you land on 89?
KADARIUS TONEY: Really wasn't my choice, but I mean, at the end of the day at least I got a jersey, you know what I'm saying. Like it could have went a lot of different ways, so yeah, I'm thankful.
Q. You had no say in it at all?
KADARIUS TONEY: I mean, at the end of the day, I'm just thankful to have it. It don't really matter what number I have. It don't make the person. The number don't make the person.
Q. Going back to whether there was nerves or wanting to prove something today, at some point tonight when you go into meetings and head back into the hotel, will you exhale and say, my first day as a giant? How are you feeling right now?
KADARIUS TONEY: Actually I'm feeling pretty good right now. I'm confident in the coaching that I'm receiving later this afternoon, and looking forward to getting better day-by-day to be honest.
Q. Does it feel right for you?
KADARIUS TONEY: I can't hear you a little bit.
Q. Does this feel right for you? Was there an adjustment period over the last couple days? Does this feel comfortable; that this is where KT is supposed to be?
KADARIUS TONEY: Yeah, I feel pretty comfortable where I'm at right now.
If you read all of the transcripts they’re pretty much all the same with non-answers. “Just focus on myself; working to get better”. It makes me wonder if they’ve already been well-coached today. Just more on media relations than football.
Quote:
A man of few words.
If you read all of the transcripts they’re pretty much all the same with non-answers. “Just focus on myself; working to get better”. It makes me wonder if they’ve already been well-coached today. Just more on media relations than football.
Based on writeups of his coaches evaluations and JJ's "separate person from personality" I feel real good about the kid (despite initial reservations).
I think he will get a few mentors in the WR room and his replies will be a little more polished.
What I will say is man, watch the video of the interview. Toney’s smile is infectious. I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. He seems like a great kid I am really rooting for him personally and professionally.
Kids first day as a Giant and this is what they are insinuating. I'm really looking forward to training camp this year with all the new players and draft picks - specifically the new and returning offensive skill position players. Lot of interesting storylines between KT, SB, KG.
A few players change their jersey number after the roster cut down and just before the season starts. There is only a few numbers available right now.
"At the end of the day, the sun will still come up."