AP Photo/Ben Margot

One of the most important moments of Justin Tuck’s season came when he did the simplest of things that saved the Raiders not only a game but perhaps their dignity as well: He called a timeout.

The play, which came when two of his younger teammates started prematurely celebrating a win over the Chiefs, is much funnier now that’s he looking back on it, he said. At the time, of course, he was furious.

“Looking back at it, it’s just two young players with a tremendous amount of excitement to play the game and it backfired on them a little bit,” he said. “But hopefully it’s a situation where they learned something and makes them better players going forward.”

He let it go pretty easily after the game though without making them carry his backpack or water bottles forever.

“They get it easy. We don’t do too much of the rookie (hazing) anymore,” Tuck added. “The rookies have it pretty easy compared to how I was a rookie.”

When Tuck was a rookie he said he was stuck with making breakfast — like large breakfast platters he said — bringing meals on planes and much more. But now, hazing isn’t as fully embraced or ignored by the league that is of course focused on every bit of protecting its image.

“The game is changing, the rules (are) changing, what is expected of players is changing, what the league would like to see from their veteran players is changing,” he said. The league that it was in the ’80s and ’90s and even early 2000s, it’s no longer the same league. So you change with it.”

Photo by Jack Dempsey/Invision for SUBWAYÆ/AP Images

So does he think that there will be any change in the media policy after Marshawn Lynch’s complaints about dealing with the press this season?

“Most players want to have that opportunity to get their stories out there and the media’s such a great platform to do so,” he said. “In the rare case when they don’t, I don’t think they should have to — so hopefully the NFL and the (NFL)PA come to an agreement that takes it out of our contractual obligations.”

After all Tuck, who spoke to For The Win as part of a promotion for the Subway Simple $6 menu deal, is one of those players who is usually willing to chat to reporters. He said he woke up at 4 a.m. to go to ‘Radio Row’ in Phoenix Thursday morning.

“It’s a long day but it’s exciting because you get a chance to see a lot of guys around the league and that’s the best part of it,” he said. “If you can’t play in the Super Bowl, the next best thing is to be here.”