Outside Linebacker Brian Burns

March 13, 2024

Q. Can you just describe your feelings right now. I mean, you're with the Panthers for your whole career, you got a franchise tag, you got a trade to the Giants. What are you thinking right now?

BRIAN BURNS: Right now, the moment is still a little surreal. It just got done not too long ago. I’ve got my family here. They're extremely happy for me. I'm kind of overtaken with a lot of emotions, but once I'm done processing – I'm super excited to be here – but once I'm done processing, then everything will come back down, and I'll really sit in fruition. Right now, I'm kind of all over the place, I'm just a little giddy.

Q. Do you think you're a New York kind of guy?

BRIAN BURNS: For sure, for sure. I feel like I can adapt anywhere. Coming from Florida, you get a little taste of everything. I feel like New York wouldn't be too big for me.

Q. I'm curious what intrigued you about New York. Why did you want to come here, and what do you think went wrong in Carolina that it didn't work out there?

BRIAN BURNS: I would say it's kind of just how the trade went down. New York has a ton of young pieces. Looking down the line, I’ve got (defensive lineman) Dexter (Lawrence), I came out with Dexter. (Outside linebacker Kayvon) Thibodeaux, I know him. I actually took him on a recruit from Florida State. But they’ve got dogs on the inside, they’ve got a dog behind them in the linebacker corps. So, there's a lot of talent on this team. Other than with Carolina – respect to Carolina. I really appreciate them drafting me back in '19, and I had a great five years there. It just came to an end, and we split paths. I'm just super excited to be a Giant now. I'm ready to start this new journey and continue my career. I'm ready to do great things.

Q. Take us through the process of how you first heard about it, and when you thought this might actually get done, and how it got done at the end.

BRIAN BURNS: It was a lot going on. Free agency was really jumping around that time. It was too much going on. Everything happened so fast. I really don't exactly remember the sequence of how everything happened. I just know that my agent did a phenomenal job, and I was excited when I heard about the news.

Q. Can you give a little bit of a scouting report? What are the Giants getting in Brian Burns?

BRIAN BURNS: They're getting somebody that's coming to work, always be professional, always be a pro, that's number one. Other than that, I'm coming to work, I'm relentless. They're getting a playmaker. They're just getting a guy that's really going to enjoy the process, take it day by day. I really take a lot of pride in getting better. I feel like I can learn from a lot of cats, especially on this team. Other than that, I'm a team guy, always been a team guy. I'm a natural leader. I'm just ready to get to work and ready to get with these guys.

Q. Going back to your draft, you went one spot before Dexter and the Giants. Was there any part of you back then that thought the Giants might be coming for you?

BRIAN BURNS: Thinking back then, I didn't know who was going to get me, actually. I was just sitting in the green room waiting for my name to be called. I didn't know exactly who was going to get me.

Q. Are you scratching your head when last year the Rams came and offered two first rounders, and then this year the Giants seemingly offered less, but that trade got done?

BRIAN BURNS: Not really because I don't really understand the things that go on in the front office that well. I kind of just focus on what's in front of me. No, I wasn't really scratching my head at that.

Q. The other question I have is do you think there's going to be a little competition with you and Kayvon to see who gets the most sacks?

BRIAN BURNS: I think it will be healthy competition. We're definitely going to push each other because he's very talented, as well am I. But it's all fun and games. I think we're going to make each other a lot better, honestly. It will definitely be healthy competition for sure.

Q. You mentioned briefly that you knew Kayvon and Dexter a little bit. Can you just tell us a little bit more about how well you know those guys and your relationship with them?

BRIAN BURNS: I wouldn't say it's too deep. I knew Dexter coming out of high school. We went to the All-American game together. We went to the opening together. Other than that, we just from time to time we may message each other on Instagram or something like that. Thibodeaux, I was his host, and he took a visit to Florida State before he chose to go to Oregon. Like I said, from time to time we talk on Instagram. Other than that, nothing too deep.

Q. It's early, you just got here. But have you had a chance to talk to (Defensive Coordinator) Shane Bowen at all?

BRIAN BURNS: Not really, I've been moving around a lot. Still a lot of things going on. But no, I didn't have an extended conversation with him yet.

Q. With Kayvon, how do you think your games are similar and different? How do you think you will complement each other having two guys on each end like that?

BRIAN BURNS: As far as us being similar, I would say our body types are somewhat similar. Other than that, he can burn the edge, but I do know that he's a little more prone to get into that long-arm, that power a little bit more. I definitely think we could complement each other more in practice, because I feel like he could teach me some things, I could teach him some things, and we could really bounce ideas off of each other. That's really how pass rushers come up with a lot of their moves and their plans for that week. I think that will be the main thing is the IQ.

Q. You didn't have a winning record in Carolina, a lot of losing. This past season was the worst. How much did that weigh on you, and how much do you want to put that in the rearview mirror and get some winning going here?

BRIAN BURNS: I want to put that in the rearview (mirror) as soon as possible. But I honestly would say that I feel like it definitely prepared me for what's coming in the future. Going through seasons as such, it was tough, but it kind of teaches you resilience. It kind of teaches you not to give up. It kind of just shows your character. So, I feel like throughout that process I've grown.

Q. I'm wondering what you think about the change in spotlight and intensity and all the other things that are going to come along with moving from Charlotte to New York City…

BRIAN BURNS: What do you mean by spotlight and intensity?

Q. There's a lot more attention paid, I think, to the Giants than the Panthers with all their 1 o’clock Sunday games and things like that. I think playing for the Giants is a little bit more high profile. Is that something that you're excited about?

BRIAN BURNS: Oh, definitely. Definitely excited about that. I can't really speak too much on it because I've never been in that situation, but I'm definitely excited about primetime games and whatnot. Other than that, I can't speak too much on it because I've never been in this situation yet.

Q. You mentioned the young pieces on this roster. What do you think you guys can do as a group? And how important is it that you guys are kind of growing together, a little bit at the same age?

BRIAN BURNS: I think it's very important. Just looking across the defense – I can speak for the defense. Looking across the defense, I see a lot of talent, and I feel like definitely, through the time that we have to grow that bond and that camaraderie, I feel like we can definitely grow, like you just said, together. We can make each other better, and we can also just – I'm going to say it again. It's very repetitive, but we can grow together because I've had that similar experience in Carolina. There were some young guys I was with for three, four years, and we got so tight. I think that we can definitely do that here, with all of us being young and talented, for sure.