Conference Championship Interview Series: Green Bay Packers RB Ryan Grant

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Green Bay Packers RB Ryan Grant is feeling it. Outside of the National Football League’s rushing champion, LaDainian Tomlinson, Ryan was the most productive running back in the NFL the final nine games of the 2007 season with 929 yards. Do the math. That’s pretty productive. Especially for a team that couldn’t run the ball earlier in the season. Then came the fumbles. At the worst time, no less — to start the Packers’ postseason play against the Seattle Seahawks. Green Bay was in a 14-0 hole before Packers fans had finished their pregame brats and suddenly a 13-3 season and any hopes of Super Bowl XLII were in serious jeopardy. That was until Ryan got his hands on the ball for a third offensive possession. I spoke with Ryan during a national conference call and here are the results.

DAVID: Ryan, after the two fumbles, I watched you walking off the field and I just felt sorry for you, man. I thought, “This guy is outta here. Coach McCarthy is gonna pull him.” Of course, that never happened and the rest is, literally, history. But, how did you go from that rough start to setting a Packers’ record for yards rushing in a playoff game?

RYAN: I’ve always known the type of person I am and how the confidence in myself is always going to be there. I’ve never gotten down on it. There’s always going to be things in your life, not just football, that aren’t going to work out. You correct them and then you move forward. I feel like some people might make it in the sense where they might feel like you get down and that might play into a part. But for myself, I have the utmost confidence in myself and in my teammates and everything across the board, what we’re going to do and how we can do it. We know in these types of games there are going to be ups and downs and things might be going good and then things get bad and things might be going bad and then get better. There’s going to be ups and downs and you have to keep pushing in these type of games on this level. That’s how you have to do it. That’s being a professional.

DAVID: Has that game sunk-in yet?

RYAN: (laughs) I don’t think it has, to be honest with you. It probably won’t until after all this is said and done. Really I’m trying to focus on the next step, which is definitely the game this weekend against the Giants. I can’t really think about what happened in the past.

DAVID: You’ve been kind of thrust into the spotlight the second half of this season. What has that sudden change been like for you?

RYAN: It really hasn’t done anything personally for me in the sense of how I am. It makes me have a little less time, but really from a focus level, it really hasn’t changed anything. My focus, if anything, is more detailed, but it really hasn’t changed that much from what I’m trying to do. I keep myself grounded by knowing why I play and what I’m trying to accomplish on the field.

DAVID: Why do you play?

RYAN: I love the game. I love the ups and downs. I love the fight. I love the team aspect of it. And I love to win.

DAVID: Your recent success has been a great example of seizing an opportunity. Was there a time when you wondered if you would get that opportunity?

RYAN: I never wondered because I didn’t have control over that. I try not to let myself focus and look at things I really don’t have control over. The only thing I wanted to make sure of was that I was physically and mentally prepared for whatever came my way, whatever it may be. I had to make sure, from a work level, that I was putting in the work and felt like preparing myself. Anything else that came my way I was just going to try and take advantage of. I don’t have control over certain things. I do have control over how hard I work and stuff like that, so those are things that I was trying to make sure I had a handle on.

DAVID: You were, of course, traded from the Giants to the Packers earlier this season. And how ironic that you are playing against them in the NFC Championship game. Does it give you extra motivation playing against your old team?

RYAN: I don’t think it’s extra motivation. I think the approach I take is because I love the game and what I want to do in the game and the fact that I want to win. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to do that. It’s just a matter of what I want to do, and I know my approach and I’m going to make sure I’m prepared. And that means doing whatever it takes.

DAVID: When you’re in the huddle with Brett — or when he hands off to you or throws the ball to you — have you ever thought in terms of, “Wow, I’m playing with Brett Favre?” Or is he just another teammate?

RYAN: Well, in the middle of the game I’m not thinking that (laughs). There have been times when people really bring it to my attention. But after the fact — after the game, maybe after a pass — I am thinking, “Wow, I’m playing with Brett Favre.” And that’s something special. I’m definitely honored to be a part of it. But when we’re playing, he’s our quarterback. He’s a great leader for us and we just take advantage of it.

This was my second of four Conference Championship interviews. Check out Tom Brady (Patriots) from yesterday. And look for LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers) and Amani Toomer (Giants) to follow before Sunday’s games.