SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR CHRIS HORTON
Opening Statement: "Good to see everyone today. Hope you guys are doing well. For us, what an exciting game it was last Sunday. I couldn't be more fired up for my guy 'J.T.' [Justin Tucker]. He came out there; it wasn't an easy kick – he had that wind; it was blowing. He went out there; he approached it [like], 'This is the next kick.' He did a great job. As far as all the other things that happened in the game – I'll start with the punt return with Tylan [Wallace] and that situation. That's a situation where he's back there; I expect him to field that ball. That's a ball that came off – it came off low. That's one I think he could have fielded. Now with that being said – the returner making that decision – you don't want that ball on the ground either. Maybe there was something that he thought, 'I couldn't go get this one.' Moving forward, we'd like to see our returners catch that ball. The other thing that showed up that really kind of affected us was the kickoff return with Chris Collier. Just having a young guy back there, and the way that ball came off the foot – he's going; he's trying to field that ball, and he doesn't have a good feel for, 'Should I let that ball hit the ground [and] catch it off the bounce, or should I just try to run up there and get it?' In that situation, I think I just have to do a better job probably putting him in that situation a little bit more of giving him a short kick, so he can field that ball or let it hit the ground. Other than that, I thought our guys played hard; I thought we played physical. I thought the other punt return 'Ty' [Tylan Wallace] had for 11 yards – he did a great job catching that ball [and] getting vertical and giving our offense the ball on the side of the 50 [-yard line]. This week, [I'm] really just looking forward to seeing our guys to just continue to keep improving. We know it's going to be a physical game. When you turn on that tape, the way the Commanders' special teams [are] playing – it's going to be fun. It's going to be exciting for us to go out there and just continue to improve on the things that we're doing and try to get ourselves as best we can be when we get out of that game."
Obviously, you were missing WR/RS Deonte Harty during Sunday's game. When did you finally learn that Deonte wouldn't be available, and how disruptive was that for your preparation? (Kyle Goon) "It was a game-time decision. It came all the way down to the wire. When you go into that, and those things happen – you've got an experienced guy [with Deonte Harty] that's caught a lot of punts in his career. Tylan [Wallace] has experience, but hasn't had a lot of returns. He's benefitted a lot from the returns that he's had – he's made plays for us. We do trust him, and he was the next guy up. We've got a lot of faith in him; I've got a lot of faith in him. The guy can create plays; he's got a great average when he does get the ball. We learned that really leading up to that game."
Do you think the less familiar rules with the landing zone and such could contribute to a decision maybe on a play like the RB Chris Collier play, or is that not really the issue? (Childs Walker) "No, that particular play, I don't think that was an issue. I think that ball was far enough past the 20-yard line where [Chris Collier] thought, 'You know what, maybe I need to get up there – I can field this one.' In his mind he thought, 'I can run up there and I can field this one,' and the ball fell short on him. That's an unfortunate situation. It's a great learning experience for us all. Had that ball been a little bit closer to the sideline, maybe you let that one hit, and it goes out of bounds. That wasn't the case seeing it from the sideline – I thought that was the case. You don't overreact; you go talk to the kid, because you need him. He's back there; you need the returner. Just watching it after the game, you realize, OK, you see the decision that he tried to make. That ball could have hit the ground and went the other way, then everyone would've been saying, 'Why didn't he catch that ball?' There's a lot of learning experiences from that play, and I think moving forward, we'll be fine there."
You've been saying all year you're not worried in the least about K Justin Tucker – he hit that long field goal. Is that satisfying to see in that moment – to make the kick in that wind, with everything that went with that to say, 'Yes, I was right to feel that way?' (Pete Gilbert) "Oh, 100 percent. [For] one, it's just very exciting for our team to go out there [and] kick that field goal with that wind blowing and the way it was blowing. I've said it all year, we have all the faith in the world in Justin [Tucker]. This dude is still a heck of a player; he's still a heck of a kicker; he still has the leg strength to get the ball there. With what was going on with that wind – he smashed that ball. That's the guy that we know. That's the Justin that, every time he goes out there that's who he wants to be, and sometimes it doesn't happen. There's no need to get down on the guy. There's no need to say, 'Well can he still do it, [and] can he still do this?' Hell yes, he can still do it, and he proved that the other day."
From your time playing with Washington, do you remember there being a rivalry at all with the Ravens, and how would you describe that dynamic? (Ryan Mink) "Not at all. I do not remember it being a rivalry. But I do remember when I got here, there was one time I was talking to [former special teams coordinator] Jerry [Rosburg], and he was showing some tape, and I was like, 'You guys ran a fake on us in the preseason.' I was like, 'I didn't think that was acceptable.' He was like, 'Yes, we had to.' That's the one thing I remember about the game and just playing those guys – it was exciting. We're looking forward to it; [the Commanders] are playing well; kudos to what they've done the first five weeks. It's going to be a good challenge for our unit."
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR TODD MONKEN
One week, you're running for 271 yards against the Bills, on another, you're passing for 348 yards against the Bengals. What do you think that says about this offense? (Jamison Hensley) "Well, we talked about that last week when everybody kind of said, 'Identity, what is that?' I think in order to be elite, you have to be versatile enough to win games in a variety of modes, methods, [or] whatever it takes, and I thought our guys did a really good job last week of accepting that. Certainly, there was at some point, there was going to be a defense that made the decision that they were going to load the box, that they were going to pressure us, they had a certain plan, and I thought our guys adjusted on the fly and did a great job."
Even with the pressure, the success against the blitz that you've had, it was really outstanding last week, and the evolution of the offense we've seen the last couple of years with QB Lamar Jackson. Can you talk about the evolution, and everyone that has an understanding of how to best handle it and how best to attack it? (Pete Gilbert) "I don't know it, just worked the other day; we've been working hard at a lot of things offensively. I thought our guys prepared great last week. I thought they had a great understanding of what we could see, but you still have to go do it, and it helps having Lamar [Jackson]. He has a way of buying time – the touchdown to 'Bate' [Rashod Bateman] was a perfect example. They went [Cover] Zero, by the protection we had, we blocked who we could. It worked out that Lamar was able to slide to the right, have patience, and still be able to hit 'Bate,' who came open on the other side. I thought our guys bought in to what we thought we could see, protection wise, and then executed. The guys had to run the right routes and make plays down the field."
How pleasing is it for you as an offensive coordinator to see the ball spread around as much as it was on Sunday? I think you guys had nine different guys catch a pass. TE Charlie Kolar made a couple of big plays. You don't really feed him the ball too often in the pass game that is. Were you pleased to see everybody get involved? (Cordell Woodland) "Not as happy as they were." (laughter) "I really don't care. I love that our guys touch the ball, [but] what really matters, is that we score points. I don't always control that, but I did tell the players, I do truly understand skill players and their value of being able to touch the ball [and] being able to contribute in that way. Is it great for us moving forward? [With] morale, practice [and] opportunities, of course. But ultimately, sometimes the ball finds them, sometimes situations find them, sometimes personnel groupings find them. It gets them in a certain look that finds a player. I think some people [think] like, 'Well, why did you throw it here to that guy?' Well, sometimes, that's by gameplan, it's by what we're going to see. Some of it's by what they do; some of it's by what we do, so that's part of it. It's great to see all of those guys contribute – the game kind of went that way. It adds to the next week – our guys [are] feeling good about where we're headed. But again, it's just one week; it's still week-to-week. What we've done the last five weeks doesn't matter, it's what we do this week."
We've gotten pretty much everyone else's reaction on that QB Lamar Jackson stiff arm on the touchdown. As you're watching that, what's kind of your immediate reaction watching in the coaches box? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Well, first, it was oh s---." (laughter) "Like, alright, that's the first reaction. Because I thought initially, 'We're going to get a good touchdown here,' but I didn't realize it was going to take another 15 seconds for that to develop. But, I mean, what do you say? What a tremendous play by an outstanding football player. I can't say anything different than from what everybody else has said. What a great play."
Did you draw up the stiff arm? (Kyle Goon) "I didn't draw [it up]; I didn't draw up one stiff arm – that's just what he does. [What was] probably more impressive, was the sack he got out of that he threw away. That was even more impressive than the one he threw the touchdown on, that he got away from [No.] 91 [Trey Hendrickson] and saved us there. It happens more often than that, that's the one that just showed up because of the touchdown. What a great play by him, and by Isaiah [Likely]."
On that play and the one in overtime, there were two fumbles. What do you make of why they happened, and what do you talk to him about? (Bo Smolka) "It's never been a problem. You'll have to ask Lamar [Jackson]. I don't see it being a problem. It hasn't been [a problem], the ball is rarely on the ground with him. You'll have to ask him. We're not doing extra shotgun snaps because of it – it's never been a problem. It just happened to come up twice."
Obviously, QB Lamar Jackson has played at a high level for a long time. But how well he played in the Bengals game, specifically with all of the pre-snap stuff that you guys worked on so much this offseason. Could this be a springboard game for Lamar Jackson? (Ryan Mink) "I don't know. A springboard game? Am I happy by the way it turned out and how we played in that particular game? Yes. Did he get the ball out on time? Yes. Did he do a good job of moving around the pocket? Yes. Did he do a great job of escaping? Yes. Did our guys do a great job in protection? For the most part, yes. Now it's the matter of the consistency part of it. We've had moments where that's been that way, and there's been others when it hasn't. Each week is a new challenge, and what the Commanders will do will throw us another wrench, because they see what we did, and how we protected, and they'll work to combat that, and then we have to continue to work ourselves. It's just a constant chess match."
The turnover that you guys had on the offensive line was a talking point in the summer and a talking point over the first two weeks. After a game like the O-line just had, what do you feel like the greatest strides you've seen from that group in a short amount of time? (Kyle Goon) "It's just reps and confidence. What's going to help an offensive line is your ability to run the football. That's really what's going to help overall, just as a general ability to run play-action [and] not being in passing situations – that's not just our O-line, that's everybody. [It has to do with] our ability to do that, and we've been able to do that, for the most part. But I did think they held up great, because that wasn't the case in the second half the other day. That's what was impressive; that was really exciting, but, also confidence [and getting] reps. I think the more and more a player plays and gets comfortable with the guy next to him, we're only going to continue to get better moving forward, because we still have a lot of young players. Whether it's our center, our right guard, and obviously, Pat [Mekari] isn't [as young] – our left side [of the line] isn't so much with where we're at now, but the other guys are."
How impressed have you been by the ability of your receivers and tight ends to separate themselves in coverage? (Jonas Shaffer) "We have guys that can win [against their defender]. I think they've done a great job of working since we've come back. And even in the offseason, I think we've streamlined things a little bit, so that part of it is everything. It's a matter of, 'Alright, are we going to be able to win versus man [coverage].' When a team has to get back the ball back [on] third downs, certain situations. One of them that came up, probably the most important one, was when we had the ball [on] the 7- or 8-yard line in the second half, maybe that first drive that we hit Mark [Andrews] on the crosser that got us out of our end. That was a big part of it, not that there weren't others, but that's the one I think about that gave us a chance when they go [in] man [coverage]. It's been impressive. We have guys that can separate – we like our guys. I don't know if we'll see that much man this week or zone, guys just have to do a great job versus both."
With TE Charlie Kolar, he's kind of a guy that maybe his role isn't defined by the numbers, but how much of impact he has made on the offense? (Jamison Hensley) "We've had a couple of explosive plays from [Charlie Kolar], which has been huge. The one in Dallas got us going, and this one [at Cincinnati] got us back, really. Let's be honest about the two plays – one got us down there, and we score on the very next play in Dallas, and this one [at Cincinnati got] us down there [near the end zone], and two plays later, we scored. I just think he's a guy that comes to work every day, and his role will expand as he continues to develop as a player. I was happy for him. We didn't get the ideal look on his touchdown, but he did a great job of posting up, and Lamar [Jackson] found him and put it at the right spot from the neck down at the front of the end zone. So, I was happy for him on that."
T Roger Rosengarten is settling in well as a starter and is a rookie playing well. What has stood out to you about his play? (Ryan Mink) "Roger [Rosengarten] is an intelligent football player. He's tough, and he'll battle and strain. So, those things are always a good starting block of any player – when they've got those things, it gives you a chance. Like any player, they're not going to be perfect, but that's what you like about Roger. Football is important to him; he likes to play. He's frustrated when it isn't the way you want it to look, but that's what you want out of a player."
Over the last three games, you've scored on 90% percent of your red zone trips. What is allowing you to be so effective in the red zone? (Kyle Phoenix) "[We have] good players. Good players help you score down there. You have a running back that can score when it's not perfect; you have a quarterback that can score when it's not perfect; you have tight ends that you like in the red zone; you have wideouts that can separate; you have an O-line that continues to develop, so that gives us the best chance. I think our staff does a great job of being creative. Since [our 2023 game in] London, where we basically tried to win a game by kicking as many field goals as we could, we've made it an emphasis to change who we were, and what we're going to be moving forward, and how we do it. It's always evolving. We're always sitting there going, 'OK, what's next? What can we do now?' Because we understand how important that is to winning. It's one of the top five reasons you win is scoring touchdowns in the red zone. I think our staff has done a great job; we have really good players. To me, that's the biggest thing – really good players and a staff that does a great job of game-planning and developing how we attack somebody."
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR ZACH ORR
You bring in Dean Pees this week, and it sounds like you guys have been talking for a while. What have those conversations been like, and what do you think was the impetus to hiring him in this role? (Kyle Goon) "Most of the conversation was just about family, seeing how guys are doing, seeing how I'm doing, seeing how he's doing, and then, obviously, some ball comes up in that. And you could tell, with Dean [Pees], throughout the conversation, he still had that fire in him. I know he was retired, [but] he still had that fire in him, and you could tell that he wanted to still be around ball, [that] he still had a passion for [and] still had a passion for coaching. He's been here; he knows me, [and] he knows a lot of people in the building, and he's a great football mind. He's been a defensive coordinator, been a position coach [and] a head coach at the college level. He's been really successful as a football coach, so I think a person who knows the culture, knows the organization, that is still willing to teach and learn, I think it couldn't do anything but help us [to] bring him in."
Both head coach John Harbaugh and S Kyle Hamilton described Dean Pees as another set of eyes. What are you hoping he sees? (Bo Smolka) "Just his point of view, just his point of view. To see his point of view ... Like I said, he has a lot of experience around ... Just big-picture wise and whatever he sees – it could be big picture; it could be with position; it could be anything. Just [Dean Pees'] knowledge and wisdom, his experience, will be great for us, great for me, personally, just to hear his perspective on certain things, and [we'll] see how we can gel and mesh those things together."
Will Dean Pees have a gameday role? Will he be up in the booth? (Luke Jones) "We're still trying to figure that out. I think we'll know more by the end of the week, but we're still trying to figure that out. But I definitely see [Dean Pees] having a role in some type of capacity on gameday."
S Kyle Hamilton said that the defense has to improve its tackling and playing the right coverages. You've held yourself accountable. Are you pleased with how the players have reacted to some of the plays they gave up on Sunday? (Jeff Zrebiec) "Man, I'm proud of them, honestly. Like, I told those guys ... I've got to commend them, because, obviously, [there] was a stretch there from the end of the first half [in Cincinnati] throughout, really, all the way through most of that fourth quarter, where things weren't looking good at all, and the thing that I saw on that sideline was guys weren't pointing the finger, they weren't blaming anybody, [and] guys weren't pouting. They said, 'Look, man, we've got to figure this out, and we've got to get a stop,' and those guys came up with three big stops that helped us win the game. So, there's a lot of stuff we've got to correct and get better at, but that's the thing I'm encouraged about – is the group of men we have in that room, and I think they showed that Sunday on those last three possessions, and then just their work throughout the week. Like, all of us are mad and disappointed and pissed off with some of the performances we put out there on the field, but we all hold each other accountable. I hold myself accountable, they hold themselves accountable, and we know we've got the right men to go do the job. So, now, it's like 'K-Ham' [Kyle Hamilton] said, 'Enough with the talking. It's time to go put it on film.' But I'm very pleased with the guys, man. Nobody is batting an eye, nobody is wavering. We talk about it all the time; adversity is going to face you in life, just, even as a man – forget football – and it's going to be about how you respond and how you keep getting up. And we've probably faced more adversity than we've liked, because we feel like a lot of it has been self-inflicted, but the guys have [kept] responding the right way. So, I'm fired up. That's what keeps me going, honestly – [that] we've got the right people to go out here and go do the job."
I know that guarding against explosive plays is an emphasis every week, but is it a little more amplified with the way QB Jayden Daniels has shown touch on his deep passes and pushed the ball downfield? (Kyle Goon) "Yes, definitely. I mean, that's the thing about it – is they live off explosives, and obviously, we haven't done a good enough job of limiting explosives. So, it's definitely something that we're keying in and honing in on every week, but when you're facing one of the hottest teams in the league, one of the best quarterbacks, one of the best offenses in the league, you have to limit the explosives. You can't give them the easy way out. You have to make them earn it, man, and so, that's what we're focusing on, [and] that's what we're preaching, 'Keep the ball in front. Let's tackle, let's communicate, let's play together, [and] let's make them earn everything they get,' because they're too good to give them plays."
As you prepare this week, can you believe that you're watching a rookie with five starts under his belt? Is that what you see? (Pete Gilbert) "No, I can't, honestly, man. [Jayden Daniels] does a great job of having his poise. He looks really comfortable out there, [and] he's continuing to get better every week. The thing that has impressed me the most is they do a lot at the line. They really don't huddle up a lot. They do a lot of different tempos, a lot of different cadences, and he just seems like he handles it really well, so hats off to him. We don't look at him as a rookie; we look at what we see on film, and what we see on film is one of the top quarterbacks in the league. So, we know that we have a big challenge in front of us, and we've been preparing that way."
Does the Commanders' no-huddle offense limit your ability to be creative in how you bring pressure and show coverages? (Jonas Shaffer) "No, I don't think so. We've gotten to the point of the season where guys are comfortable in spots and different things that we're asking them to do, and then we get good work at it here in practice. We're all adjusted – myself included – to the game speed, [and we] have a great plan for it, so I fully anticipate us being able to get to everything we need to get to, to do what we've got to do."
You've known Dean Pees for a while. I'm curious if you have any early memories with him that have influenced your coaching career at all. (Sam Cohn) "I would just say how [Dean Pees] got a chance to relate to all his players and got a chance to know them. Like, when I got here, Dean was the defensive coordinator, so even [though] we weren't necessarily in [the] position room [together], I [still] got a chance to meet his wife, Ms. Mel, and his family, [and] he got a chance to meet my family. He built a relationship with players, so I think that – for me, as a coach – showed that it's bigger than just what the football player can do for you on the football field. It's more about getting a chance to know them as a human being, getting to know them as a man and getting to know their family, as well; that's how you can impact them more."
Is there any sort of relief from being behind the stretch of QBs Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow – some of the best quarterbacks in the NFL – and you guys being able to sort of see where you're at? (Kyle Goon) "No, there is no relief. It feels like, every week, we get up here, and we're playing one of the top offenses, one of the top quarterbacks, and that's no different this week. But we're a confident group, still; that's what I'm saying inspires me. We know what we've done in really good ways, and we know what we've done that hasn't lived up to the standard. We've just got to eliminate the things that are not up to our standard, because we know that we are one of the top defenses in the league; it's just time to put it together for four quarters every week and on a consistent basis. We know [that] if you cut on the film, I highly doubt that you'll see that we don't have good players, we don't have good schemes, [and] we don't have good coaches. We've just got to be consistent, and that's what we're chasing."
After the game, ILB Roquan Smith said that the game came down to the way guys handled their matchups. But when you look back at it, did you kind of feel like the ideas were right, and it was more the detailed stuff that broke down? (Childs Walker) "I'm going to always look at it from my standpoint when I look at it; 'What could I have done better?' So, I'm always going to feel like I could have helped put guys in better positions. Now, with that being said, you've got to give respect where respect [is] due. Sometimes we were in the call, we were in the look that we wanted, and the quarterback [Joe Burrow], he put the ball on the money, and those receivers, they made some plays, and if they do that, hats off to them. But I think the problem was – with us throughout that game – we didn't make them do that consistently enough. If you catch a ball over somebody, and they've got great coverage on you, and the quarterback doesn't have a good throwing lane, and they complete the pass, then, 'Hey, man, good play.' And if you can do that enough times throughout the game, where we don't give up explosives, then, 'Hey, hats off to you.' But we gave up too many plays that they didn't have to earn, and they're too good – offenses and quarterbacks in this league, in general, are too good – to not make them earn it. So, like I said, I'm always going to look at, 'What could I have done better,' [and] the players look at that, as well, which I think makes our group really good and really special. But there were some plays on there where we had what we wanted, and they made some plays. So, that's the National Football League. We always talk about it all the time; their coaches and players – they get paid, too."
Does it feel any different to go through tough times as a coordinator, rather than a player? (Cliff Brown) "Yes, it does, because as a coordinator, I really can't physically go out there and go hit somebody. As a player, you can go out there [and] take your frustrations out physically, so I would say that's the biggest difference." (laughter) "But besides that, no. I mean, I've always been competitive. I remember being [competitive] since [I was] a kid, [and] my dad and my mom told me that I have to not take losing so hard, but that's something that ... I think that's what makes me who I am. Like, if I feel like if I'm not up to my standard, or we're not up to our standard, then it's going to be tough times, tough days. So, as a player and as a coordinator, I handle adversity, I think, the right way, because I'm going to keep showing up and putting in the work, but the frustrations are the same."
If you were out there as a linebacker against QB Jayden Daniels, what would you be most worried about? What would be your mental checklist if you're going up against a guy like him? (Childs Walker) "[Jayden Daniels] running away from you. You've got to get that dude to stop his feet. If he gets a straight line, he can go, [and] he can pull away. He's got some real burners. I don't know exactly what he ran in the 40-[yard dash], but I know it was really fast, and I see what I see on film. So, I would just try to run and shoot my shot [to] make him have to stop his feet."
TE MARK ANDREWS
On seeing the tight ends room take center stage along with the other receivers: "[It's] just dudes making plays, [and] that's always good to see. We have a lot of guys that can step up, make plays in big times. It doesn't matter who it is, but guys are stepping up and doing their job, and that's what it's about."
On if he thinks the offense is in a groove right now and if that can carry over from week to week: "Yes, it is, and it's always, 'What have you done for me lately, and what can you prove week-by-week?' We're not satisfied. We have to keep going, have to keep proving ourselves, and this week is another great opportunity for us to go out there and show how we can be."
On how happy he is seeing TE Charlie Kolar make plays as a receiver and not just a blocker: "The 'big fat white guy,' man.' (laughter) "No, it's good, though. [Charlie Kolar] works extremely hard. He's a hard worker, and he deserves all that. He's just going to continue to get better and better, and I'm happy for him."
On if he has any bad feelings towards the Commanders after last preseason: "No, that's not in my mind. My mind is [on] going out there and doing the job to the best of my ability and competing with my brothers, my teammates and getting a win."
On if it's too early to put Commanders QB Jayden Daniels in the same sentence with QB Lamar Jackson: "It's different. Lamar [Jackson] is my guy and forever will be. To me, he's the 'G.O.A.T.' in my eyes. I don't look at anybody else."
TE CHARLIE KOLAR
On how it felt to be on the receiving side of the offense: "It was fine. It's always fun to get the ball. Everyone wants the ball in football, but it was good. It was just one game, but it was just good to help the team."
On what it does for the offense knowing they can win in a variety of ways: "It's a big confidence builder. We ran the ball so effectively against Dallas and Buffalo, so to have the pass game going as well is big. To get our receivers involved [and] all the tight ends is awesome, so if we just keep building on that ... Obviously, we want to be as balanced as possible. Some games call for more one way or another."
On if it feels like the offense is unlocking new levels each week: "Kind of, yes. It's like even when the stats are great, we don't start the game with the No. 1 offense. We still start with zero points, so a large part of it is kind of reminding ourselves that we have to do it again and again and then again. It doesn't matter at all what the last week was. There are no carry-over points, but to answer your question, I do think as the offense continues to evolve, like you said, there will be more levels, plays off plays off plays, and it will be cool to see it evolve."
On if he gets excited about the idea of a game between two of the best offenses and that this could be a high-scoring game: "No. I would like a blowout." (laughter) "I saw them a little on crossover film versus the Bengals, and obviously, they are very explosive. Their quarterback has had a lot of success. They have players at all the levels [and in] all different spots, but I believe in our defense, a lot. I think 'Z.O.' [defensive coordinator Zach Orr] and the defensive staff are fantastic, and I think they're going to keep getting better. I think that's a heck of a staff, a heck of a talented defense, and I think they're going to be an elite defense by the end of the year. Like 'Harbs' [head coach John Harbaugh] has been talking about, [it's about] just little things and finding corrections. That group is so talented and so passionate that I'm fully confident that they are going to go out there and play incredible football against, like you said, one of the best offenses."
On what his journey has been like in the tight ends room: "I don't think you ever 'get there' in football. You want to keep getting better. Obviously, every player wants to play and wants the ball, but I love football. I love my team. Whatever the role is, I'm going to do it, and it's easy to play alongside guys like Pat [Ricard], Mark [Andrews] and Isaiah [Likely], when everyone is genuinely happy for each other and works together and works hard. It's a great room to be a part of, so obviously, everyone wants to play and wants the ball, but I'm incredibly blessed."
