OFFENSIVE LINEMAN DAN CONNOLLY

(On what would be on his resume right now)

"I don't know. I guess I could maybe cook in a kitchen somewhere if I couldn't play football. That's about all I've got."

(On if he has any superstitions before games)

"No. I mean I don't have any weird routines that I go through before games or anything like that. It is all about preparation and focus before a game."

(On how tough it is to move spots on the offensive line)

"I think we always try to focus on getting different combinations of guys. We never just play with five when we practice or go through training camp because you never know what is going to come up throughout the season. You always have to be prepared. The next guy up has to be prepared to come in. Things just go seamlessly. I think the things that we faced early in the season were good for us. They helped us build throughout the season, form the right group of guys that could work well together and we just continued to improve every week."

(On how tough it was for Bryan Stork to come in as a rookie)

"I mean I can speak for myself and say that it is a tough job. I think we all try to help one another out. We're all working together for the same goal. I try to help Bryan as much as I can. He has done a really good job trying to learn his craft and really work on it and study plays and all of that stuff and work after practice, things like that, so he is as good as he can be on Sunday."

(On if time has flown by for him in the NFL)

"Yeah, kind of. I was a rookie 10 years ago. It has gone quickly. You have to kind of enjoy every moment you have in the NFL. The focus this week is all about this game. Those memories would get even sweeter if we can have some success down here. We're all about this game and putting all of our effort into this game."

(On if the amount of turnover on the Patriots roster is tough to deal with)

"I think that is just the business that we work in. There is always guys moving in and out, whether they are young, old, it doesn't matter. There are always new faces around the locker room. It is just important for guys to have their job and focus on their job and really accept those guys. We always try to form a team and work together and have success as a team."

LINEBACKER DONT'A HIGHTOWER

(On what makes Marshawn Lynch such a tough player to defend)

"His style of running is definitely different. He has great feet. He has great vision. He's got great balance. He's got everything you want in a running back. He's got great hands out of the backfield. He's a workhorse and does whatever they need him to do, whether it's stepping in for protection to make a block or turning a five-yard run into a 60-yard run, he does a great job of just of expanding the play, not always looking to run somebody over, but looking to make that extra step to make that big play."

(On whether Marshawn Lynch is a unique runner)

"I think he's more or less unique. He does a really great job with yards after contact, out of the backfield. I feel like he does everything that we expect him to do."

(On challenges of preparing for Seahawks offense)

"I definitely feel like a part of the game where people really didn't their offense respect was at the wide receivers last year in this game. That's definitely not the case now. They've got a lot of great skill players besides Russell (Wilson) and Marshawn. (Jermaine) Kearse does a great job. (Ricardo) Lockette does a great job. Luke Willson does a great job. Everybody is accountable, clicking and accepting their role in that offense.

(On his reaction to Jeremy Lane's comment on Rob Gronkowski)

"I don't know what he's seeing on tape."

(On whether he's been able to process the Super Bowl experience)

"Somewhat. This is really just a dream come true. I've been wanting to play in this game since I was little. I was able to get a couple of milestones that I wanted in college and now I have the opportunity to do it in the National Football League, meeting a lot of people who have played this game. Like you said, being 24 years old, I'm blessed to play in this game and play for such a great organization."

(On if he would describe the Seahawks as arrogant)

"They're a great team. I wouldn't all the way say they're cocky. I definitely feel like there's a confidence with it. The way that they came and played in the Super Bowl last year, I really don't feel like it's being cocky. It's more of a confidence thing. They're a great team obviously. That's why they're back here."

(On Brandon Browner's comments about Richard Sherman)

"I think all of you guys just kind of went over the top with what he said. I don't think he's targeting anybody. I think he was just, more or less, saying we need to go there or run at him because of the injury. I think that's kind of what he was doing, not taking a shot at him."

(On if he expected to do more pass rushing in the NFL)

"Maybe a little bit. They said they would work me in based on what I did at Alabama. This year I definitely feel that role coming into play a little bit more with playing that joker position and doing everything. I think like this year it's finally starting to click."

(On Russell Wilson rushing abilities)

"He has a different skillset. He's something of running quarterback, but I wouldn't say that he looks to escape the pocket a lot. If he gets pressure then he can get out. He extends plays really well, not just to run the ball, but to throw the ball downfield. Those receivers, running backs and tight ends do a great job uncovering to give him a chance to make that big play down the field."

(On how different the NFL is compared to college)

"I wouldn't say it's a big difference. Obviously, there's a faster game speed and better players. Just getting used to game speed and getting used to the Tom Brady's, the Russell Wilson's, the Aaron Rodgers'. I wouldn't say it's much of a difference. The game is still the same."

(On the atmosphere of media day)

"It's crazy right now. It's pretty hectic. There's been a lot of traffic. Everybody is going one way and everybody else is going another."

(On whether you blitz or contain Russell Wilson)

"I don't know. Maybe we'll give him a little bit of both, but he's a great quarterback. I think numbers show that he does pretty well against both. We want to keep him contained and not let him make big plays, but we also don't want to give him enough time to sit in the pocket and find Kearse and Luke Willson and Lockette down the field."

(On his impressions of Russell Wilson during their game against the Seahawks in 2012)

"You could tell a lot of things about Russell during his last year of college after he transferred to Wisconsin. I just feel like he's just a great all-around competitor. He does a great job of managing the game. He always had the deep threat."

(On what makes Bill Belichick such a special coach)

"I just feel like it's an all-around thing about what he does and what he brings to the team. What he says is what he believes in. That's why he's had so much success. He might tweak some things here or there, but he's had success and has been coaching for so long. To question him or hesitate on anything that he says is obviously not the right thing to do."

(On the unusual formation play against Baltimore)

"With him and Josh McDaniels and Tom, I'm pretty sure they work together and they always have. I feel like Coach (Belichick) does a really great job as far as mixing things up and coming at guys in different ways."

(On what makes the New England so tough in the second half of games)

"I think it's just really the coaches, starting with Bill (Belichick) all the way down to Josh McDaniels on offense and Matty P (Matt Patricia) on defense and Scotty O (Scott O'Brien) on offense. I feel like everybody does a great job of talking and communicating on what's going on. A lot of the players play the game within the game, kind of seeing what's going on and communicating to get things fixed. We're able to make those adjustments and communications on the field because a lot of guys on this team have a pretty good football IQ and are able to understand situational football.

(On how much his experience last season helped this year)

"It was a lot different last year. We didn't have as much experience up front, but it helped a lot of guys. It helped Chris Jones. It helped me. It helped Jamie (Collins). It helped a lot of guys. This year was a lot easier. I had Sealver (Siliga), I had V (Vince Wilfork), I had (Alan) Branch, I had Chandler (Jones); I had a lot of older guys up front to help me. Then there was the secondary. Devin (McCourty) does a tremendous job with communcations and makes sure all the guys in the secondary are lined up right. Then there's (Darrelle) Revis and (Brandon) Browner, who are such smart guys. Then you throw in Logan Ryan and there's a lot of guys who can get the gameplan and understand it, which makes my job a lot easier, as far as getting checks and stuff."

(On importance of defensive discipline)

"It's really big. Like you said, the zone reads, the misdirections, the play actions, the boots are almost aimed at those second-level players, whether it's linebackers or safeties or corners. They'll run the ball and get everybody to be aggressive and come up and play it and then throw the ball right behind it. As far as execution and focus, getting keys and understanding the vibe of the game is important."

(On the his biggest high school game)

"Probably my first high school game. I got to play with my cousin that I grew up with. My first ever carry was a touchdown and I'll always remember that, but it got called back because we had 10 people on the field. I let it ride, but that's still probably my favorite high school career."

(On the most influential person in his high school career)

"Probably the most influential person would be Coach Thomas. He was one of the reasons that I went to Alabama and why I was able to go to Alabama. He just helped my understanding of the game."

DEFENSIVE END ROB NINKOVICH

(On Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the protection from the Packers offensive tackles)

"Very good tackles. Very physical guy, and the way that they're able to protect Rodgers is pretty great. Again, he's a guy that can scramble, get out of the pocket, and they do a good job of protecting him."

(On how he's going to address each play)

"It's all about reading your keys. That's being able to look at the quarterback and running back and depth of the running back. It all works together. I've been playing football for a long time now, so it's all about just reading your keys and playing fast."

(On the opportunity to play in the Super Bowl)

"Really, having the opportunity is huge. For me, it's capitalizing on another great opportunity. We work very hard to get to this point, so we've just got to go out there and play well all three phrases."

(On the challenge of returning to the Super Bowl as a veteran)

"It could be in your first, second year in the league, it's a challenging thing to get through the season, to get through 16 games, to get through the playoffs, to get to this point. That's why you really have to do your very best to make the best of this week and prepare well so come game day, you're flying right and making plays."

(On if there were preparations he should have made in previous Super Bowls)

"I always like to tell myself to not have any regrets, so that's why you leave no stone unturned. I'm just doing my best during the week to watch as much film as I can and be as prepared as possible." (On how his position has evolved during his career)

"I started out as a defensive end and transitioned to linebacker and then kind of went back to the defensive end role, so the more things that you can do and the different positions that you can play, it's just going to help you in your total game. Being able to play defensive end and linebacker, dropping coverage, it all helps."

(On if he is surprised by how much the linebacker position has changed between blitzing and covering)

"You have to be able to do both, and you've got to able to be able to get pressure on your quarterback through blitzing and then also being able to cover. It all works together."

(On how he views Super Bowl week)

"I'm just trying to capitalize on my opportunity. Again, like I said before, it's a hard road to get here, and I'm excited to be here, excited to have another opportunity and go out there and fly around on my teammates."

(On the challenges he faced to get into the NFL)

"I'd say it was school at first. I didn't have too many offers when I came out of high school, so I had to go to the junior college route. That was a challenge there. Going to Purdue was another challenge there, jumping in. I had some great teammates there. I had Anthony Spencer, Ray Edwards that were the two D-ends that were already starting there, so I had to kind of jump in that group of talented football players. Then getting into the league, I had to overcome a couple of injuries and just keep fighting."

(On his relationship with former defensive end Rosevelt Colvin)

"He's a great guy. He texts me all the time. We talk, and he's a really good dude."

(On how he plans to celebrate his birthday on Super Bowl Sunday)

"My family's here, so I'm going to enjoy that time with my family and take it all in. I'll be turning 31 on game day."

(On if he was surprised by their game against the Chicago Bears this season)

"I think that it's a tough place to play, at our house. They had to travel out to come see us. It's definitely not easy. There are a lot of teams that have a hard time, having to deal with our fans and how loud they get and all the things that are challenging in our stadium." (On his message to the troops overseas)

"What's up, guys? Rob Ninkovich here. I'm happy you support us and everything you do for our country. I'm very proud and happy to go to bat here, flying around for you guys."

(On playing with New England defensive lineman Vince Wilfork)

"Playing with Vince is awesome. His experience and his ability to communicate with me during the game is huge. When you're with somebody, when you're next to somebody for a long time, the communication has to be really good, but also you really don't have to talk too much to know what he's trying to do or what I'm trying to do. That's maybe a hand signal, maybe looking at him and saying, 'Hey, I'm doing this,' and just give him a little eye, and he understands what I'm doing. Having him back this year was awesome. There's nothing like having a big body next to you that can take up two guys."

(On facing the Seattle Seahawks)

"These guys are a very talented football team. They're very well coached. It's definitely a challenge for us, so I'm excited for that. I'm excited to get going."

(On watching the film "Rudy")

"I'm not going to lie, I watched it last week before the game just to get me going. I've been watching that movie since I was a kid."

(On how he would describe living in Blue Island, Ill.)

"When I first moved there, five minutes one way was lot of corn field, and then the other way it's pretty populated. It's kind of right on the edge of being in the middle of nowhere and being in the suburbs. It's grown a lot since I've been there. I haven't been home in over 10 years, as far as living back home. I live in Foxborough. I have a house in Foxborough."

(On how people treat him when he returns to Illinois)

"I like to just be a normal guy. They don't treat me any different than they did when I was roaming around the neighborhood and playing basketball in my front yard."

(On his mindset about achieving goals)

"Just the never giving up mentality and continuing to fight, going after what you're passionate about and what you aspire to do. I think that you can go after your goals and go after things that you want to do. I'm a big believer in putting all your eggs in one basket. Some people say don't do that, but I put it all on what I want to do. If I don't make it, then I'm better for going after it."

(On how his time at Purdue helped shape him)

"It wasn't a very long stay. It would have been nice to have been there four years and had more time there. Again, it was kind of a stepping stone for me. I had to go there and play for two seasons and move on. It was a great school. I had a great time there, a lot of great relationships. I'm just grateful that I was able to be a part of the defensive end history there, because there's a lot of it."

(On if anything is different for him with this year's Super Bowl)

"It's just another great opportunity for me. I'm very excited. Again, last time was my first time. There's a lot of excitement every time you're here, but for now, for me, I'm just really focusing on what I have to do, and that's play good football on Sunday."

(On how Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is different from other quarterbacks he's played this year)

"Again, he's a very athletic guy, very talented, he can move in the pocket and make plays with his feet. You just have to be really aware of where he's at and not be overly aggressive and run up to the field to where he can step up and scramble for a first down, but also not just standing there and letting him have time."

(On what New England Head Coach Bill Belichick does to keep noise out of the locker room)

"I think first and foremost, you have an understanding that everyone has a job to do. You have to do it at a very high level. That's the business that we're in, so again, I think that message starts in the offseason training and OTAs, minicamp. The mentality that we have, it starts then, and it continues to build throughout the season. It's that hard work, mentality tough, never give up type attitude."

WIDE RECEIVER JULIAN EDELMAN

(On the controversy in New England)

"Hopefully that never happens. I am a firm believer that Tom (Brady) will be alright through anything. We're not even going to think about that one."

(On his touchdown pass in the AFC Championship Game)

"I was more worried about what I have to do. I can't throw like I used to. I'm just thankful that he (Danny Amendola) executed it."

(On his touchdown pass)

"I believe it was a second down and short. The play call came in and I was like, man when we hit this earlier in the week, we had it a few times, let's do it. Basically, it went through."

(On Kent State head coach Doug Martin)

"Huge part. Coach Martin is one of the only coaches who believed in me that I could play quarterback at a Division I level. He's a part of where I am at right now, so I am very thankful for him."

(On whether coach Martin encouraged him to play special teams)

"I don't know about that, because we played a couple snaps here and there. I wasn't playing special teams. He would help me out with when scouts were at practice, he'd have me go catch punts. He definitely was looking out."

(On teammate Rob Gronkowski)

"Rob is a great teammate. He's a big goofball, a big baby. All he cares about is football and football. You love having him in the locker room. He makes things fun. He works hard. He's all about this team. It's great to have him. He's one of the best."

(On how the Super Bowl experience has been)

"This is our first real day here, so, we have to deal with all of this crazy media stuff. It's fun. You're more anxious on the preparation process, going and seeing the facilities that you're going to be working out of for the week and getting into routine. Then going out and ultimately trying to win a football game. That's what we're here to do."

(On the dominant play of special teams from the Patriots and the Seahawks)

"Special teams is one third of the game. Anytime you have an explosion play in special teams, whether it's a kickoff return, punt return, good coverage, all of those types of things give momentum to a team and percentages of winning the game go out the roof when those kinds of things happen. We take special teams seriously here. Seattle, they're a hard-working team that's well-coached. You can tell that they take pride in their special teams unit as well. It's going to be a battle."

(On growing up in the Bay Area)

"I'm a NorCal kid. I grew up loving the Niners. The high school football out there and getting to watch Jerry Rice, Joe Montana, Brent Jones, Tom Rathman, Ricky Waters, all those guys playing a bunch of Super Bowls. To finally come and get to play in my second one, it's definitely a dream. Hopefully now we can get one."

(On his playoff beard)

"I forgot to shave for a couple months, so I guess it's a playoff beard."

(On whether he has watched film of other players)

"Yeah. I've watched a lot of film on Wes (Welker). I was fortunate to get to play behind him and learn how he played the position. I learned how to be a professional around a guy like him. The day-to-day activities like preparing, taking care of your body, those types of things. Troy Brown, he's an unbelievable player who's played with the Patriots. Deion Branch, Jabar Gaffney, all those guys. When I first came into the league, Randy Moss. I'm not the same style as him, or body type, but if you take a little bit of everything from all of those guys. They're such smart football players. They were hard-working. They had little niches that they could do. You definitely watch a lot of film on those guys."

(On playing against the Seattle defense)

"They do what they do. What they do is very, very good. Lining up in the slot, you know that they've got guys over there that can hit, that know their scheme, that know all that stuff. As a slot, or as someone that plays outside-in, what you ultimately try to do is go see the coverage, see what you have to do on that play, that specific situation and remember what the coaches said about this and that. Then, you have to be able to adjust on the go. This team is a swarming defense, fast and you know that you have to get the ball and you have to be able to take advantage of what they give you."

(On the art of punt returning)

"A punt return play is one of the plays that you can be prepared for the most out of any play in football. You can look at the situation, you have time to look at the wind pattern, where you're at on the field, what time it is in the game, all that kind of stuff, the trajectory of the punt, it all comes into consideration if you're going to return it, if there's a block. As a punt returner, your job is to get 10 yards. If you get 10 yards, you're happy. Anything after that is cream. Ultimately, your job is to give the ball to the offense with some good field position. They have a tough unit. They're fast, they play hard on that unit. We're definitely going to have to bring our A-game and prepare these next few days to get ready for it."

(On the success of the Patriots)

"I don't know. I think there's a common factor there, of this guy named Tom Brady. He's pretty good. He and we have some coaches that work their tails off. The scouting department knowing who they want and all of that kind of stuff. They all work together. I don't know, you'd have to ask Coach (Bill) Belichick on that one."

(On the biggest high school game he ever played in)

"My biggest high school game I ever played in was probably either the championship where we were going for the undefeated season, or going and playing against Half Moon Bay, that were undefeated and we were undefeated going into the division championship. They kind of hit us in our face and had blown teams out. We had to dig deep and come out on top, and we were able to run away with it. It was definitely a hard-fought battle."

(On who influenced him throughout his high school career)

"My father. My father has been the biggest help in my career with everything. He may not have been able to coach me in certain situations, but he was always there to find me a coach, take me out and see what that coach would do, then we would do those practice things for hours literally every day, whether it was football season, baseball season or basketball season. If it was raining, he'd go rent out a gym and we'd shoot. When it was football season, you'd have the rocks in the street. When it was baseball season, he'd have my older brother hitting ground balls to me as hard as he could when he was at first. My father has definitely been a huge part of my career."

(On working hard at Woodside High School to make it to Kent State)

"That's all I know is hard work. I've had a father who I watched growing up that I wouldn't see in the morning and he'd come home at 5 o'clock at night and he did that every day. I don't know if that's from him or it's in the blood or whatever, but that's kind of how we do it in my household. My mom has been a hard worker, whatever she had to do, she did it. I guess it would have to go through there."

(On what his struggles have taught him)

"We definitely had to battle through some adversity when I was over at Woodside High School. It was an embarrassment what they did to our football program my junior year when they cancelled the season. They finally got it right by bringing in my coach. We were able to have a close team. That's one of the closest teams I've ever been on. When you get to play football with all of your best friends on Friday night, I just remember that team had a purpose. That was just trying to prove the administration and everyone wrong because they cancelled the season before."

DEFENSIVE END CHANDLER JONES

(On what it feels like to be here)

"It feels great actually. I've never ever been a part of anything like this, so it's good. I like the atmosphere. I see the fans out there, and I'm enjoying it."

(On what he anticipates it will feel like when he runs out onto the field on Sunday) "I don't think words could explain it honestly. I've always watched the Super Bowl. I've been to it, but I've never played in it. Words can't explain it."

(On the relationship he has with his brothers who have both been on the big stage and if it always felt like he was waiting for his turn)

"There were conversations about it. There were, so this is my time I guess, our time as a team."

(On his brother UFC fighter Jon 'Bones' Jones recently having some personal issues and if he spoke with him and offered support)

"Yeah, he's fine. He's OK."

(On how his faith puts this platform in perspective for him)

"I honestly feel like we all have faith in each other, and when you have a group of guys that all have faith in each other, then they'll be fine. They'll be alright."

(On how the defense is preparing for the Seattle rushing attack)

"They run the ball very well. Not just run the ball, they pass the ball well too, so we're not just preparing for the rushing attack but the passing attack too."

(On how he think Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson changes the game once the rushing attack is established)

"I feel like he's a player that can change the game by himself. If you let Russell Wilson get into his groove he can single handedly beat you. It's a quarterback-driven league. It's a quarterback driven team, so I feel like if you can contain him, you can contain them."

(On what his fondest memories are from attending Union-Endicott High School in New York)

"I mean everything. That's where football started for me. That's where Coach Shane Hurd and those guys over there, they taught be everything that I know."

(On how much of an influence they were on him)

"Always. They were always the coaches that told me to stay in school and stay on top of your homework. They always told me, 'One day, you could be an NFL player,' so here I am."

(On what the best part was about playing at Syracuse)

"At Syracuse I learned a lot. The best part about it was that I wasn't too far from home. I was an hour away from home, and my mom and dad could come whenever they wanted."

(On if he's surprised Doug Marrone opted out of his head coaching position in Buffalo)

"I honestly feel like this league is business. I feel like he had another job offer, and he took it. It is what it is."

(On what Head Coach Bill Belichick's message was to the team about talking to the media this week)

"I feel like being an NFL player or ever being a Patriot to be exact, we know what's right and what's wrong and what to say and what not to say. I feel like there's no coaching needed to be said. My biggest focus this week is winning. That's everyone's goal that's out here, so hopefully we can go out there and get a win."

(On if everything going on with the deflated footballs bothers him and if he feels his accomplishments are being brought into question)

"I play defense obviously. I've seen a few defensive players say things, but I don't touch the ball much. I really have no say-so on this, so my biggest focus is on the Seattle Seahawks."

(On if it bothers him that the team as a whole is being questioned about their accomplishments and whether they are legitimate)

"I just want to win. I just want to win."

(On if the veteran players have talked to the younger guys about how to take in the momemt and how to buckle down and get ready)

"Well my biggest thing, my brother (Colts defensive end Arthur Jones) actually played in the Super Bowl a few years ago. His biggest advice to me was just to treat it like another game. It's kind of hard with all the media and everything that's on TV every time you turn on the TV, but if we go out there with the mindset that it's just another game, then we should be fine."

(On what it was like playing against his brother Arthur Jones in the AFC Championship)

"It was great. It was a good time. Everyone made fun of him because he had a little flapping thing that he was doing. He was trying to get a call, but other than that, it was good. That was my second time having the opportunity to play against my brother in the AFC Championship, so having that opportunity was great. It was a good family gathering, and congrats to us on beating them."

(On his other brother UFC fighter Jon Bones Jones also being in the bright lights too and if he discussed it with him at all)

"No he didn't. I know it's two different sports, but he is a world champion. But we haven't really discussed preparing for the Super Bowl."

(On if he wants it that much more because his brothers have championships)

"There's a bit of competitive nature in that both of my brothers are champions and I'm not. I'm not trying to really focus on that. My biggest focus is on Sunday."

(On what makes Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch unique when he watches him on film)

"Great player. Like I said in the previous interview, he has the ability to run around the defense. He'll run through it if you let him. Our biggest thing is just hopefully trying to contain him and hopefully containing (Seattle quarterback) Russell Wilson."

(On how growing up in Endicott, New York helped shape him as a player)

"Yeah, there's not really much of the city out of Endicott, New York or the 607 area, but there's a guy named Isaiah Kacyvenski. A lot of you Seahawks fans might know who he is. He was a special teams captain here a while ago. He's from Endicott, New York as well, so growing up in Endicott High School, you'd always see him coming in the gym. He'd just put a big smile on your face. Now that I have the opportunity to play at the same level as he did, it's a great feeling. Like I said, go 607."

(On how his faith helps him prepare for a game like this)

"I was raised in a church, always. My father was a pastor at a church in Binghamton, New York. He's been a minister since the age of 19, so just growing up in the church and just putting God first and believing in God. I honestly feel like he's the reason for a lot of my success."

(On keeping Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson in the pocket)

"Russell Wilson is a great player, and I honestly feel like if everyone is just sound and they're in their game, if everyone is just doing what they have to do, basically the theme of this week is do your job. If everyone is doing their job we should be fine. He's a good player. He's a great player. I've seen him on film make some tremendous plays, not great plays, but tremendous plays so to speak. That's just my job as a defensive end is to hopefully contain him."

(On Marshawn Lynch leading the league in yards after contact and what you have to do to keep him down)

"With a player like Marshawn Lynch, you just have to wrap him up. Like I said, I see him on film a lot just breaking off tackles, breaking through tackles, and he keeps his feet moving. He does a good job of keeping his feet moving. Like I said, he's a very good player. I enjoy watching him on film. I do."

(On not having a lot of selfish players on the team)

"Everything that (Head) Coach (Bill) Belichick has said and everyone in our facility has said, we buy into it. I feel like that's what leads to a lot of our success today. You've got a large group of guys that are giving it their all, doing everything Coach is saying. If coach is saying 'Jump,' players are saying, 'How high?' When you get a group of guys like that, it'll lead to things like this. We're in the Super Bowl."

CORNERBACK DARRELLE REVIS

(On playing in a Super Bowl after eight years in the NFL)

"It's pretty awesome. I mean, this is what you play for every year. In the offseason you work hard to get to this point and when you get there, like right now, it's so surreal to me. It's awesome, but it's also crazy. But at the same time, it shows that hard work pays off, and there's still work to be done. We have one more game left as a team to accomplish our ultimate goal, which is holding the Lombardi Trophy up."

(On his concerns of never playing in a Super Bowl)

"That was the No. 1 goal for me, just winning a Super Bowl. Every year, that's what we play for. You know I had a bump in the road, having an ACL injury. That kind of twisted my mind up a little bit because it was more so me focusing on my health. Once I focused on my health to make sure I could get back where I need to be and playing at a high level, I was confident and determined. Just focus and get with the right team and that's what I did."

(On New England's path to the Super Bowl)

"You know what, we had an awesome record season. Our schedule was very tough. It was tough. We played against some great quarterbacks, some great teams. We found a way as a team, as a unit, to go out there and stick together and play just tough football and play great ball and we did that. Overall, we had ups and downs. There was the controversy with deflate-gate and all of that, but that's adversity. Adversity strikes every time and I think as a team, as a whole, we've handled that well. There's one more game and we are just trying to weed that out and focus on our ultimate goal and that's holding up the Lombardi Trophy."

(On why New England receives a lot of negative attention)

"I have no idea, actually. Things come up and I've been around a little bit. I've been on teams where situations come up and you have to deal with them accordingly. Whatever the situation is, the league office is dealing with it too and you just have to really see what they do about it. Let them handle it."

(On Jets fans watching him play for New England in the Super Bowl)

"It's not really my fault. I didn't make the call. Management made the call at that time and they felt it was best to get rid of me. So that's the situation. That's how I look at it."

(On preparing for different offenses )

"I study a lot of film, so I do my own assessment of just studying receivers and offenses and quarterbacks. They do the same thing, you have to give them the same respect. They game plan, they might have double moves or triple moves or certain plays where they really want to attack you, so you have to give them that respect. They work hard too as well. I appreciate that. I appreciate the competition. At the same time, the only thing I can do is focus on that play at that time. And really just zone in on what I'm trying to do and complete my job."

(On what Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman does well)

"Just the ability to shut down your side, whatever side you're on. Sherman, he plays left corner and he does great. He's great at what he does. I'm not really knocking him on what he does. He's a playmaker and that's what he does for his team."

(On if he doubted that he would play in a Super Bowl)

"You know, there's always doubt. Especially going through eight years of not really accomplishing what you really want to accomplish as an individual player and also as a team goal. That's basically getting to the Super Bowl and actually winning it. I can speak for myself personally and I'm sure I can speak for a lot of guys in the NFL who don't make it to the playoffs. There's some guys that play 13 or 14 years and never make the playoffs. It's humbling, but at the same time, it's a great experience. It just shows that we worked so hard to get to this place that we are at now."

(On covering Seattle's offense)

"By watching film you see it's very tough to cover those guys down the field. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson scrambles a lot, which is very tough on the defense itself. It breaks the defense down. Russell does a great job at breaking the defense down with his legs. Scrambling and extending plays. In the secondary we just have to plaster when he does scramble and keep our eyes on our man."

(On defensive back Devin McCourty)

"Devin, he's outstanding. He's been outstanding before I got here and he's continuing to be outstanding. I feel like he's the best free safety in the league. He has so much range out there. He's so fast. I think the biggest thing I respect him for and appreciate him is how he studies the game and how he knows the game so well. He's a student of the game and he works so hard at it. It's crazy. It's pretty awesome to get feedback from other guys and see how hard they work."

(On dealing with off the field distractions)

"I'm not really thinking about that right now. This year has been great, it's been awesome. It's been enjoyable too, winning so much and being a part of a great organization. At the same time, the off-the-field situations will take care of themselves. That's how I always approached it and always addressed it."

(On embracing New England)

"I think I really embraced it when I sat down with Mr. Kraft and (Coach) Bill (Belichick) and we had a one-on-one conversation. It was a very chill conversation. We shared football ideas and the idea of me joining the New England Patriots. At that point, I felt very comfortable and I wanted to join the team."

(On how tough Super Bowl week has been)

"It hasn't been tough. We just got here yesterday. We are just trying to enjoy the whole Super Bowl experience. That's how we approach it."

(On how helpful it has been having Coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady as leaders during Super Bowl week)

"It's cool man. They have a lot of experience in this field of going to Super Bowls. The only thing I can get from it is just asking those guys questions about their past experiences."

(On cornerback Brandon Browner)

"He's very tough. He's a tough individual and, I think, just how he approaches the game helps us out on defense. He has a lot of mental toughness. He definitely does. As a defensive player and playing on defense, you want that physicality type of player and he brings that at the corner position. There's not a lot of guys who are very tough and play the corner position very physical, so for him to bring that, it helps our defense a lot."

QUARTERBACK JIMMY GAROPPOLO

(On his thoughts on the Super Bowl and media day experience thus far)

"Very crazy. You always see it on TV, watching it when you're younger and everything but it's nothing like being here. This is unbelievable. I didn't know fans were here to be honest."

(On what has been the most exciting part of his Super Bowl experience)

"Coming out here yesterday, just arriving on the plane, it was kind of surreal for a moment. You sit back and you're like, 'Am I really going to the Super Bowl?' It's exciting; you want to soak it in, but at the same time you want to be prepared."

(On how often he thinks about how far he's come from the draft process a year ago)

"It's been a crazy year, that's for sure. It's been very fast, but a very long year at the same time. I've been doing football for over a year straight now. One of the other rookies was talking about it with me and it's been crazy. I wouldn't have it any other way."

(On what it means to be able to share this experience with his family)

"It's unbelievable. All my brothers played football. We all played at one point in our lives. It's just exciting. It's something that you just dream about since you were a little kid and now getting the opportunity to be here, it's unbelievable."

(On if he has gained confidence throughout the season)

"I've definitely gotten more confident throughout the year. Growing from being a rookie in minicamp to where I am now, I feel a lot more confident."

(On what are some of the things coaches are telling them leading up to the game)

"Just how we have to stay prepared. There is a lot of crazy stuff going on around here, like this. You have to stay focused. We're on a mission for Sunday. That's what we're going for."

(On what are some of the key things that they need to do to beat Seattle)

"We have to execute. We have a good gameplan and everything, but you have to go out there and execute it on Sunday and do our best."

(On what quarterback Tom Brady has taught him)

"Just to be prepared. Being the backup quarterback, you're one snap away. You've got to play like that."

(On when he thought he had pro potential)

"Probably in college – mid-college, sophomore or junior year, coaches started talking to me about it, throwing ideas out there. They said, 'If you keep progressing, you'll be in good hands.' It worked out pretty well."

(On if he had any advance warning that New England was interested in him)

"No. I was at the draft and got the call from a Massachusetts number. I put two and two together real fast and the rest is history." WIDE RECEIVER BRANDON LAFELL

(On playing at Lamar High School in Houston, Texas)

"Envisioning this, at Lamar (High School), me and (Washington Redskins OLB Brian) Orakpo always talk about being on the same team and playing for a Super Bowl and stuff like that. To actually be here, it's a great feeling."

(On achieving his dreams and being where he is today from where he started)

"It means a lot. I was telling the young guys the other day, 'This game. It's hard. You're rookies and you're here playing in the Super Bowl.' It took me four years just to get to the playoffs. It took me awhile to get here. It's a long experience and I put a lot of work in."

(On who from Houston had the biggest influence on his career)

"I would say a couple of people. Coach (Tom) Nolen, my high school coach. Him, my quarterback coach, Chad Butler, Tyrone Green, another one of my high school coaches. Also, my basketball coach, Dennis Gillespie. That was a guy who had a great attitude and didn't take any messing (around). He would jack me up in the hallway and pull me to the side, benching me in games when I had attitude problems, helping me change the way I thought about things and learning new things every day."

(On if it was always a goal of his to play in the Super Bowl)

"As soon as you pick up a football, you always envision playing in the Super Bowl. That's always the goal. In middle school, high school, college, you always think about playing in the Super Bowl. To tell you the truth, I always thought about playing in the Super Bowl and I always wanted to play in the Super Bowl."

(On what he remembers most from his high school football days in Texas)

"I remember the friends I grew up with. Playing with those guys, especially playing with Orakpo, going out there and telling him, 'Man, you have to get to the quarterback before halftime.' Things like that. The years I had with those guys, winning a lot of games."

(On if he has any pregame superstitions)

"It's crazy, but my pregame ritual, when I come back in (from warmups), I have to listen to R&B. I have to listen to slow jams, because if come in and listen to too much rap, I'll be too wired up. I have to come in and listen to slow jams to calm me back down."

(On the music he listens to before the game)

"A little Luther (Vandross). Whatever slow jams that are really hot at the time; I listen to those to calm me back down before the game."

(On Tom Brady's persona on and off the field)

"On game day, you leave him alone. He's got that look on his face like, 'I'm ready to play,' but you don't know what he's thinking. I give Tom his space, and I leave him alone, and once we get out there (On the field), we'll make stuff happen."

(On if most of his teammates leave Brady alone on game day)

"Pretty much. When I first got (to New England), they told me that there are three different Toms. There's the Tom you see at practice, there's the Tom you see in the offseason and during OTAs who's laughing and joking and the guy you see at practice is gameday Tom. That's the gameday Tom, that's the guy you want on your team."

(On who is the best dancer on the Patriots team)

"Alfonzo Dennard. 'Zo' is the best dancer. Every time we have a road game, we have music playing at practice; I don't care if you have everybody standing still, he will be in the middle of the field dancing."

(On how head coach Bill Belichick's coaching style is different than others he's played for)

"I feel like here, with Bill and also with (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach) Josh (McDaniels), we're more in attack-mode. Instead of just going out there and reacting, we're in attack-mode every game. Whether it's offense, defense or special teams, we're always in attack-mode."

(On how the attacking mentality is instilled to the team)

"The way we practice and the way we go about things, the intensity in practice, the competition level that is at practice each and every day, that's how it is instilled."

(On if he believes that the Patriots have more intense practices than other teams)

"More one-on-one's, a lot of (the first-team offense) going against the defense every day. Not a lot of cards, just us going against the defense and competing. You have to compete every day to have a spot around here."

(On how Tom Brady differs from other quarterbacks he's played with)

"I played with a good quarterback in Cam Newton in Carolina. That guy was wonderful. He has a lot of tools and a lot of ability. Playing with Tom, you can't teach what Tom has. That's experience. This is his sixth time in the Super Bowl. He's seen every defense or cover-scheme you could throw at him. The things that he has over the guys that I've played with are experience and his ball placement is second to none."

(On if he is scared of the Seahawks secondary)

"Sunday, I'm more scared of letting my teammates down than anything."

(On what the Patriots receivers need to do to be successful against the Seahawks secondary)

"As a receiver, you have to get open. You can't let them jam you at the line to try and throw your timing off. You have to be in the spots that Tom wants you to be at and when you catch those people out of place, you have to capitalize because you'll hardly ever catch those guys out of place."

(On if he signed with the Patriots knowing that there would be a chance to play in the Super Bowl)

"It definitely was. I wanted to go somewhere where winning was already instilled. I wanted to continue to win. My last year in Carolina, we won a lot of games and I love that feeling. I wanted to either stay in Carolina where I knew we would win again or go somewhere where I could win just as much. Coming here, you look at their resume, since 2000, they probably have won the most games in the NFL. Six Super Bowl appearances. I wanted to go somewhere where I could have the possibility to pursue those."

(On if he was surprised that Carolina drastically changed that team after his final season)

"I definitely was. The last meeting we had as a team, it was all the guys, all the coaches, and we were talking about how great teams win and win consistently. They build from the year they had before. To break up the team the way they did, it was shocking."

(On if anyone every explained why that happened)

"They didn't give me an explanation for why they did it, but they didn't owe me one. I appreciate those guys drafting me and giving me an opportunity to play ball out there. I love those guys. I wish them the best."

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN VINCE WILFORK

(On saving a woman from a turned-over car after the AFC Championship and if he plans on upstaging the Super Bowl by saving lives)

"I saw somebody that needed help. My parents taught me a long, long time ago to treat people the way you want to be treated. One thing I thought about was that could have easily been my family turned over in the car and I hope people would do the same thing for me. So, there was never a doubt in my mind that I was going to pass that and call somebody and say, 'Hey, somebody's here.' I think everybody would do the same thing."

(On what it will take to contain Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch)

"Playing good defense. With a guy like that you have to make sure you have more than one guy around the ball. He's so dynamic at what he does. All of those guys with the football in their hands are very explosive. We have to make sure we always have two, three people attacking him at all times. We understand that. We've been doing a good job in practice with just everybody understanding how important it is to get to the ball. So, I might be doing a lot of running – more than I usually do in a game. If that's what it takes, that's what I'll do."

(On the challenge of facing Lynch)

"Yeah, he's unbelievable. This team is built to run the football. They are built to play football. You look at this time – everything in a football team you want, they have. They have the right mindset, the physicality, they make plays, their playmakers make plays all the time. It seems like they're always in tune with the game. They're a really good fourth quarter football team. They play really, really good situational football. We're going to have to be at our best the whole game to be successful against this team."

(On being back at the Super Bowl after his Achilles injury last season and at this point in his career and how special it is)

"It's always special at this level at this time of the year to play in this game. It's something we all try to do. We've done a lot of things to get us to this point. We have to be excited about this game. We're all excited about it, and we have to do everything in our willpower to make sure we play well on Sunday."

(On being out of football last year)

"Me being out of football last year, it was one of those things that I never imagined being hurt and being away from my teammates and not being able to be on the field with them. My main goal this year coming back was to make sure I was healthy and help my team win. I think we all play football because it's a team effort. It's not just one individual. We have a bunch of individuals doing their job, which leads to team success. My goal to the team was to come back healthy and better than I was and hopefully we can get the job done moving forward. Everything I thought about in the offseason – the way I trained, everything that I did, everything was set up for the team – not just my myself, but as a team. I knew if I was at my best, everybody around me would be at their best. That's how I approached this offseason."

(On if he heard owner Robert Kraft's comments yesterday to the media)

"No."

(On if he heard the fire alarm last night and if it woke him up)

"No."

(On the role of his wife, Bianca, in his career)

"She's always been my rock. No matter what happened – good or bad – she's always right there and the one person I can always come to and get the truth. Being out of football last year, she was the one person that really pushed me to the limit. She woke me up every day at 5:00, 6:00 in the morning and we'd work out three times a day. Sometimes we'd go to bed at 10:00, 11:00 at night just because she knew how important it is to me, and I thank her for that. She's the one who really got me in tune and got my mind to saying, 'What I need to do now in my career is this.' We looked at it and said, 'This is going to be a challenge,' but at the same time, I'm always up for challenges. She pushed me to the max. I'm very grateful to have her in my life."

(On Massachusetts being buried in the snow and if he has anything to say to the people back home)

"I wish you guys were here. It sucks. My kids are actually back home, so we keep an eye on everybody and call back and forth to make sure they're OK. Right now at this point, there's some bad weather down there right now but the kids and everybody is fine, so hopefully it can stay like that."

(On how many times he has been asked about the ongoing controversy)

"I don't know. I talked about it once. That was the first time I heard about it, and I didn't talk about it again, and that's the way it's going to be. Right now, our goal is to win the Super Bowl. We have something to be excited for. Like I said, we have 32 teams at the beginning of the year and they set a goal. One of the goals is to be in this spot. We're here and got to this spot, so we have to take advantage of being here and doing exactly what we're doing."

(On New England trading and cutting veterans and if how Head Coach Bill Belichick molds the roster is hard to get used to)

"You take everything year to year and that's what everybody says. There is always change at this level. There is change every year. Guys are coming and going. You see some big time players who have done a lot for organizations that leave. It's because of business. I think at the end of the day, sometimes we get lost. We get so caught up in winning that we forget it's a business. You get reminded when it's time to handle business, and then it's like, 'Oh, my gosh, we have to deal with this.' But, that's the nature of the business. You have to be able to hold that to the side. There's a football part and a business part. It's always tricky, so you have to understand that as a football player it's always changing."

(On New England being the team with the third-most fans in Mexico)

"I like that. I mean, I love our fans from everywhere. This team is built to depend on one another, and that's the only thing. We play for one another, we play for our fans, and we play for our families. That's who we play for. We have something that's special. We know how to win ball games. I've been very successful in my career being in the Patriots organization. It's always good when you win. Once you start losing, then you have a lot of guys start to question certain things. But where I am, I didn't have that much because of the way we handle business at the New England Patriots. There's a certain way we do business and we've been very successful. They're doing something right."

(On the Super Bowl experience)

"I try to keep it fun. I think when you get a chance to leave your home state where all your fans, everybody knows you there, you deal with the same media people on a daily basis. So, I think when you come to event like this here, you have different fans from around the world that come and want to talk to you and ask questions and be part of something special. It's always a fun time for me to come out. People get a chance to ask questions that they normally wouldn't do in the regular season. You have to treat everything as fun and respect everyone. That's the one thing that I do."

(On if he has a message to his team in the locker room)

"The one thing I told them all was that this is the Super Bowl. If you can't get up for the Super Bowl, something's wrong with you. We're going to treat this like any other game. It's a game that we have to go play. Our No. 1 objective is going to be to execute – execute our game plan. If we do that, we'll put ourselves in a pretty good situation. That's what we're here to do."

(On winning the AFC Championship and getting to this point they are in now)

"Well, winning in itself is tough. It's very hard. Every year when you come out, your main goal is to win. It's real tough, so for us to be at this level, we've been through a lot. We've played a lot of football. We've played some good games, we've played some bad games. We've played some close games, we've had some blowouts. I think we gave every aspect of a football game this year, but it just shows you the character of this team, the fight that we have, how we believe in each other. We believe in what we're doing. That's what it says about this team. Hopefully we have one more in the bag. We're playing a really, really good football team. I said it yesterday, Seattle, they have a very, very special organization over there from the coaches to the players. They believe in what they do and they've been very successful over the past couple of years. We know that it's going to be a tough challenge for us, but that's what football is all about. This is the Super Bowl and you have to give it your all, so that's what we're willing to do."

(On how stressful it is to have all this worldwide media attention)

"It's not stressful for me. Some guys might get a little timid about it or kind of nervous about it, but with me, I like the have fun. I speak from my heart. I speak with passion. I play with passion. It's nothing for me to come up and sit here and talk to all you guys and ladies about some things that go on. To me, it's normal. For the most part, you might have some guys that are kind of shy about talking about all that stuff, and at the same time you have to respect those guys, too. I don't think that anybody that's shy or don't feel comfortable talking needs to talk because it's going to do nothing but create a big controversy about things. I just think you have to respect people and respect people's opinions. If somebody wants to talk, that's fine, but when we have people that are kind of shy or they don't feel comfortable doing that, I think you've got to kind of leave them alone. I think it works hand-in-hand."

(On coming back from his Achilles injury)

"I was reading all these stories about a person my age, my size, coming back from this injury. Sometimes I tell people I'm not human. Don't put me in that stat, and I believe that. That's one of the most things that really drove me, just to hear all the gallows saying that I can't come back off of it because of my weight and my age and all that stuff. When I went to work I went to work. My training staff, they got me right. My people back home in Florida got me right, my wife got me right. I literally killed myself every day to make sure I'm all right (coming off his injury), and I think I'm as strong as I've ever been, and I've never looked back from it."

(On his motivation and work ethic and where it comes from)

"Nothing is given to you. Everything you do you have to earn. There's a price to pay for everything, and all my life I've worked towards being good, worked towards trying to be great – chasing greatness. What do I need to do to be a great football player? What do I have to do to be a great role model? All my life I've done that. So, when I want to do something, when I choose something, I put my hand to it and I do it. Sometimes I do things that might be impossible, and I find it out the hard way. Nothing wrong with trying. I always grew up saying that work as hard as you can. Dedicate yourself. When you dedicate yourself and work hard enough, you'll succeed in a lot of stuff in life, and that's what I live by."

KICKER STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI

(On when he found out that he was the all-time scoring leader for the Patriots)

"When they announced it (laughing)."

(On how it feels to be the all-time scoring leader for the Patriots)

"It's cool. I have been put in a good situation, on a heck of a team with a great offense. I've been able to take advantage of my opportunities. I've been at the right place at the right time. Kicking field goals, you're only as good as the opportunities you're given. I try to take advantage of every one that I'm given. Thanks, Tom Brady, I guess. It's funny, a lot of the guys like (Julian) Edelman, Danny Aiken and Ryan (Allen) poke fun at me all the time. They say that every time I am scoring a point, I'm breaking my own record each time. Every kick is a record-breaking kick, so they give me some crap for that. It's cool. It's exciting. I think it's just a testament to playing for a long time at the same place. That's what I'm most proud of."

(On experimenting with narrower goal posts at the Pro Bowl)

"I haven't really given too much thought about it. I heard what he (Adam Vinatieri) said, it kind of stinks to be penalized now that everyone is getting good. Whatever it is, it is. There are a lot of kickers right now who, I wouldn't say weapons, but they are reliable to where you know what you have and I would hate for that to get diminished because we're making too many kicks. Other than that, I don't really think about it. Whatever it is, I'll adjust to it and try my best. I would just have to get prepared to get yelled at more if they shorten the uprights."

DEFENSIVE BACK DEVIN MCCOURTY

(On if this game defines him)

"No, I don't really think anything in this game can define who we are as people. It's a blessing, it's an opportunity to play in this game, it's a great opportunity. We talked about that before we came out here. Just taking advantage of the opportunity, but there's still work to do."

(On how he feels going into the game)

"I feel great. Having a good time with my teammates. It's a great experience to start with 50-something guys, 90-something guys actually back in April, and have 32 teams play hard all year just to get to this one point and then be here as a team; it's a blessing."

(On how his faith has kept him grounded)

"That helps me daily, every day in my life. Just staying rooted and having a great foundation to just make sure that you don't stray too far away from your true beliefs and your faith."

(On what it means to be back at the Super Bowl)

"It's total excitement. After losing that last time, I always remember saying, 'If I ever get back I've got to win.' You never know, like you said, if you'll ever play in this game again and to be here again (I) just want to take advantage of the opportunity and try to get a win."

(On what the University of Rutgers has meant to him)

"Rutgers has been huge. To be playing here with three of the younger Rutgers guys that came in as little brothers when I was back at Rutgers and then now all over again, them coming in as little brothers. I think it speaks volumes to the program that's being run there from (former Rutgers Head) Coach (Greg) Schiano now to (Rutgers Head) Coach (Kyle) Flood just doing a great job of preparing young kids when we came in there. Letting us know if we do the right things we'll have an opportunity to play in this league. I'm fortunate to be playing on a great organization with the Patriots and there's been a lot of winning since."

(On there being four Rutgers alumni playing in the Super Bowl)

"It's amazing. We're one of the top colleges in here, having four players. I'm hoping it gets high school kids to say, 'I'm going to Rutgers.'"

(On what it would mean to win the Super Bowl)

"That's everything. I hate to say it, but the experience is just not the same when you lose. You still have a good time, a great feeling being with your teammates, but when you don't win it's just different leaving here. I just want to leave with a win this time."

(On his versatility as a player to move from playing corner to now playing free safety)

"It's been great. Moving to safety wasn't as bad. I think the hardest thing was moving to safety and then having to go back and play corner for some games. Technique-wise it's very tough. I think playing corner before has helped me in different situations and different match-ups throughout this year when I've got to go play against receivers, that's not as a hard as a task for other safeties. We've got to play the receivers totally different when they come from the tight end side. That's helped me out a lot."

(On his future with New England and if he has thought that this game could be his last as a Patriot)

"I don't even think about it. My whole focus has been on winning this game Sunday. So, I don't even think about it."

(On this being a business trip for the team)

"It definitely is. I think guys are still having a good time and enjoying the moment, but, I think we've got a lot of older guys on the team that understand we want to win this game. It's a great experience, but at the end of the day it is a business trip. We're here for a reason and that's to win a football game. I think it starts at the top with (New England quarterback) Tom (Brady) and (New England defensive lineman) Vince (Wilfork), their demeanor and I think that always goes throughout the team in how they act and how they carry themselves."

(On if the team is open about their faith and beliefs)

"Yeah, we have bible studies twice a week and we do a lot of different things. We have Jack Easterbey he's a great chaplin for us. He helps us out a lot just with our walking in life. So, we're always talking about that as a team and a group of us are always together talking about that."

(On if the New England secondary group discusses the Seattle secondary group at all)

"No, we talk about winning, that's it. We've got a group in our secondary that wants to win. You've got a guy (cornerback Darrelle) Revis, (cornerback) Browner who's been playing football for a long time. Then myself and (cornerback Patrick) Chung and (cornerback) Kyle (Arrington), who have all played in this game before and lost. So, it was all with this team. You've just got a lot of hungry guys that don't really care about the headlines as long as the No. 1 headline is, 'We won the Super Bowl.'"

(On the importance of being disciplined against the Seattle offense)

"I take it serious. It's usually the difference between winning the game and losing the game as far as just giving up huge plays. This game is going to be a disciplined game for everyone, all 11 guys got to do their job. If we're in the back end and we've got to cover guys, we can't be worrying about (Seattle QB) Russell Wilson scrambling and making plays. We've just got to stay on our guy. We've also got to have our understanding that he's going to make some plays. He's a really good player and he's done it all year. So, it's just going to be guys stepping up in their role and not trying to do too much."

(On the role cornerback Darelle Revis has played this season)

"He's been huge, but it's really been a number of guys that have been able to do different things in our secondary. 'Reve' has been a guy that can take on any guy any week. Doesn't matter short, quick guy, a big long stride, guy being a guy that can just go play someone, it doesn't matter what the receiver is. Then (cornerback) Kyle's (Arrington) ability, and (cornerback Brandon) Browner and (cornerback) Logan (Ryan), (New safety) Chung. All of those guys being able to go lineup on someone in one-on-one play has been huge for us and the secondary."

(On if Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson is more dangerous as a runner or when he's throwing on the run)

"It's tough. I mean, I think you've got to try to keep him in the pocket and make him throw from there. Obviously, he can beat you there too. He's done that, but like you said, when he's on the run and he's throwing well, now you don't know if he's going to run for 30 yards or throw it over your head for 50 yards. Once he gets that going I think it's pretty close to impossible to stop him. So, you've got to try to pick your poison and make it tougher, make him stay in the pocket."

(On the importance of his platform as a Christian athlete)

"It's important I think to understand that a lot of people are looking at you. When we're in bible study we always talk about when you're living the right way what we can see, we'll see the lord. Our team Chaplin Jack Easterbey always says, 'When people look at you, they should be able to see God all over you. You're doing the right thing.' I think that's a great way to think about it. We always talk about that week in and week out, whatever different struggles we're going through to try and keep that at the top of the list."

(On how his faith helps him become a better team leader off of the field)

"I think just being a guy they can count on. Being a guy that shows consistency. Someone they can look at and say, 'Obviously, he's not perfect, but we kind of know what we'll get out of Devin every day.' I think when people can look at you like that, they know what to expect. They know who you are inside and out. Not just who you are as a football player, but more because of who you are as a man."

(On what he would say to a high school football recruit about the Rutgers football program)

"I'd tell them, choose a program that if you want to focus on having a family, having a group of guys not just teammates, but as a coaching staff, as a whole operation that cares about you as a person, wants you to succeed. I think for every high school kid more importantly, if you want to play at the next level. We have a bunch of guys throughout this league that are playing good football. Having four guys in the Super Bowl, I think speaks to that. I would tell them to look at Rutgers a program that is up-and-coming and a team that has won a lot of game and has guys where I think every high school kid wants to be at."

(On the challenges he's had to overcome throughout the season)

"I don't know if there's just one thing. I think the hardest thing as you get older in this league is, is just the small struggles every day. Whether it be little, nagging injuries. Whether it be family things that come up in your life. I think that's the hardest struggles. I think as you get older you understand how to deal with it a little more and you understand to lean on other people for help. My mom, my twin brother, my girlfriend they're all huge for me throughout the season."

(On if Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson's ability to move around the pocket makes it difficult for the secondary to cover the receivers)

"It definitely is. Especially, with the guys they have. They have guys that are short, quick guys. They have guys that can run it and get deep. So, you've got a guy that runs a comeback or so and then he scrambles and they can run across the field, go vertical. It's very tough to try to stay with them. You don't know how the long the play's going to last. A lot of times you talk about a clock in your head, but with Russell Wilson there's really no clock. A quick three-step drop that should be a play that happens fast. He can spin out of it and turn it into a 10-second play. You've got to cover a guy like (Seattle wide receiver Jermaine) Kearse or (Seattle wide receiver Doug) Baldwin or (Seattle wide receiver Ricardo) Lockette for those whole 10 seconds. So, it's definitely not an easy task and I think that's one of the reasons they are a really good group."

PUNTER RYAN ALLEN

(On a lot of kids that are lost with alcohol consumption, why is it important to be alcohol abstinent)

"It is, I think at the end of the day you've got to find something that you love to do and if that takes a while that's ok. To be able to put time and effort into something that you enjoy doing will keep you out of the gutter. It's all a matter of if it's an artistic touch or an athletic touch or knowledge to be in the books. Everyone has their own hobbies, their own ambitions, they're own drives and to be able to realize what you want to do in life and to go after it, that's important."

(On what made the change from his career beginning at Oregon State and ending at Louisiana Tech)

"I walked on at Oregon State, there was a great opportunity to win a job at Oregon State. When I went there, I competed with one of the NFL's best right now, Johnny Hekker, he and I both walked on and we are very good friends to this day. Once he won the job and he earned the scholarship I was kind of at a standstill point whether I stay there and play it through or to try and go out and receive a scholarship to get some of my school paid for."

(On what got him interested in punting)

"It was a matter of a fact that most of my friends were playing football and it was the fall sport and I had nothing to do until basketball season so it was a matter of me getting bored and all of my friend playing. I was like you know what, they need a kicker and I'm a guy who can kick the ball so I guess I'll just go out. One day I called my mom and told her I need a health release form, so I think I'm going to play."

TIGHT END ROB GRONKOWSKI

(On how being healthy at this Super Bowl compared to the last time he was in the Super Bowl)

"We're just looking at this Super Bowl. I'm just worried about this one right now. Preparing all week, feeling good, feeling great, feeling healthy. That's key. Just working hard in the week and we start practice back up tomorrow down here. I'm super excited about that. Can't tell you how excited I am for the game."

(On the craziest thing that he's seen at Super Bowl Media Days)

"I don't know. I remember a few years ago a couple guys dressed up in costumes and stuff. I mean, I haven't heard anything too crazy."

(On if he has any guarantees for the Super Bowl)

"The game will be on Sunday."

(On what it was like with the alarm going off at the team hotel)

"I didn't know that the alarm went off. I actually heard about that, but I didn't know the alarm went off. I was sleeping. I slept right through it. I slept great last night. I'm glad I didn't hear it."

(On how tough it was to be injured the past two post seasons and watching his teammates from the sidelines)

"It's definitely a tough experience, man. Definitely don't take the game for granted anymore. It's an honor to be out there on the field with my teammates and all. Throughout the whole year, especially this time of the year, going to the Super Bowl, being out on the practice field, helping my team do its job and just going out and practicing hard. I'm super excited for this game Sunday."

(On if it feels good to be at Super Bowl Media Day and not have to answer any questions about his ankle)

"It feels good not to get any questions asked about my health, no doubt. It feels good to be 100 percent healthy and 100 percent ready to roll for this game and not get a million questions like last time about my ankle."

(On facing Seattle safety Kam Chancellor in the Super Bowl)

"He's a great player, no doubt. He plays fast and he's all over the field. He knows how to make plays. We've got to go out there, be prepared and bring all we've got. We've got to go out there and play good football. Whoever I'm matched up with, I've got to be prepared. I know they will be."

(On how closely he followed the University of Arizona football team this past year)

"I followed the U of A pretty closely. I saw that they had a pretty good year. I watched the final seconds of the bowl game this year. Obviously it didn't got the way we wanted, but they had a pretty good year and it was nice to see it."

(On the job Rich Rodriguez is doing with the University of Arizona football team)

"He's doing good. It's great to see. It's very important to get wins and lead the team to a bowl game."

(On the Seattle defense as a whole)

"They're very, very good. They're very, very talented. Very, very tough mentally and physically. Probably one of the best defenses out there, if not the best defense. We've got to go out there and prepare and we've got to be ready."

(On if he relishes the opportunity to go against a physical defense)

"Always. You always want to play against the best. This is what the Super Bowl is played for, going against the best. It's a great opportunity to see where we're at when we get out on the field. Definitely an honor to be going against a very good defense."

(On Patriots Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Robert Kraft defending the reputation of the team's reputation last night at the Patriots media availability)

"Yes. He's the man. Mr. Kraft is unbelievable. He's always there for his team, always there for the players and always there for the coaches. It's great to see him around and we definitely know he has our back."

(On if he will be watching the halftime show with Katy Perry)

"No. We'll be in the locker room preparing for the second half."

(On who the biggest prankster on the Patriots is)

"Who's the biggest prankster on the Patriots? Back in the day it was Matt Light. But really, we don't really have any pranksters right now."

(On why there are no pranksters on the Patriots anymore)

"Everybody just plays it cool now."

(On who the worst dancer on the team is)

"Julian Edelman. He's the worst dancer."

(On who the best dancer on the team is)

"Best dancer? I mean, since I'm the only one who really whips out my dance moves, I'd have to go with myself."

(On comparing this New England team to the team that reached the Super Bowl in 2011)

"I mean, I'm not really trying to compare this team to other teams. Every team is always different. We've stuck together this whole year as a team and just stuck together as a family. We took one game at a time and just prepared to our fullest every week."

(On how his ankle is feeling heading into the Super Bowl)

"My ankles are good. Last Super Bowl, every question was about my ankle. My ankle is 100-percent. It's very good. Thanks for worrying about my ankle."

(On when he realized that he was back to his old self following his offseason knee surgery)

"Totally back to my old self, I mean, coming out of training camp I got competitive and treated my knees all week. It just all kicked in. My body felt good. Going into that Cincinnati game in Week 5, everything just kicked in and I felt good."

(On if he is surprised how much coverage the Gronkowski party bus has gotten)

"Yeah, definitely. It's on its way down right now. Body Armor wrapped it up in this thing. It can't get into the parking lot in Gillette because of the Body Armor sponsor, but it's all good. It's on it's way down here. I'm sure there will be some pictures with it and all that good stuff."

(On playing a Super Bowl in Arizona helps put his career in perspective)

"Yes, no doubt. I definitely started down here, my freshman year at the University of Arizona. I just learned so much about life. I went to college and also learned a lot of football skills, and bringing it to the next level. It all stared at the University of Arizona. I'm glad to be back here for the Super Bowl."

(On if the whole town will go up in flames if he wins the Super Bowl in Arizona)

"We'll see. Hopefully that happens. Hopefully it ends that way and we'll see what happens."

(On how having the Microsoft Surface on the sideline has helped him this year)

"The tablet? You get pictures right there. You get to see the defense right there, right after the play when you come to the sidelines. That's a pretty cool technology now. You get to see what defense they're in, where they're at and then go out to the next series. It's all on a tablet. That's pretty cool."

(On who the most superstitious guy on the team is)

"There really is no one that stands out trying to do the same thing every day. I mean, Julian (Edelman), I could see Julian being superstitious. I mean, I could he see him being superstitious. Ask him. Why don't you ask him?" (On returning to the state of Arizona)

"It feels good. It's a really good atmosphere. I'm looking forward to being here. I kind of really never wanted to leave the state of Arizona, but obviously things happen. It's great to be back. Weather wise, atmosphere wise, I love the state of Arizona."

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JOSH MCDANIELS

(On if Tom Brady looks like the same guy as in years past)

"Yeah he does. We do the same things that we have always done. Probably do some more things in terms of asking him to do some things. And I think this year was impressive. He worked extremely hard in the offseason and training camp and OTAs in his ability to move. It has never been a strength of his. But, this is a guy that has made some significant plays with his legs this year, whether it is running it in or in the low red zone or making a scramble play and making a throw and a catch on a third down conversion. He has done more of that this year than I ever remember. That is strictly because we worked hard at it and he, in particular, continues to work hard at it every day to try to make it more of a strength of his because he knows it is not necessarily one that has been that way all of his career."

(On if it is fun to approach game plans on a different level than in the past)

"Yeah it really is. We have really grown up. I would say many, many years of our careers have been intertwined together, so there is a lot of things that he has seen, that I have seen that we talk about from the past. (There are) a lot of games that we can recall. He has a tremendous recollection. I kind of do the same thing. You live and die on every play. There are a lot of those conversations that come back during the course of the week and say why is that relevant? Well, it is relevant to the two of us because we experienced it and it is a similar situation. I think it is great. It is a great relationship. I am able to listen and learn from him. He is able to listen and learn from myself. I don't think there are any egos involved at all. None of us care who gets the credit. He is just a great guy to go to work with every day."

(On what he took away from his time as a head coach for the Broncos that has helped him now)

"I have learned a tremendous amount. There is probably so many things that I learned there. I think one of the things that I really learned in Denver is the value of being a good listener. When you do something like that for the first time you feel like you have to run through everything and be in charge of too many things and sometimes that is a significant negative. I have tried really hard in St. Louis and then here back in New England. We really gather ideas, we listen to one another and try to do the best thing for the offense in this particular case and it has really been a great thing. Our atmosphere on our staff has been very healthy and a big part of that is that we have a lot of guys that can contribute and it doesn't come from one source. I made a lot of mistakes there and you know that. I think it was a great learning experience for myself. Hopefully I have grown from that and will continue to grow."

(On if he wants another chance to be a head coach)

"Yeah, I would love to do it again. I think the most important thing to me is to just be in the right situation and just be in a place where I feel good about being. There are a lot of great teams and great places out there. I happen to be in a good situation for myself right now and for my family. If it comes up again and it is like there it is, that is the right spot, then I would love to do it again and give it another shot."

(On Brian Daboll)

"Brian is a great resource, for all of us, Bill (Belichick), myself, all of our offensive staff and players. He is a guy that grew up similarly to the way I did here, first on defense, then on offense. He has a background that we share that in common. He is a guy that we have tremendous faith in. He can coach whatever position we want him to coach. He was helping Dante (Scarnecchia) with the offensive line last year and moved over to coach the tight ends this year and did a phenomenal job with those guys. He has been a coordinator. He has been a quarterback coach. He has coached receivers. This is a guy that brings experience and value to our offense. I don't know, that could be understated. Every day he has his hands in the game planning process, the preparation, the scouting report. He is a guy that I lean on significantly in my role. He has been one of my best friends ever since I met him at Michigan State. We are lucky to have him back here.

(On how he has evolved as a play caller)

"I think, first of all, as an offensive (coach), when you are trying to create the offense, I think you really take into account your players, the strengths of your players, what they do well, and then try to minimize any weaknesses they have. When I was just starting out, a lot of times you're just calling plays and not necessarily with a specific player or players in mind. The more you do it, the older you get, the more time you put in at it, you realize that really the game is all about them and putting them in the right position. It is not about plays. We really try to taper our thing to the strengths of our guys and hopefully they are the ones that will go out there and execute them. I have a lot of confidence in them."

(On what goes into the unique play calling)

"I think it is a long process. Whenever you use something that is a little bit unique, I don't think those are the things that you put in Thursday afternoon and then run them on Sunday. A lot of times you put them in in training camp. You rep them for maybe months. Then when you feel like your players have confidence and they know what to do and they can execute it no matter what happens on defense, then you go ahead and call it in the right situation in the game and hope that it works. We have called other ones this year that maybe didn't even get noticed because it never even gets off the ground. Those plays are really a result of the player's execution. As soon as we feel good about what they know how to do regardless of what the defense does, then we have no fear in calling them."

(On how he calls plays to jumpstart the offense)

"We usually have (those calls) ready to go. I mean, I think you have to make those decisions. Most of those decisions are made before the game. You're either going to carry it or not. If you choose to carry it into the game it usually means you have confidence in it, the players know what to do and you feel good about calling it. I think timing is (part of it). I would say luck is part of that. People say, 'Well you knew exactly when to call it,' but there is a lot of luck involved in play calling. The players are really the ones that do it and execute it and it is fun when it does. It really makes the sideline and the players get a kick out of it."

(On if the off-the-field events have distracted the team at all)

"I didn't think so. I don't think really many of us were involved in even thinking about that. As soon as we won the game, our focus was strictly on Seattle. I thought the attention to detail and the focus of the players was incredible. I was here in 2007 when we played the Super Bowl in Arizona. I just knew we were crisp, we were sharp, on top of it and had three good days of work and a good walk through. I couldn't have felt better about what we tried to accomplish in Foxborough as opposed to saving things to come out here and do. We did a lot there. We still have more to do this week, but I was really, really happy with the way that the players worked and their mindset and attention to detail."

(On the Seattle defense)

"This is a tremendous unit. I think the game is going to come down to a lot of what you just talked about. They have great players in the secondary, they have great players at linebacker and they have a great front. Whatever you're going to do, you're going to have to do a good job of it. I don't think you can do the same thing all game. This is a team that their coaching staff does a great job of adjusting and trying to take away things that you do well early in the game. We're going to have to try to maintain our balance. We going to have to try to continue to poke and prod, take positive plays when we can, hopefully stay out of long yardage situations and take care of the football because ultimately I'm sure that is going to be a huge factor in who wins and loses the game."

WIDE RECEIVER DANNY AMENDOLA

(On if he dreamed of this when growing up in The Woodlands, Texas)

"Absolutely. My dad is a high school football coach in Texas so I've been around this game for a long time. Playing at this level and playing on this big of a stage, it's a dream come true and a blessing for sure. So, we're all stoked about it as a family."

(On what he learned from high school that he took into college and then to the NFL)

"The game doesn't change. Obviously, the talent changes and the speed of the game changes, but it's still the same game of football. We just have to go out there and play hard, and hopefully we'll go out there and win."

(On what he learned from his dad who was a coach)

"I've never played for my dad. I played against my dad actually in high school. That was fun, but he taught me how to play the game the right way. Respect the game, give it all you've got and regardless of what happens, have no regrets."

(On the differences between cornerbacks Darelle Revis and Richard Sherman)

"I played against Sherman a couple of times in St. Louis. I haven't seen him here since I've been a Patriot, but practicing against Revis, obviously Revis does a great job of seeing the whole field, seeing the play develop and seeing each route and reading what his receiver is going to do. He's technically sound. Another difference with Sherman, I mean he's a great player - very athletic, good ball skills. We're excited."

(On what he has learned about himself throughout this season and his time with New England)

"I've learned everybody on this team has a role. Everybody has a job to do. Each week, you don't know necessarily what is going to happen, but you know you have to play hard and you have to fight to the end."

(On what he wants to show his critics)

"People are going to say what they want. At the end of the day, I value the experience with my teammates and the coaches. We just go out there and try to win every game."

(On his personal goal for the Super Bowl)

"My personal goal is to fulfill my job and do it to the best of my ability, have fun, embrace the surroundings, embrace the time and have fun."

(On how quarterback Tom Brady has helped him elevate his game)

"Tom does a great job of getting his players around him to play well and get the best out of them. He's a highly competitive guy. He plays the game the right way. He's been doing it for a very long time and guys who come in and come out are really receptive to the leader he is and we all enjoy playing with him."

(On the offense's ability to adapt after a slow start to the season)

"You've got to deal with adversity throughout the season, whether it's injuries, losing a game where you don't play well. There is going to be a game the next week and you have to be ready for it. You're going to deal with adversity throughout the whole year so you better be ready to adapt and overcome that." (On some of the main differences between playing in St. Louis and New England)

"We both play very good teams in the NFL. We've got a lot of good players here in New England. Obviously, I had a lot of good teammates, good players, in St. Louis, too. At the end of the day, you have to do your job, so that's the only thing I'm focused on."

(On how much of his family and friends will be at the game)

"I've got quite a bit. A lot of my boys from back home are coming out from Houston, some from California, some from Lubbock. A couple of family members: my dad is coming out from Houston. They're all excited. They can't wait to get out here."

(On what advice he has been given from teammates on his first Super Bowl appearance)

"It's my first one. I've been asking questions, too. How is this media day going to go? How is this week going to go? I'm going to try and treat it like every other week. The most important thing is to get your work done during the week and get ready for the game. That's what I'm going to focus on."

(On what the toughest part has been with dealing with the controversy in New England)

"I don't know. I don't really know anything about it to tell you the truth. I don't really watch too much TV, so I don't have to deal with it too much. I just show up for work and go from there."

(On the best piece of advice he has received about playing in the Super Bowl)

"Take it in stride. It's going to be a little crazy I'm sure, but at the same time, we have a great support system here. We have a great football operations group here in New England. They do a lot of stuff for us and they take care of it. They've been here before. I kind of just follow the older guys in terms of what the Super Bowl entails because a couple of these guys have been to a couple of them."

(On his improved ball security since coming to New England and if anything has changed in regards to the technique or coaching of it with him)

"That's a good question. Yeah, absolutely. I can definitely tell that the coaching and the drills that we do within the drill and the offseason and camp and OTAs have really paid off for a lot of guys. We take a lot of drills that we do within the week, within practice, and take them to the field. We do a lot of drills here that really benefit that, too."

(On how the fans impact their performance)

"It's going to be fun. It's going to be jumping in the stadium. It's going to be live. I really embrace that. We've all played in big games. Obviously, I haven't played in the Super Bowl, but I've played in big games before. It just comes down to doing your job and getting it done."

(On what stands out to him about Seattle's secondary on tape)

"They play hard. As you know, they run around, they fly, they're fast. They're technically sound. We're going to have to have a good week of preparation and do what we already have the past three or four days. We have to continue that and try and get a leg up on them."

(On a pass-heavy or run-have gameplan vs. Seattle)

"We don't really know. As you know, as the game progresses, your gameplan kind of changes too. We're going to see how it goes. I think we have a good plan for both rushing and passing. I think we'll be ready."

(On the attention on the team for non-football reasons and if that helps bring the locker room together)

"Absolutely. Whatever it may be, we're going to deal with adversity whether it be injuries or whatever is out there. We just deal with it and move on and try to get our job done. That's it."

(On if you have to be a smarter football player to play in the New England offense)

"Not necessarily smarter. All the route combinations and the scheme is really no different than any other offense. At the same time, having the wherewithal to get in and out of the huddle, operate the machine, if you will, in this offense might be a little bit difficult to some guys but we've all really embraced that role and embraced that situation in our room. I feel like we do a good job with that."

(On how much he enjoyed getting on the plane yesterday and coming to the Super Bowl)

"It was great. It hadn't really hit me until we got here yesterday. I felt like it was just another business trip when we got on the plane. Coming here and seeing the excitement and all these fans here at media day, it's definitely kind of surreal to me. It's something that we've all been working for. We're all looking forward to it and we're excited about it."

(On playing against a defense that likes to talk a lot and how they will handle that)

"We've got a job to do. We have a lot of respect for their team. Their coaches, they do a great job; they played well all season. It's going to be a task for us so we're going to be excited for it."

(On what he's looking forward to most)

"I'm ready for the opening kickoff. I'm ready to get out there and start playing."