Personal Stats
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 274 lbs

You played tight end in high school. Why haven’t we seen you pull a Refrigerator Perry and score a few rushing or receiving touchdowns?
You know what’s funny? The year of the Super Bowl, [Jeremy] Shockey had gotten hurt, and I was actually the third-string tight end throughout the playoff run. We messed around with it in practice, but we never got to that scenario.

Why didn’t your college nickname, “the Freak,” follow you to the NFL?
I wanted it to die at Notre Dame. And Jevon Kearse was having a pretty good career with that name, so I was happy to let him have it.

You could always go back to your childhood nickname, “He-Man.”
Yeah, at the age of three or four I was obsessed with He-Man. I would just run around the yard yelling, “By the power of Grayskull!”

You scored high on the infamous Wonderlic test. Does it actually help prepare you 
for the pros?
They give you two minutes to answer, like, 30 questions. It really doesn’t have anything to do with playing, but it does test how well you adjust under pressure. Coming into the NFL is intense. I wish people could listen to a miked linebacker or quarterback—having to decide how many shakes to make or whether somebody’s going right or left on a play. Certain code words go to D-linemen, certain words go to O-linemen and the secondary. All of a sudden they’re snapping the ball and you have to run with it on the fly. And if you mess up, it could give the other team a touchdown.

What tips have you been able to pick up from your teammates?
The thing that sets guys like Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora apart is their work in the film room. Strahan could tell a pass was coming by how much weight the O-lineman had on his hand. I never thought about things like that in college. I just lined up and beat the guy in front of me.

What was the transition like moving from Alabama to New York City?
I never felt overwhelmed. I’m a chameleon. The only time I was ever afraid was when I had the opportunity to meet Oprah Winfrey at a charity event and I was too scared to go up and ask for a picture.

Despite all your success, you’re still flying under the radar. When do we get to see you on Dancing With the Stars?
I like being under the radar. A perfect day for me is back home in Alabama, sitting on a porch playing cards or out on a lake fishing. I love New York, but I’m still a country boy who loves peace and quiet.