I remember my dad asking me one time, and it's something that has always stuck with me: 'Why not you, Russ?' You know, why not me? Why not me in the Super Bowl? So in speaking to our football team earlier in the year, I said, 'Why not us? Why can't we be there?'

I'm a big pasta guy, but I've cut it out to stay fast and lean.

My thing is, and I've always been this way - to get to know as many people as I possibly can on a personal level, so that way, when you get on the football field, you've got your buddy right beside you, and you're ready to go.

I'm here today because God has brought me here. Jesus has brought me here...I'm with an amazing team. I believe He perfectly placed me in the right spot at the right time.

When I first came into the NFL, I was just trying to be super, super ready to learn the plays and all that. Now, I've found more balance. I think that with new life coming in, and family and everything else, balance has been critical. That goes for the social media part, too - allowing the fans to come into our world a little is cool.

I’ll write down little lines, I always say, 'K.T.N.,' and I say that to my receivers and running backs and that means 'keep taking notes.' That keeps me alert. That keeps me going. That keeps my drive there, even when you’re taking notes on something that you’ve already taken notes on a million times - keep taking notes.

Well you always want to play against the best. That's what you're going to get in the Super Bowl. To go against guys like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady who I have tons of respect for; I watch their games, I study their games, I try to learn from them. It gets you excited, but hopefully not too excited. Just focus on the game. Then when my career is done then I can look back at it.