UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Jesse James signed autographs, posed for pictures with families and even answered the occasional question from a kid or two Saturday afternoon about whether or not his controversial catch-turned-drop against the New England Patriots was indeed a catch.
The former Nittany Lion is used to that by now.
“Every time I have any conversation about sports it comes up,” James said. “I was golfing down in Florida during my week off and I hear random guys talking at the bar about it right next to me. … We talked about it. It’s a controversial play and being in the center of it in a negative way is not great, but it is what it is.”
The Steelers tight end was among a contingent of former Penn State players in the Lasch Football Building on Saturday as part of the team’s annual Thon Explorers event. Current players were not allowed to participate in the charity endeavor because of a paperwork misunderstanding that Penn State would have needed to file with the NCAA ahead of the annual event. NCAA time management legislation went into effect last August making Saturday a mandatory off day for the players.
So, James and former Nittany Lions Anthony Zettel, Nate Stupar and Stefen Wisniewski embraced Saturday’s opportunity to sign autographs and hang out with families impacted by pediatric cancer during the event. Thon, the 46-hour no sleeping, no sitting student-run dance marathon that raises money for the fight against pediatric cancer, was represented on James’ cleats during the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats weekend in December.
“It’s awesome. I’m happy that they reached out. I try to raise awareness every year in the NFL with the My Cause, My Cleats. … But, you love to get back,” he said. “Being here has been awesome and I’m enjoying every second of it.”
While James reconnected with former teammates throughout the afternoon he also spoke about what the transition to the NFL was once like for him and how he’s helping Mike Gesicki prepare to make the same leap.
Here are highlights from James’ media session with reporters in Happy Valley:
What’s it been like seeing this program turnaround the last couple years since you’ve been gone?
A: As a football program it’s been awesome to watch to watch the guys get all the national attention, playing prime-time games every other week or whenever they get the chance. And they’ve had a chance to make the playoff here the past two years, so it’s been fun to watch the program grow under coach Franklin.
Were you surprised at how quickly the turnaround happened?
A: Yeah, but the players that they’ve had, the way the weight room has been set up with coach (Dwight) Galt setting the mindset that they want to win by any means necessary, so having the players buy in it’s been fun to watch.
Looking around in the weight room and up on the board it looks like some of your lifting records are gone.
A: (Laughs) Yeah, I’m getting wiped off the board. Mike Gesicki blew me out. These guys are getting strong.
Do you still keep in contact with Gesicki?
A: We talk all the time, about once or twice per week, since he started training for the combine. … Mike’s been fun to watch. When he came in as a freshman he was my little brother, so I showed him the way here a little bit and it’s been fun here to connect and keep in contact with him as he goes throughout his career.
What advice did you give Gesicki about the combine?
A: It’s miserable. In the bigger scheme of things the combine has a lot on the line now, but once you start playing in the NFL it’s pretty much behind you and those numbers don’t hold up when you are actually playing games. But, I think Mike is going to be an absolute freak at the combine. .. He’s gonna be an absolute freak. So, just don’t stress about it and prepare and do what the coaches you’re training with tell you because they’ve done it more than you have. So trust them, improve yourself and get through the misery because everyone is miserable during it.
So what was the worst part about getting through that combine stuff for you then?
A: You didn’t get sleep if you had an MRI, so you could be up until 3 in the morning the night before the bench press and stuff. It’s a mind game. All the meetings with coaches and all that.
What type of advice would you give Gesicki because a lot of people criticize his blocking and you went through that as well?
A: I tell Mike, I think the coaches in the NFL will look at what he can do in the NFL and what he’s done here, because the numbers that he’s put up, you can’t teach that. They’ll try to teach them how to block and there’s a learning process there and he hasn’t been asked to do it too much the past two years with the offense they’ve run. It’s been a spread system, so it’s something he’s going to have to learn, something he’s going to have to put a lot of effort into. He sets his mind to it, I don’t see why he won’t be able to become a little bit more accomplished of a blocker and have some more success.
What’s it been like watching Saquon Barkley from afar?
A: He’s been fun to watch. Having a guy like that come through Penn State, he’s brought the program back so much and as good of a player as he was and staying on the field and the things he does in the community, it’s been a joy to watch. He’s just a guy that you root for, and he’ll do great in the NFL. He’s probably the best college player I’ve ever watched in person. I’m excited for him.
Some people have made comparisons to Barkley and LeVeon Bell. Do you see that at all? Is that a fair comparison?
A: I think they’re different-style running backs. Honestly, I’ve never seen a running back like LeVeon, but Saquon is just a different type of athlete. He’s going to impress people with his numbers and when they turn the film on, they’ll match up just as good or better.
As for the catch, no catch controversy, how many times have you been asked about that since it happened?
A: All the time. Anytime you talk football, it’s going to be brought up all the time. Especially the weeks that followed it there was a bunch of controversial calls that just kept going the way of that team so it’s just the way it happens.
How does it feel to be a part of that, with everyone seemingly having an opinion on that play that you’re in the middle of?
A: It was a pain at first, but now I’m kind of used to it. The Patriots ended up not winning the Super Bowl, so I don’t feel like I gave them a Super Bowl with that. I’m over it now, but it’s going to be a topic of conversation until the rule gets changed or if it doesn’t, so whenever they set their minds to what they’re going to do, if they change it or not, we’ll see.
You’re a competitor. How long did it take to get over that?
A: After the Super Bowl. The day of the Super Bowl, the next morning, I felt relieved. … It’s the season being totally over with, closing a chapter and only one team can win it all and you have to understand that.
Who is the best NFL player that you’ve played against so far in your career?
A: I like to play against Penn State guys so I had a chance to play against Paul (Posulszny) twice this year, so that’s a guy I’ve looked up to and he kind of mentored me. We spent time together in the offseason and in the summer trained together, so it’s fun to play against him. … Him and Sean Lee are fun to play against, just the type of players they are. I played against Tamba (Hali) twice and that’s always fun. He plays such a different style than most of those guys. It’s always fun to play against Penn Staters.
What about Carl Nassib?
A: Oh yeah, I played him four times. He’s ridiculous. He talks all the time. He tries to talking to me in between plays. I wish they had him miked up for it.