Get to Know: T.J. Barnes
A Closer Look at NT T.J. Barnes
NT T.J. Barnes was an undrafted free agent out of Georgia Tech in 2013. He originally signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars out of college.
After being cut by Jacksonville before the start of the 2013 season, Barnes spent a few months away from football. He later signed with the Jets to joing the practice squad.
Barnes said his greatest football memory was making the 53-man roster this season: "Coming from what I had to go through last year, not making my first roster, being cut and being out of football for two or three months, it was an overcoming feeling."
Barnes lost about 20 pounds in the offseason. Although head coach Rex Ryan joked during training camp that Barnes (6'7", 264 pounds) losing 20 pounds was like throwing a "deck chair off the Titanic," it was key in Barnes making the roster: "I lost weight by focusing on what's really important, what I want to do and what I'd like to bring to the table. This is a great group of guys who are very talented. I wanted to be a key addition and do whatever I could. Losing weight helped me out a lot."
With great D-Linemen ahead of him, Barnes said that he looks up to and tries to "mimic" Sheldon Richardson, Muhammad Wilkerson and Damon "Snacks" Harrison.
His favorite movie is "Where the Red Fern Grows" because it was one of the first books he read.
Barnes likes working out to Lil Boosie's "I'm a Dog."
His biggest fear is being in an airplane and "falling out of the sky." In his sophomore year at Georgia Tech, the team was flying to Miami and the plane hit turbulance: "I almost had a heart attack."
Because he is a self-described "country boy," Barnes said his favorite thing to eat is cornbread, although he doesn't eat it during the season.
He's a fan of the following video games: NFL Madden, NBA 2K, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Titanfall and Assassin's Creed.
