Wide Receiver Malik Nabers
Q: What can you say about what the organization thinks of you that they made this concession, that the family made this concession?
MALIK NABERS: It shows how much trust they have in me, it shows how much they are really going to go to bat for me. They say it's a lot of pressure, but I don't really feel any pressure.
Q: Does it feel different wearing it?
MALIK NABERS: No, I don't feel different at all. I mean, the person makes the number.
Q: Why do you say it's not a lot of pressure?
MALIK NABERS: Because I've had pressure my whole life. Made it out of a lot of situations with pressure. I feel like I like pressure. So, I'm happy that it's on me. I mean, I guess if everybody puts pressure on me, then it's good.
Q: How did this come about? The number became available to you. Obviously, you wanted it. Could you walk us through that?
MALIK NABERS: We had a lot of situations dealing with what number I was going to wear. Reached around the locker room, asked about numbers, but I feel like this was the best route that I went. I'm grateful and thankful to the family for letting me wear this number. I know this number hasn't been worn for 80 to 90 years. So, for me to be chosen to wear this number, only favor to God. I'm God's child. So, he put me in the right position.
Q: Why #1? What's appealing about #1?
MALIK NABERS: I just felt like it was the best situation, the number to go at, really.
Q: Does it look good?
MALIK NABERS: It looks good, feels good.
Q: Does it mean anything? Does it have any meaning?
MALIK NABERS: No, it doesn't have a meaning, but it has a meaning in this organization. It's been retired for so long. Thank you for the Flaherty family for letting me wear it.
Q: Do you think you can make it have another generation that has talked about wearing that number eventually?
MALIK NABERS: I'm going to try my best to wear it with pride, continue to be who I am. But again, thankful to the family for letting me wear it. But it's about me right now. I've got to go play in that jersey.
Q: Does it add some expectation or is that something that's already there?
MALIK NABERS: Yeah, the expectation is already high. The expectation was high when I got drafted here, first round. So, the stakes are already high.
Q: You starting to buzz a little bit about Week 1 getting here soon?
MALIK NABERS: Yeah, I'm ready for the competition. I'm ready to see what the league is all about.
Q: What's the biggest thing you've learned throughout camp so far?
MALIK NABERS: The game is pretty fast. The game is really fast. I had my first game, and I came and told (defensive lineman) Nacho (Rakeem Nunez-Roches), I'm like, 'Yeah, you really did tell me the game was fast. He was like, 'All that practice stuff, it's slow right now, but that game speed fast.' When I first got out there, I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into, but I had a talk with some people. The game is really fast. It's way faster than college for sure.
Q: Are you talking about the Lions game or the Texans game?
MALIK NABERS: The Texans game.
Q: How would you describe the group, your wide receiver group, and how you fit in and how each of the other's kind of fit in?
MALIK NABERS: We got a great receiver room. We've got great guys in that room. We're starting to take it step by step, getting ready for the season. But we have a lot of great receivers that's going into that room. We step into our roles, and I can't wait to go play with those guys on Week 1.
Q: Do you look at (wide receiver) Darius (Slayton) as the leader and a guy that you can go to?
MALIK NABERS: Yeah, that's the vet.. I have a lot of conversations with (wide receiver) Slay (Darius Slayton) about different things. He took me under his wing, showed me a lot of stuff that goes on with coverages and stuff like that. I'm taking it as being a pro, as going to talk to him, asking him questions and trying to get ahead of the game.
Q: (Quarterback) Daniel (Jones), your quarterback, has really become a lightning rod. Everything that happens with him is under the microscope nationally. How much are you looking forward to trying to help him prove people wrong and just what do you think of that when you see it?
MALIK NABERS: All I can do is really my job. All I can do is just help him find open receivers, get open and catch the ball when the ball is thrown to me. Just help him as an offense. We are one offense, so I'm just trying to help the offense grow really.
Q: Playing Minnesota next week… Is (Minnesota Vikings wide receiver) Justin Jefferson, especially him also being an LSU guy… Is that someone who you look at as a measuring stick or someone who, maybe, I don't know if you have any relationship with him through LSU?
MALIK NABERS: He's a great leader, great receiver. Like you said, he came from LSU. So, of course, I watch a lot of his tapes, a lot of what he does. He's a special player, but, again, it's all about what I'm going to do in Week 1 and it's all about what I'm going to do for this team.
Q: Do you know him at all through the LSU?
MALIK NABERS: No, I wasn't there when he was there.
Q: Do you ever think about what makes you the player you are? What makes you special?
MALIK NABERS: I don't really like talking about myself a lot. I believe, I'm just a dog. When I'm out there on the field, I just want to be a dog, be a difference maker and be a player that my coaches can count on really.
