NFL PRO BOWL TRANSCRIPTS AFC - Ingles

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27, 2009

HOUSTON TEXANS WIDE RECEIVER ANDRE JOHNSON
On the NFL hosting the Pro Bowl in Miami instead of Hawaii
“It is a little different. You never can argue with being at home. It’s a little different. Everyone loves the vacation in Hawaii, but it’s different this year. So far, the guys are enjoying it.”

On practicing another week after finishing the 2009 season
“It’s not hard. Just being around these guys makes it a lot easier. Sometimes, you’re sitting there looking at the talent on this team and you wish you had these guys on your team for real because there are so many guys with tremendous talent. It’s a lot of fun just being out here around these guys.”

On the Houston Texans making progress towards playing in the Super Bowl
“We did. We had our first winning season. It’s been a work in progress. Coming to a new organization, I knew it wasn’t going to happen overnight. I’m going to keep working to achieve that goal.”

On if the Houston Texans organization is built to succeed in future years
“Yeah, I feel like everyone has been doing a good job. We have a lot of talent. Hopefully, this year through free agency and everything, we can bring some players in who can help us out and through the draft (as well). Hopefully, we will have a good offseason.”


NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS DEFENSIVE TACKLE VINCE WILFORK
On if he ever expected to play in a Pro Bowl in South Florida
“I never thought that, but this is home for me. It’s something new for us. I think if it’s not in Hawaii, Miami is a good place to have it. You have a lot of things to do, the weather is great, the food is great and (it has) good people. (There are) fun people to be around down here. I never thought I would be in a Pro Bowl down in Miami, but here we are.”

On the Pro Bowl not including players from the two Super Bowl teams
“That’s the only thing that’s still up in the air with me because guys who are actually on that main stage don’t get a chance to play in (the Pro Bowl). It’s something new. We’ll see what happens this year with it and then see if we can move forward with it. For me personally, I’d rather have it after the season, but I understand why they have it before the season is over. We’ll just see.”

On Hawaii being a highly-desired vacation site for the Pro Bowl
“Yeah, but a vacation is a vacation. To get a chance to be around the greatest athletes who play this game is always a blessing to me. Right here, we are in something special right now just being around here having fun doing what we love with some good weather. You have to cherish the moment. I think a lot of guys out here—they’re pretty happy being in South Florida for a Pro Bowl but would rather (be in) Hawaii over South Florida.”


NEW YORK JETS CORNERBACK DARRELLE REVIS
On if the Pro Bowl is a consolation game after losing in the AFC Championship
“This is what it is. You get picked for the Pro Bowl; if you win the (AFC Championship game), you don’t play in it and you play in the Super Bowl. It’s just something that you go with what’s going on with your schedule and you move forward there.”

On comparing New Orleans and Indianapolis
“They’re both two great teams (with) two great quarterbacks. They have a lot of weapons on both sides of the ball on the offensive side. I think it should be a high-scoring game.”

On his prediction for the 2010 Super-Bowl champion
“I’m going with the Colts on this one… I played both (teams), but I feel that (Indianapolis QB) Peyton Manning—he’s great at what he does. He’s like a coach out there in a player’s body. He controls the game very well. He audibles four or five times to get them in the right position for them to make the good play.”

On evaluating New Orleans
“Like I said, they have a lot of weapons. We had trouble matching up with them a little bit. They’ve got (New Orleans RB) Reggie Bush, who can come in and catch the ball out of the (back)field and also make big plays in special teams, too; they’ve got a good receiving corps; and they’ve got a good running game. There are a lot of things that they’ve got that can help them win, also.”


BALTIMORE RAVENS INSIDE LINEBACKER RAY LEWIS
On why some players do not play in the Pro Bowl when selected
“A lot of guys, honestly, deal with serious injuries. A lot of guys understand what type of mentality that they have to take truly to just get through a regular-season game. A lot of guys play with pain. A lot of guys play with pain, so when the Pro Bowl does come, you can ask yourself: ‘Do I take a true week to just heal or do I come out and limp around and show where I’m really hurting at?’ I take my hat off to guys who actually go through that.”

On if he had hesitated to play in the 2010 Pro Bowl
“No, I love it too much. This is one of the greatest accomplishments you could have outside of (winning) the Super Bowl. Bottom line, if this is your first time or your 11th time, it doesn’t matter; it’s the same reward. You understand that these times will never be (possible) again. No matter what you try to do, these times will never be again.”