Skins Quotes 3/14/19: Doug Williams, Landon Collins

March 14, 2019

Senior Vice President of Player Personnel Doug Williams

Introducing S Landon Collins
"Wow, great looking room. I want to thank everybody who showed up today. I want to say thanks to Mr. [Dan] Snyder, Bruce [Allen], [Eric] Schaffer… who spent a lot of hours and minutes and time for allowing us to be able to do what we've done the last couple of days and that is to bring in a player like Landon Collins to the fold to make us a better football team. The thing about football, so many young guys want to know what football does for them. I had an opportunity yesterday to spend a lot of time with Landon, even though he's from Louisiana; I never spent that much time with him. I did that yesterday and found out… he's not worried about what football does for him as much as what he wants to do for football. I think that's important and that's going to be a big reason for us. You talk about a guy with leadership. We watched him for the last four years do what he does on the football field. We talked to a lot of people about him - one thing we found out and I know I did was that everything that people say about him was true. He has charisma, he has leadership, but most of all it's all about passion when it comes to football. So, with no further ado… Landon Collins."

S Landon Collins

Opening statement:
"How's everybody doing? I want to thank Mr. Snyder, first of all. It's an opportunity - very emotional though - as this is a place I always dreamed of being at because of my favorite player [Sean Taylor]. It's an honor to be here, all smiles, no nervousness, just all excitement. And just ready to put on that Redskins uniform and just show out as much as I can and play with all the heart and passion I have for this game, and show that ten times forward. So, [I'll] open it up for questions whenever you all are ready."

On when he made his decision:
"Literally, I think it either happened that day, or the next day. It was pretty fast for me to decide and where I wanted to be at."

On being a part of the Redskins:
"After being with the [New York] Giants and the organization up there, I didn't think I was going to leave, honestly, just after the years that I had up there. Once I got that opportunity to leave I was like 'OK, let's see what happens, what's out there.' Honestly, my dream was to come here. I had all my guys here… I even talked to Dr. [James] Andrews a couple times about putting it in Mr. Snyder's ear about getting here and doing so that it was an opportunity that was offered and I jumped on it. I had to be here."

On Sean Taylor:
"Sean has been impactful in my life since I was in middle school. It's been years and years and years watching tape after tape after tape after game. I only ended up watching three or four games of his before he passed away. And knowing by doing that, it was an honor in knowing that he played with so much passion and heart and dedication and he wanted to make his teammates better not just as a football player but as a better man, as a better father, as a better husband. He was someone I looked up to and wanted to be like."

On speaking with current Redskins who are Alabama alumni:
"Yeah, the first person that hit me up was (linebacker) Ryan Anderson, literally the first person then right after that was (defensive lineman) Jonathan Allen. And knowing those two guys played three of my four years with them and knowing that we know each other like the back of our hand - we know how each other plays - how we get after it, how we love this game, where we came from - we're ‘Bama made. So, we know what it takes to win, and all we want to do is win. Yes, it played a great deal in trying to get here. They made it very easy. Because playing with guys that you know they are going to get after it as much as I get after it, it made it much easier."

On fitting into the Redskins defense:
"Honestly, I see myself working perfect with the unit. Once they picked up Ha Ha [Clinton-Dix] from the trade -- because I follow Ha Ha, me and Ha Ha follow each other all the time -- I started watching the defense even more, even though we played them twice a year, I watched their defense even more with Ha Ha because I was like ‘they [Redskins] making a ‘Bama defense on some crazy stuff'. I was like ‘if me and Ha Ha get back there, it might be dangerous'. So, I'm looking at the defense and I can see that they play three, halves, quarters, all that and I was like 'that's back to what we do so concept wise it's what we do'."

On interests outside of football:
"First of all it's my family. Second, my passion for what I want to do, and that I'm going to do is pushing forward, trying to get people homes. I know [University of Alabama Football Head Coach Nick Saban] has this foundation where he builds homes from disasters like tornadoes. My thing is the same thing from [Hurricane] Katrina, that's something that I dream of doing and build my foundation on and making that happen. That's something I harp on."

On the New York Giants' decision not to use the franchise tag:
"That organization is awesome honestly. I love them. I respect them. They gave me my first opportunity to play in the NFL. They took a chance on me and hopefully they love the four years that I gave them and I respect them. But when we were going through the turmoil that was going on up there and all the craziness, all the trades, all the cuts – I was like, ‘I don't think I am here either.' Once I saw a couple [players] that I was brought in with, it was like, ‘I don't think I'm going to finish here either.' No talks were going on. Nothing was being said. I was just out there going day by day, practice by practice, handling my business. But, at the same time I don't know what the future holds with the New York Giants but I'm glad it happened because now I'm in that Burgundy and Gold."

On his mother's reaction to his decision to sign with the Redskins:
"I called my mom and told her the news. All you could hear was screaming and shouting. She was all for it. She didn't like being in New York. She said it is too cold, she doesn't like the cold. She likes that it gets warmer out in D.C. so she is going to be here more than she was up in New York. But she was definitely excited, my dad was excited, my family was excited. We were all smiles when we heard the news and then them knowing my background, knowing who was here and playing for who I played for it was cool."

On what was attractive about the Redskins defense:
"The guys that are here, honestly was the biggest thing. Not even scheme-wise. I feel like I could fit into any scheme when I come onto a team. I had to learn three new defenses with the Giants. It is easy to learn, but at the same time it's a great front, we have good linebackers and a nice secondary. I think it is going to go hand-in-hand. And like I always tell everyone, it all starts with the defensive line and we just all feed off one another."

On if he had other offers and how long it took to ultimately sign with the Redskins:
"Alright this is how it kind of went down. My agent called me; we knew other teams wanted me. They kind of threw their offers out there and he told me the offers. He asked me how I feel about the Redskins, that's basically what he said and I said, ‘You know how I feel about the Redskins, I want to be there? What do you mean?' He said, ‘Alright bet.' And hung up the phone. That's it. And hung up the phone. Called back and he told me about the deal and about the money and how bad they want me and making my dreams come true. I mean same thing that Ryan (Anderson) and John (Allen) were telling me they would do anything for me and I was just telling them we will see what happens when it happens and they proved me wrong. That is how it kind of went down and then I was like, ‘Let's go'."

On where he was when he heard the news:
"I was literally driving to go work out. I was in Miami about to go work out with Swayze at FIU. I was driving down there, I'm on the phone and he called me and when he called me and told me the news, I literally broke down. I broke down. I just broke down. I didn't pull the car over, I fought the urge because I still had to go get my shoes to go work out. From that point on I was just in shock and awe and humbly gracious for this opportunity."

On if he has taken a moment to collect his thoughts since signing:
"Oh, yeah, you can ask my mom, you can ask my girl. I was in the hotel just sitting on the balcony. I sat on the balcony for about three hours just trying to take it all in and still have yet to take it all in yet."

On the chance to play with RB Adrian Peterson and CB Josh Norman:
"Those two guys, I love them. Josh Norman I know I met a couple times throughout events being in Atlanta or being at the Super Bowl before that. We had an event together down in Dallas so I know him pretty well. He is a humble guy, I like him. His attitude is to always go and be the best he can be. [It's the] same thing with Adrian Peterson, I mean that's a Hall of Famer right there. I remember the first time I tackled Adrian Peterson and he kind of gave me a head tap of acknowledgement. Like, ‘Alright you are the real deal.' I was like, ‘Cool.' (Laughs) I remember the first time I saw him. It was open field. We were playing Minnesota. It was me and him open field about 20 yards apart from one another. I swear I thought we were going to put his shoulder down on me, and I was ready for it. Literally I was ready for it, but it didn't happen he kind of veered off and I pushed him out of bounds (Laughs)."

On what he thinks his strength:
"My biggest strength is going to be leadership. It's definitely leadership. I lead by example and that's about it. We are going to have fun I can tell you that much."

On Dan Snyder's Sean Taylor jersey gift:
"Possibility of wearing Sean [Taylor's] ‘21', that's big shoes to fill but oh man – dinner last night, we were sitting there at dinner, and Mr. Snyder had the gift right there, the box right there in the middle of the table and I was like ‘What's in the box?,' And he said ‘It's a gift for you,' I said, ‘Cool, can I open it?' He said, ‘No you have to wait for your mom and your girlfriend to get here.' I said ‘Alright cool,' my son came up to me and I said ‘Hey, um son', I get my son, I put in my lap I said ‘Do you want to open a gift?' He said ‘Yeah', and my mom said ‘Not yet, not yet, not yet,' so right before we get our salads right, he [Snyder] stands up and tells me the story behind what's inside the box. We were going through it, I can't tell you the whole story but we were just going through it giving out all his emotion and all his passion behind it, the story between him and Sean, and telling me how he loved him as a son. You know, and saw him like everything you know? And when he told me that it was a game worn jersey signed by him in the box, instantly broke down, instantly broke down, straight into tears. He handed the box over, he tried handing me the box, I couldn't grab the box, I couldn't move, shaking, son on my lap, my son actually grabbed the box and started opening the box. You know kids are going to open presents no matter what so he started opening the box, I'm still crying, the emotion behind it and my son pulls the jersey out of the box. I still can't touch the jersey, just staring at it the whole time. The jersey is right there on the table, everybody is kind of at the table quiet just sitting there and I look at Ryan Anderson who's at the table, I start shaking my head at him and he says, ‘Man, I should have told you what's in the box so you don't have to cry.' So I started to calm down, it took me about a good 30-45 minutes to calm down, I couldn't even eat I had the salad right there I couldn't even eat the salad. It took me a minute but it's an honor and I really appreciate it Mr. Snyder, I really do. So yeah, that's the story behind it."




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Liking this signing more and more now.

Sounds like a pretty sincere and humble young man...love his attitude and honesty!