FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Super Bowl XLVIII Tuesday, January 28, 2014
QUOTES FROM DENVER BRONCOS MEDIA DAY
SAFETY MIKE ADAMS
(on how the idea of walking to Paterson, NJ from the Super Bowl came about) “Excitement after beating the Patriots. I was
just thinking, if I go to the Super Bowl, I’m walking home. I’m keeping my equipment on and I’m walking home. That’s how
it started. It seems like I have to prove you guys right, huh?”
(on how strange it is that he’s back in New Jersey playing for the Super Bowl) “It was a long journey but at the same time, I
won my first championship here, at the old Giants’ Stadium in high school. Now I have the chance to win a Super Bowl in the
Giants’ Stadium. It’s a blessing.”
(on if a lot of friends/family are coming to the Super Bowl) “Oh yeah. I’m from here. I live here. This is me. This is my domain.
I have a lot of people that will be rooting for me. I have a lot of people rooting for me at Giants’ Stadium, so it will be fun.”
(on his bittersweet memories of growing up in Paterson) “It wasn’t always peaches and cream where I grew up. It was a
challenge. It doesn’t make me afraid to walk the streets of Paterson. It doesn’t make me afraid to walk home or anything
because I’m good over there, trust me.”
(on if Paterson was a bad neighborhood) “It was a tough neighborhood, but I don’t want to gear toward all of the negative
things that’s going on in Paterson because I know you cover it a lot, so you know. I don’t want to put any bad light on Paterson.
I guess the newspapers and everything that is going on says enough. I would rather talk about the positives that are going on,
which is me going to the Super Bowl, me giving toy drives, coat drives, free haircuts. Like all of the positive stuff (New York
Giants WR) Victor Cruz does and Gerald Hayes.”
(on what it means to be able to give back to his community) “It means a lot because of how rough it is and how I grew up and
how you had to get out of adversity to remain positive. It means a lot just being able to do that and let the young kids see
myself, Victor Cruz, Gerald Hayes, and Marcel Shipp do positive things and give them some hope that they can do some
positive things.”
(on his favorite memories growing up) “Playing football in the street and your grandmother calling you when the street lights
come on, telling you it’s time to eat dinner. I think those were my favorite memories and moving out of the way for cars to go
and pass; things like that. Going to the basketball court. You don’t get that anymore and that’s probably one of the negative
things I can say about it. You don’t get the kids playing in the street, throwing the football around anymore.”
(on how he would describe himself) “I’m cool. I can play football and I’m nice.”
(on what makes a good team) “Everybody collectively coming together, building chemistry, being on the same page,
understanding where each other are, understanding defenses and understanding different personalities and understanding the
competitiveness.”
(on which athletes he was closest to growing up in Paterson) “Definitely Gerald Hayes. We went to the same high school, we
graduated high school together. Marcel Shipp kind of took us under his wing, and Tim Thomas, the basketball player that came
out of Paterson, New Jersey. We keep in contact a lot and we’re tight because of the intramural football and intramural
basketball, the things we did outside of school.”
(on the last time he’s been to Paterson) “Last night. I was hanging out with my grandmother and my uncle. We had a nice little
dinner. You want to know what we had? We had some rice, green beans, and some baked chicken. She made all of that. I’ll
save you a plate.”
-more-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Super Bowl XLVIII Tuesday, January 28, 2014
QUOTES FROM DENVER BRONCOS MEDIA DAY
MORE SAFETY MIKE ADAMS
(on obstacles he’s had to overcome) “I got injured twice. I went to the University of Delaware and my hip popped out and they
said I couldn’t play again, so I overcame that. I ended up being a free agent to the San Francisco 49ers. Those were the main
obstacles, just being injured.”
(on influence of his brother) “My brother Jay, he was a big influence. He was a better football player than I was, and I will
always try to be better than him. I told him that a couple of days ago that I looked up to him and how I appreciate all of the
hard work that he has done because he always made the one handed catches, he was hard to tackle, and I just wanted him to be
better him. I told him the other day that I’m better than him now.”
(on how growing up in Paterson made him a tougher guy) “Just all of the intangibles and just the environment. Growing up in
a neighborhood where there’s killings, there’s drugs, and all of that, you have to have a strong mind, not just strong physically,
but you need to have a strong mind to overcome all of that.”
(on how he found out his mother passed away) “My mom had cancer. I don’t remember where I was when she passed away. I
was devastated, absolutely devastated. When my mom passed it was one of the most hurtful things that I had to get over.”
(on how they found a way to live after his mom passed) “We definitely found a way. We’re supposed to find a way. That’s the
Adams family for you, we’re strong. We overcome a lot of things to get where we want to be and do the things we want to do.”
(on plans after the Super Bowl) “After the game you’re going to have to follow me and see what I do. I’ll keep you wondering
on that one.”
(on if he plans to go back to Paterson) “Maybe, maybe not. I’ll tell you what, I won’t be able to walk home in my cleats. I need
some nice warm walking shoes.”
(on what Paterson means to him) “Paterson means a lot to me. Maybe, if I do walk there, I’m pretty sure I’ll get a warm
welcome.”
(on if the Super Bowl taking place in New Jersey was a topic of conversation for Adams and teammates) “It wasn’t a topic of
conversation. I think the hump that we had to get over because of the loss to Baltimore was more a topic of conversation. When
we lost to Baltimore, I think that was one of the most devastating things and waiting 365 days just to play that game again.
Once that game was over, beating the Chargers, it was like we got over that hump. I think that was more the topic of
conversation rather than playing in New Jersey.”
(on what it was like coming home last night) “That was cool. I think that was one of the most fascinating things because my
little brother walked into the house and said, ‘You’re going to the Super Bowl, what are you doing here?’ It was kind of funny
and then it dawned on me again, that I am going to the Super Bowl and I am playing in the Super Bowl. It felt weird because I
wasn’t in the offseason eating with my family. It was like I’m coming here and eating dinner and then going back to the hotel.”
(on the feeling of last year’s game against the Ravens and the aftermath) “I tried going back before the Chargers game and I
think that’s the last time I want to go back. That’s how hurtful it was. We had high expectations. I’m pretty sure the fans and
the media had high expectations and we fell short. I think the best thing for us to do is to move on, especially when we beat the
Chargers, it was a relief. Now we’re here where we want to be.”
-SB XLVIII-