Jeter To Lauer: ‘I Consider Myself Young Again’

NEW YORK – September 30, 2014 – In his first television interview since his retirement, former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter told Matt Lauer, “I consider myself young again.”  The interview will air tomorrow, Wednesday October 1 on NBC’s TODAY.

Jeter talked to Lauer about how he’s handled the intense spotlight and what he has planned for the future.  He discussed his memorable last game at Yankee stadium, and he also said he is “one hundred percent sure” he will not come back to play the sport.

Excerpts from the interview follow.  If used, mandatory credit NBC’s TODAY and Matt Lauer with airdate of Wednesday October 1.  The interview will be available on TODAY.com after it airs.  Photos from the interview attached.

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MATT LAUER:

Okay, you’re two days into the rest of your life.  So what was the first day like?  I mean, obviously, you’re coming off the high of Boston.  But what was it like?  Did you look around?  Did you stand in your apartment and say, “Now what?”…

DEREK JETER:

You know it’s funny, because someone had mentioned to me I went from an old man in baseball to a young man in life.  And I liked how that sounded.  So I consider myself young again.

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JETER ON HIS LAST GAME IN YANKEE STADIUM:

When we got into about the eighth inning and you know, the fans started chanting, “Thank you” – that’s when I almost lost it on the field.  And to be honest with you, if the game would have finished five to two, like we all thought it was going to finish, then I–  there’s no telling what would have happened.

But my emotions just immediately changed, because they tied the game and then now it’s, “You got to go and hit.”  And I’m, “Aw, I can’t believe I got to go out and try to do this again.”  (LAUGHTER) So, everything changed from being’ sad to being’ excited.  And you know, once I was excited, then I kept it together.

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NBC’s TODAY is the news program that informs, entertains, inspires and sets the agenda each morning for Americans. Airing live from 7 am to 11 am ET, TODAY reaches more than 5 million people every day through its broadcast, and millions more through TODAY.com, the TODAY app, and social media platforms. Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, Natalie Morales, Willie Geist, Tamron Hall, Carson Daly, Hoda Kotb, and Kathie Lee Gifford are the anchors and hosts, Jamie Horowitz in the SVP and general manager, and Don Nash is the executive producer.