Justin PUGH
Q: What was your Super Bowl dream as a kid? A: I think every little kid in their backyard or when they’re playing is imagining they’re playing in the Super Bowl and there’s time ticking down, and you make the game-winning throw or the gamewinning catch, but now hopefully I’ll be making that game-winning block. And being in this organization and seeing, obviously, the four championships, and hearing stories about how those games were won, was definitely something that is exciting, so I want to have my own memories. I want to be able to have my own plaque on the wall, have my own trophy in the case, and be up there with all these greats that you see around all the time. Q: I’ve never asked anybody this, but how do you feel about having the Vince Lombardi service station right down the road? A: He got his footing here like many great coaches have. Obviously he’s considered one of the best coaches if not the best coach of all the time. The trophy’s named after him. ... Eventually there needs to be like an Eli Manning Road. ... David Ortiz has a street up in Boston. Q: What is it like having the responsibility of protecting Eli? A: That’s just something I take personally. He took us to a Rangers game one time, and I felt personally obligated to make sure no one came up to him on our way in. No matter where we’re at, I feel like I’m obligated to protect that man. That’s my quarterback, and I’m gonna protect him wherever whenever. Doesn’t even have to be on the football field. Q: What are your three favorite Giants moments? A: The first one would be getting drafted by the Giants [in the first round in 2013]. Welcoming me into the family. The second would probably be my first start as a Giant. In Dallas, “Sunday Night Football,” starting at right tackle, I look up across from me, DeMarcus Ware is lined up over me. I was like, “All right, this is my ‘Welcome to the NFL’ moment,” you know? My third favorite moment would probably be this year, when we clinched the playoffs. This is my first time going. And that wasn’t even on the field, that was me with my family on Christmas Eve when the Saints won [against the Buccaneers] and we knew we were in. Getting goosebumps knowing it was the first time s get to go to the playoffs in my career in football in general. Q: Give me a Justin Pugh scouting report. A: Tough ... smart player ... good feet. He’s gonna play the play from snap to whistle. I’m a competitor, I think that’s the best thing I can say. I don’t have the best technique in the world, sometimes my hands won’t always be perfect, I’m not the guy like you’re gonna put on the film and say, “Oh you want to see how to do it this block, watch Pugh here.” But I think I’m one of the best competitors out there, I’m not gonna stop, I’m not gonna give up on a play, and I think that’s what makes me successful. Q: Where does that competitiveness come from? A: I had two older brothers, I’m the youngest, I had an older sister, so I was always trying to keep up with those guys. My family’s competitive in whatever we do. We do competitions on Christmas Day. Q: What kind of competitions? A: Like fun stuff. There’s one game that we play that’s actually hysterical (smile) where we put an Oreo on your forehead, and you gotta get it to your mouth without using your hands. And we do like trials — the 20-30 men will go, and then like the 20-30 women will go, and we have like brackets, we have heats and the champions meet in the finals. Q: Did you survive and advance? A: No, my brother [Michael] this year like flipped it up and caught it in his mouth, it was a fluke, and he got demolished in the finals. My sister won. Q: How far did you advance? A: I didn’t make it out of my trial. I was methodical, I got the cookie, I ate the cookie, but I was second to him in the trials. Q: Is there a better defense than the one you practice against? A: No. You look at our corners, we can cover for days, we can get after the quarterback, obviously [Jason Pierre-Paul] being down hurts, but guys step up left and right. There’s no one better against the run than Damon [Harrison]. So I’m excited for them to go out there on Sunday and prove some things. Q: Prove what? A: That last time we were there, they did some good things against our defense, but I think they kind of settled in and held their own for the rest of the game. It was on us to come down and score some points for ’em. So we gotta make sure we do that on Sunday. Q: What’s it like being one of New York’s most eligible bachelors? A: It’s great (laugh). I’m 26, I’m single, got a nice little bachelor pad. But I try to stay in more than I did was a rookie or second-year player. But I definitely like to go out and have fun. Q: How many roommates do you have? A: I have three. Q: Who does the cooking? A: My best friend Mike, who’s lived with me for the past two years now. I don’t do any cooking. Q: Who are athletes in other sports you admire? A: I’m a big UFC fan, and I like guys that do it the right way. Conor McGregor, just ’cause the way he talks some smack but he backs it up (smile). I like Demian Maia. I like guys that do things the right way, I can take little traits from each person and kind of put it into my game. ... Obviously LeBron James. Obviously he’s dealt with so much scrutiny being the top player in the world, and still going out there and winning and working and preparing the way he does. And then obviously being in New York, Derek Jeter’s gotta be one of those guys that you look up to. Especially a single guy, seeing how Jeter was able to like kind of stay under the radar and be so successful on the field and off the field. That’s a guy that you definitely have to look up to, and being in this city after him, definitely try to emulate that. Q: Why did you think the Cowboys would draft you? A: They flew me out to Texas. You know when I knew they weren’t gonna draft me? I get out there, I go on this trip, it’s me and Travis Frederick are the two O-linemen they bring out, and basically, I was told whoever the Cowboys bring out is who they normally draft. And then when I got to the stadium, we’re sitting up there in Jerry Jones’ suite and I look out onto the field and they had my picture up on the big Jumbotron: “Welcome to Cowboys Stadium.” And then it says “Jordan” Pugh. And I’m like, “Oh there’s no way they’re drafting me, they couldn’t even get my name right!” Q: If you were NFL commissioner, you would ... A: I wouldn’t fine guys as much (laugh). I would put some of the fun back into the NFL. Let guys celebrate after they score touchdowns. I like the idea of letting us wear cleats, different causes for our cleats. It’s something that can benefit so many different people. Q: What will be your gameday routine this Sunday? A: We’ll go eat as an O-line together Saturday night when we get in. I always go and chill in Brett Jones’ room. ... Eat my little snack in there with him. I go to Mass on Saturday nights with Father Dowd. I always pray for everybody’s safety. And I go hang with Brett Jones, John Jerry, watch a little TV. Game day, always eggs. I don’t have anything crazy I do in the mornings. Q: Why does it mean so much to you to be a New York Giant? A: The first thing you think is class. Everyone that’s come before me, and everyone that’s gonna come after me is gonna I think hold those values that I do now and take pride in putting that blue on.