Q. Curious, take us through what Monday was like for you and what ultimately led you coming back here.
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: A little stressful, because obviously like the anxiety of just trying to figure out what's going to happen. I had a feeling I would be back just from the calls I had with Joe and Coach Nagy and talking to Coach Harbs and Coach Bloom. So I wanted to be back here. I didn't really want to go anywhere else. So I was hoping that we could work it out where I could come back here and I could continue to do what I've been doing here. And now I'm just really glad it all worked out.
Q. You mentioned Coach Harbaugh. You played for him as a young player. Just your memories of him from back then and the other part of that is how much of a different player is he getting now?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: Well, I'm nowhere close to the player I was back then, I can tell you that. Coach Harbs is the type of guy that's going to love you hard, but he's going to coach you harder. And like I said, he's going to hold you accountable for everything. He's going to hold you to a certain standard and a certain expectation when you're practicing out there, the way you carry yourself, the way you represent the franchise, and just the way you are as a person. He wants great players, but he also wants great men and great people, and he's a big believer in that. I think that's something he's done great job of throughout his career and how long I've known him.
As for the player, obviously I wasn't a good enough player back when I was in Baltimore, that's why they traded me. But again standing in front of Harbs and telling him the player I've become and the player I'm going to be in the future, it was really cool just to be able to sit in front of him and just see him again and let him see the man I've become. Because I was, back when I got drafted, obviously that was almost 10 years ago now, or I guess it will be 10 years ago this season. So I've grown a lot, matured a lot, and coming into my own as a player and as a person, and I'm just really glad that Coach Harbs gets to see that.
Q. You obviously mentioned on Twitter and I think on the show that how much you love this fan base and how much love you received from them. How much did that factor into your decision to come back?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: It's huge. I don't think it's every day that, it doesn't matter who you are, like a player gets the type of love and appreciation and just reception I've gotten from this fan base ever since I signed here. Yeah, I didn't do anything that was extra or anything that was kind of out of my character, I just was me, and it was really cool that the fans related with that. I guess they appreciated that and just backed me. I've been in a lot of places where things have been said negatively to me, or just fans just haven't really liked me. So I don't know why that was because of, but being here in New York and the type of reception I've gotten and just the love that's been shown to me that I just never expected it and it's been really cool. Even before I resigned here, just getting the Tweets every single day and the messages on Instagram and just from fans really wanting me back here, it means a lot. And like I said, I don't think a lot of players get to experience what I'm experiencing right now and I truly, truly appreciate it and don't take it for granted.
Q. I got a couple, first of all you could have walked in there in a Giants hoodie or a sweatshirt, why are you dressed up today?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: It means a lot. It's something I've been working towards my entire career and I just wanted to show them that it's, this isn't just another day for me, it's a combination for all the days I put in, all the hard work I put in, just keeping my head down and working. And I've been open about my story where I've been cut, traded, put on the P Squad, benched, and I've been through all these different things that not a lot of players get to this position I'm in right now. And to me I truly just wanted to show just how much of a, how important this is. And I feel like you put on suits for important events and this truly is an important event, and I just wanted to show whoever, like the fans, the coaches, anyone in the building, just how much this meant to me and how much I truly appreciate this. And I feel like you have to dress for the occasion. Not everyone may do it, but for me I truly think that it was appropriate for this situation and the day. And it's a huge day for me and my family and I wanted to show that through the suit.
Q. Is that new?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: Yeah, I got it custom made for this event.
Q. Custom made?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: Yeah, well, I mean, it's hard to find suits that fit me. So but I have a tailor who is in New Jersey that has tailored a lot of guys in the NFL that made this really quick for me for the event, so I'm really glad and thankful for that.
Q. So you got this suit after you signed? After you agreed to terms, you said, let's go with the suit? I mean, how did that work?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: No, I actually got it before. I was kind of banking, not banking, I would say I was hoping that I would get the opportunity to wear it. If not, I was just going to wear it for the first game next season. But kind of put faith in myself that I was going to be back here, and wanted to get a suit for the occasion, because, I mean, it's New York, you have to dress up for basically everything here. So I actually, I think I got it, I actually got it while I was on vacation in St. Lucia, so I hit up my tailor and I said, Hey, God willing, I'm going to sign the biggest contract of my life, and I want a suit that matches the occasion. I had always wanted a suit that looked like this, and I'm very glad that I get to put it on and just wear it for the day, which is an honor and I'm really grateful for it.
Q. I'm not going to ask you to stand up, the pants match, right, it's a suit?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: You know it.
Q. For the first time in your career you went over a thousand snaps and normally guys when they play that much for the first time they tend to wear down. You had one of your best career performances in terms of pass blocking, in terms of everything. What do you attribute that to?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: I mean, honestly, this was my first year getting to play one position. So I think it's that every single day I came in this building, I was able to focus on the right tackle and I was able to go against Burns and Tibbs and Abdul every single day. And a lot of my -- I went against a lot of great players this year, but I think that those three are three of the best edge rushers or edge players in the NFL. So getting to go against them is a blessing.
Also it was a mentality for me. To me, every single year of my career something has been on the line. There's never been a sense of stability or a sense of comfort. I've always played with a chip on my shoulder. I've always played with the pressure on my back, and I've known that I have to perform and I need to produce because if not then my spot can get taken. Maybe some people say, no, they don't think that, but that's just how I play. I play like someone's behind me chasing me and I'm trying to keep the lead on them instead of them catching up to me. And I'm going to continue to play like that the rest of my career. But I think it's just a combination of things. Again, to go against Burns Tibbs and Abdul every day, getting to having to look over my shoulder and also just knowing that I was going to play one position and that position was mine which was a really cool feeling.
Q. I know those are shorts, Jermaine, come on, I know that's a shorts suit, isn't it?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: No, it's not. (Laughing).
Q. I left mine in the cleaners, so next time we'll match up again.
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: Oh, for sure, for sure.
Q. Can you describe the responsibility you felt, you mentioned your family earlier, and the last time you went into free agency it was a, I don't want to say it wasn't about your family, but it really was about you to prove that you deserved that contract. How much responsibility have you felt over the last couple weeks? I know everybody has that in their life, but for you deciding where you were going to be and how much it was going to change not just your life, but your family's lives moving forward?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: Yeah, I mean, I think every man of the household has that sense of responsibility to protect their family and put their family in the best situation possible. For me it's been like that for my entire career. I've put that pressure on my shoulders and that weight on my back where I've known that I need to go out there every single day, practice, in the weight room, in the film room, whatever it is, I need to make sure I'm at my best so on Sundays I'm at my best. That way I can put my family in the best position possible, which I'm doing right now, and which is an honor and a blessing. And I'm really grateful for the Giants franchise for believing in me and giving me the contract that they did, which is a blessing. So for me the work's not done, it's just started because now a whole new different pressure gets put on your shoulders, where you need to produce because you need to show the fans and the franchise and the coaches and the GM and the owners that you are worth it of the money that they're investing in you. Because that's what it is, it's an investment. So now for me my job now is to show that their investment was worthwhile. And the whole family aspect of it, I feel like I've finally been able to secure my future for my family, which is a blessing and an honor, and I'm truly grateful for that. But the other side of that is now there's a whole new pressure where I need to go out there and continue to do what I've been doing, but to a higher standard now, and I'm really excited that I get the opportunity to do that.
Q. I got two for you. One, I know they asked you about the Monday, what else can you tell us about Monday? Like can you tell us any other teams, like did you have comparable offers that you picked the Giants, did you maybe did you take any little less to come to the Giants, like what can you tell us about the actual decision on Monday, what was in front of you?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: I mean, I wanted to be here and so, like I said, I'm glad that we were able to do something where it worked for both sides and I was able to continue to do what I've didn't here. I didn't want to be anywhere else. I wanted to continue to be a New York Giant because I love this team, I love this franchise, I love the people in the building. I wanted to play for Coach Harbs, and I'm excited that I get the opportunity to do that again. And Coach Bloom, G-Ro, Coach Callahan, Coach Nagy, they're all great coaches and they're all really, really qualified coaches, but they have a ton of experience, and so I'm really excited that I get to be a player in their offense and in their system on this team.
Q. What do you think about -- so it looks like you could have at least four of the same offensive linemen, but the guy next to you isn't signed yet. What do you know or what do you think or what do you want, you're a pretty opinionated guy, what do you think about right guard next to you, and who you want to see there?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: I do whatever they want me to do. Like I said, whoever they put next to me, I'm going to make sure that we're aligned and that we think the same. And when we go out there on Sundays we do our best to not only protect the quarterback, but open up run lanes and make sure this offense is producing in all aspects.
Q. Media Good Guy Award this year?
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR: I'll try my best. I don't know how it's going to work out for me. It's kind of crazy, but if I don't get it this year, I'm not talking to you no more (laughing).
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports