Head Coach John Harbaugh

JOHN HARBAUGH: Okay, great to see everybody, appreciate you being here. A big week, a big day really because you have the 53 in for the first time. Then you get the practice squad guys later in the day, which is why we pushed practice back, so those guys could be with us in terms of the time frame with all the roster moves. And we had our first practice with that group, sort of our first in-season type of practice today. Getting ready for our first game. So, what questions do you have?

Q: What went into keeping (wide receiver) Odell (Beckham Jr.) on the roster, having him make the roster? Like what did you see, and why?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, I mean, he played really well. He looked like he was ready to help us, that was it. You just take the roster, you take the guys, you take the reps, the plays, what you need from your players going into the season, and you pick the best guys. He was one of the best guys, he earned it, he earned his spot. I mean, from beginning to end, he earned it.

Q: You told him walking off the field yesterday, is kind of what you said?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, right at the end of practice, yeah.

Q: What was his reaction?

JOHN HARBAUGH: It was great, it was wonderful. He just – I mean, I knew he…

Q: Did you sense relief?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I don't know, I sensed accomplishment. I feel like he felt like he accomplished something, but not finished, and he said that. He wants to get – now it's time to make it count, that's where he's at. But I know he knows he accomplished a lot. It's kind of unheard of, in some ways, to be away for so long to come back. I don't know how many times this has actually been done. It would be interesting to see, but the odds were probably against him, I would say. He overcame the odds and did it. Now what do you do with it? And that's what he's focused on.

Q: You had said that back in the spring, in June when you signed him. You said you told him, 'You can make a roster, but are you going to make a difference?' Did you sense over the last week or so that he kind of hit that other gear?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yes. I'd say the last week to two weeks that he really started notching it back up a couple of notches and making certain kinds of plays that got you excited.

Q: What do you view his role as?

JOHN HARBAUGH: He'll be in that receiver group. I mean, he'll be rotating in in different personnel groups, and he'll be playing.

Q: Where did you see him grow, I guess, as a person, compared to when you had him in the building a couple of years ago? Just – he talked about that.

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, that's something – he has talked quite a bit about that. And I think it's – what he says, I listen to what he says because it's interesting to me. I've been in these conversations with him now for, over the years, a lot, but probably in the last six months a lot lot. And he's been – this is what he's been talking about, kind of the growth. I just think he's going through some things in his life that have really made him take stock of certain things, and what's important in his life, and it's neat to see. We all go through that and hopefully continue to. But he's in a great place, he's in a great place, he's ready to compete. He's ready to help the Giants be the best team they can be. He wants to make plays, he wants to make blocks, he wants to do whatever he can do to help the team.

Q: John, there's obviously not a lot of people here who knew him in his first time here. I'm just curious what (President and Chief Executive Officer, Board Director) John Mara's reaction was when you told him that he made the team.

JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, John – Mr. Mara – he says his grandsons were super happy. Because they've been kind of asking him every day, 'Is Odell going to make it? Is Odell going to make it?' I do think – I think Mr. Mara's happy. He has a great relationship with Odell, and as you said, the people who were here know the whole history. For us, it's new, we don't know the Giants history as much. But it seems to me like the Maras and the people that were here before are excited, are excited for Odell. That's my feeling.

Q: How important was it for you to know that the entire locker room, the entire team was looking at you? That this wasn't just about one player, it was about one player fitting into the entire team, and making sure that he did go out and earn it, that it wasn't just about, 'Well, it's Odell, so…'

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, right. Well, I think that's a fair point, but it wasn't like what I was thinking about. It wasn't like a decision that needed to be justified. To me, the decision makes itself. And at the end of training camp, most everybody on the team, within a guy or two – you get to some of these calls that are this – you can go this way or that way, and everybody's got maybe a different way they might go in the scouting department, coaching department, and on the team. But there's nobody in that locker room, I believe, or anywhere in the building, that questions Odell's earning this. It's clear cut, so that's it.

Q: When you talk about close calls, it seemed like that (center Bryan) Hudson-(former Giants offensive lineman Lucas) Patrick competition was probably as close as anyone. What gave Hudson the edge?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Probably youth. Youth and – yeah, he's got a lot of football in front of him. That's probably the biggest factor right there.

Q: What about cornerback Nic Jones? And how much does the gunner play into it, and what did that come down to there?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yeah, well, six corners is a good number, so if you have six, you'd like to have six. We have six we think can do it. (Former Giants cornerback) Art (Green) got nicked up, got the concussion, so that was part of it, but Nic also plays nickel, he can play inside and outside, and he can play safety. So, he's got some versatility, so he's valuable for us.

Q: You mentioned (kicker) Dominic (Zvada) winning the kicking job. You had a rookie kicker last year. I'm curious, as someone with a special teams background, what did you learn from that experience of having a rookie kicker, and what is sort of your expectations for Dominic?

JOHN HARBAUGH: I learned that it's great if he can make the last kick of the season (laughs). I learned that. Because he made a bunch of kicks before that, and I'm sure he'll make a bunch of kicks in the future, and if Dominic misses one kick, it's not the end of the world. I learned that. So, he'll be fine, I think he's going to kick really well.

Q: You stuck with the four running backs. Where do you feel that position is, and how did you come to that decision?

JOHN HARBAUGH: We just felt like they were – the four backs were part of our 53 best players, and it wasn't comfortable letting one of those guys go. We just felt like all those guys would be able to play a role for us and we'd be able to have those guys contribute.

Q: What's the plan with (wide receiver Braxton) Berrios?

JOHN HARBAUGH: The plan with Berrios is treat him like he's playing on the 53. We have an opportunity, the way that you can work the roster now, to do that. And that's the plan.

Q: Assuming he's your punt returner?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Yes.

Q: What is the plan with (quarterback) Jaxson (Dart) not having played in a month? Do you have to accelerate the plan to get him ready?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, as you noticed today, we had a lot of reps out there today. This is the week – we have 13 days till we play, so we're working hard on execution. We're working really hard on that aspect of it. And that's for the quarterbacks – for everybody too, but we're trying to get it done in practice to make sure he's ready to go.

Q: John, you really kind of overhauled some of the guys that were here last year, so I'm curious, you and the staff looked at these guys with fresh eyes, how do you balance, obviously, respecting guys who were here, but also what fits your unique vision for this team?

JOHN HARBAUGH: Well, there's definitely a factor of what guys have done. But it's not just here, it's probably in their whole career. You try to take into account the body of work for all the guys. But really, it's how they fit the need right now. It's more short-term than long-term. You have long-term decisions. I mean, you don't want to take a young lineman who's doing well and not have him and have him go somewhere else and become a really great player because you had a chance to develop him yourself. But more than that, it's really just, 'Hey, what makes us our best team right now?'

Wide Receiver Malik Nabers

Q: What was the feeling in the room, in the locker room, in the receiver room, when you guys found out that (wide receiver) Odell (Beckham Jr.) had made this team?

MALIK NABERS: He's put in great work. He showed every attribute and everything that he wanted to be a Giant. He wanted to be here. He wanted to come back and he had unfinished business. And we talked all the time, through the offseason and summer about things that he wanted to accomplish. And this was one of the main things was coming back, making a team and they didn't make it easy for him. He earned everything he got. He put great film on tape. I'm sure everybody's seen. He was a great leader. So, good things get rewarded to good people, for sure. And then, like I said, he's been a great leader. So, to have him in there is, it's definitely a good choice.

Q: What's it been like for you, just specifically over this camp, what's it been like to have him in the camp?

MALIK NABERS: Yeah, I mean, he's come up many times and just asking me about the rehab process, trying to give me tips and things to do that helped him during his rehab and asking me to continue to ask what I'm doing, telling me I can do more. 'You can do more.' He wanted to see me back out there. He's excited to see me run routes and I'm excited to also be on the side of him playing. I used to watch him when I was younger. So, just to be here right now is, it's probably, it's crazy as it seems, but like I said, he's been a great leader for sure.

Q: Did you watch his one-handed catch live on TV when it happened?

MALIK NABERS: No, no, no. I wasn't really a football fan when I was growing up. He kind of was the base person that literally made me start watching football, just the dances, the one-handers and he was probably the first person I started really watching when I started playing football. He was the main person. So, just for him being here right now, in the same room as me, it's surreal. Sometimes I got to take a moment, but to have him here is actually amazing.

Q: You know what you thought about him as a player before he got here. We know last year, social media, you guys got involved. Come here, come here, let's finish it. How different is the Odell that you knew from afar to the Odell that you've seen the last two months here?

MALIK NABERS: I mean, he's seen a lot. I mean, you can tell just his demeanor is different. Everything that he does is just different. He has his things that he goes through the weekly on just keeping his body healthy, showing great charisma just being out here. He wants to be here. He feels like he has unfinished business and he's carrying that every day at practice. You see him come out here. He's always before pre-practice, he's running fast. He's always doing extra, catching jugs. So, he wants to be here, and he wants to continue to build his legacy. So, just seeing how he's turned over from the last two years of him probably being in the darkest room that he's probably been in and to come out of there and still have that same demeanor that we all seen in him when he was here. That great character and just coming out here and trying to outwork somebody. So, just to keep having that and carry on to that, it's been amazing to watch him.

Q: How are you feeling and what checkpoints are made between now and the opener when you get through?

MALIK NABERS: I mean, I'm going to keep the checkpoints in-house. It's not really anything too big, but like I said, I'm going to keep it more in-house and just to myself.

Q: How are you feeling then, I guess?

MALIK NABERS: I feel pretty good. Well, I feel real good, to be honest. But like I said, you're going to feel good, but there's still some things that you still have to check off the box for you to participate. So, I'm still going through that, still listening to the trainers, still listening to doctors and sharing everything with them.

Q: Training camp is done now. Does your mind focus fully on playing against the Cowboys now at this point?

MALIK NABERS: My mind is focused on playing the regular season, playing whenever that is and playing what team it is. I'm going to be making sure that I'm ready to go out there and I'm healthy enough to play all four quarters. That nobody got to make sure I'm not in on every play or they have to make sure I got enough snaps or my snaps are limited. So, that's the main focus is just trying to be out there as much as I can.

Q: At this point though, from our perspective, we're looking at you and we're like, why wouldn't you play? What would you say to that? Is there anything that, is there any reason you wouldn't be able to play at this point? If the Super Bowl was tomorrow, would you be able to get on the field and play?

MALIK NABERS: That would be a decision that would be made when that time comes. Like I said, the outside view, I might look like I'm one hundred percent. I make everything look well. I mean, sometimes I run routes and I go look on the internet and I'm like, 'Dang, I was moving kind of crazy.' But when you're in your body and you're in it, you still have some things that you still got to work on as a football player that you got to be like, I don't feel right doing this cut, I don't feel right, I haven't been hit, I haven't seen this. So, it's certain things that you just got to, as a forward player, you got to mentally prepare that before you go into a game and then everybody's just seeing you. So, if you make a mistake, it's all broadcast, so nobody really knows. So, it's like, I want to be able to come out there and make no mistakes and just be able to fly around and do what I do. So, I'm getting there for sure. I'm getting there.

Q: How realistic is that though? That you come back and you're just as good as you were when you were at wherever you were at the top of two years ago. Is that realistic for you? Is that how you're viewing it or do you realize that it might take some time even in games?

MALIK NABERS: Yeah. I mean, I've heard a lot of people say it takes a little while for you to feel better, but I've put in countless hours of work, I've put in many nights. I've sat in rooms, cried. I did everything to get to this moment right here. So, I feel like when I get out there, I feel like I'll be better than what I was before. I've put in work, I've went through everything that I could just to get to this moment.

I thought I would probably never run a route again, just how the stuff was going. But I've made it here, I've been through the hard stuff. So, I feel like there's nothing in my life that I can't overcome. And the step that I'm going to take forward is going to be better than before. And will it take me some time? Who knows. But I know for sure if I'm out there, I'm going to run some routes for sure.

Q: Do you want to have a teammate hit you first or are you comfortable with the first hit coming from another team?

MALIK NABERS: Man, either way they want to do it. You're going to get hit regardless, man. However they want to do it, I'm with it.

Q: Going back to when you were younger, what would you tell yourself that not only are you watching this guy Odell Beckham, but you're going to follow him to LSU, follow him on the Giants, and now you're teammates. What does that kind of mean as far as just like this journey? Do you think about that now?

MALIK NABERS: There's no dream too big, straight like that. You got a dream, stick to it. You want to accomplish something, stick to it. You want to do something in life, stick to it. Put your mind to it. Never let nobody tell you, I know we've heard this a lot, but just never let nobody tell you, you can't. Because there's a part of you in your heart, you know you can. So, if you know you can, there should be nobody telling you that you can't.

Odell Beckham Jr.

Q: What did it mean to make the roster?

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: Man, it's everything. God had a plan for me. The last two years I talked to y'all about just the spiritual journey that I've been on. The growth, the humility. Kind of walking through life over the last two years – a bit of hardships, with myself feeling, just wasn't where I wanted to be. And now being able to be here, to walk in here, I remember coming here to practice and seeing the '86, the '90, the 2007 (and) '11 banners. And I was like, 'Man, I just want to bring one here.' And I think you'll always hear me talk about it. I feel like no matter what team you're on, that's the goal. Nobody's playing just to play – you all want to win. So, that was kind of the message I had to the group. It's like, it's one thing to get here. It's an honor and a privilege, but how do you take that next step each and every day and find ways to level up?

Q: Take us through the emotions of yesterday and even the last couple of weeks here.

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: Over the last couple weeks, it was just a grind. It was knowing I'm so close to what I've worked hard for. And then over the last day…

Q: Did you allow yourself to think about it though? Trying to think if you're going to make it or not.

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: Yeah. No matter what, it was on the back of my mind. I feel like even some of the nerves that I had playing, feeling like, I talked to you about pressure and how I love it and I thrive off it. But it felt, that was the first time I felt like in a position where it wasn't like, alright, this is guaranteed. I know I'm going to be here. I know I'm going to – I've always been dominant. There was a little bit of that pressure like, 'Okay, I have to go and get it.' I asked for this opportunity, I have it and I'm right here just taking that step up. And then, I would say, within the last day, just my family being here, seeing my son at the game, him being like, 'Dad,' you know what I mean? And I had that, kind of those tears when I got back to the hotel after figuring out (that) I'm going to be here. And I have an opportunity to rewrite some of the last bit of the chapter. Don't know, last year, whatever it is, I just know I'm going to give my all. But definitely had that moment where it was like you could let out some of the pain that I feel like I went through. It was just very healing, very emotional, something I was very happy about.

Q: What was that like to deal with that kind of pressure? For the first time you've had to experience that.

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: It definitely, like I said, it was a different feeling. It was something that I was prepared for, but you never know exactly how it feels until you're really dealing with it. Just truly proud of myself. Whatever the outcome was, I came and I gave my best effort, and I earned the right to be here, this wasn't given to me. I was given the opportunity, but I wasn't given making it here where I'm at. I'm truly happy about it. But like I said, not satisfied until I find ways to continue to get better and bring my best. I talked to the coaches about it. I said, 'Hold me to the highest standard.' It's how it's always been for me, how it always will be. If you see me on a day where you feel like I'm not giving my best, (be) like, 'Wake up.' You know what I mean? Be better, do better. So, I'm excited about that.

Q: How much do you think you can still produce at this point?

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: I feel confident in my ability, and whatever it is that I need to provide, I'm looking to do that and more. I've never shied away from competition or anything like that. So, I feel that I can produce. I know that's what I want to do and now it's about putting the work in to be able to do that.

Q: We know what you can do at the peak. Where are you at just physically? I mean, do you feel the same out there? I mean, not the exact same as 2014.

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: I always talk about it. It's always this thing. It's like, oh, is he going to be the, 13 years in or whatever it is, even though I haven't played the full 13. But they said I was the fastest player on the field in the last preseason game. So, I think I'm still running a little bit. But, like I said, it's about putting that work in each and every day, finding a way to (get) one percent better each and every day.

Q: How do you view what your role is going to be? What do you think? What do you look at it as?

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: Leadership presence, and as far as what I feel like I can do on the field, I feel confident in that, and I've never allowed anything anyone says to shake that confidence. No matter what, people are going to talk about me regardless, good, bad, whatever it is. It just kind of comes with the nature of truly the hard work that I put in to be able to have that opportunity for someone to speak about me, even on a bad day, slow news days. Sometimes people are going to use my name to boost their own whatever it is. So, it is what it is. It comes with the territory. My focus will always be just kind of lock that out and come here, produce, and be the best me I can be.

Q: When you left the stadium Friday night, it didn't seem like you knew. That was a little uncertain. You knew you put your best foot. To have to go on the practice field yesterday, I know you guys didn't bust it as much as you normally would, but what was that like being on the field, knowing that you were kind of waiting for that answer, but you were out there kind of one false step, and who knows what happens?

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: Exactly. And that was kind of like my intent, the first play, just getting back on the turf, having those little bit of nerves. There was one where I lost my footing, and that was early in the game, and I feel like it was, God with a little nudge, like, 'Hey, wake up.' Like if you don't get this one right now, who knows what will happen. I remember running off the field and just taking a look back and seeing that MetLife (logo) feeling like I had done enough to have the right to be here but not knowing. It was kind of in God's hands, and this team and this ownership and coaching staff to make a decision. But being able to come out here yesterday and be here with these guys, it's an honor and a privilege to be here. It's an honor and a privilege to wear this uniform again. This means everything to me. Like I said, just trying to be my best every day.

Q: I think a lot of people are curious whether or not they'll see you in 13, but obviously (wide receiver) Jalin (Hyatt) is in the building wearing 13. Are there any conversations or negotiations happening at this point? Where are you at with that?

ODELL BECKHAM JR.: I think we all know what that means to me, and there definitely will be some conversations. I'll just say we'll see what happens, but like I said, it would be an honor and a privilege to put that back on.