HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "Thanks for being here. We're looking forward to the game. Preparation is essentially finished, as far as the main on-the-field work, but we'll be working right up until game time and be ready to try to put our best foot forward. What questions do you have?"
You've had so many battles against RB Derrick Henry over the years. How's it going to feel though to have him in your backfield in game action? (Jamison Hensley) "It's going to feel great to have Derrick Henry on our side. It's going to be a wonderful thing – I'm looking forward to it."
With Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, how do you account for his improvisational skills; making plays on the run, flicking the ball, things like that*?* (Todd Karpovich) "Well, you really do account for it. Nobody does it like Patrick Mahomes does it in terms of ... I'm not talking about the level of it, I'm talking about the style of it. He is his own guy in terms of the way he plays. How quick the ball comes out on the ones on the get-it-outs and how long he'll take – as long as necessary – to try to find a completion or a scramble run on the ones that aren't out fast. So that's his skill; he's great at it. Their offensive line [as well as] their passing game, everything is built around his skillset that way. They've done a great job of that and that's one of the biggest reasons that they're as successful as they are."
Why was it important to have the helmet decal for late offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris and WR Jacoby Jones? Why was that important to dedicate that to them and have that decal? (Alex Glaze) "Well, it's a great question, "Why is it important to honor and remember Jocoby [Jones] and 'Joe D.' [Joe D'Alessandris] with the helmet decal?" Really, it comes back to what's the most important thing, and we do have a lot of great conversations here about games, and expectations, and what went right, and what went wrong, and how are you going to defend this player, and that player and all that stuff is what we do, but it's not who we do it with really. The reason is because the who we do it with, whether it's in our job, or our family life or our friends – just our walk through life; who we do it with is really the thing, and then what we do about the people, for the people [and] with the people that we do it with. And so, what an opportunity to remember, honor [and] love two people that we were with all those years. The biggest reminder of that to me is I look at the helmet decal; it's a reminder to remember the people that you're doing it with now; your family, your friends, your coworkers, even your competitors who you're competing against. To make the most of these moments, because our time on this Earth is short – it's short-lived. Life is short, run to the ball. It's a flicker where grass burns up in the daytime sun, and it's what you do between those two dates that matter. It's kind of a reminder of all that kind of stuff."
Especially with the passing of offensive line coach Joe D'Alessandris still fresh for all of these guys, how have you seen guys work through what you guys are going through to get to the business of football and how intermingled is the work right now*?* (Kyle Goon) "Well, things happen, but time still keeps moving on. I always talk to the guys about going to the ocean and sitting on the beach. Sitting on the beach – some people think it's boring – I think it's fascinating. You sit on the beach and just watch the waves come in, because they don't stop – they don't stop. Sometimes they're kind of calm, and nice, and fun, and warm and inviting. Other times they get a little rough, and there's storms, [and] they come in one after another, and they're high, and they can be dangerous. But that's kind of a time analogy; that those waves just keep coming so you just have to keep swimming. You have to keep at it, so that's what our guys have done. They acknowledged the people they love. They remember them, and they keep going, and that's what you have to do."
You've talked all offseason about the AFC Championship game. Now two days away from the season opener, is there any carry-over, do you feel, from that game into this? (Jamison Hensley) "There's always carry-over, absolutely. There's carry-over for both teams; there's carry-over strategically; there's carry-over for the individual battles that guys are going to have that are still on the team. One thing always leads to the next; one wave leads to the next wave, and these waves happen to be coming right after the other. That's an interesting thing; it's a storyline, but it's part of it for sure."
What are your anxieties ... Obviously, Week 1 every year I'm sure you're anxious to get going. But is it different when it's against a Kansas City, the first game, primetime? What does that day leading up to all of that? (Brian Wacker) "I'm not going to try to downplay it, but I don't want you to think it's different ether. It's always this way. It's not anxiety; the word we use is tension. There's always tension, because you want to go out and do well. If you want to be strong, if you want to be successful; it's like a bridge, like a bridge, hanging bridge – what are those called? Suspension – a suspension bridge. Those cables – they have tension to hold that bridge up there and keep everybody safe. There's tension when you're lifting weights, there's tension in your arms [and] in your muscles. There has to be tension, so guys are going to be tense, they're going to be locked in, they're going to be focused. You feel that way and it's the first game, so it adds to that. But beyond that, there's no anxiety, there's no fear at all. There's excitement to go play the game."
What do you notice from some of these rookie guys that are about to play their first regular season game – a real game? Even ILB Trenton Simpson who's about to get a start for the first time at this level for the remainder of the season. Do you feel like you need to say anything to those guys? (Cordell Woodland) "They're ready to go. We say something to them every day in how we operate, and how we play, and how we teach, and how they practice, and they'll stand on that going into this game just like all the guys – 'Ro' [Roquan Smith] and them. They'll just trust their fundamentals, trust their training, trust their talent, trust the fact that they've been working their whole life. The thing we want to do is, you make a decision going into any game or a career. You make a decision about how you're going to do it. You know what's going to come in front of you, [and] you know what challenges you're going to have. So, it's like, OK, ahead of time you decide, 'If this happens, this is how I'm going to respond.' So, 'If I'm rushing the passer, and the ball gets out quicker, what am I going to do? Am I going to go look and see and decide if I need to chase the ball? I've already decided I'm going to put a foot in the ground and go chase the ball.' You already make that decision, so that's how are guys are thinking."
WR RASHOD BATEMAN
On his chemistry with QB Lamar Jackson: "I feel like it's at a good point right now. We've put in a lot of work, and I was able to do training camp, so we're looking forward to it."
On the excitement level going into this game against the Chiefs: "I've never played there [at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium], but I've heard it's crazy, so [we're] definitely up for the challenge. I'm excited to take the field with these guys, and we'll see what happens."
On the offense in Year Two under offensive coordinator Todd Monken: "We're definitely a little bit more comfortable. Switching offenses can be hard at times, but [with] playing last year [and] having success, we kind of know what to expect now. [We're] working with Lamar [Jackson], working with Coach Monken [offensive coordinator Todd Monken], [and] I feel like we're all on the same page. So, just being out there [and] just being able to get those reps has been important."
On playing against a great team like the two-time defending champion Chiefs: "We're not aiming for anybody, and I'm pretty sure they're not aiming for us. I mean, they beat us fair and square last year, and I feel like we're just going to play football again [on] Thursday night."
On what hearing his teammates and coaches talk him up this offseason does for his confidence: "It doesn't really do anything for my confidence; it just shows me that this team and this organization believes in me. I've always had the confidence in myself to go out and play football and do the things I need to do, but to sign an extension here, it shows that [executive vice president & general manager Eric] DeCosta, [owner Steve] Bisciotti, Lamar [Jackson], [head coach John] Harbaugh, [offensive coordinator Todd] Monken ... Whoever it is, it shows that they all believe in my abilities, and that's a peaceful mind [that] comes with that."
On if he still thinks about how last year ended or if he's turning the page: "Nobody in the NFL cares about what happened the year before. We're on to new things, bigger things, and that's the only thing we're hoping to accomplish right now. And for me, this was my first full offseason fully healthy [and] training camp fully healthy. I know I missed a couple days, but this is the longest I've been on the practice field since I've been here, so I'm definitely excited to go out and do my thing."
On going into the season after a healthy offseason: "It's definitely an exciting feeling. Hopefully, it all can be put on show."
On how his recent social media posts about hoping and praying for a good season plays into the excitement and mindset he has: "Yes. I mean, Baltimore drafted me, and there's been a lot of 'he say, she say' about me, but at the end of the day, I love playing here. I do love Baltimore. I love my teammates. So, for me, I just want to go out and do it right for the city [and] show those guys that they can depend on me, show the city that you can depend on me [and] show the coaching staff those things, as well. So, I'm definitely excited to go out, and hopefully, bring a Super Bowl back to Baltimore."
WR ZAY FLOWERS
On what his emotions are like heading into Thursday's game: "It's a different season now, so I'm not too worried about last year. We're trying to get a championship this year, so that's out of the window. We're just trying to go win this game."
On how his fumble in the AFC Championship has motivated him over the last couple of months: "I just want to have a better season, so I've been practicing with the guys. Our main goal is a championship, so last season is last season, and I use it as fuel. It's a new season. I think about that, so I don't mess myself up for this season."
On the chemistry between the wide receivers and QB Lamar Jackson: "It's the second year in this offense, so I feel like the chemistry is way better. We have better connection – I can't give out too many keys, but we're getting better. We're working."
On if it means more that Kansas City is the first opponent of the 2024 season: "I've prepared the same way. I'll go out, prepare, probably dance around the field, do what I do and get ready for the game. I have my team behind me, so we're all good."
On how special it is to play in the first NFL regular season game of the 2024 season: "We had a hard training camp, so everybody on our team is ready. We're going to be ready to go [and] ready to play. Our coach [offensive coordinator Todd Monken] put together a great gameplan for us, so we're going to get ready to play our [style of] football."
On why Rashod Bateman will have a great season: "Absolutely. He's going to have a good one this year, because of the work he put in this offseason. You can tell he's been focused in the meeting rooms, he's been talking to Lamar [Jackson], and he's been talking to ... He's just been getting involved with everybody more in the offense. I think it'll be a great year for him."
On how he thinks having RB Derrick Henry will change the way opposing secondaries will cover Baltimore's receivers: "[Because] you have to tackle him first, that's why. You have to tackle Lamar [Jackson] and Derrick Henry out of the backfield, and then you have to worry about all of the receivers: Mark [Andrews], [Isaiah] Likely, me, 'Bate' [Rashod Bateman] and people coming off the bench. We have a lot of playmakers everywhere."
On how different he is as a receiver going into Thursday's game, compared to going into Week 1 last year: "I'll say the speed of the game was faster [last year]. I was just out there [going] off of instincts, not really knowing what's going on – I was just playing football."
On if there's anything different about playing in primetime: "No. I treat all of the games the same. I go out and play hard every game. I really just treat all of them the same and play my game."
On how excited the team is heading into Thursday's game: "We're all excited, especially because of what happened last year. We get to start the season off with a bang, so we're going to go out there and play our game."
On if he got a chance to talk to Jacoby Jones in the offseason when he visited minicamp: "Yes. Lamar [Jackson] threw me a ball, and it came off right off my fingertips, and I was running back, and he was like, 'Hey youngblood, you're better than that. I know you're better than that.' And I was looking, I'm like, 'Who is talking to me?' I was thinking it was a fan, and then I just saw him running up to me. He's a childhood legend from when I was young. I saw him taking back kick returns, punt returns, deep balls, winning games [and the] Super Bowl. He's always been a legend in my book. I always knew who he was, always rooted for him and always cheered for him since I was a kid. I've always been a big fan."
On a potential breakout candidate on the team this season: "[It would be] all of the receivers, including the tight ends." (laughter) "Everybody is going to have a good year."
ILB TRENTON SIMPSON
On the key to playing this Chiefs offense: "I'd say the key to success is just being on the same page, everybody being on the same page – one accord – going out there, communicating and just playing at a high level."
On how prepared he feels for this season after all the work he put in this last year: "I feel like I'm very prepared. It started last year all the way up to OTAs [and] to training camp, and then, just going out there and getting three preseason games under my belt. I feel like physically, I'm in shape, mentally, I'm ready to roll, and spiritually, I'm blessed, and I'm ready for this game."
On how he benefited from getting reps in the preseason games: "Just going out there and getting game reps, seeing different things, seeing different offensive schemes and just going out there and getting game reps, getting ready for the season."
On how he'd describe the emotions knowing that he's going into the year as a starter: "I'm blessed. All I can do is thank God. [For] me, I feel like I put the work in, and I'm just excited to see my work pay off. I feel like I've came in every single day, attacked the day and gave it everything I've got, so I'm excited to see what comes out of this."
On if he spoke with CB Nate Wiggins about what getting his first taste of NFL action is going to be like: "I just told him [to] be himself. Nate [Wiggins] is a special athlete [and] special player. I just told him, 'Go out there and be yourself, fly around, have fun and just everybody be on the same page.' I told him for one, just be yourself [and] have fun."
