New Jets safety Andre Cisco, a Queens native who signed with Gang Green this offseason after four seasons with the Jaguars, tackles some training camp Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby.
Q: Describe Aaron Glenn’s style of accountability.
A: Just making this program — and when I say program, like the meetings, the walkthroughs, the lifts, the practice schedule — making it tough on you, and giving you a lot to handle. And for me that’s important for accountability, because it’s saying, “Are you ready? Are you going to be prepared? Are you going to come to work every single day?” If not, you’re going to be exposed, obviously. You’re not going to get what you want out of this year, this sport in general. Consequently, ask a lot of your teammates. You’re in the locker room, we expect a lot out of each other — there’s just no excuses. I appreciate the way he’s building this out. It doesn’t require a lot of talking outside of it because you know it’s kind of laid out in front of you — this is what we’re doing, this is what we’re trying to get done, he’s told us exactly how camp’s going to build up.
Q: How does he command a room?
A: He just gets to his point, like he doesn’t beat around the bush, he’s direct. And he keeps a good relationship with guys outside of the meeting room, so that when he’s up there you’re talking to the same guy you talked to on the sideline today or in the hallway.
Q: What resonated with you after he spoke at the start of training camp?
A: Understanding from a player’s perspective of how we have to build this training camp out. It’s going to be hard, but we’re also not going to be stupid. I appreciate the old-school mentalities, but also understand, like, let’s be smart.
Q: When training camp ends, what will the personality of this football team be?
A: I think very tough, gritty, and smart’s going to be a big one as well. This league has become one of those situations where the better your players can adapt to situations, the more opportunities you have to win games. Someone showed us the number of games that are one-score in this league. … So if you can win 12 games because of guys being aware, situationally smart and rise up to the moment, you’re going to be in a good spot at the end of the year. … Smart is a big one, tough is a huge one — running the ball, having a great running attack, having a great defense. I think that’s going to be our mentality.
Q: Tell me why these are not the Same Old Jets.
A: I can’t say too much about that, and honestly that’s probably the narrative I hate the most now that I’m around the team and hearing that, like, that Same Old Jets talk.
Q: What is it going to be like playing on the big New York stage in your hometown.
A: It’s incredible, man. … I know that by the time we get to MetLife, it’s going to be even more surreal for me. But I’m taking it all in every day. I think even today I had a moment when coach was talking, and I just looked over and it said, New York Jets training camp, and just had to continue to soak it all in. Because these opportunities come and go, and I can’t name anyone who’s had the opportunity that I know.
Q: What are your favorite Long Island or New York things?
A: I like the highways, like a Southern State or a Northern State. It’s very nostalgic for me. Like once I get back to Long Island, I just like driving on the highway. I’m like, ahhh, this was my route to school. … It just brings back a lot of memories. New York thing is walking the Brooklyn Bridge. My mom lived in Valley Stream, my dad lived in Brooklyn, so I was back and forth. And so the Brooklyn Bridge was like a pastime for us.
Q: How devastating was losing your father, Chris, two years ago?
A: It was really devastating, and being back here, I feel like had he made it to this point, he would have been extremely excited. He’s Brooklyn all the way through, he was born and raised in Brooklyn, you couldn’t drag him out of Brooklyn if you tried. He already told everybody I played for the Jags, and everybody he met he would let ’em know, but if he would have known I play for the Jets, he would have been trippin.’ … But luckily actually our first game is on his birthday. That’ll be a special day.
Q: How about No. 8 for the Jets intercepting No. 8 for the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers?
A: That also would be very special (smile).
Q: Why did you choose No. 8?
Q: I always wanted 8 with the Jags, but it’s retired, [Mark] Brunell.
Q: Describe your father.
A: Very adventurous. A unique personality, just understood how to bring people together. He was a little bit like the glue for my family — especially in terms of my cousins, my aunts, my uncles. He’s the reason we’re all connected now. He’s the reason we go to the beach, the reason we grill, the reason we go to the pool. All of our memories are kind of connected to him in some way or another. For everyone else, he was Uncle Chris. He was just like a dad for a lot of my cousins as well, because families aren’t perfect.
Q: Give me a scouting report on you.
A: I would say physical at the point of attack … quarterback needs to know where I’m at on the field, the opportunity to take the ball away at any moment.
Q: Whatever comes to mind: Sauce Gardner.
A: Smart … funny … explosive.
Q: Garrett Wilson.
A: He’s consistently doing things that are just like really extra ordinary.
Q: Justin Fields.
A: Precise … obviously dangerous in the run game as well … and composed, very composed.
Q: Tyrod Taylor.
A: Also composed … savvy … and makes the right decisions.
Q: Steve Wilks.
A: Energetic … down to earth … very relatable.
Q: Did you go to Knicks games?
A: I went to one Knick game as a kid. I want to say this is the Raymond Felton, Carmelo Anthony Era. This was definitely before the renovated Garden.
Q: What did you think when Tom Thibodeau was fired?
A: As a Knick fan, I thought it was time. Although we got far last year, it’s hard to continue to watch the same thing. It’s just not a very sustainable model in terms of how we choose to win. It’s nice to pull games out, but you want to have a little bit more of a recipe for success more so than, how we feeling tonight? Is [Jalen Brunson] hot? Is someone coming off the bench giving us help? I think the Pacers and the Thunder have a very sustainable model just in terms of how Thibs has chose to win games over the years. I wasn’t necessarily mad at it, but I’m also very thankful for it.
Q: You didn’t like the way he used his bench?
A: I wouldn’t say the bench as much as like getting more creative and being more innovative … doing something that’s going to allow your guys to be fresh, allow Jalen to not feel like he has to be 40, triple-double to win games. I’m hoping that Mike Brown brings a little something different.
Q: What is special to you about Jalen Brunson?
A: He’s genuinely cold-blooded. It’s hard to find guys that can do it night in and night out the way he has, with the pressure of the New York market. I think some guys just fall into that spell of loving the lights and everything it comes with. Hearing how he studied the Derek Jeters of the world to know how to handle the New York market and didn’t fall into the trap of whatever the trap is along the lines of being a superstar here.
Q: Who did you root for on the Jets?
A: The Darrelle Revises, I remember Santonio Holmes and Brandon Marshall when they were here.
Q: Did you go to Jets games?
A: Yeah, I went to a lot of Jet games … Mark Sanchez, obviously that era … Nick Mangold, the [D’Brickashaw] Fergusons of the world, those are some of my favorites.
Q: Are you cold-blooded?
A: I got that gene, and I hope to continue to develop it. It’s one of those things that you have to work on in practice and be put in those situations so that in the game it doesn’t feel any different. I’ve had opportunities to make plays in clutch moments, but definitely have a lot more in the tank.
Q: How would you describe your on-field mentality?
A: I’m very composed. I’m enthusiastic, but I keep myself together. I’m high-energy but I try to just focus on my job and pour all I can into executing and finishing plays.
Q: Describe tearing your ACL in pregame warmups at Syracuse in 2020.
A: That was a tough one. Going in my junior year, it was the third game of the season, I had an interception in the first game, a good second game, everyone was building me up to be a first-round pick — it was what I pictured since I came in as a freshman. I’m warming up and I go up for a ball, and my teammate, he was running routes, he came from the other side, so we collided while I was in the air, he ran into my side. I hit the ground really hard. I got up, and I could see that something was wrong with me. By the time I got into the training room was just hysterical crying because I knew something was up, and I never had a knee injury, so I couldn’t tell what it was. Once he shook my knee a few times, told me what he thought it was, I started losing it. But there were a lot of signs that that was kind of ordained in terms of how things played out — me going to Jacksonville, still being able to get drafted high [third round], the Combine was canceled that year, so it obviously helps my draft stock ’cause I’m not participating. Different things like that that kind of aligned for me.
Q: What is your four favorite Tommy DeVito story?
A: My freshman year, his redshirt freshman season, I think Eric Dungey got hurt in the North Carolina game, and he led us to a double-overtime victory. He threw the game-winning touchdown. … It was cold-blooded, like he just came in the game, just started slinging it.
Q: He became Tommy Cutlets.
A: I loved watching the story unfold for him because we always knew he was such a great talent. At Syracuse it didn’t work out, end up going to Illinois and putting it together a little bit. But I was super glad that it ended up happening for him here.
Q: Will your mother, Myriam, come to the games?
A: We have migrated a little bit, my family lives a little bit more south now, partially still some up here, but she lives closer to where we were in Jacksonville. But she’ll be up here for sure.
Q: What drives you?
A: My faith is a huge driver for me day in and day out. … It keeps me very balanced, in terms of not becoming too consumed with what I’m very passionate about.
Q: You’re a standup comedian?
A: I got a little bit in me (smile). I’m not a professional comedian, but I have done it one time. It was in New Orleans at the time. It was like a signup, get on stage kind of thing.
Q: Would you do that here in front of the guys?
A; Would I do it in front of the guys? I don’t know if I’m that funny. The people I was in front of, they were probably a little bit of an easier crowd. Writing jokes is really hard.
Q: Your quote on Twitter was, “I’m professionally funny.”
A: I am technically — based off that night, yes (laugh).
Q: Describe your fashion style.
A: Growing up in New York, I try to be myself as much as possible. Sometimes I’m just excited to be super chill, sometimes I’m excited to do something off the wall. But I definitely don’t follow the trends, I would say. I’m not like super opposite of the trend, but I like what I like.
Q: Can you compete with Tyrod Taylor?
A: No sir. He can’t not look fly. He just has it together all the time.
Q: You’re a big pickleball guy?
A: Yeah, I actually recently won a tournament for $20,000. Me and Micah Parsons were partners against other professional athletes.
Q: What is your favorite memory as a running back with the Valley Stream Green Hornets?
A: I won a Super Bowl one year.
Q: You were how old?
A: I think I was 11 that year. My first game I had two touchdowns against Oyster Bay, home game.
Q: Three dinner guests?
A: Jesus, Kanye West, Michelle Obama.
Q: Favorite movie?
A: “The Blind Side.”
Q: Favorite actor?
A: Liam Neeson.
Q: Favorite actress?
A: Priyanka Chopra.
Q: Favorite rapper/entertainer?
A: Rexx Life Raj.
Q: Favorite meal?
A: Any form of rice and protein, I’m cool.
Q: Favorite New York pizza or restaurant?
A: I have a deli in Brooklyn — Farmer in the Deli — a nice cold sandwich from there is good. I got a nice bagel spot over here, A&B Bagels. I had Parsippany’s Best Pizza, which is good around here, but I haven’t had a lot of pizza since I’ve been back.
Q: You’re aware that the Jets haven’t made the playoffs in 14 straight years. What are your thoughts on that?
A: I remember the last time. My thoughts on that? I think it’s easy to actually believe people when they say like there’s a curse. And I think that’s like the first thing we have to kind of nip in the bud, like there’s nothing stopping us from getting to the playoffs. We just have to do what we have to do — do the practical things, win your division, win your home games, and by the end of the season, you look back, you’ll be in position to get in the playoffs.
Q: What is your message to Jets fans?
A: I would say I’m one of you guys in terms of like just wanting the team to win from a general perspective and understanding what it would do for the tri-state area, just the morale and the overall … just everything that the sports teams do for the economy, all that kind of stuff. Being a Knicks fan this past season we saw a little bit of that, right? People taking over MSG and Times Square, and how people can get together around sports.
