On the team’s ability to band together during yesterday’s demonstration and what he attributes that to: “First of all, I appreciate the words, thank you. I think that honestly, the team has done a really good job of listening and really trying to learn. I would say that when you’re in a room with a bunch of guys that you care about through the course of the spring and then obviously through training camp so far, and you hear and feel pain from a teammate and you listen to stories and really pay attention – I think that’s what pulls everybody together. I think we all understand the difference between right is right and wrong is wrong. We just want to make sure that we’re there for each other.”
On if this is the most bonded the team has been during his tenure: “Certainly I think it’s been great to have this team in the building together. I would say that 2020 has been completely unusual from that standpoint and building a team. But certainly I think that through the course of the spring, I thought the guys did a great job of getting to know each other. Like I said before, you could feel a lot of energy through those Zoom calls, and I think that as we have been able to get in the building, get to know each other, it’s a very, very tight-knit group.”
On how much yesterday will stick with him: “I think we all hope that yesterday sticks with all of us forever. Hopefully it makes an impact on someone, somewhere, out there and gives people strength and courage and hope. I think that’s what’s so powerful about it. Certainly football is what we do and what we love, but in the end, I think we’re also trying to make great influences on each other and affect people for long-term and affect families. Hopefully we did that, and that’s something that won’t go away.”
On how many calls he received after the demonstration: “I was really blessed to get a lot of great feedback, a lot of great text messages and calls. Honestly, I think – here’s the point – everyone is talking about it. I think everyone is having conversations right now, and we’re still keeping that message going. I think from one of the things we talked about in the spring was continuing the conversation that started in the spring and we hopefully are along those lines of continuing it.”
On the chances of other teams taking the same stance: “Obviously every team is different, but I think just for us, as long as people are having the conversation and everyone is talking about it and learning and listening, that’s really what’s important.”
On how to approach refocusing the team back to football: “I think for us – one of the things we do every day is just check-in with each other, make sure that everybody is OK. We have that sort of form where we’re just moving along and see how it is with the team and what everyone feels good at. I think one of the things right now we got is kind of a couple days where we haven’t been out on the field. There’s a lot of energy; there’s a lot of excitement. I think these guys again, really, truly enjoy each other. They enjoy playing football with each other. So I think they’re excited about that part. I think that it’s – we don’t just flip a switch and forget about it. Like I said, it’s a continual conversation. I think for the guys there’s a lot of energy in the building right now, so we’re excited.”
On RB D’Andre Swift’s injury and if he will practice today: “So it’ll be – Joe Dahl will not be at practice today. We’re trying to do a good job of monitoring him, just in general with camp and some of the hitting that we’re doing in certain practices and stuff like that. We’re keeping track of that. Then Bo Scarbrough and D’Andre Swift will be in-and-out a little bit. We’re just kind of trying to put them back in an environment where they feel comfortable and just working with them to acclimate them back in.”
On what it was like when he got home and allowed yesterday’s demonstration to sink in: “It’s a tough question. I would probably say just – the first thing when I go home, my biggest concern is my family. I want to make sure that everyone is OK, my kids and my wife. Certainly I don’t see them very much, so when I’m around them, I just fully immerse myself into being a dad. Certainly there is conversation that carries over with this which is the point, to be able to go home and have conversation with family and to continue that outside the building. Other than that, I think I reflect on the day’s work. I kind of do that every day. Honestly, I think I said it yesterday in the press conference, but it was more of just a reset for me as a coach to remember (that) part of why I do this is I love football and I love to compete; I love to coach, but the other part of it is (to) try to influence and help people and build those relationships with young men that I work with every day. If I can help them in any way and I can get that done during the course of the day, then that’s what I’m supposed to do.”
