New York Jets wide receiver Braylon Edwards addressed the media on Wednesday. Here is the transcript from the interview courtesy of the New York Jets.
On how embarrassed he is after being arrested…
“Like I said, I issued a statement. I’m very remorseful to my fans as well as the team, the organization and my teammates. The statement is out there. I am apologetic for last night’s actions.”
On what he says to a young, student athletes who thinks he might have got off easy…
“It’s up to Rex Ryan, the powers that be, Mike Tannenbaum and the league to decipher punishment or discipline. With that question regarding, I’m sorry but it’s up to those guys just like it would be to a mother and father with a youngster, so they’ll just have to do what they say.”
On what he has to say to his fans…
“I’d say I’m sorry and at the same time I’d say I’m human and humans make mistakes. I’m sure I’m not the first person to make a mistake, but I’m truly sorry about it.”
On if he was being selfish in his actions…
“In answering that question it may lead to some other things, so I’ll say it’s a pending legal matter (so I’ll) stay away from that question.”
On what he thought about Coach Ryan’s statements in the team meeting this morning about having no more embarrassments…
“I think he was right. I feel as though we’ve had some things that have happened that have taken away from what we look to be this year, what we look to represent (and) what we’re striving for. When he made that comment, I think he hit the nail on the head as it relates to myself and other distractions that we’ve had from offseason until now. I think it was a good message.”
On why he didn’t call the car service…
“Once again, it’s a pending legal matter.”
On if he’s talked to his teammates…
“Yes, I have talked to my teammates. That’s something that we talked about as teammates.”
On what message he would like to convey to his fans…
“I’m still here. I still love playing for the Jets. I happen to be in a situation. (I’m) just (going to) keep working hard, going out there every day and giving my all for this team and this organization.”
On not starting against Miami…
“That’s a decision that came from Mike (Tannenbaum) and Rex (Ryan) and I agree with them. Anything that they feel that they need to do in this situation, I’ll support it 100 percent as well as the league (with) full cooperation.”
On if he thinks it is fair disciplinary action for him not to start against Miami…
“I’m not judging what’s right or what’s wrong, what’s fair or what’s unfair. I just have to deal with the consequences that are given. If those are the consequences, then I’ll deal with them. If they were more strict and more severe, I’d have to deal with those as well.”
On the team’s internal impact following his arrest…
“We have a strong team and there has been a lot of support from players, from coaches, from the training staff and everybody else, so I think we’re a strong team. This is something that can be overcome and something that this team has the character to overcome. Just knowing that you have these kind of (people) in the locker room or inside this building with you, you feel a lot better. I’m very happy and very appreciative to be in this type of situation.”
On if that’s the reaction he received from his teammates…
“Yes. My teammates will tell you 100 percent what’s the real. I got a lot of that today, but at the end it was all for my good and it was all support.”
On what these last 36 hours have been for him…
“They’ve been interesting to say the least. (There) hasn’t been a lot of sleep, but like I said, we all make mistakes. It’s life. I’ve got to deal with the consequences as they fall. All I can do is stay positive, stay humble and (take it) day-by-day.”
On the feelings he had coming to the facility today knowing he had to see his teammates and coaches…
“The biggest thing was I was sorry. I didn’t want to put our team in this situation where we had any outside distractions. I think that’s the biggest thing going into a game against Miami, a good team (and) a good chance for us to get a good win and move forward in our division, now we have to sit here and worry about this situation and then getting asked questions about that as opposed to, “What do you see out of them on defense?” That was the biggest thing for me is, just that this has become a distraction for the team. I’m definitely most apologetic for the distraction that this created within this locker room.”
On if the Jets had deactivated him, would he have fought it through the union…
“I would not. I respect Mike Tannenbaum and Rex Ryan. I have a whole lot of respect for them as well as Woody Johnson. If that was the decision that they wanted to make, then I would support it whole-heartedly and I wouldn’t fight it.”
On if he will dress but not start against Miami…
“So far that’s what they’ve told me. That’s what I’m going on right now.”
On his thoughts about his arrest and his message to his fans…
“When I reached a statement and I issued it, I basically said I was sorry to my fans, first and foremost and to Mike (Tannenbaum), Woody (Johnson), Rex (Ryan) and my teammates. Being in this situation, being around an environment like this, you truly are appreciative. So, for the event to happen like it did yesterday, it was sad for me.”
On if he was embarrassed by his arrest…
“I don’t know if I would describe it (as) embarrassed. With the pending legal matter and all that, I can’t let my emotions answer questions right now. With that, I’ll just say pending legal matters.”
On if he spoke to his teammates in a group or individually…
“I haven’t talked to my teammates as a group. (It’s been) more so individually. (I) talked to guys here and there. Guys made some phone calls to me (and) some text messages. I talked to those guys. I talked to a couple different groups and we just had conversations. We had grown man conversations. I’ll just leave it at that.”
On why he would get behind the wheel after drinking…
“Once again, that ties in with the pending legal matter answering that question. It’s a question I would love to answer but (I can’t).”
On his thoughts of the dangers of drinking and driving after Donte Stallworth’s incident…
“That’s kind of answering (the previous) question, so I’m going to stay away from it.”
On his general thoughts about drinking and driving…
“Once again, the answer to (the previous) question in some type of way so I’m going to stay away from that one as well. I’m sorry.”
On what his ride from the courthouse to the Jets facility was like…
“A lot was going through my mind, just in the fact I’ve got to keep reiterating the fact (of) how much I love playing here. On the way over here, I was thinking about being a Jet versus being in my last situation and the groundwork that I’ve laid in terms of showing them what type of person I am. Coming over, them giving me a chance and showing them what type of person that I am and them knowing that. The car ride over here was like very quiet.”
On if he feels like he put his football career in jeopardy with the Jets or if he’s thinking about the legal matters…
“No, I don’t think so. I don’t think so in the fact that I’m very sorry for my actions. I don’t think I was acting in a selfish manner. It wasn’t a selfish thought. I respect this organization a lot and they’ve seen that out of me. In fact, I was in the city supporting a teammate. That was the main reason I was in the city in the first place. Just (seeing) that I have a lot of support from these guys and I’m just happy to be here, so I don’t think that.”
On if he thinks that it’s punishment to not be able to start an NFL game…
“When you’re a starter and you’re told you’re not starting and you’re not hurt, it’s a prideful thing. It is (hurtful). I was asked that question and I basically said (that) I don’t mind that at all. Anything that they feel that they need to do as a disciplinary action, I’m ok with it and I support it.”
On if he feels fortunate that the Jets are restricted from other types of punishment…
“I don’t look at is as feeling fortunate, I just look at is as that’s what the rules are. The rules are the rules. If it had been a harsher penalty, I still would have been ok with it. I still would have accepted it just like I’m accepting this.”
On if he was aware of the Player Protect program and was he in the meeting last week when it was being discussed…
“I am aware of the player protection car service, but in terms of answering that question, once again I can’t answer that due to (it being a) legal pending matters.”
On if he’s signed up for the Player Protect program…
“No, because I have my own car service that I use all the time. I never drive through the city. I don’t know my way through the city and I don’t like driving to the city. Yesterday may be the third time I’ve ever driven in the city.”
On if his car service was not available Monday night for him…
“As I’m aware, the service is always available from what I understand. I didn’t use my car service last night because I was stuck here doing some extra things to make sure. (I was) doing some route running, some extra film study, so by the time I got home, I just had to drive to make it to J-Co’s (Jerricho Cotchery) event on time.”
On if he thought at all that night about calling the Player Protect service…
“Once again, answering that one (with) a legal pending matter, I’m going to stay away from that one.”
On what it was like spending time in police custody…
“It sucked. It wasn’t anything good. You hear about it, but you never think that would be you. Being in there wasn’t a good feeling. It’s enough to one, never want to be in that situation again and two, you get a real sense for what’s going on. What this really is. What they feel about it.”
On if he feels the situation has given the organization a black eye…
“No, I don’t. I don’t understand the black eye of this (for the organization) because this isn’t a representation of what this organization is about. This isn’t what Rex Ryan, Mike Tannenbaum and Woody (Johnson) teach. This is a situation that I’m in, that I put myself in. I don’t see how it would be a black eye for them. It would more so be a black eye for myself.”