WR Kadarius Toney
Q: Just going back to the tweet you posted about Henry Ruggs, why did you think it was, 'goofy,' for people to publicly criticize someone who drove 150 miles per hour and killed somebody?
A: Like I said, pray for the families involved.
Q: Is there anything you want to clarify about your tweet or your intentions behind it?
A: Pray for the families. That was clearly stated in there. I don't know how everything else came about. Take it how you want it.
Q: You said you thought it was, 'goofy,' that people were publicly criticizing Henry. Why did you think that?
A: Were they praying for the families? You're making all these faces. What do you mean?
Q: You wrote that it was, 'goofy' that people were publicly criticizing someone who drove 150 miles per hour and killed somebody.
A: Like I just said, pray for the families involved. Why are you drilling the same question? I'm not going to answer that.
Q: How's the thumb?
A: Pretty good. I'm just looking forward to the rest of the season right now.
Q: Did you feel like you could've been yourself in the last game? You had the one catch and obviously you want more.
A: Yeah, pretty much myself. Like I said, we're just getting ready for the rest of the season.
Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Q: Is this a good time for you to take a break? Is it good to have a break now?
A: Yeah, it's always good to take a break from what you love to do. It always makes it kind of new when you come back. Just driven right now to finish the season as strong as we can, put ourselves in the best position right now.
Q: You've had a start and stop kind of career because of various circumstances beyond your control. With that being said, where do you feel you're at in terms of your development? Do you feel you're where you want to be or is there still more you want to show?
A: In this sport here, you never get to the peak of your career until you learn everything that you need to learn. I'm not a vet, so every day is a learning experience for me, like today. Just going out there every day, just repetition. Every day is a day to get better.
Q: When you look at this team, there are so many people hurt. Are you looking forward to the day when you have all the weapons back and you guys maybe can put up some points?
A: Yeah, I pray for all my teammates to get healthy because at the end of the day, everybody has injuries, no matter how good you are or how bad you are. In this sport at the end of the day, we're at full power with everybody, but only time will tell what will happen in the future. We can't predict nobody else's future.
Q: Do you think this offense can score more points when you're all out there?
A: Of course. We've got a lot of talented players out here. That's what everybody's here to do.
Q: What's the secret to not giving up trick plays, not tipping trick plays? Obviously, you've got to fool defenses to some extent, sometimes it seems like you guys run those gadget plays and the defense is sitting on them.
A: We can always use more salesmen at the end of the day.
Q: More salesmen?
A: Yeah, that's what you call it in the play when you're trying to fool the defense, I guess you could say, like what you were just saying. You can always use more salesmen. Every play is designed to go for a touchdown, but every play doesn't end up in that result. In other words, you could say you win some, you lose some at the end of the day. I don't know what you really want me to say.
Q: When (Running Back) Saquon (Barkley) comes back, how do you see that potentially freeing up you guys on the outside because defenses will have to kind of respect him?
A: What do you mean? They've got to respect everyone that we've got in our room.
Q: You'll have another running back there. You'll have him and (Running Back) Devontae (Booker), another weapon where they'll have to – do you feel like that could free up some opportunities for you guys on the outside?
A: I mean, the opportunity is there, we just have to execute when it's time to execute at the end of the day.
Q: (Head Coach) Joe (Judge) said he talked to you about the tweet the other day and it was the second time that something you said kind of drew attention from the outside…
A: I mean, there's going to be attention anyway just because of who I am, I guess, with anything I say.
Q: What have you learned from that? What was his message to you and what have you learned from the attention that you're in a bigger platform now that when you do say these things, people do recognize? So, do you approach it differently? Do you have to handle it differently? What have you learned in that regard?
A: Really from Joe, it's more so what you've got to say, and mean what you say. At the end of the day, you shouldn't have to go back and clarify anything that you say, which I'm not doing here.
Q: You said because of who you are, is that because you mean because you're a first round pick playing in New York or have you always –
A: No, I mean everybody in the NFL gets the same attention I get. No matter what we post, no matter what we do, no matter – so, it's not specific to me. (It's) not individual, it's everybody at the end of the day.
Q: You say, 'Say what you want to say' – I'm not judging either way, but do you have any regrets for what you said or no?
A: Like I said, pray for the families involved. How could you regret having empathy for both sides? I don't really get it.
Q: This is the first half of your rookie year. Is there anything you look back on and say, 'I didn't see that coming, I didn't expect that. This is not what I thought about the NFL'?
A: No, not really. Every day, I wake up to look forward and not really look backwards. At the end of the day, I've got to correct certain stuff. That's what I look forward to doing every day, so that's my approach right now.
Q: How surprised were you that you only ended up with one target the other day? Was that just kind of the way it shook out?
A: I mean, we won, so I don't really know what to tell you. If we come out victorious with one target, okay. We won.
Q: (Cornerback) Keion Crossen said he's the fastest guy on this team. I think most guys who don't see him on special teams would say you're the fastest guy on this team. Who's the fastest guy on the team?
A: I mean, Keion's fast. At the end of the day, I don't know. It's just up for debate, I guess you could say. I don't know.
Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Surprised he calls Judge "Joe" (and especially to the media)
I can think of a few I'd like to know.
"Coach Judge, have you learned anything this season about the effective use of time outs?"
"When you look around the league and see wide open offenses, why do the Giants game plans seem more fitting for the 1980's and not in step with the 2020's?
Pretty sorry group of reporters that only have balls with a rook.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
All he is saying is it is reasonable to have empathy for both sides. That's all. People do make mistakes, horrible ones, especially when they are young. But I guess you're perfect and never almost seriously screwed up....
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In comment 15450911 BocaGene said:
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
All he is saying is it is reasonable to have empathy for both sides. That's all. People do make mistakes, horrible ones, especially when they are young. But I guess you're perfect and never almost seriously screwed up....
Why should anyone feel bad for a guy who drove drunk and killed someone?
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
He explained himself. You’re so dug in on hating him that you come off as a child.
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In comment 15450911 BocaGene said:
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
He explained himself. You’re so dug in on hating him that you come off as a child.
Almost every single post you make you are talking down to someone here. Not sure if you realize. Get off the high horse. Maybe he lost someone to a drunk driver. He doesn’t have to give toney a pass because you are cool with what he tweeted.
Is that an ok opinion to have or am I on my high horse again?
Lets clear that up now.
Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Surprised he calls Judge "Joe" (and especially to the media)
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In comment 15450911 BocaGene said:
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
He explained himself. You’re so dug in on hating him that you come off as a child.
Explain exactly how I am dug in on hating him.
I lost a good friend and fellow Marine while serving in USMC to a asshole driving drunk. It completely wrecked his family esp his Dad and brother. In today's world there is absolutely no excuse to drive drunk when a ride is a click away on your phone. Ruggs is a piece of shit and anyone that thinks killing someone while driving drunk is just a mistake made because of youth is fucked in the head.
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Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Surprised he calls Judge "Joe" (and especially to the media)
that’s a rookie answer. Could have answered it vaguely but instead came across as even more of a jackass.
The media deserves every ounce of “jackass” they get. I’m glad Toney is giving it to them. The asinine questions and constant need to stir up drama has ruined sports media. Guys like Leonard are the real jackasses. Toney obviously doesn’t suffer fools well. Good for him.
ain't taking shit from nobody?
Why not ask a football question to a football player, assholes
He hasn't learned to talk a lot without saying anything. He needs to work on his cliches.
Related: He gives a lot of short answers. Longer answers are better for everyone, as long as he doesn't start rambling and say something that gets him in trouble. Print reporters like a longer answer because they can find a quote in there somewhere. Shorter answers mean more questions. Sometimes it's better to have fewer questions, and fewer follow-ups.
It's better to give the reporters something innocuous than to clam up. Feed the beast, but don't let it eat you.
He also comes across as defensive. Don't pick fights with people who buy ink by the barrel. Help them do their job and they'll back off — well, somewhat, anyway.
He hasn't learned to talk a lot without saying anything. He needs to work on his cliches.
Related: He gives a lot of short answers. Longer answers are better for everyone, as long as he doesn't start rambling and say something that gets him in trouble. Print reporters like a longer answer because they can find a quote in there somewhere. Shorter answers mean more questions. Sometimes it's better to have fewer questions, and fewer follow-ups.
It's better to give the reporters something innocuous than to clam up. Feed the beast, but don't let it eat you.
He also comes across as defensive. Don't pick fights with people who buy ink by the barrel. Help them do their job and they'll back off — well, somewhat, anyway.
They’ll back off? Come on now. I completely disagree. If you give them longer answers they will parse through them to find any ounce of potential drama they can. You are a professional, that’s the difference. Most of these guys now are hacks looking to make a story out of nothing.
This is the NY tabloid media we are talking about here. They are fishing for their next headline. They don’t care if Toney is going to spend time with his family. They’re hoping for something spicier, like for him to tell them he’s going to Vegas to party with his boys during the bye.
He hasn't learned to talk a lot without saying anything. He needs to work on his cliches.
Related: He gives a lot of short answers. Longer answers are better for everyone, as long as he doesn't start rambling and say something that gets him in trouble. Print reporters like a longer answer because they can find a quote in there somewhere. Shorter answers mean more questions. Sometimes it's better to have fewer questions, and fewer follow-ups.
It's better to give the reporters something innocuous than to clam up. Feed the beast, but don't let it eat you.
He also comes across as defensive. Don't pick fights with people who buy ink by the barrel. Help them do their job and they'll back off — well, somewhat, anyway.
Good post and good insight on the industry. I agree he’s being a little too confrontational with these pressers.
mistakes. Having sympathy for his family is important, it's a brutal thing to live through on both sides, trust me.
Thanks Joey I appreciate the personal insight on dealing with the "wrong" side of a tragedy.
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
You quite the pompous, aren't you...
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In comment 15450886 gersh said:
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Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Surprised he calls Judge "Joe" (and especially to the media)
that’s a rookie answer. Could have answered it vaguely but instead came across as even more of a jackass.
The media deserves every ounce of “jackass” they get. I’m glad Toney is giving it to them. The asinine questions and constant need to stir up drama has ruined sports media. Guys like Leonard are the real jackasses. Toney obviously doesn’t suffer fools well. Good for him.
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In comment 15450960 Les in TO said:
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In comment 15450886 gersh said:
Quote:
Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Surprised he calls Judge "Joe" (and especially to the media)
that’s a rookie answer. Could have answered it vaguely but instead came across as even more of a jackass.
The media deserves every ounce of “jackass” they get. I’m glad Toney is giving it to them. The asinine questions and constant need to stir up drama has ruined sports media. Guys like Leonard are the real jackasses. Toney obviously doesn’t suffer fools well. Good for him.
it was an easy question - how are you spending your bye week? Toney didn’t need to plead the fifth in a confrontational way.
It’s none of their damn business. You can bury your head in the sand and pretend it was an “easy question” all you want. I’ve been around long enough to know that they don’t give a shit what he’s doing on his bye week. Why would they care? It’s because they are hoping that “easy question” turns into a headline. That’s why. Toney has obviously been coached on what the NY tabloid media is all about. And he’s not going to kiss their asses. It could also be about him being an extra guarded person and that could be for any of many reasons. You know nothing about him and what his life has been like. To call him a “jackass” because of how he answers a tabloid hacks question is incredibly naive. But I guess that what fans sitting on their couches do. Pass judgement on someone because they don’t act like they would.
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In comment 15450914 Blueblue said:
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In comment 15450911 BocaGene said:
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
All he is saying is it is reasonable to have empathy for both sides. That's all. People do make mistakes, horrible ones, especially when they are young. But I guess you're perfect and never almost seriously screwed up....
Why should anyone feel bad for a guy who drove drunk and killed someone?
The way I took Toney’s statement is not that he condones what Ruggs did, but that it is sad that his actions:
1.) led to the death of an innocent person
2.) caused unimaginable pain to her family
3.) Ruggs destroyed himself and anything he ever worked for
4.) Ruggs dishonored his family
When he says pray for the families in plural it highlights point #4.
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In comment 15450960 Les in TO said:
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In comment 15450886 gersh said:
Quote:
Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Surprised he calls Judge "Joe" (and especially to the media)
that’s a rookie answer. Could have answered it vaguely but instead came across as even more of a jackass.
The media deserves every ounce of “jackass” they get. I’m glad Toney is giving it to them. The asinine questions and constant need to stir up drama has ruined sports media. Guys like Leonard are the real jackasses. Toney obviously doesn’t suffer fools well. Good for him.
it was an easy question - how are you spending your bye week? Toney didn’t need to plead the fifth in a confrontational way.
I like how he handled it. Those vultures are always looking for something to get clicks. Athletes deserve privacy as well.
I don’t get what Kobe or Big Ben have to do with this situation. Unless you are puliing up the reporters interactions with those two.
This is the first time KT is before the media since his tweet…of course he was going to get peppered about it. And for the record, I felt his tweet could’ve been worded better. Especially given that a young lady lost her life due to a poor decision by his friend. His first few words overshadowed what he is trying to tell us which was to pray for everyone. You cannot precede that message with excuses of youth and we all make mistakes. Just reading the transcript makes him sound tone death or just plain stubborn to acknowledge that he even could’ve been a little off base with his tweet.
when shit like this happens you always have the torch carrying mob angry at the drunk driver, which is warranted, yes. but thinking critically you know that driver wishes he was dead. now he has to live with his actions which will haunt him forever.
maybe Toney knew ruggs personally between getting recruited to Bama, both from Alabama.
He hasn't learned to talk a lot without saying anything. He needs to work on his cliches.
Related: He gives a lot of short answers. Longer answers are better for everyone, as long as he doesn't start rambling and say something that gets him in trouble. Print reporters like a longer answer because they can find a quote in there somewhere. Shorter answers mean more questions. Sometimes it's better to have fewer questions, and fewer follow-ups.
It's better to give the reporters something innocuous than to clam up. Feed the beast, but don't let it eat you.
He also comes across as defensive. Don't pick fights with people who buy ink by the barrel. Help them do their job and they'll back off — well, somewhat, anyway.
Eh, as someone who also has professional experience here -- as a reporter and as a PR professional -- I think that's a good rule for a businessman or an elected official, and likely what a Pat Hanlon would advise Toney. But if I'm Toney's personal PR guy, I'm fine with this interview. He has two options:
1. Talk more on the subject, and he has 7 stories that lead with: "Toney apologizes" or "Toney backpedals"
2. Do what he did, and he has a mix of stories that lead with everything from: "Toney defends himself" and "Giants’ Kadarius Toney — as immature as ever — still doesn’t get it, after tone-deaf tweet," to "Giants' Kadarius Toney not sweating lack of targets, addresses Henry Ruggs tweet."
He has to protect his personal brand, and to say any more in response to this pestering would inevitably lead him to appear as backpedaling. It would also be a risk in the sense that he could prolong the story. The story is dead, after today, with the way he played it. He actually does a great job in stressing the one thing everyone can agree on, that he thinks we should be "praying for the families involved."
As for the rest of the questions, he could try to offer more - but he's clearly made a conscious decision that he's not going to give these guys an inch unless their questions are coming from a good place. He planted that flag long before this interview, and it's a stance he'll have to live with. Is it more risky than playing ball? Sure. But he wouldn't be the first player to successfully navigate that kind of relationship with the media. And it does have its advantages, if managed correctly.
To take Toney's words, "at the end of the day" this is a business and there are different ways to run a successful one.
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In comment 15450976 BigBlueShock said:
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In comment 15450960 Les in TO said:
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In comment 15450886 gersh said:
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Q: This is a break now. Are you going to go home and be with your family?
A: I don't disclose my plans to other people I don't know. I'm just going to enjoy my time off and get ready for the rest of the season.
Surprised he calls Judge "Joe" (and especially to the media)
that’s a rookie answer. Could have answered it vaguely but instead came across as even more of a jackass.
The media deserves every ounce of “jackass” they get. I’m glad Toney is giving it to them. The asinine questions and constant need to stir up drama has ruined sports media. Guys like Leonard are the real jackasses. Toney obviously doesn’t suffer fools well. Good for him.
it was an easy question - how are you spending your bye week? Toney didn’t need to plead the fifth in a confrontational way.
It’s none of their damn business. You can bury your head in the sand and pretend it was an “easy question” all you want. I’ve been around long enough to know that they don’t give a shit what he’s doing on his bye week. Why would they care? It’s because they are hoping that “easy question” turns into a headline. That’s why. Toney has obviously been coached on what the NY tabloid media is all about. And he’s not going to kiss their asses. It could also be about him being an extra guarded person and that could be for any of many reasons. You know nothing about him and what his life has been like. To call him a “jackass” because of how he answers a tabloid hacks question is incredibly naive. But I guess that what fans sitting on their couches do. Pass judgement on someone because they don’t act like they would.
Agree with some of the others, why don't those two ask more blunt, straight-forward questions to Judge/Garrett.
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In comment 15450914 Blueblue said:
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In comment 15450911 BocaGene said:
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I like this guy. He has more patience than I with all the Ruggs questions and multiple followups.
"We young, everbody makes mistakes" Fuck Toney. Very few mistakes results in killing people and destroying lives. Being young, drunk driving, and killing someone is not just a young oops....
He explained himself. You’re so dug in on hating him that you come off as a child.
Explain exactly how I am dug in on hating him.
I lost a good friend and fellow Marine while serving in USMC to a asshole driving drunk. It completely wrecked his family esp his Dad and brother. In today's world there is absolutely no excuse to drive drunk when a ride is a click away on your phone. Ruggs is a piece of shit and anyone that thinks killing someone while driving drunk is just a mistake made because of youth is fucked in the head.
I am with you on this. Toney should have never tweeted on the subject. I am sure he didn’t realize the amount of attention he would get from it. Hopefully he uses this as a learning experience.