It's one thing to be 100 percent and go out and play football feeling great. It's another thing when you're not feeling good. You're sick, or you got a nagging injury, and you gotta go out in the cold and go across the middle where a guy's coming full speed at you trying to kill you.

When I was growing up, I was a huge San Francisco 49ers fan. The New England Patriots have a similar mold and plan to win a lot of games - reminiscent to that Bill Walsh era.

I don't even enjoy football, at least professional football, anymore because I'm breaking the game down constantly. You're sitting there watching the plays, and you're talking mental reps on what would I have done here against this coverage or this leverage, this, that. It is what it is.

I don't say I'm necessarily a professional football player. I'm a competitor. That's what was instilled in me as a young boy.

I just want to see more understanding and less racism in sports.

I'm just ready to play football. I'm ready to get involved in the community, I'm ready to just do positive things and move forward.

When I was a kid, the idea of gettin' paid to paint your face... listen, I grew up in Ossining, New York, a nice little town by the Hudson, and nothin' ever interested me except being your usual high school big shot, which I was an' loved it, played all the sports and goofed around, always out on the street with the guys, everything was funny t'me.

You always want all of your sports teams at your school to do well.