Tight End Evan Engram
August 10, 2021
Q: Evan, would you consider this your best camp?
A: I definitely prepared a lot for this camp, I’d say that. Just having a mindset, just attacking each day, each play, each rep was definitely my motivation coming in, so I’m not going to think back on last year or anything. I’m just really focused on performing to my best ability in this camp for sure.
Q: Are you happy with the way camp’s going for you?
A: Things can be better, actually. There’s good stuff. There’s good film, but there’s also a lot I’ve got to get cleaned up. A lot of small detail stuff, footwork in the run game, hand placement, details on routes – everything that comes with being a tight end if you break it down really hard on yourself. Trying to improve on that each and every day on those things.
Q: What have you seen from (Quarterback) Daniel (Jones) in his third camp?
A: More vocal, more leadership. You can feel his presence and just his assertiveness. When things don’t go the way he doesn’t need, he corrects them, and he speaks up. I mean, he’s taking leadership, so just his assertiveness is really on display.
Q: What was it like having (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) back on the field yesterday?
A: I mean, it was good. It was a blessing for him. I know he’s had a long journey to get back. We’ve all been supporting him and watching him overcome that adversity, so just for him to get back on the field with us yesterday, it was a blessing. He’s a brother. He’s family and he’s going to help our team when he gets back in the lineup, so it’s good to see him back.
Q: Evan, I know this was last week, but we haven’t talked to you since. Were you relieved that (Defensive Back) Logan’s (Ryan) hit on you didn’t result in an injury? How do you get over something like that?
A: No, we’re family. We’re brothers. Literally, it’s in the past and we definitely got over it and learned from it. So like Logan said, things get chippy out here when competing and we’ve been competing ever since. It’s not going to stop. We’re family, we’re brothers and it was good for us just competing like that and bounce back from it.
Q: What did you think of the punishment laps and kind of what happened after?
A: I mean, that’s just (Head Coach) Joe (Judge). That’s just Joe. We got into it, so we have to pay for it.
Q: When that happens, do you and Logan have to talk it out or is it just over as soon as you are inside?
A: We got in the locker room and we were all laughing about it and chopping it up and talking about it. Like I said, we’re family, man. It’s like little brothers fighting, literally that’s how it was. We got in the locker room and we made up and we had fun and we all talked it out and it was all good.
Q: When something like that occurs, has it been helpful?
A: I definitely feel that for our team, for sure.
Q: What are you looking for Saturday night? Do you even know if you’re playing?
A: Execution, whether I’m playing or everybody else is playing, execution. It’s our first preseason game. This is our first time beating up on somebody else other than ourselves, so the biggest thing for us to do is go out there and execute the little details. That’s the number one thing for our tight end room and as a team.
Q: Is Jets-Giants still any rivalry?
A: I mean, I know every preseason game we played against the Jets, it’s been rocking. Even in a preseason game, I remember the first three years, it was a great atmosphere, so I’m definitely a fan. We’re just going to go out there and compete.
Q: Evan, tomorrow night fans will be at practice, do you remember what that feels like?
A: I can’t wait, honestly. Honestly, I can’t. That’s been circled on my calendar. I do miss the fans at training camp every day like in the past. Just being back in the atmosphere and kind of getting a taste of what it’s going to be like come September 12th, I’m definitely looking forward to it and can’t wait.
Q: People can’t almost put into words of what it looks like to run through that tunnel.
A: Football is football, but just our fans, how passionate they are, and every Sunday before last year that stadium was rocking. We feed off that. We feel like we’ve improved as a team and we’re ready to put the product that we’ve been working for and building for on the field for our fans.
Q: Was it jarring that first time to have the smoke and then no fans in the stands?
A: Yeah, it was definitely different, especially when we started off on a primetime game. Primetime in that stadium normally it’s crazy, so it was different. Never really fully got used to it, but we’re just ready to get everybody back in there, for sure.
