#Dalvin Tomlinson talks everything Giants, girlfriend Giselle

Giants defensive lineman, and Captain, Dalvin Tomlinson takes time out to tackle some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.

Q: What drives you?

A: Even though my mom [Melinda] passed away [heart disease and kidney failure nine years ago], I live pretty much to make her happy. I go out each and every day and give it my all, because I know that is what she’d want me to do.

Q: Describe your mother for me.

A: A loving, caring person. She cared for everyone else before herself. She just had a mentality also, just like, never give up through what life throws at you, you have to keep working and just keep improving day in and day out.

Q: From your Instagram: “Smiling because I’m becoming the man my mom wanted me to be.” What kind of man is that?

A: Always put others above myself, always try to help everyone improve in their area of life, I guess you can say … I’m selfless (chuckle).

Q: You play every game for your mother?

A: Oh, definitely.

Q: You lost your father when you were 5. You came back from two ACL tears. How have you been able to cope with all the adversity and overcome it?

A: I always think to myself, “What would my mom do?”

Q: How devastated were you when you learned she had passed away?

A: I don’t think I can put the words how devastated I was. She was my best friend, and my role model.

Q: Tell me about your girlfriend Giselle.

A: She’s super-smart (chuckle), beautiful … like super-brilliant young woman. Actually we met in middle school, and we were best friends in high school. She’s always been in my corner. I had to teach her a lot of rules in football, because she didn’t really care for football in high school. Over the years she probably became one of my biggest fans, you can say.

Q: What experiences with racism have you encountered?

A: There’s been quite a few. I’ve been racially profiled when I got pulled over a couple of times. I remember one time in my hometown [McDonough, Ga.], I got pulled over. I remember the officer told me I was swerving across the road and stuff like that, and I wasn’t because I didn’t drink. They were trying to say I was under the influence at first. And then it switched to my tail light was out, and then after that they were asking me if I had any drugs and weapons in the car. And I had to step out of the vehicle and things like that. There was another officer who didn’t even see my license — I told him I just had gotten back from college and I was living at home, and I was telling the officer I’m a college student at the University of Alabama, this and that. Long story short, he told me I should be pretty much like myself, because he didn’t know who I was — “We have a young man from this town who went to the University of Alabama, and you should probably look up to him because he’s a great guy, and he does this right, and you should probably be like him” and everything.

Q: He was referring to you all along.

A: It was crazy, because when that third officer came to the scene, he recognized who I was, and I remember him in high school. He let me go. It was just a crazy situation to be in.

Q: Describe your on-field mentality.

A: I [am], guess you have to say, aggressive. … I’m always trying to be one of the most physical people out there.

Q: Describe that transformation when you take the field.

A: I don’t know how to explain it, but just when I strap my helmet up and walk on the field, it’s just like I want to be dominant on the field as much as possible, and I want everybody on my side of the ball to dominate with me.

Q: Do you play angry or mean?

A: I don’t, per se, get angry, ’cause I’m always happy on the field, but I feel like the physicality I play, which makes me seem angry.

Q: Do you trash-talk?

A: Not really, not as much as people may think, but I’d be laughing, like if somebody tells a joke about me I end up laughing about it.

Q: Who’s the trash-talker on your defense?

A: I don’t even know yet. I’ll let you know when I find out.

Q: What is your definition of a Captain?

A: A guy that pretty much goes out there each and every day and plays for his teammates. Leave it all on the field. Always lead by example, even though you’re not the most vocal person. You can’t ask for somebody to go out there and work hard if you don’t work hard yourself.

Q: Describe Dexter Lawrence.

A: Dexter’s one of those guys who comes in each and every day ready to improve and ready to grind, and I love working with him. I love Dex to death, man.

Q: What’s he like in the D-line room?

A: Funny (laugh). He’s gonna always do something to make you laugh.

Q: Can you give me an example?

A: We’ll be watching film and I might hear somebody to break out in song sometimes. Or you may look in the back of the room, and he’s like dancing sometimes. He goes a little bit of everything.

Q: What kind of song does he break into?

A: R&B, you can say. It might be a little country song every now and again.

Q: Leonard Williams.

A: He’s one of those people who is just like super-athletically gifted. He can do almost anything on the field. We already have a chemistry doing stuff with each other on the field, like different schemes and things, it’s happened naturally. Amazing athlete, amazing player.

Q: Andrew Thomas.

A: Much respect for him. He just grinds each and every day. You could just see how hungry he is to keep improving. I feel like he has all the tools.

Q: Nick Gates.

A: We always go against each other almost every single day. He’s making great strides. Nick Gates has been working his tail off.

Q: You were a three-time state championship high school wrestler. Which teammate might be able to give you a challenge?

A: Probably Leonard Williams. He knows a little bit about wrestling (laugh), and I feel like it’ll be a good matchup.

Q: The ball security drill that coach Joe Judge demonstrated, what possessed you to hose him down?

A: I felt like I needed to (laugh).

Q: You wouldn’t have done that as a rookie, right?

A: Probably not (laugh).

Q: How would you describe Joe Judge?

A: Joe Judge is a great guy. He has a lot of energy. He wants the best out of everyone. He wants your full potential. And he’s gonna make sure you reach it.

Q: What is the personality of the Giants defense?

A: I feel like every position on our defense wants to be physical.

Q: Who was your boyhood idol?

A: I used to always love watching Ray Lewis, especially in college, and Lawrence Taylor. The energy they brought to the game.

Q: Who is one running back in NFL history you would love to tackle?

A: I would love to tackle LaDainian Tomlinson.

Q: Why him?

A: He was one of the running backs I idolized growing up. I always wanted to play against him for some reason. I guess the Tomlinson last name maybe, I don’t know (laugh).

Q: If you could pick the brain of any defensive lineman in NFL history, who would it be?

A: I would want to pick the brain of Derrick Thomas. I always looked up him.

Q: You used to play some outside linebacker?

A: Yeah, in high school. I was a lot smaller then.

Q: Did you have a bunch of sacks in high school?

A: Yeah, I had a bunch in high school.

Q: If you could test your skills against any offensive lineman in NFL history, who would it be?

A: [Former Washington tackle] Chris Samuels, he went to Alabama also. When he came back to ’Bama when I was there, I used to always talk about how he couldn’t block me and stuff like that, so that’d be a good one.

Q: How many pair of shoes/sneakers do you own?

A: Close to 90 pairs.

Q: Do you have a favorite?

A: Strangelove SB’s. They’re like pink, and creamy-looking, I guess you could say.

Q: You’re known as a “Renaissance man” with your artwork passion and all the musical instruments you’ve played. Why the ukulele?

A: I just love watching people play it, so I was like, “Why not pick it up myself?”

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: Muhammad Ali, Chadwick Boseman, Martin Luther King Jr.

Q: Why Ali?

A: That great of a fighter, and just the way he used to talk junk and stuff, used to always intrigue me as a kid.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “The Lion King.”

Q: Favorite actors?

A: Denzel Washington and Keanu Reeves.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Taraji P. Henson.

Q: Favorite singer/entertainer?

A: Young Thug.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Steak and potatoes.

Q: What tells you the Giants are heading in the right direction?

A: The way people come into work every day. I feel like that’s reason enough right there.

Q: Are you sick and tired of losing as a pro?

A: You have to earn each and every win. The more wins the better for every athlete out there. I feel like I just want to turn the program around and just continue to build a culture in the direction we’re building it right now.

Q: The Giants would be wise to give you a contract extension after this season. Why do you want to retire a New York Giant?

A: The history of the team is amazing to me. Being up here, I learned so much about the New York Giants and the program itself, I have so much respect for. It reminds me of the feeling I’d get when I went to Alabama. The tradition is always there.

Q: What do you hope Giants fans say about Dalvin Tomlinson?

A: Dalvin’s a guy that comes out there and gives it his all every single game, and leaves it all on the field.