Justin Pugh Reveals Origin of SNF Intro
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From straight off the couch to a possible starting role in the New York Giants offensive line, Justin Pugh is positively giddy to return where his NFL career started in 2013.
"There was never even a doubt in my mind," Pugh said of the decision to come to the Giants. "Before I even signed here, I had other options, but there was never a thought in my mind."
Pugh, who made headlines with his Sunday Night Football intro, said his now famous self in-introduction was suggested to him by a teammate.
"I was riding the bus to the hotel, and we landed in Buffalo, and they’re like, ‘Hey, you have to shoot your Sunday Night Football,’" Pugh recalled. "Obviously, I went to Syracuse University, and I always say 'Syracuse University,' and I still love Syracuse University, so all my Syracuse folks out there, I give you your flowers.
"But I truly was watching last Sunday Night Football on the couch. It just hit me, like, I was a fan last week watching football. How many times can you be a fan watching your favorite team, the New York Giants, and the next Sunday, you get to go play for that team on Sunday Night Football?
"I really came straight off the couch and started on Sunday Night Football, and nobody can ever take that away from me. If I never played another football game, and that was my last one, I could go out like that."
Pugh said he initially was going to introduce himself as "fresh off the couch," but teammate Jalen Mayfield encouraged him to jazz up the intro a bit.
"Yeah, I was going to do fresh off the couch, and he's like, ‘straight off the couch.’ He said straight off the couch to me when he came out. I was like, ‘That's it.’ That's it right there. So, I went in and did it. It was me, him, and (quarterback Tommy) DeVito in there doing our Sunday Night Football, and DeVito has got some good personality. They were my hype guys."
Almost equally interesting as the origin of his now famous intro is how Pugh landed back with the Giants, something he credits comedian /actor Jerry Seinfeld for getting started.
"I was at a restaurant, Torrisi, in New York four months ago over the summer. My wife and I are sitting there with some friends, and across from us is Jerry Seinfeld. I hear his voice; it was the quintessential New York moment of all time," Pugh recalled.
"I remember texting my agent, like, ‘Text the Giants, I want to come back.’ So, if it wasn't for Jerry Seinfeld, I don't know if I'd be here right now. He’s the greatest. He's the G.O.A.T. But from then on, I knew I wanted to return here. Everything worked out perfectly."
Pugh, who will likely get the start at left tackle this week with Joshua Ezeudu on IR and Andrew Thomas still hobbled, sounded like a man who wants to finish his career with the Giants.
"Look, there was never anything I wanted to do than sign here," he said. "My whole goal was to come here, prove I’m healthy. I told everyone it was a tryout for me to come back and go on the practice squad. I went on the practice squad, proved I was healthy, did everything they asked,, and here we are. So now, I get to wrap this thing up as a Giant."
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