| December 22, 2020 Opening Statement: “Good afternoon, really appreciate everybody’s flexibility today. Obviously I think you guys are aware of what happened this morning. So we had a COVID-19 situation in the building, so we’re making sure that we’re taking care of it as best we can. We have great professionals, obviously our medical team, in conjunction with the NFL, is leading us with this. So there’s nobody in the building, and we’re working virtually today, whether it’s the staff, whether it’s the players. So all that has been done today. I can’t really give any more information on that, other than that’s what we’re doing right now. So, questions?” On if the team is used to virtual meetings and if it’s no longer as big of a disruption compared to the beginning of the season: “For sure, we’re used to the changes, the twist and turns that have been thrown our way during this 2020. I think everybody’s dealing with that. Fortunately, through the offseason and through the things that we’re doing during the season, we’ve been able to get pretty adept with the Zoom meetings and how to handle all the information that we need to pass back and forth with the players and the coaches. So I think we’re in a good spot with it. We were going to have a walkthrough practice today anyway with the shorter week. So obviously we won’t have that today. I still want to be conscious of their bodies and their legs, so we were going to do that. This is just another way to take a day off.” On P Jack Fox, TE T.J. Hockenson and OL Frank Ragnow making the Pro Bowl: “Probably the best part of my day yesterday was to be able to call those three guys and inform them that they made the Pro Bowl team. I mean super excited for, really, all three of them. Jack is a young punter in the League, with how he’s punted – I know we talked about it the other day, there’s still improvements that he can make, but he’s punted at a high level, was punting really well in our last game, just doing a great job. He’s really done a nice job for himself. Then Frank, I mean, what a great guy to have that happen to. He’s a great leader on our offense. He’s obviously the anchor of the offensive line up there in the middle, and then with (Taylor) Decker on the edge. He’s gotten better each and every year I’ve been here, become a better communicator, like I said a great leader, and I was really happy for him. That was a fun call to make because he can’t talk. So I called him on FaceTime, and the second he answered I’m like, ‘Don’t say anything! I just have to talk to you!’ It was fun, it was a really fun conversation and obviously one-sided because he couldn’t say much, but his face lit up. It was really exciting. Then also T.J., couldn’t be happier for a guy that really went through a tough offseason with the injury that he had at the end of the year, and then all that work that you have to do, all the stuff that I’m sure he had to live up to, to be able to come back and put the year together that he had and be able to be recognized for that. I think it speaks for him. Obviously the coaches that work with those guys as well. But all those guys did a great job.” On how QB Matthew Stafford felt after Sunday’s game and the probability of him playing Saturday: “So we have a short week, so we have one less day to prepare for him. He was sore, obviously coming out of the game. He did take a couple hits in that game that we talked about yesterday. Again, he’s tough as they come. He’s tough as nails. So we’ll basically do the same plan. I think he may be a little bit better than he was last week, but again, we’ll just continue to take it day-to-day.” On if he’ll have the conversation of sitting QB Matthew Stafford for the remaining two games: “To be honest with you, I don’t think he’ll let that happen. These guys are true competitors. I think you saw his statement to you guys after the game. There’s a sense of pride, there’s a sense that you need to be there, you want to be there for your teammates. Obviously to make it clear, we’re not going to put him in a situation where he can have a long-standing injury from this or repercussions from it. But if the guy wants to go out there and compete with his teammates and be there for them, then, I love him for it.” On when the team will be allowed in the building and how to handle planning for the week not knowing: “Good question. I think it’s really – right now, the NFL and our people are still working through all the – you have to go back through the contract tracing and all those things, the close contacts, have to figure out what all those are and where they stand with that. I think I’ll know more tonight about tomorrow. Right now, we’re planning on being in the building tomorrow, but that could change as well. We could go without. We could go with virtual meetings again tomorrow and not have practice as well. So just have to play that by ear.” On an injury update on OL Frank Ragnow: “He has another appointment coming up (on) Thursday with the specialist again. Again, that will tell us all the information that we need to know – how well he’s healed, and if he’s healed well enough to go out there and perform.” On the coaching point with RB D’Andre Swift’s goal-line fumble: “It’s all about the ball. Every guy that has the ball, you’re entrusted with it, and we’ve got to do everything that we can at the end of the play to have the ball when we’re done. I think it was asked after the game – I don’t want to take the guy’s aggressiveness away. There are things that we coach and teach about how we want to enter the play on the goal line, but the bottom line is you’ve got to end up with the ball.” On where TE T.J. Hockenson’s game can grow in his third season: “Like I’ve told you before, the guy’s a tireless worker. So, we just need to continue to have those incremental gains. I think the big thing for him would be to continue to work on the run game, just hand placement and finishing the run game. Then continue to add to his repertoire that he has – when he’s running routes, the little nuances to shake free, to get cleaner, maybe a new release. Just those kinds of things to continue to make sure that your game gets better and better.” On if he can reflect on how crazy the past few weeks have been: “I mean I don’t even know if crazy is the right word. It’s just been unbelievable. I mean even just the last couple of days, it just seems like, ‘Is it going to stop?’ I’m just trying to figure out how to manage it and I’m doing the best I can. Obviously, there’s so many of these things that are unforeseen. There’s no manual on how to do this and it gets thrown on you. I’ll manage it the best way I can. I have great people around me to really help me out in these situations that I can lean on. It’s been crazy, it’s been fun, and I’m gaining a lot of great experience from it.” On how much respect he has for Buccaneers QB Tom Brady over the course of his career and this season: “Again, we’re talking about one of the greatest of all time to ever do it at the position. I mean he’s played at a high level. Obviously he’s won the biggest games, and to see the transition to go from the New England Patriots to the Bucs and then have to make that transition, as you said, with new teammates, learning a new offense, I’m sure it was invigorating, but it’s a huge challenge. When you’re in one system for as long as he’s been in it, I’m sure the new verbiage and all the wrinkles that he had to learn, and then as well to learn new teammates, he’s even doing it a little bit different. I mean you see him; he’s throwing the ball down the field. People say he can’t throw it down the field, I mean, don’t put anything past that guy because he’s a heck of a player. He’s proved us wrong many, many times.” On if he’s talked to the special teamers who were publicly upset over the firing of former Special Teams Coordinator Brayden Coombs: “I’ve talked to a number of the players, and obviously I talked to the rest of the team today. Like I said yesterday, I’ll keep those private. But I understand. I mean, I understand where they’re coming from, I understand the situation. But once I’m able to speak with all those guys, I think they understand my perspective and the team’s perspective as well.” On the upside of rookie TE Hunter Bryant: “That was nice to see, some of the things that we had seen in training camp, and the unfortunately he got hurt right before the real games started. So, it was great to see him work his way to get back in there. He has the ability to be that dynamic type of receiver, but he’s obviously got a long way to go. He’s got to continue to grow, he’s got to continue to learn, learn the offense, learn all the things that he needs to do to continue to get better. But, it’s a good start. Your first catch, that’s a pretty good play to make right there to start. There was another chance somewhere in the game there down the middle as well. He went up pretty high and tried to catch that one. So, it’s good to see.” On if quarterbacks have to compensate at all as they age: “Well, to be quite honest with you, I think it has a lot to do with your God-given talent. I was around Brett Favre for a long time. I know we probably talk about it too much on here, but I mean that guy had such a special arm. You go ask him right now, he can probably still sling it like he did at 40 or at 30 or at 20 because he’s just that special. Same thing with a guy like Adrian Peterson, to be going at it even at his age with the physicalness and his body being able to hold up. And Tom’s (Brady) one of those guys that does a great job of taking care of his body. He’s very aware of the decline that you can definitely have, so he’s staying on top of it. He does everything to keep himself physically fit at a high level to be able to do it. To be honest with you, I haven’t seen much change at all. I don’t think the motion has changed and he’s still throwing the ball. Now, he’s throwing the ball down the field more than he ever has. So, I think some of these guys are blessed that way.” On if Buccaneers QB Tom Brady is taking care of what he has: “Yes.” |
