In just his second year in the league, Victor Cruz is going to be playing in the biggest game of them all, the Super Bowl. For as grand a moment as it is now for the receiver, he knows that he can't take this moment for granted.

"You have to understand that nothing is promised in this league and you have to go in and prepare and kind of soak in the entire moment because you never know when it could all end and you never know, you might not make it back to a Super Bowl," Cruz said.

Cruz said Thursday that he spoke to Cleveland free safety Mike Adams, a friend from Paterson (N.J.), who has never been to the playoffs in 11 seasons in the league. The receiver said that resonated with him about how fortunate he is in this situation to be playing for a Super Bowl in just his second season.

"For a guy like that who has paid his dues in this league and hasn't even made it to the posteason is definitely tough," Cruz said. "It shows you how tough this league is an how hard it is to win each and every week. I'm just a fortunate guy. It is really starting to sink in—how rare my story is and how far I've come."

The receiver played a huge role in helping the Giants even get to the playoffs, totaling 1,536 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on the year. In the playoffs, Cruz is second on the Giants with 17 catches and 244 yards but has yet to reach the end zone.

He's coming off his best postseason game, a 10-catch, 142-yard effort against the 49ers that helped the Giants reach the Super Bowl. The receiver said it hasn't hit him just yet that he's going to playing for a ring in a little more than a week.

"I've been thinking about it obviously all day, every day, but I think once we get on the flight and really get to Indy, and really see what it's like, it's going to be an eye-opening (experience)," Cruz said.

He added: "For me to make it here this early, it's really been a blessing. I talked to some guys who haven't even made the postseason in their entire career. It's definitely a blessing and one I want to take advantage of."