Transcript: Cornerback Sam Beal

Cornerback Sam Beal

August 9, 2021

Q: What’s the last 12 months been like for you?

A: You know, there’s ups and downs, but I’m here today enjoying it right now and having fun. I can only speak for right now and right now I’m enjoying it.

Q: What was it like last year being away from the team the way you were and kind of on your own? I know you made the decision to opt out, but I’m sure that had to be a little difficult to not be around the locker room and all the guys and stuff, right?

A: I have a really good relationship with a lot of guys here. A lot weren’t here when I got back and I spent time talking to them, you know? Sometimes I would watch the games and I enjoyed watching them play. Sometimes I would just sit and work out. I didn’t play the game, so I would get the same type of feeling sometimes. It was different, but I dealt with it the best I could.

Q: Why did you opt out, Sam?

A: At the time, it was the best decision for me. Sometimes you gotta take responsibility for your family, gotta take care of the people around you, take care of yourself. So, I chose the best decision at the time.

Q: Did your legal situation affect you?

A: At the time, a lot of factors were involved, so I can’t just say it was that.

Q: Were you concerned that the legal situation would affect your status here with the team? I’m not talking just specifically when you made the decision. I’m talking about at any point over the last year.

A: I was more concerned about playing football, not about the legal situation. That will resolve itself, but football is here and sometimes it can be gone at the same time. I was more concerned about football.

Q: How much do you think you missed out there? When you don’t play for a year, you come back rusty, not sure of yourself. It’s hard to pick it up right away.

A: Well, I’ve actually dealt with it before having an injury and stayed out a while, and I came back and knocked the rust off. So, I kind of figured it would be the same way. It’s a great coaching staff, they actually helped me along kind of faster than I thought it would be, so now I’m kind of playing how I want to play. I can be a step faster, be a little bit stronger. That’s why I trust my coaches.

Q: How much do you feel like you have to prove still in this league? Obviously, you went through a lot of injuries and you just opted out last year, and it’s pretty much a new coaching staff since you opted out. Do you feel like you have a lot to prove as you come into this year?

A: I just want to be a part of this team, show these coaches what I can do and help this team as much as I can. I love football, it’s all I’ve been doing since I came here and I’m glad to be back with the Giants this camp to show what I can do.

Q: You’ve played so sparingly in three years. Is there a danger in your mind that – you know, they brought some other guys here. What’s your thoughts about being able to stick on this team?

A: Anybody that plays football knows that in your life you’re always competing. When you’ve got competitors with you, it makes it fun, especially when you’ve got a relationship with the guys and they’re all teaching every day. So, when you make plays, they make plays, it’s always fun to watch in the film room. I’m just going to enjoy it. Just speak to the guys that accomplished a lot, places I want to be, positions I want to be in. I just look at them and tell myself every day to just try and get better.

Q: Where are you on the football side of things? Where do you consider yourself? Are you back to where you were two, three years ago or how do you look at that?

A: Anybody that competes in the game wants to be better than they were two or three years ago.

Q: Is that realistic right away, though?

A: I would say my coaches play a big factor in that, they’ve actually helped me along pretty fast. I’m feeling great, I’m stepping up myself, still trying to get faster.

Q: How much contact were you able to have with the guys on the team and even the coaches, if you were able to talk to them when you opted out?

A: The guys that I knew, of course, would hit me up or I’ll talk to them through social media or through text or whenever I could. It was just the fact that we reached out to each other or if they had a good game, I would try and share my thoughts, let them know how good they did or what they could’ve done better, you know what I mean? But it was always fun to watch them play and I enjoyed watching the new guys on the team play, too. It was just more excitement on my side and I just wanted to be back out there, having fun.

Q: Was it a strange feeling walking back into the locker room with this new coaching staff, all these new guys? Like, you pretty much haven’t been in the locker room since December 2019. Did it feel like a new team almost?

A: Yeah, I feel like a lot of guys came here from different teams and things like that. With a new coaching staff, it was just like, okay, time to show the guy what I can do. I’m going to feel them out, they’re going to feel me out, you know what I mean? And ever since I got in here, it’s been great. I enjoy the atmosphere, it’s competitive, it’s fast. They’re all just taking care of us. They take care of us.

Q: Have you heard anything from the league about potential discipline from the arrest?

A: I’ll let that side take care of itself.

Q: Did you have to apologize to the Giants or explain to the Giants what happened with that legal situation? How did that kind of play out?

A: Anybody in that position would want to explain themselves, you know what I mean? Because if things didn’t happen the way they should’ve, of course, you would want them to know your side of the story and what happened. So, of course I talked to a bunch of coaches and let them know my side of the story of what really happened. And a lot of guys on social media had a story or something and they didn’t necessarily have the true facts. I would’ve loved for you guys to have asked me first about what really happened instead of going off of what somebody else said because a lot of things you guys said weren’t true.

Q: Is there anything you want to tell us now, though?

A: It’s kind of too late now, so I’ll let you guys go about it how you guys go about it. I’ll go about it how I go about it.

Q: There are still legal issues pending though, aren’t there?

A: No.

Q: The probation still stands though, correct?

A: Correct.

Q: What do you think of (Head Coach) Joe (Judge)?

A: I love him. He teaches me more every day. He lets you compete, that’s what I love. When I came in here, I didn’t know what to expect, but now I know that every day you have to be at your best. You want him to see you at your best. I try to be my best every day.

Q: Sam, you came here three years ago as a pretty confident guy. Have you lost that? Do you still have it? Where are you today?

A: If you play DB, you should never lose your confidence because every game you go out, you can get beat or you could have the best game of your life. So, I will never lose that competitive side that I have always had. I’ll continue to be competitive and compete every day.