January 4, 2021 Opening Statement: “As you look back over the journey of this year, it’s been quite an interesting year. When we started this thing, we started out on Zoom calls, really as a new team, not knowing coaches, not knowing players and just kind of a new experience. Then when we come to the building, the whole building had to be structured different, guys wearing masks, obviously and all the COVID-19 stuff that was going on. That’s been quite a journey. We’ve done a really nice job here of keeping that at a minimum. “Also want to mention, as we went through this journey, we had the social injustice things and some of the cause – I know that we were able to talk to you guys about that, and how they were this summer and the spring, just some amazing, just life-building and life-changing moments, to be able to share with one another as a team. Then the demonstration that the guys had outside was very moving, and it’s unfortunate with the COVID-19 that we weren’t able to continue that and reach more people, just because of how the COVID-19 affected us. Then football, I mean, it’s just been an up-and-down rollercoaster, obviously the change that I took over five weeks ago. It’s been a learning experience, a great experience. I just want to thank all of you for your cooperation and your flexibility, with all the things that we went through this year as well. So with that, I’ll open it up for questions.” On if he made any staff changes: “At this point, no. No.” On if he has the power to make staff changes right now: “I would probably say no, not right now.” On an injury update on DT Danny Shelton: “To be honest with you, I have not been able to get updated on all the injuries yet. I know we’ve been through the physicals, and everybody’s checking out pretty well. I still think – Danny is definitely one of them, Nick Williams is definitely one of them. So I haven’t gotten all the information on that yet to be able to share with you.” On how he saw himself grow this season and how this experience has prepared him for the next step in his career: “Reflecting on it, like I said, I’ve been blessed, number one, to be in this role. I’ve learned so much over a short period of time. I’ve had to deal with a lot in a short period of time. I think I’ve said it before that I learned that, (No.) 1, there’s a great support system here around me. They’ve really helped me out and build me up, and then I have also learned that I can handle a lot. I’ve been able to learn some of the things that I needed to learn in a quick time. I’ve had to make some very difficult decisions, as well. I think those are some of the things that I’ve been able to do in this short time. As far as the rest of it, we’ll just see. We’ll see how it goes.” On the biggest point he wants to make to the hiring committee when he interviews: “I think it will be different wherever you’re going obviously. As I really try to press upon you guys, was just I want the team to speak for me. I want them – really, their play to speak. Knowing all the situations, and all the things that we were going through, the product on the field and how they played, was really important to me. (Number) one, that they were giving it 100 percent, that they were still flying around, that they were still playing for the love of the game, so to speak. So everybody saying, ‘I don’t know why you guys are playing, there’s nothing to play for.’ We love this game. We respect this game. That was something that I tried to impress upon them, from the very first game that I took over, and our style of play and how we were going to play. Some of the people that mean a lot to me, they texted me, they reached out to me, and they’ve commented on the style of play, and how those guys were playing. That means as much to me as anything.” On if he is interviewing for the Lions’ head coaching position tomorrow: “I know I’m going to continue to speak with Rod (Wood, President & CEO) more today. I don’t want to confirm or whatever, the reports, until Rod’s able to do that. But I will be speaking with him.” On where he feels things went wrong with the team over the time he’s been in Detroit: “I think that will be a great conversation with me, to be able to reflect with Rod and Sheila (Ford Hamp, Principal Owner and Chairman) and the group here, just from my perspective. I don’t think it’s something I just want to throw out there and put in the public, to be quite honest with you. I would love to have those conversations with the players. Jeff (Okudah) has been here one season. I definitely think that he has a bright future and can do a lot for us here, but I would love to have those conversations with him. I’ll keep those private and to myself because I think that will be something that will be able to help me in this process.” On what he would advise QB Matthew Stafford to do next in his career: “I think that’s a great question, to be quite honest with you, and I think it’s a very tough question. I think you’ve got to look at that from a lot of different perspectives. Are you looking at it from the club’s perspective? Are you looking at it from his perspective? Are you looking at it from my perspective? So, there’s so many ways to look at it. I can tell you this; I love Matthew Stafford. I think he’s a heck of a quarterback. He’s in the upper group in the League in terms of that position. I think it’s the most important position on the field. If you don’t have one of those guys, you’re going to struggle for a long time. I think he’s a very, very good one and I think he’s been in that position for a long time. From my perspective, it’s been a great two years working with him, and I would love to continue that.” On if QB Matthew Stafford could win a Super Bowl elsewhere if he and Detroit part ways: “I would love nothing more than for Matthew to be able to get in that place to be able to play in all those meaningful games. I think he deserves it. I think he works at it. I think he is talented enough to do that. If you have a good team around him, he can most definitely lead you to a championship.” On if he would want QB Matthew Stafford to be his quarterback if he became permanent head coach: “Yes I would.” On what he considers the appeal is to the Lions’ head coach opening: “Well, I’m here so I have a little bit different perspective. I’ve loved my time here. I enjoy it. I think there’s great people in this organization, speak to Matthew (Stafford) or any of these other people that are in this organization that are here every day putting their all in it. Everybody wants a winner to be here, and everybody is kind of fighting for that same thing. I just want to be a part of that. I know Rod (Wood) wants it, I know Sheila (Ford Hamp) wants it. That’s what we’re looking forward to, is building a winner here in Detroit, and nothing would make me happier than to be able to be a part of that.” On if he can speak to what CB Jeff Okudah meant when he mentioned organizational dysfunction: “Well I can tell you this; I think that everybody is going to have a different perspective. When I first took over that first day, that was my kind of spiel to the team, was the perspective and I was going to try to change the perspective. A guy like Jeff that obviously went on Injured Reserve and I wasn’t able to have the same impact on him, he’s looking at it from only through his lens. So again, I would love to have a conversation with him, I’d love to get to talk to him, I’d love to get to work with him. I’ve had a few (conversations), but like I said, he was basically gone once I took over. That’s his perspective. I would love to be able with him and help him work through that.” On what he thinks of CB Jeff Okudah as a player: “Any time you come in as a young player, particularly picked where he was picked, there’s a lot of pressure. And most of the time, it’s pressure that you put on yourself to live up to the billing or live up to the hype or whatever it is. So, number one, he had that pressure that comes with that position. Number two, I mean he’s in a whole new system, he’s learning somebody’s new system that he’s got to be able to function in. Then he gets these nagging injuries, so I think there was probably a lot of frustration that was built up (from) trying to play well, trying to fight through some of these injuries and the things that he had to work through in his rookie campaign. As far as the talent of the player, I mean obviously I think he is talented. I think that he can help us. I know that we picked him there for a reason and like I said, I do think he has a bright future, and that’s definitely going to be an important position for us here as the Lions moving forward because there’s obviously a lot of rebuilding on that side of the ball that we need to do.” |
