Yesterday evening, I was fortunate to have an opportunity to speak on the phone with Carolina Panthers wide receiver Curtis Samuel while he was hanging out before the NFLPA collegiate bowl with Panini America, the exclusive trading card partner of the NFL.
While attending at the event, Samuel signed his rookie trading cards that will be put into the remaining 2017-18 Panini Football trading card products. If you’re interested in purchasing some of the trading cards, you can find them — and more cool products — at https://store.paniniamerica.net
Below you will find the transcript of our interview, which lasted around ten minutes.
Cat Scratch Reader: How is your recovery from ankle surgery going?
Curtis Samuel: Recovery is going well. Every day I’m getting stronger and stronger, and I’m just looking forward to what’s to come.
CSR: When you were at Ohio State you wore the No. 4 jersey. When you moved to the NFL, you picked the No. 10. Does the No. 10 jersey have any significance to you or did you just pick one that was available ... or did you just take the first number they gave you?
Samuel: No, the number ten ... there was no significance behind the number. I was just picking whatever number really came to my mind, and whatever number I would look good in, and ten was one of the numbers.
CSR: What was it like meeting Cam Newton for the first time?
Samuel: It was pretty cool. Just playing football, hearing about Cam all the time on tv, and being able to meet him ... it was a great opportunity for me, just because of the character. He’s excited about what he does. He enjoys himself, and I see some similar things that we have in common. We both like to have fun, but when it’s time to work we both go out there and do what we’ve got to do, so it was very exciting to go meet him.
CSR: Speaking of fun, Cam likes to give everybody on the team nicknames. What’s his nickname for you?
Samuel: [laughs] For some reason, I don’t know where he gets this name from, but for some reason ... first it was like Curco*, and then it was a mix between Curco* and Whoopie Cushion ... I don’t know ... I don’t know where he gets it from.
CSR: When you started your journey in the NFL, what was the most unexpected adjustment you had to make as an NFL rookie coming from college?
Samuel: Umm ... really the wide receiver position. In college, I did a little bit of the running back/receiver but the style of receiver is pretty different, like with the routes you have to run and all that ... it’s pretty different than playing at Ohio State because I played a different type of position ... that H-Role, the slot receiver that can go outside and be a running back. Really, just adjusting to the outside style of receiver was a little different for me.
CSR: The Panthers hired a new offensive coordinator in Norv Turner, and one of the things he needs in his offense is a receiver on the outside who can beat players deep. How excited are you in working with Norv Turner and being that type of receiver he needs to make his offense run?
Samuel: I’m super excited. The main thing I can focus on right now is getting healthy ... to be the player I was last year, but even better ... that’s my main goal, but I understand that I have the speed to get around guys, and to know that’s the type of guy he wants at receiver is very exciting for me to hear and to know that’s something I’ve got to work on in the offseason.
CSR: One of the things everybody talks about when the topic of Curtis Samuel comes up is your speed. What’s something else about you that fans should know about how you approach playing wide receiver?
Samuel: Separation that I can create. Many people probably see it ... maybe they don’t ... but I’m just as good with the ball in my hands as I am without it. I can create separation, I can make plays. And also in the blocking game. Those things are overlooked, but being able to block for my teammates is key for me, and I always make sure I handle that job responsibility.
CSR: As a wide receiver, it’s pretty obvious you can catch, because you wouldn’t be a wide receiver if you couldn’t. Do you believe that the ability to catch a football is something you can be taught, or do you think it’s a natural talent that you’re born with?
Samuel: I mean, I feel like it’s a natural talent, but by just working at it you can get better. I believe everybody can catch, but being able to catch the ball from different angles ... that’s something you’ve got to work on.
CSR: One final question. There’s a huge internet debate over this and you may have been asked this before by someone else, but I just want to get your thoughts on it... is a hot dog a sandwich?
Samuel: [laughs] I mean... I don’t call a hot dog a sandwich. It’s a hot dog.
CSR: That’s all I have for you. I’m going to let you go but I wanted to thank you for taking time to speak to me today and I’m looking forward to seeing you on the field next season.
Samuel: Hey, thank you. I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you, and thank you very much.
Again, I want to take a moment and thank Curtis Samuel for his availability and for actually answering the hot dog question. I was surprised he answered it, to be honest.
*- I have no idea if this is spelled correctly. If it’s not, Curtis, my apologies.