| LIONS HEAD COACH MATT PATRICIA CONFERENCE CALL QUOTE SHEET Opening statement: “OK, good afternoon. We’re really just kind of pushing forward here with Denver. I do have one roster announcement that I do want to make. (We’ve) just been kind of going through the process here and evaluating our situation here with Matthew Stafford, and we will be putting him on IR for the season. Obviously, I have the utmost respect for Matthew and his efforts to try to do everything he could to get back and play. Certainly, we had a schedule that we were trying to follow from the advice of our doctors and the medical people that look at everything. Just at this point it looks like it’d really be in the best interest for him, and us obviously, as an organization right now to give him that opportunity to rest and to heal from that standpoint, and continue along that path, while obviously we’re trying to make some adjustment here to our current roster here to go out and play this week. (I) just wanted to give everybody that update on that as far as where we are with his injury situation.” On what it means that he and Executive Vice President and General Manager Bob Quinn will have another year to see their vision through: “Well I mean, obviously it means the world to me. I appreciate (Owner and Chairman of the Board) Mrs. (Martha) Ford and her family so much, and (President) Rod (Wood), and Bob, and everything that we’re trying to do here, and what we’re trying to accomplish and where we’re trying to lead this organization. It’s certainly – I think we’ve talked about it before, it’s a process that we’re trying to go through to get the team to a highly competitive level that can sustain, and be consistent, and handle the ebbs and flows of an NFL season, and injuries and the rest of it. It’s something that we’re trying to lay a foundation for. I think we’ve seen some strides that we’ve made with the team this year, but we obviously need to build and improve upon that going forward. Certainly, to have the conversations that I have with Mrs. Ford and her family, and how appreciative I am of the opportunity they have given to me and to my family to be able to do something that (I) can follow through on a vision of what we’re trying to do here is so important. I’m very appreciative on my end.” On what he has seen in the growth of the foundation of the team: “Certainly, I think our team that we’re trying to build, and the foundation we’re trying to build upon, is the stability of our young players, and the players that we’ve brought in, and certainly the players have been here that have been at this for a long time, and just making sure that we’re building that tough mindset, that competitive mindset that we’re trying to achieve every single week from that standpoint. I think you see the growth and the development – again like you said, not necessarily in the box score but in the way that our players handle the games week-by-week, how they approach, how they prepare, how they get better and how they’ve improved. Certainly, some of it is a combination of older veteran players that are on our team that are helping young guys get ready to go and prepare each week, and how competitive some of those guys are that come out and play. Then the younger players that have stepped into those roles and accepting that responsibility, and you can see their growth as you go through the season, too. From that aspect of it, (we’re) trying to have a team that cares about each other, that plays hard, fights for each other, and comes to work every day with a mindset to compete and get better. That’s where we’re starting.” On how they plan to keep the long-term interests of the franchise in mind when there are expectations to be a playoff-caliber team next season: “Well you know, I think the goal never changes as far as we want to try to win every single game we can. We understand that, that’s part of the business, that’s part of what the NFL is all about. We want to be in contention, we want to be in those big games, we want to be in that situation where you go out and compete and give ourselves a chance to play extra games. That certainly is – there’s nothing unusual from that aspect of it. We just know that we have to get better, we have to improve all the way across the board. That’ll be part of the offseason when we get to it. We’re not there yet. We obviously have a big game in front of us with Denver. Certainly, that is where the majority of our focus is right now, and that’s what it has to be to prepare these guys that are playing to go out and play well. I don’t want to shortchange any of that. I want to make sure that I’m doing everything I can, and my due diligence to give everybody that chance to go out and compete at a high level and win. Certainly, when the season is over, we’ll always take a complete 360-(degree) view of how we can improve. It’ll start with myself, and how I can get better as a coach and how we can get better as a team all the way across the board. But right now, it’s really about two, one-game seasons left in front of us, and that’s what we want to make sure that we’re focused on.” On if he is surprised that he will be returning next season: “I’m just focused on today, right now.” On if he is relieved that he can focus on this season instead of fielding questions about his future: “I mean, I guess for myself, it’s really all about the in the moment right now. Certainly, I’m always appreciative when things like this come out. Obviously, I have a lot of conversations with (Owner and Chairman of the Board) Mrs. (Martha) Ford, and Rod (Wood, President), and her family, so from that aspect of it it’s always good to know certain things. For me, I’m never really kind of in that mode – I’m always trying to work every single day to make sure that I prove I belong. I just take that one-day-at-a-time mindset, more so than the big picture.” On how many changes to the team in the offseason will be personnel-related compared to coaching-related: “You know again, I think there is time and place for that after the season that we’ll evaluate everything from that standpoint. But right now, I don’t really see that as part of the conversation right now. The conversation for me is really Denver.” On how far off he believes this team is from competing for the playoffs: “I don’t really know if I have that answer for you at that moment. I think certainly we’re not close on a record standpoint. That just kind of is what it is from that mindset, but certainly those are all things we’ll look at, like I said, when we get to the offseason. Right now, I just have to make sure that we’re pushing to get our guys ready to go play against the Broncos.” LIONS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR DARRELL BEVELL CONFERENCE CALL QUOTE SHEET Opening Statement: “I just want to start real quick – I know (Lions Head) Coach (Matt Patricia) just gave you some information about Matthew (Stafford). I just want to talk about it real quick just from my perspective, about my first year with Matthew and the relationship and the foundation that we’ve been able to start to build. Matthew was great during the offseason and all the things that he was going through. But the time that he put in here with the offense and being able to learn it, to be diligent about it – I think he was really in a good spot. We were doing a nice job together. I can’t emphasis how much I appreciate the work that he did, just in terms of learning the new stuff, picking it up, teaching it to teammates, and then unfortunately he went down this year. But he really hasn’t missed a beat. He’s been in every meeting, he’s still working behind the scenes, he’s working with the young quarterbacks trying to be that veteran presence to really help those guys out. It’s been a hard year for him, but a special year for us together and beginning this gang and starting to grow.” On if he needs to see QB Kyle Sloter in a game to get a better evaluation of him: “I think we’re still in the process of growing at that position. Obviously, with David (Blough) and with Kyle, and we also have – with Joe (Callahan) on the practice squad. The first part really is becoming familiar with the offense, getting him up to speed enough to be able to be ready to play in a game. I think Kyle is definitely there where he’s really worked pretty hard at being able to pick up the offense, and we’re trying to do things to help him. We’re getting to see him in reps in practice. Right now the plan is to continue to go with David, but as we continue to have those conversations here internally, we’ll see where that leads.” LIONS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR PAUL PASQUALONI CONFERENCE CALL QUOTE SHEET On LB Jahlani Tavai’s growth this season: “Yeah, he just gets better. He gets better every single week. I really think, I really believe that the game is slowing down for him. He’s doing a really, really good job of making adjustments and alignments, and trying to help the front get lined up when we do have to adjust a little bit. I think that, to answer your question, I think he’s really growing. He’s doing a good job with the speed of the game, and like a lot of great players, as they get older and they mature, things slow down for them, and they are able to play at a fast pace.” On LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin and how he played against Tampa Bay: “Oh, that’s a great comment. He’s such a dependable, reliable guy. He has such a great demeanor about him every single day when he walks in the building. I’ve been here with him now going on two years and he is the same guy, the same upbeat, positive guy, focusing on the gameplan, and trying to help the team and special teams. (He’s) always ready to go, so he really went in the game and did a very, very good job for us.” On if he is concerned about his job security with the announcement of Head Coach Matt Patricia staying for the 2020 season: “Well to be perfectly honest with you, my concern right now is getting ready to play the Denver Broncos, and giving my full, undivided attention to this game. As you guys know we have two games left. I’ve always looked at a season, regardless of if it’s college or the NFL, as one-week seasons. We’ve got two, one-week seasons to go, let’s focus on the first one. First things first, it’s the most important game of the year because it’s our next game. That’s where my attention and my focus is. If my attention or focus is anywhere else, it’s on my family, my kids and my wife. I’m very fortunate. My two boys are in up to their eye balls in final exams right now. My daughter is in her senior year and just started her basketball season, so she’s in the deep end of the pool, too. My job and my family, and that’s what we’re focused on.” On how he separates his personal life from his football career and concerns of job security: “I’m a lucky guy because my wife and my kids, they love football. They love sports. They love being active. They just love being a part of – regardless, if it was youth football, high school football or basketball or lacrosse. My oldest son plays lacrosse at Bryant University for (Bryant University Head Lacrosse Coach) Mike Pressler. We love that. My second boy is at BC (Boston College) trying to play tight end coming back from a really tough knee injury from last spring ball. So, I’m lucky in the fact that they love it, they’re into it, they’re so supportive of what I do. To be honest with you, we have a lot of fun with it. It makes it very, very special.” |
