SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR HEATH FARWELL
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2023(On getting along well with younger players on the roster) “I have a ton of guys. Every evening, every
morning, there’s 10-15 guys that show up trying to get more coaching, any details they can get. Yeah,
we got a million guys coming up to see my assistant and I. That’s what’s going to happen, and that’s
perfect, we love it. We encourage them to come up, because in those meetings it’s tough. I can only get
to so many things and so many reps. So if they can come up, I give them more details that they can
hopefully improve and they have. We’ve been excited. We’ve got a good turnout at our office.”
(On any players in particular asking for his advice more than others) “We got a ton of guys that come up,
but a guy that show up a ton is Antonio Johnson [S Antonio Johnson]. He’s a guy that’s been spectacular.
You see him out there playing defense, but he’s been great for us as a gunner, vise stuff has been really
good. Kickoff he’s been doing well. There’s a bunch of guys that come up, Latavious Brini [S Latavious
Brini] has come up every day. It’s a good chance to visit with them, get to know them a little bit better,
but also teach them a thing or two about special teams which a lot of these guys hadn’t played a ton in
their college careers. It’s a good opportunity to have a one-on-one and really get those fine details on
special teams.”
(On how the evaluation at practice is different than in a game) “I think a lot of the positions we put them
in is to compete. It’s all part of the progression of buildup of getting them ready, not only for the
stadium practice on Saturday, but going into the Dallas game. We get a bunch of looks of them
throughout practice in the competition, and we tell them that. We’re competing and looking at both
side of the ball, it’s not a scout team rep. You’re getting evaluated on that scout team with the red hat
sometimes as if you’re playing on the real team. We’re looking at everything, putting those guys in those
positions, those matchups we want to see in part of the evaluation.”
(On not having to worry about filling specialists’ positions on the team) “It’s a great feeling. Last season
we had gone through a bunch of kickers, the fact that we’re at this point and we’re stacked at all the
positions is a great feeling as a coach. It allows me to let those guys do what they do at a high level like
they do, and I can worry more about the core guys and what that looks like, the coverage units, the kick
return game, the punt return game. I can emphasize more of that and less of those vet specialists that
we have.”
(On deciding who plays more or less in preseason games) “I think the biggest thing as a coach, as a
veteran player, we have to still evaluate them for what they’ve done this year. A coach years ago told
me, ‘You have to evaluate everybody for who they are today.’ You can’t get caught up in ‘Hey, what did
he do for us in the past?’ You have to make sure he’s still doing that same thing. That’s part of it. Then,
the second part is we have to get these rookies a bunch of reps. They haven’t done it, it’s hard enough
to do it in practice, but they’ve got to do it in a game when the lights are on, the pressure is really on,
and can they execute to get through the reps of it, getting tired in the fourth quarter playing on offense
and defense, and I’m telling them to run down on a kickoff. It’s a mixed bag of trying to figure out if theyold vets are still as good as they have been for us, and can the young guys compete with those veterans
that we have.”
(On if anyone caught his eye in yesterday’s practice) “Like I said, Antonio Johnson [S Antonio Johnson] I
think yesterday has been fantastic. I think he’s kind of separated himself. Latavious Brini [S Latavious
Brini] has done a good job as a young undrafted guy. We have a bunch of good players that have
stepped up. Erick Hallett’s [CB Erick Hallett II] done a good job, he’s most improved from what he did in
the spring, which is a great sign of where he started, coming through to training camp, and then
Christian Braswell [CB Christian Braswell] has done a good job for us. He doesn’t have the size that say
Antonio has, but the toughness, the quickness he has. I think those are the guys that stood out the most
for me.”
(On differences between XFL and NFL kickoff rules, what that could mean for the league) “I have
watched a handful of those games. I’m not super familiar with those rules, we haven’t gotten that
information. I know that kind of surfaced in the media, I’m unaware of that.”
(On the NFL moving the target every year in special teams) “I think that would be great. I hope we can
come to a good solution where we can still cover kicks and it’s such a big part of the game, that’s my
hope. To just keep covering kicks, finding the best solution, keep it safe, but still covering kicks. Let’s find
that solution and let’s stick with it.”
(On if WR Parker Washington has the skill to be a returner) “He does. He’s a natural fielder back there.
He’s got some quickness to get out of his break. He’s done a really good job as a returner. That’s
something I’ve talked to him specifically about, is Jamal Agnew [WR Jamal Agnew] is here and has done
a great returner, he’s an elite returner. But Jamal has also missed a few games in his career, so you got
to make sure you’re ready to go and you got to prove to us throughout training camp and preseason
games that you’re the guy that steps up. Christian Kirk [WR Christian Kirk] did it for us last year, I’d love
to not use Christian. As good as he is, I don’t want him out there. As a team and organization, we don’t
really want him out there. I’d love for a guy like Parker to be able to do that. I think he has the skills to
do it, but again, it’s part of the evaluation of if he can do it in the preseason, what it looks like off a
punters foot under the lights.”
(On what WR Tim Jones has done on special teams) “Tim’s been great. He had an exceptional year last
year. He’s smart, he’s tough, he’s physical. He’s a big, strong receiver that really translates well to special
teams. He cares about them, it’s important, he’s been great and then led them right into the offseason. I
thought he had a really good offseason, in training camp he’s doing really well. He’s a very good player
for us on special teams and like I said, I love having the kid around. He’s a guy we really like.”
(On WR Tim Jones looking physically bigger this year) “That’s the thing about it. So much about special
teams, speed is number one which he has, size meaning he can extend but also keep his balance. He
doesn’t get bounced off like some of the smaller receivers do. He gets contact, he can hold his ground,
and then matchup wise, he can match up against a linebacker type because he’s 220 pounds. He’s the
same size as some of the linebackers which is a good matchup to put him in.”
(On how the team has embraced Wide Receivers Coach Chad Hall) “Yeah, we were excited to get him.
Chad is a good friend of the families, when he came down, he actually stayed with my family and I for
about a month and a half until his family moved down. Our families are close, he’s like a brother to me,
but you see right away his energy, his passion, not only for the game, but for his players. They feel thathe’s genuine. They know that he has their backs. You get that in your friendship with him. He’s just a
WIDE RECEIVER CALVIN RIDLEY
special guy to have around because he relates to the players so much, they get the most out of his
receivers.”
(On if the next generation of coaches have to genuinely care about their players) “I think it is. I think
that’s a big part of it, to be able to relate to the players is huge. The relationship aspect, the coaching
gets the most out of them. Developing the relationship early on, showing them passion and being
genuine. I think those are some of the best qualities as a coach which he’s [Wide Receivers Coach Chad
Hall] is top-notch in all of those. I think it shows. The players in Buffalo loved him, and then down here.
Then, the details he teaches them. When you see him out there coaching his individual, you see the little
details, the special teachings he does with his coaches. I don’t know receiver position even close to what
he knows, but I know the details enough to know he’s a great teacher.”
(On what’s been seen as a returner for S Andre Cisco) “He’s been great. In the offseason, he came to me
and said, ‘Coach, I’d love to be a returner and get back there with those guys.’ No problem, did it, he’s
been great. He started out just learning the position, and if you guys have watched some of the training
camp practices, he’s been great. He catches them clean, he’s smooth, he’s reliable, he’s smart, he’s
tough, he’s a guy that can compete for that emergency guy. We love him, he’s a great teammate, he
cares and wants to win, wants to help, he knows Jamal [WR Jamal Agnew] is there, but he also knows,
‘Hey, I can help out the team if there’s something I can do’ and he’s done a great job. He’s learning every
day and it’s been really cool to work with him.”
MEDIA AVAILABILITY
THURSDAY, AUGUST 3, 2023
(On working with Wide Receivers Coach Chad Hall) “He got a lot of energy, I had a bunch of different wide receiver coaches and he’s very different, he was a player, he’s a lot younger than the ones I had. He just brings a lot of energy, and he believes in the work. We’ve been putting in the work in individual drills, have been transitioning to team and one-on-ones and everything we’ve been doing. We’ve been getting better.”
(On having a toe injury due to cleats) “I was training this whole offseason in these types of cleats right here, but I like the lows. So when I came back from training, I can here and put on my lows and they just got long spikes in them. The way I cut and stuff, it really wasn’t my toe. It was just the bottom of my foot being sore because I kept stepping on the side of that shoe. I was sore, I was getting really sore because I didn’t want to take the cleats off. I changed cleats, and I’m better. I’m good, it wasn’t nothing.”
(On if he was worried about being rusty after returning to play) “Everybody wants me to be rusty, right? Why? Why do you want me to be rusty? I can play football; I can play football. No, I’m never going to think I’m going to be rusty, no. If I drop a pass, that doesn’t mean I’m rusty. I just dropped it. I was so wet yesterday and couldn’t keep it on my body. A player like me, I’m never going to think it’s rust. I’m sorry, I’m not going to say that. It’s training camp, day eight? I’m pretty sore today. I’m not rusty, and yesterday, I look at that and I did so much good yesterday. I did so much good. There was some bad, you know there’s going to be some good and bad. I look at it as a win, I’m out here in this training camp, I got to get through this. I know how hard training camp is and this is probably one of the hardest training camps I’ve ever been in. I know I got to continue to work, to get better, and be dominant come game one.”
(On his self-expectations are) “Help this team win, move the ball. I know the type of player I am; I know what I can do. I told y’all when I first got here what type of player I am. I’m here to help the team win. Obviously, we have a really good team and I think we could be a great team. I’m here to help the team win and use my skills to help them.”
(On reasoning for saying last week, ‘I am him’ in an interview) “No, I’m a good receiver. I’m one of the better receivers in the league, that’s what I’ve been saying since I was a rookie. I noticed that right when I got into the league, trying to be humble but everyone has doubted me. I’m trying to fight back respectfully at the same time. I’m not into the media, I’m not into getting all into it, I’m just trying to show I got respect for myself, and I work hard. I’m not going to say I’m going to come back rusty or anything. I’m trying to play well for the Jacksonville Jaguars.”
(On Jaguars fans embracing him throughout camp) “I appreciate it. I really appreciate that, thank you so much. Thank you.”
(On being matched up with CB Tyson Campbell throughout practices) “Yeah, I think he really is. He makes it very hard, and I’m going to come swinging every day and I know he’s going to come swinging. I really
don’t want to go against too many other people than him in practice because I’m trying to get the real work and the grind, the hard reps, so that’s what I want.”
(On excitement of first preseason game) “I’m ready for whatever. Whatever.”
(On dealing with the pressure) “There’s no pressure. I’ve been doing this, I’m going to continue to say this, as soon as I was a high school player, everyone at my high school loved me too. They were screaming my name the same way. As soon as I went to Alabama, it was people after the game waiting on me outside. There’s no pressure. Football is what I do. I go the other way, I don’t have social media, I don’t know if you guys know, I don’t have that much social media. I don’t watch too much ESPN and all that. I’m just here to help this team win games.”
(On if it helps focus on football being cut off from social media) “It is what it is, honestly. I’m just here to help win games.”
(On if he’s surprised to see players still getting in trouble from gambling) “Yeah, some people think it’s a game. I can’t really do much but say don’t do it. It’s very serious, you could lose your career over it and all I can continue to say is that.”
(On impressions of working with QB Trevor Lawrence) “Trevor is a great player, man. I’m so excited to be on this team with him. I think we could do so much. I’m trying to honestly keep it low because you guys are giving all of the weight I feel. I’m trying to keep it lowkey so I can go out there and do what I do and not worry about me so much.”
(On playing under Head Coach Doug Pederson throughout camp) “It’s like when I played for Alabama. It’s good, it’s going to transition into the games, it’s going to help us. Like I said, this is probably one of the hardest camps I’ve ever been in. I think it’s going to transition into the games for sure. I’ve had seasons where I’m like, ‘Wow, I’m getting weak.’ But no, I feel strong, I still feel strong, and I was out for a while, but my body is responding pretty well to everyday coming back out here. I love it.”
