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October 27, 2011
Redskins Park
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On the practice participation of several players:
“London [Fletcher] was limited. DeAngelo [Hall] did not practice. Rex [Grossman] was limited. [Oshiomogho] Atogwe was limited. [Trent Williams] did not practice. [Josh] Wilson was full. Byron Westbrook was full. [Donté Stallworth] was full, too. [Phillip Buchanon] was limited. [Reed Doughty] was full. Mike Sellers, in the weight room before practice, hurt his back and went to the hospital just by doing a rowing exercise. It’s quite sore right now. He’ll be in the hospital overnight and obviously did not practice today.”
On quarterback Rex Grossman:
“He came in a little bit last night and got the game plan and looked at a little film. You can tell that he’s been through a little bit of an ordeal the last 48 hours but he said that the hospital helped him out quite a bit and he’s feeling better. He took some snaps today, so that’s a good sign.”
On if the decision not to retain Horatio Blades and Chris Wilson this season has affected the kick return and kick coverage units:
“Well, look who replaces them. We’ve got some good guys replacing them, both those guys, some experienced guys who can run. Even though both those guys are very good players, we replaced them with some good players. I think it is the new rules for kickoffs. Everybody sees a difference. You take the ball eight yards deep. You get it to the 20-yard line and it’s still the 20-yard line. Rules are a little bit different. The opportunity is a little bit different as well.”
On punt returns:
“I think once you’ve proved you can return it, they’re going to be a little bit better in coverage. They’re going to kick it a little bit higher and you’re not going to get as many opportunities.”
On if he considered placing tight end Chris Cooley on the Physically Unable to Perform list in the preseason:
“To be honest, we probably should have went in that direction to start with. But we really thought Chris was feeling good and he indicated to us that he felt like he’d be ready to go, and if you look back and you had a normal offseason, I think he would have been on the PUP list. But coming back the way he did and us thinking he was able to go — and he felt like he was able to go — we didn’t go in that direction. Now, if he was on the PUP list, could he go full speed right now? I can’t answer that question. But I’m not sure that would have been in his best interest and our best interest if we had to do it over again and know for sure he was as bad as he was.”
On if he could have better evaluated Cooley for the PUP list if it had been a normal offseason:
“Without a question, yeah. You go through all of your OTA’s, and you go through your practices and you see how a knee responds. We thought he was in much better shape, at least with his knee, than he was. Once you activate somebody, you can’t go back.”
On if he agrees with Cooley’s assessment that it was a shame injured players couldn’t meet with team’s medical staff during the lockout:
“I agree with him 100 percent. I think that anybody that has an offseason surgery, you’re used to your training staff and the rehab process and if you’re not able to go through that process, I think it really hurts the players and sets people back.”
On a forward motion call that upset him on the first drive against Carolina:
“Well, I was more upset with the person that called it. He had the same angle I did. And so what I do is I share with the person that, if you had the same angle I did and I couldn’t tell, how could you tell? I leave those calls to the guys on the line of scrimmage. I was more concerned about who made the call when I couldn’t tell for sure if the guy was stopped. I thought he was in the same position as me. Those are the conversations that you share. Sometimes it’s a little bit different tone of voice than I’m sharing right now when those things occur. But those things happen. Sometimes you’re right, sometimes you’re wrong.”
On safety Kareem Moore’s return from the PUP list:
“He’s doing good. There’s been no setback. [He’s had] a couple good days of practice getting back in football shape. It’s good to have him out there practicing.”
On the work required by Director of Football Operations Paul Kelly to handle logistics for an international game:
“Well, it takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of time for every game, but especially when you’re dealing with a game outside the country. There’s so many different things that you have to go through, even just talking about passports, different rules at the airport, and when you leave. But he’s done a good job and he’s been at it quite hard for the last three months. He’s made a few trips and it takes a lot of time, a lot of organization… He’s been there before. It’s not his first rodeo. He’s been with different organizations and he understands what goes with the territory. I think it’s really hard the first time you ever experience it. You find out how long it takes and how much work is involved. But he’s done a good job with it.”
On the injury to cornerback DeAngelo Hall:
“I’m not really sure if it was from the game, because he felt pretty good on Monday and got a good workout. Tuesday, he felt it flare up. Wednesday, it set him back at practice. So I don’t know if it was a combination of an after effect from the game or if he did something that day.”
Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan
On quarterback John Beck’s performance against Carolina:
“I thought he did a good job. It was his first time getting to start for us and I thought he did it and got in there and made some plays. Got us in the end zone a couple of times and I thought he did a good job.”
On if he saw improvements in Beck as the game went on:
“Yes. We gave him more opportunities as the game went on. We were running the ball pretty well early. I thought Carolina did a real good job running controlling the clock, too. He didn’t have as many opportunities, but once the game got a little more open, he got into a better rhythm in the second half.”
On Beck’s freedom to choose receivers after the play has been called:
“You have a concept on two sides. Pre-snap, you’ve got to pick the side that looks best and you go off of percentages based off of one side compared to the other. We had two different concepts. He took the single safety concept – looking one way. A lot of times, when a quarterback looks one way, you will see a lot of people open on the other side. A lot of people play with vision and watch the quarterback. Or if he looks the other way a lot of people are driving on that route, so it can be a little deceiving and the linebacker did a good job reading his eyes and got under and tipped the ball.”
On if running the ball was his game plan or if he was trying to ease Beck into the game:
“No, I think it was how we planned on attacking them. That is how we do a lot of games. You come out and you run the ball and we were moving the chains well. We were running the ball well and so you obviously stick with it. You know the opportunities we had, I thought Hightower was doing a good job. I think we have done that in some other games, but I think you just see how the game goes and what it dictates.”
On who is starting at running back:
“I am not sure about who the starter is yet, but we will see on Sunday.”
On not having Santana Moss:
“Santana is our captain and he is a great player. He is one of our leaders. Obviously, it will be tough without him but we believe in all the guys we got on our team and I am excited to see these young guys step up and I think they can make some plays for us also.”
On if he thinks Buffalo is going to adjust to what Beck does well:
“That is every week – I mean regardless of who your quarterback is. The more you put on tape as the year goes, the more that you have got to adjust. It is not just game-to-game, it is series-to-series and half-to-half, so I think that is the game of football. It is a chess match, and you always want to stay one step ahead. Any time a team takes something away, you’ve got to go back to something else.”
On how running backs Roy Helu and Ryan Torain complement each other:
“I think both are good running backs. Helu is definitely our fastest guy. I think Torain and Hightower are more similar, whereas Helu is the change-of-pace speed guy. Ryan is a hard nose runner and you guys have seen him last year and this year so far and Helu can make some plays too.”
On if Torain has improved his pass protection:
“Ryan has come a long way in protection. I think he is more confident in knowing who to get on. Just seeing his assignments and not seeing too much. We always try to say, 'See a little, see a lot’ and you don’t want to see everything and everyone sees the same. He has been locking into assignments much better. You know, Ryan is a physical guy and he doesn’t mind getting his face in people. When he is confident and getting on the right person, we are confident in him as a blocker.”
On tight end Dominique Bird:
“You know, coming out from college was the last time I really studied him. He is a guy who we know is athletic and he can separate and do some things in the pass game. I wanted to bring in a guy like that to see what he can do here and take a look at him.”
On tight end Chris Cooley’s role next year:
“I envision him having the same role. Cooley didn’t get to do as much this year before he got IR’d, but that wasn’t because of Fred [Davis]. That was because of Cooley missing training camp and him being slowed down by his knee. But what we asked him to do, he did a good job of. I am excited to get him back and get him healthy and I think Cooley has a great future here, and you need two tight ends.”
On if he could tell how much Cooley’s knee was bothering him:
“Yes, definitely. He knows, we knew. It is something that he battled through and he battled through hard. A lot of players I don’t think would have done that. He was still able to play at a high level doing that, but I think you have to take the long term into the decision of what he made and hopefully we will get him back next year healthy.”
On how much tight end Logan Paulsen has evolved:
“Logan is a good football player. Whatever you ask him to do, he might not be the fastest guy out there, and his strength definitely is blocking, but as you saw he can still make plays in the pass game. You ask him what you want him to do and you show it to him and he is going to spend as much time as anyone trying to figure it out and he finds a way to get it done. I got a lot of confidence in Logan just watching him and Beck on the scout team over the past two years. They have made a lot of plays together throwing the ball.”
Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett
On the Bills’ offense:
“I’ll tell you they’re very good in what they do, first of all. The quarterback is efficient, very smart and gets the ball out of his hand. They use the whole field. They have people lined up everywhere and they have 52 and whatever it is yards [sideline-to-sideline] and they use it all. Obviously, [Bills Head Coach] Chan [Gailey] does a good job with what they have. They have explosive players. The running back’s explosive and they get the ball out. They get a lot of turnovers and [they’re] really good on special teams so it’s a combination of everything.”
On Bills Head Coach Chan Gailey creating mismatches on offenses:
“I worked with Chan in Pittsburgh before he took the Dallas job and he’s a heck of a football coach. We had Kordell Stewart there and we used him in a number of ways. I know Chan’s creative and I know most of their staff and I think they do a great job of utilizing their personnel… Like I said, they spread the field and try to get you one-on-one with a mismatch.”
On the defense’s struggles against the Panthers:
“Obviously, this is a heck of a football team we said that and we knew that. We knew they had a heck of an offense, and the quarterback throws for 400 [yards] in the first two games and then he throws for 380 one game. You know you have your work cut out for you. The thing that they do is they have so many different things that you have to work on in a short time. You have the option, you have the quarterback read, you’ve got the unbalanced line, you’ve got spread sets and you have your normal stuff. To be efficient and be good at it, you need a lot of time in the summer and you have to work on it. We broke down in a couple of areas – the quarterback read they ran six times and we broke down two times, which led to big plays. The option they ran four times and we broke down one time. That led to a big play… So if you’re not perfect on all of those, and we weren’t, then we broke down in the running game one time. We had the force and the linebacker jumped inside and they got a 30-yard run, so those things add up over time. That’s a good offensive football team.”
On if the Panthers offense did anything for which the Redskins defense had not prepared:
“Not necessarily. The stuff that we got, we were ready for.”
On Head Coach Mike Shanahan saying that he needed to help prepare the defense more:
“Obviously, he’s a great offensive mind and he knows how to defend all of these types of things. It’s good to have a guy that you can go in and talk to and say, 'how do you think this should be played?’ That’s what I do with him a lot.”
On the Bills’ ability to limit sacks:
“I think more of it is the scheme with what they’re doing. [Fitzpatrick] gets the ball out of his hands fast. I had Ryan when we were with the Rams. I know he’s really smart and he knows where he’s going to throw it. When the ball comes out of his hand, he knows what the coverage is and he knows what’s going on. The protection, they throw quick. They do a good job utilizing the players. Obviously, they’ve got a good quarterback that doesn’t take a lot of sacks.”
On who he would compare to Bills running back Fred Jackson:
“He’s kind of by himself to me because he’s a really good running back. He’s really, really good in protection. He stones people. And he can go out and play wideout. He can run routes. He can go catch the ball. He can do everything, he really can. Besides being an explosive runner, he’s a really good receiver and really good pass protector.”
On if the team’s run defense is a concern:
“Two weeks ago, we had a lot of missed tackles. This week, there were a lot of mistakes that led to big plays. I think the quarterback has scrambled on us for 120 yards in the last two games. The first play, when he [Panthers quarterback Cam Newton] took off and ran, we had a sack, but our nickel didn’t set the corner, set the edge, and he took off an ran for whatever it was, 30 yards, and that adds up. But we’ll do a better job.”
On if cornerback Phillip Buchanon is ready to see more playing time:
“Well, we’ll see. We have a bunch of corners that are nicked up and I’m not really sure who’s playing. We’ll find out, we’re just working them all in this week and the healthy ones will play.”
On the possibility of linebacker London Fletcher not being able to play against the Bills:
“Well, guys have to step up and we feel good about [Keyaron] Fox and obviously Perry [Riley]. We feel we have a little depth there. Fox has played in the system before so I’m sure he’ll step in and do a great job.”
On linebacker Rocky McIntosh:
“I think Rocky’s been outstanding all year. No one played at a real high level last week, but I thought he played well and I thought the games before that, the first five games, he’s played outstanding. I think it’s night and day.”
On the lack of turnovers forced:
“That’s what we did last week. We had the ball on the ground twice again last week and we didn’t get it. We’ve had 14 or 15 fumbles and we’ve come up with three of them. We’ve got to come up with those things. Even last week, we had a chance to get off the field. I think the score was 9-6 or whatever… We had an opportunity to get that one fumble where we would have kept them off the board. That happened twice last week. Those things will start coming our way. Sometimes, you have to create those things.”
On if you have to cause a fumble on a blindside sack like linebacker Brian Orakpo’s against Carolina:
“Well, you would like him to. We talked about it all of the time. He had a free run to the quarterback. I know you want to secure the tackle on the big guy, but any time you come free on the quarterback, you want to chop the ball if you can. He knows that. He thought he could have jarred it out when he hit him. He hit him hard.”
On if he coaches the linebackers to force fumbles on sacks:
“We emphasize it. We worked on it last year — chopping the ball… The thing is, and I’m not making excuses for him because we need to get more of them, [Orakpo’s] left handed and he’s on the right side, so it’s not a natural chop for him. It’s not like you’re on the left side and he can chop. He’s got to get used to doing it and then he’ll become good at getting the ball out. He’s unbelievable. He did a great job rushing the quarterback last week. We pressed [Panthers offensive tackle Jordan] Gross all day, which is what we wanted to do — be powerful around the guy. He did a nice job, but he needs to work on getting the ball out a little bit more.”
On how much freedom players have to read and react to plays:
“If it’s an empty set, they can widen their alignments based off who’s the inside rush guy [and] who’s the outside rush guy. They can widen their alignments and they get a little more leeway to take an edge on somebody.”
On what he needs to see for safety Kareem Moore to be activated:
“He just needs time on the grass to get ready. He hasn’t practiced in a long time. I know he’s a little tired today from all of the work he got. We’ll monitor him to see how he does over the next couple of weeks.”
On cornerback Kevin Barnes’ play in the last two weeks:
“I didn’t think Kevin [Barnes] played his best game last week. He can play better like most of the players out there last week. He’s done good for us. He has a good understanding, but he’s a lot like any of the other guys that were out there last week. He could have played better, but all of those guys could have.”
On if Barnes is still adjusting to playing nickel back:
“He’s just a young guy that never played there. If he keeps working at it, he’ll get better and better as he goes. I like Kevin when he’s aggressive because he’s got long arms. He’s a big body [and] long. When he puts his hands on people, I think that’s when he’s most efficient. I don’t like him when he’s playing off so much or he’s playing in space because he’s got those long legs and I think he’s better when he’s more aggressive.”
On if Barnes plays more on or off receivers:
“We change that up based off what we see and it’s not. Sometimes, it’s the coverage. Sometimes, the coverage dictates how he’s going to play.”
On why cornerback DeAngelo Hall wasn’t covering Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith the whole game:
“Like I said, they do so many things with their offense. When you run a wildcat and then you run unbalanced and you run this option and you run this quarterback read - it’s time consuming trying to get everybody lined up and in the right position… We think we have two pretty good corners, Josh [Wilson] being one of them. If he got Steve, Josh is fast and he can cover. Steve is a heck of a football player. [He’s] the most competitive receiver that I’ve been around in a long time. He’s a great player.”
Tight End Chris Cooley
On what was discussed in his meeting with head coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen:
“I traveled down to Pensacola [Fla.], met with Dr. [James] Andrews again. We did another MRI of my knee. We did more weight-bearing X-rays of my knee. We made a conscious decision that four to five weeks wasn’t enough time to ensure it getting better. We didn’t want to have to go in further and do a microfracture surgery. We felt that microfracture would probably limit my chances of playing at all next season and so we made the decision that if I take three to four months right now without running [and] seriously rehabbing my knee [that] I should be fine next year. I should have no swelling and not have to incur a more invasive procedure and that was in the best interest of not only myself, but of the Washington Redskins and me performing for this team for the next four or five years. It was unfortunate to me because I feel like this is a team that has an opportunity to win and I told Mike I would never forgive myself if we are in the playoffs and I can’t play in any role. Even in the capacity that I was at, the opportunity to help this team win meant so much to me that I didn’t want to spend time out. I want to help the team, [but] I can’t hold them hostage. I can’t go into Coach Shanahan’s office and say, 'you’re going to give me seven weeks and you’re going to hold a roster spot for me, while I hopefully get better.’ That’s not fair to anybody and I’m completely comfortable with the decision that was made for me to go on IR. I’m completely comfortable with spending the time with our organization, with [trainers] Larry Hess and with Elliot Jermyn and fully rehabbing my knee. [I’m] looking forward to being an elite tight end in this league, which I know I am when I’m healthy.”
On his trip to Pensacola to meet with Dr. Andrews:
“We talked about some stuff. I’m not too comfortable talking about exactly what went on.”
On the possibility of suffering a microfracture if he continued to play:
“Microfracture is a long recovery time and it’s not 100 percent. Dr. Andrews thought a microfracture would be 50/50, at best 70 percent, that I would play again. We felt that based on the wear in the medial side of my knee, and based on previous cases that a lot of players play with what I have, my problem wasn’t just my medial cartilage. It was the entire joint staying inflamed because I couldn’t keep swelling out of it. So I was also incurring quite a bit of tendinitis. I had a lot of lateral pain, which is very strange. To be honest with you, it hurt to run 10 yards. I could admit it to myself and to our coaches. I wouldn’t say it to anybody else. But at the point I hit 10 yards, I wasn’t fast, I wasn’t quick out of cuts. That being said, the role I was in, playing some fullback and blocking at the line of scrimmage, I was helping this team in the capacity I was at. If it got worse, the question was, would I have helped us? I don’t know. Regardless, with my finger being broken, I was going to need some time off. I think everyone felt it best for me and again for the team [to go on Injured Reserve].”
On if he thought he was done:
“No. I’m a pretty stubborn person. For whatever reason, I have a high pain tolerance. It’s not because I think I’m tough. Just naturally, I have a higher pain tolerance. We talked about draining my knee a couple of weeks ago and people said, 'oh, he had a setback because he drained his knee.’ I drained a hundred cc’s out of my knee 15 times this season. So that’s what I was going through. And we were hoping to continue to maintain it and drain it early in the week and we were doing a [platelet rich plasma] procedure which was helping and I was hoping to continue on that pace. But when we stepped back and analyzed it again, with me having time off, we just said this is not right. It’s not normal for anyone to do this and it’s going to get worse.”
On if he had felt “right” since camp opened:
“I felt terrible when we got back from training camp which I was really disappointed in. I feel like that’s a letdown to the team, the organization, to the fans, to show up after six months off and not be better. I felt almost embarrassed that I wasn’t better from my injury. So I wanted to do everything I could to play right then. It wasn’t that I didn’t do anything. I mean, I worked hard. I probably should have taken more time rehabbing initially. That’s again the stubbornness of me thinking I’m going to be OK and I’m going to just work through pain. That’s how I’ve gotten through my entire career was working through pain and it has always worked. And it didn’t work this time.”
On if there was a procedure performed on his knee:
“There was no procedure done to my knee. There was no surgery done on my knee. I’m on crutches because we want to spend the next two weeks keeping all of the weight off my knee. They don’t want me to walk around. If I walk out of this room, I’m not going to limp and I’m not going to feel any soreness. We just want the inflammation in my joint to diminish.”
On if he thought he’d be 100 percent for the preseason:
“The absolute hope, again like I said, from a lot of players playing with the same type of knee that I have and the same type of wear, that I’ll be 100 percent. A good friend of mine, Todd Yoder, is a good example. He has more cartilage lost than I have and he didn’t have anywhere near the swelling or the pain that I have. I just don’t think I ever let it calm down enough after surgery.”
On if his inability to get treatment during the lockout contributed to his injury:
“I feel 100 percent — and I’m not blaming anybody — that I’m a casualty for the season of the lockout. I think it was a shame that they didn’t let players who had surgery spend time with the doctors and trainers that they trust on a daily basis. I wished I could have… What I went through in July, I think I could have went through in March. But I felt OK in March when I was cleared. I started doing things and it slowly swelled up and I wasn’t here. I can ice it at home and do things at home, but it’s a shame — it is the way it is. There’s no one to blame. I guess the person to truly blame would just to say I should have thought more about it. It’s just something I’ve never [gone] through, and I was on my own. It’s unfortunate.”
On his response to fans who are concerned his time with the Washington Redskins is finished:
“Every part of me absolutely believes that not only will I continue to play for the Washington Redskins, but I’ll continue to be an outstanding player at the position I play. I have so much confidence in my ability to play tight end and my ability to play tight end at a very high level. Especially if I’m healthy. I’ve been here long enough, it’s amazing what this franchise means to me and what our fans mean to me and how supportive everyone has been of me. And of course you can talk about not playing again or [being traded] or getting cut, but I’m part of this team. And our general manager and our head coach believe in me and I believe in myself. And I have no doubt that I’ll play very well for us in the future… And not next year, but for a continued number of years. I have no desire to play for anyone else. I have no desire to be a part of any other organization. And I have no desire to retire. I absolutely love this game. I love coming to work. And the only thing I want to achieve is winning a Super Bowl. I’ve got to play to do that.”
On if he was always confident he would be back:
“I’m not at the point where I wonder if I’m going to be back. Again, I’ve spent plenty of time talking to people who matter in this organization and I know how people here feel about me. And again, I know how I feel myself and I know what it takes to continue to play for us.”
On if playing fullback while still nursing his knee helped him improve his blocking:
“I’ve always considered myself a pretty good blocker. That being said, for the six games, the 70 percent of the games I played, it was the most consistent that I blocked. It was the most consistent that I’d played. Obviously you can watch the game and know that I wasn’t affecting the game drastically by making receptions. But I felt like it was an accomplishment for me. I was very proud of the way I played. I was proud of what I had to go through to put myself on the field for the six weeks or seven weeks that I played. And I felt that I blocked well. Going forward, and really going into last season with Coach Shanahan and going forward, the most important thing about my game will be a consistent level of play. Being able to watch a game tape and say, 'I don’t want eight plays back, I don’t want six plays back. I blocked well. I ran routes well. I did what I can to help this team.’ And going forward, consistency will be the biggest thing for me.”
On if a Super Bowl title is his sole motivation:
“I’ve accomplished beyond my wildest dreams, individually, what I could have ever hoped for as a player. To have over 400 catches for this organization, to make two Pro Bowls, I’m amazed. I remember being in Hawaii [for the Pro Bowl] the first time thinking 'I didn’t even think I’d play in this league.’ A kid from Wyoming and I’m sitting here in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl looking around and Peyton Manning is sitting next to me. I mean, that’s amazing to me. That being said, that’s all fun and that’s a great part of this game, but the thing I remember the most is going to the Super Bowl and watching the Saints run out of the tunnel. I watched those guys run out of the tunnel and thought nothing would ever compare to that. Nothing would be the feeling of running onto the field to play the Super Bowl and being a part of a team that won the Super Bowl. But I’ve been here so long and this has been such an important part of my life — Washington D.C., I live in Leesburg — I don’t want to run through the tunnel in another uniform. I don’t want to finish my career looking at a team that can win the Super Bowl and say 'I want to go anywhere just to win a Super Bowl.’ This will be the only team I care about the rest of my life and I want to do it with this team. As cliché as that may sound, that’s true. I’m a fan of the Washington Redskins. I’m a fan of the guys that played before me and I love being a part of it. So, yeah, the Super Bowl for this team is really why I’ll continue to play this game.”
On how tough it will be to for him not to be able to play, especially if this team succeeds:
“It’s tough to take. It’s hard for me, this early in the year when I still believe we’re a very good football team, to say I’m going to sit and watch the games. I hate it. But it is what it is and there’s nothing I can do about that now. There’s nothing I can do besides try to help our players — Fred Davis, John Beck, our coaching staff — and do everything I can to help this team. I obviously can’t be on the field. So, just take it for what it is and make the most out of it.”
On being embraced by Redskins fans:
“Really I just feel lucky that I’ve played for an organization and a fan base that I can be myself. I think everyone in here has been around me long enough to know that I am myself. And people have embraced that and there’s nothing more you can ask for than to be somewhere that people care enough about you that they want you to be yourself and you can enjoy your life doing that.”
On why he didn’t hire a private rehab specialist during the lockout:
“Until June, I didn’t know it was a problem, and then I did do that. It was stiff. I hadn’t had that. But until the end of June, I thought I was still just recovering from surgery. I was working hard, but that’s something I think about all the time. Why didn’t I go to a physical therapy place in March, but ultimately the people that you trust and the people that you’re around are the trainers for the Washington Redskins and this is where I wanted to be.”
(Courtesy of the Washington Redskins)
Redskins Park
Executive Vice President/Head Coach Mike Shanahan
On the practice participation of several players:
“London [Fletcher] was limited. DeAngelo [Hall] did not practice. Rex [Grossman] was limited. [Oshiomogho] Atogwe was limited. [Trent Williams] did not practice. [Josh] Wilson was full. Byron Westbrook was full. [Donté Stallworth] was full, too. [Phillip Buchanon] was limited. [Reed Doughty] was full. Mike Sellers, in the weight room before practice, hurt his back and went to the hospital just by doing a rowing exercise. It’s quite sore right now. He’ll be in the hospital overnight and obviously did not practice today.”
On quarterback Rex Grossman:
“He came in a little bit last night and got the game plan and looked at a little film. You can tell that he’s been through a little bit of an ordeal the last 48 hours but he said that the hospital helped him out quite a bit and he’s feeling better. He took some snaps today, so that’s a good sign.”
On if the decision not to retain Horatio Blades and Chris Wilson this season has affected the kick return and kick coverage units:
“Well, look who replaces them. We’ve got some good guys replacing them, both those guys, some experienced guys who can run. Even though both those guys are very good players, we replaced them with some good players. I think it is the new rules for kickoffs. Everybody sees a difference. You take the ball eight yards deep. You get it to the 20-yard line and it’s still the 20-yard line. Rules are a little bit different. The opportunity is a little bit different as well.”
On punt returns:
“I think once you’ve proved you can return it, they’re going to be a little bit better in coverage. They’re going to kick it a little bit higher and you’re not going to get as many opportunities.”
On if he considered placing tight end Chris Cooley on the Physically Unable to Perform list in the preseason:
“To be honest, we probably should have went in that direction to start with. But we really thought Chris was feeling good and he indicated to us that he felt like he’d be ready to go, and if you look back and you had a normal offseason, I think he would have been on the PUP list. But coming back the way he did and us thinking he was able to go — and he felt like he was able to go — we didn’t go in that direction. Now, if he was on the PUP list, could he go full speed right now? I can’t answer that question. But I’m not sure that would have been in his best interest and our best interest if we had to do it over again and know for sure he was as bad as he was.”
On if he could have better evaluated Cooley for the PUP list if it had been a normal offseason:
“Without a question, yeah. You go through all of your OTA’s, and you go through your practices and you see how a knee responds. We thought he was in much better shape, at least with his knee, than he was. Once you activate somebody, you can’t go back.”
On if he agrees with Cooley’s assessment that it was a shame injured players couldn’t meet with team’s medical staff during the lockout:
“I agree with him 100 percent. I think that anybody that has an offseason surgery, you’re used to your training staff and the rehab process and if you’re not able to go through that process, I think it really hurts the players and sets people back.”
On a forward motion call that upset him on the first drive against Carolina:
“Well, I was more upset with the person that called it. He had the same angle I did. And so what I do is I share with the person that, if you had the same angle I did and I couldn’t tell, how could you tell? I leave those calls to the guys on the line of scrimmage. I was more concerned about who made the call when I couldn’t tell for sure if the guy was stopped. I thought he was in the same position as me. Those are the conversations that you share. Sometimes it’s a little bit different tone of voice than I’m sharing right now when those things occur. But those things happen. Sometimes you’re right, sometimes you’re wrong.”
On safety Kareem Moore’s return from the PUP list:
“He’s doing good. There’s been no setback. [He’s had] a couple good days of practice getting back in football shape. It’s good to have him out there practicing.”
On the work required by Director of Football Operations Paul Kelly to handle logistics for an international game:
“Well, it takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of time for every game, but especially when you’re dealing with a game outside the country. There’s so many different things that you have to go through, even just talking about passports, different rules at the airport, and when you leave. But he’s done a good job and he’s been at it quite hard for the last three months. He’s made a few trips and it takes a lot of time, a lot of organization… He’s been there before. It’s not his first rodeo. He’s been with different organizations and he understands what goes with the territory. I think it’s really hard the first time you ever experience it. You find out how long it takes and how much work is involved. But he’s done a good job with it.”
On the injury to cornerback DeAngelo Hall:
“I’m not really sure if it was from the game, because he felt pretty good on Monday and got a good workout. Tuesday, he felt it flare up. Wednesday, it set him back at practice. So I don’t know if it was a combination of an after effect from the game or if he did something that day.”
Offensive Coordinator Kyle Shanahan
On quarterback John Beck’s performance against Carolina:
“I thought he did a good job. It was his first time getting to start for us and I thought he did it and got in there and made some plays. Got us in the end zone a couple of times and I thought he did a good job.”
On if he saw improvements in Beck as the game went on:
“Yes. We gave him more opportunities as the game went on. We were running the ball pretty well early. I thought Carolina did a real good job running controlling the clock, too. He didn’t have as many opportunities, but once the game got a little more open, he got into a better rhythm in the second half.”
On Beck’s freedom to choose receivers after the play has been called:
“You have a concept on two sides. Pre-snap, you’ve got to pick the side that looks best and you go off of percentages based off of one side compared to the other. We had two different concepts. He took the single safety concept – looking one way. A lot of times, when a quarterback looks one way, you will see a lot of people open on the other side. A lot of people play with vision and watch the quarterback. Or if he looks the other way a lot of people are driving on that route, so it can be a little deceiving and the linebacker did a good job reading his eyes and got under and tipped the ball.”
On if running the ball was his game plan or if he was trying to ease Beck into the game:
“No, I think it was how we planned on attacking them. That is how we do a lot of games. You come out and you run the ball and we were moving the chains well. We were running the ball well and so you obviously stick with it. You know the opportunities we had, I thought Hightower was doing a good job. I think we have done that in some other games, but I think you just see how the game goes and what it dictates.”
On who is starting at running back:
“I am not sure about who the starter is yet, but we will see on Sunday.”
On not having Santana Moss:
“Santana is our captain and he is a great player. He is one of our leaders. Obviously, it will be tough without him but we believe in all the guys we got on our team and I am excited to see these young guys step up and I think they can make some plays for us also.”
On if he thinks Buffalo is going to adjust to what Beck does well:
“That is every week – I mean regardless of who your quarterback is. The more you put on tape as the year goes, the more that you have got to adjust. It is not just game-to-game, it is series-to-series and half-to-half, so I think that is the game of football. It is a chess match, and you always want to stay one step ahead. Any time a team takes something away, you’ve got to go back to something else.”
On how running backs Roy Helu and Ryan Torain complement each other:
“I think both are good running backs. Helu is definitely our fastest guy. I think Torain and Hightower are more similar, whereas Helu is the change-of-pace speed guy. Ryan is a hard nose runner and you guys have seen him last year and this year so far and Helu can make some plays too.”
On if Torain has improved his pass protection:
“Ryan has come a long way in protection. I think he is more confident in knowing who to get on. Just seeing his assignments and not seeing too much. We always try to say, 'See a little, see a lot’ and you don’t want to see everything and everyone sees the same. He has been locking into assignments much better. You know, Ryan is a physical guy and he doesn’t mind getting his face in people. When he is confident and getting on the right person, we are confident in him as a blocker.”
On tight end Dominique Bird:
“You know, coming out from college was the last time I really studied him. He is a guy who we know is athletic and he can separate and do some things in the pass game. I wanted to bring in a guy like that to see what he can do here and take a look at him.”
On tight end Chris Cooley’s role next year:
“I envision him having the same role. Cooley didn’t get to do as much this year before he got IR’d, but that wasn’t because of Fred [Davis]. That was because of Cooley missing training camp and him being slowed down by his knee. But what we asked him to do, he did a good job of. I am excited to get him back and get him healthy and I think Cooley has a great future here, and you need two tight ends.”
On if he could tell how much Cooley’s knee was bothering him:
“Yes, definitely. He knows, we knew. It is something that he battled through and he battled through hard. A lot of players I don’t think would have done that. He was still able to play at a high level doing that, but I think you have to take the long term into the decision of what he made and hopefully we will get him back next year healthy.”
On how much tight end Logan Paulsen has evolved:
“Logan is a good football player. Whatever you ask him to do, he might not be the fastest guy out there, and his strength definitely is blocking, but as you saw he can still make plays in the pass game. You ask him what you want him to do and you show it to him and he is going to spend as much time as anyone trying to figure it out and he finds a way to get it done. I got a lot of confidence in Logan just watching him and Beck on the scout team over the past two years. They have made a lot of plays together throwing the ball.”
Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett
On the Bills’ offense:
“I’ll tell you they’re very good in what they do, first of all. The quarterback is efficient, very smart and gets the ball out of his hand. They use the whole field. They have people lined up everywhere and they have 52 and whatever it is yards [sideline-to-sideline] and they use it all. Obviously, [Bills Head Coach] Chan [Gailey] does a good job with what they have. They have explosive players. The running back’s explosive and they get the ball out. They get a lot of turnovers and [they’re] really good on special teams so it’s a combination of everything.”
On Bills Head Coach Chan Gailey creating mismatches on offenses:
“I worked with Chan in Pittsburgh before he took the Dallas job and he’s a heck of a football coach. We had Kordell Stewart there and we used him in a number of ways. I know Chan’s creative and I know most of their staff and I think they do a great job of utilizing their personnel… Like I said, they spread the field and try to get you one-on-one with a mismatch.”
On the defense’s struggles against the Panthers:
“Obviously, this is a heck of a football team we said that and we knew that. We knew they had a heck of an offense, and the quarterback throws for 400 [yards] in the first two games and then he throws for 380 one game. You know you have your work cut out for you. The thing that they do is they have so many different things that you have to work on in a short time. You have the option, you have the quarterback read, you’ve got the unbalanced line, you’ve got spread sets and you have your normal stuff. To be efficient and be good at it, you need a lot of time in the summer and you have to work on it. We broke down in a couple of areas – the quarterback read they ran six times and we broke down two times, which led to big plays. The option they ran four times and we broke down one time. That led to a big play… So if you’re not perfect on all of those, and we weren’t, then we broke down in the running game one time. We had the force and the linebacker jumped inside and they got a 30-yard run, so those things add up over time. That’s a good offensive football team.”
On if the Panthers offense did anything for which the Redskins defense had not prepared:
“Not necessarily. The stuff that we got, we were ready for.”
On Head Coach Mike Shanahan saying that he needed to help prepare the defense more:
“Obviously, he’s a great offensive mind and he knows how to defend all of these types of things. It’s good to have a guy that you can go in and talk to and say, 'how do you think this should be played?’ That’s what I do with him a lot.”
On the Bills’ ability to limit sacks:
“I think more of it is the scheme with what they’re doing. [Fitzpatrick] gets the ball out of his hands fast. I had Ryan when we were with the Rams. I know he’s really smart and he knows where he’s going to throw it. When the ball comes out of his hand, he knows what the coverage is and he knows what’s going on. The protection, they throw quick. They do a good job utilizing the players. Obviously, they’ve got a good quarterback that doesn’t take a lot of sacks.”
On who he would compare to Bills running back Fred Jackson:
“He’s kind of by himself to me because he’s a really good running back. He’s really, really good in protection. He stones people. And he can go out and play wideout. He can run routes. He can go catch the ball. He can do everything, he really can. Besides being an explosive runner, he’s a really good receiver and really good pass protector.”
On if the team’s run defense is a concern:
“Two weeks ago, we had a lot of missed tackles. This week, there were a lot of mistakes that led to big plays. I think the quarterback has scrambled on us for 120 yards in the last two games. The first play, when he [Panthers quarterback Cam Newton] took off and ran, we had a sack, but our nickel didn’t set the corner, set the edge, and he took off an ran for whatever it was, 30 yards, and that adds up. But we’ll do a better job.”
On if cornerback Phillip Buchanon is ready to see more playing time:
“Well, we’ll see. We have a bunch of corners that are nicked up and I’m not really sure who’s playing. We’ll find out, we’re just working them all in this week and the healthy ones will play.”
On the possibility of linebacker London Fletcher not being able to play against the Bills:
“Well, guys have to step up and we feel good about [Keyaron] Fox and obviously Perry [Riley]. We feel we have a little depth there. Fox has played in the system before so I’m sure he’ll step in and do a great job.”
On linebacker Rocky McIntosh:
“I think Rocky’s been outstanding all year. No one played at a real high level last week, but I thought he played well and I thought the games before that, the first five games, he’s played outstanding. I think it’s night and day.”
On the lack of turnovers forced:
“That’s what we did last week. We had the ball on the ground twice again last week and we didn’t get it. We’ve had 14 or 15 fumbles and we’ve come up with three of them. We’ve got to come up with those things. Even last week, we had a chance to get off the field. I think the score was 9-6 or whatever… We had an opportunity to get that one fumble where we would have kept them off the board. That happened twice last week. Those things will start coming our way. Sometimes, you have to create those things.”
On if you have to cause a fumble on a blindside sack like linebacker Brian Orakpo’s against Carolina:
“Well, you would like him to. We talked about it all of the time. He had a free run to the quarterback. I know you want to secure the tackle on the big guy, but any time you come free on the quarterback, you want to chop the ball if you can. He knows that. He thought he could have jarred it out when he hit him. He hit him hard.”
On if he coaches the linebackers to force fumbles on sacks:
“We emphasize it. We worked on it last year — chopping the ball… The thing is, and I’m not making excuses for him because we need to get more of them, [Orakpo’s] left handed and he’s on the right side, so it’s not a natural chop for him. It’s not like you’re on the left side and he can chop. He’s got to get used to doing it and then he’ll become good at getting the ball out. He’s unbelievable. He did a great job rushing the quarterback last week. We pressed [Panthers offensive tackle Jordan] Gross all day, which is what we wanted to do — be powerful around the guy. He did a nice job, but he needs to work on getting the ball out a little bit more.”
On how much freedom players have to read and react to plays:
“If it’s an empty set, they can widen their alignments based off who’s the inside rush guy [and] who’s the outside rush guy. They can widen their alignments and they get a little more leeway to take an edge on somebody.”
On what he needs to see for safety Kareem Moore to be activated:
“He just needs time on the grass to get ready. He hasn’t practiced in a long time. I know he’s a little tired today from all of the work he got. We’ll monitor him to see how he does over the next couple of weeks.”
On cornerback Kevin Barnes’ play in the last two weeks:
“I didn’t think Kevin [Barnes] played his best game last week. He can play better like most of the players out there last week. He’s done good for us. He has a good understanding, but he’s a lot like any of the other guys that were out there last week. He could have played better, but all of those guys could have.”
On if Barnes is still adjusting to playing nickel back:
“He’s just a young guy that never played there. If he keeps working at it, he’ll get better and better as he goes. I like Kevin when he’s aggressive because he’s got long arms. He’s a big body [and] long. When he puts his hands on people, I think that’s when he’s most efficient. I don’t like him when he’s playing off so much or he’s playing in space because he’s got those long legs and I think he’s better when he’s more aggressive.”
On if Barnes plays more on or off receivers:
“We change that up based off what we see and it’s not. Sometimes, it’s the coverage. Sometimes, the coverage dictates how he’s going to play.”
On why cornerback DeAngelo Hall wasn’t covering Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith the whole game:
“Like I said, they do so many things with their offense. When you run a wildcat and then you run unbalanced and you run this option and you run this quarterback read - it’s time consuming trying to get everybody lined up and in the right position… We think we have two pretty good corners, Josh [Wilson] being one of them. If he got Steve, Josh is fast and he can cover. Steve is a heck of a football player. [He’s] the most competitive receiver that I’ve been around in a long time. He’s a great player.”
Tight End Chris Cooley
On what was discussed in his meeting with head coach Mike Shanahan and general manager Bruce Allen:
“I traveled down to Pensacola [Fla.], met with Dr. [James] Andrews again. We did another MRI of my knee. We did more weight-bearing X-rays of my knee. We made a conscious decision that four to five weeks wasn’t enough time to ensure it getting better. We didn’t want to have to go in further and do a microfracture surgery. We felt that microfracture would probably limit my chances of playing at all next season and so we made the decision that if I take three to four months right now without running [and] seriously rehabbing my knee [that] I should be fine next year. I should have no swelling and not have to incur a more invasive procedure and that was in the best interest of not only myself, but of the Washington Redskins and me performing for this team for the next four or five years. It was unfortunate to me because I feel like this is a team that has an opportunity to win and I told Mike I would never forgive myself if we are in the playoffs and I can’t play in any role. Even in the capacity that I was at, the opportunity to help this team win meant so much to me that I didn’t want to spend time out. I want to help the team, [but] I can’t hold them hostage. I can’t go into Coach Shanahan’s office and say, 'you’re going to give me seven weeks and you’re going to hold a roster spot for me, while I hopefully get better.’ That’s not fair to anybody and I’m completely comfortable with the decision that was made for me to go on IR. I’m completely comfortable with spending the time with our organization, with [trainers] Larry Hess and with Elliot Jermyn and fully rehabbing my knee. [I’m] looking forward to being an elite tight end in this league, which I know I am when I’m healthy.”
On his trip to Pensacola to meet with Dr. Andrews:
“We talked about some stuff. I’m not too comfortable talking about exactly what went on.”
On the possibility of suffering a microfracture if he continued to play:
“Microfracture is a long recovery time and it’s not 100 percent. Dr. Andrews thought a microfracture would be 50/50, at best 70 percent, that I would play again. We felt that based on the wear in the medial side of my knee, and based on previous cases that a lot of players play with what I have, my problem wasn’t just my medial cartilage. It was the entire joint staying inflamed because I couldn’t keep swelling out of it. So I was also incurring quite a bit of tendinitis. I had a lot of lateral pain, which is very strange. To be honest with you, it hurt to run 10 yards. I could admit it to myself and to our coaches. I wouldn’t say it to anybody else. But at the point I hit 10 yards, I wasn’t fast, I wasn’t quick out of cuts. That being said, the role I was in, playing some fullback and blocking at the line of scrimmage, I was helping this team in the capacity I was at. If it got worse, the question was, would I have helped us? I don’t know. Regardless, with my finger being broken, I was going to need some time off. I think everyone felt it best for me and again for the team [to go on Injured Reserve].”
On if he thought he was done:
“No. I’m a pretty stubborn person. For whatever reason, I have a high pain tolerance. It’s not because I think I’m tough. Just naturally, I have a higher pain tolerance. We talked about draining my knee a couple of weeks ago and people said, 'oh, he had a setback because he drained his knee.’ I drained a hundred cc’s out of my knee 15 times this season. So that’s what I was going through. And we were hoping to continue to maintain it and drain it early in the week and we were doing a [platelet rich plasma] procedure which was helping and I was hoping to continue on that pace. But when we stepped back and analyzed it again, with me having time off, we just said this is not right. It’s not normal for anyone to do this and it’s going to get worse.”
On if he had felt “right” since camp opened:
“I felt terrible when we got back from training camp which I was really disappointed in. I feel like that’s a letdown to the team, the organization, to the fans, to show up after six months off and not be better. I felt almost embarrassed that I wasn’t better from my injury. So I wanted to do everything I could to play right then. It wasn’t that I didn’t do anything. I mean, I worked hard. I probably should have taken more time rehabbing initially. That’s again the stubbornness of me thinking I’m going to be OK and I’m going to just work through pain. That’s how I’ve gotten through my entire career was working through pain and it has always worked. And it didn’t work this time.”
On if there was a procedure performed on his knee:
“There was no procedure done to my knee. There was no surgery done on my knee. I’m on crutches because we want to spend the next two weeks keeping all of the weight off my knee. They don’t want me to walk around. If I walk out of this room, I’m not going to limp and I’m not going to feel any soreness. We just want the inflammation in my joint to diminish.”
On if he thought he’d be 100 percent for the preseason:
“The absolute hope, again like I said, from a lot of players playing with the same type of knee that I have and the same type of wear, that I’ll be 100 percent. A good friend of mine, Todd Yoder, is a good example. He has more cartilage lost than I have and he didn’t have anywhere near the swelling or the pain that I have. I just don’t think I ever let it calm down enough after surgery.”
On if his inability to get treatment during the lockout contributed to his injury:
“I feel 100 percent — and I’m not blaming anybody — that I’m a casualty for the season of the lockout. I think it was a shame that they didn’t let players who had surgery spend time with the doctors and trainers that they trust on a daily basis. I wished I could have… What I went through in July, I think I could have went through in March. But I felt OK in March when I was cleared. I started doing things and it slowly swelled up and I wasn’t here. I can ice it at home and do things at home, but it’s a shame — it is the way it is. There’s no one to blame. I guess the person to truly blame would just to say I should have thought more about it. It’s just something I’ve never [gone] through, and I was on my own. It’s unfortunate.”
On his response to fans who are concerned his time with the Washington Redskins is finished:
“Every part of me absolutely believes that not only will I continue to play for the Washington Redskins, but I’ll continue to be an outstanding player at the position I play. I have so much confidence in my ability to play tight end and my ability to play tight end at a very high level. Especially if I’m healthy. I’ve been here long enough, it’s amazing what this franchise means to me and what our fans mean to me and how supportive everyone has been of me. And of course you can talk about not playing again or [being traded] or getting cut, but I’m part of this team. And our general manager and our head coach believe in me and I believe in myself. And I have no doubt that I’ll play very well for us in the future… And not next year, but for a continued number of years. I have no desire to play for anyone else. I have no desire to be a part of any other organization. And I have no desire to retire. I absolutely love this game. I love coming to work. And the only thing I want to achieve is winning a Super Bowl. I’ve got to play to do that.”
On if he was always confident he would be back:
“I’m not at the point where I wonder if I’m going to be back. Again, I’ve spent plenty of time talking to people who matter in this organization and I know how people here feel about me. And again, I know how I feel myself and I know what it takes to continue to play for us.”
On if playing fullback while still nursing his knee helped him improve his blocking:
“I’ve always considered myself a pretty good blocker. That being said, for the six games, the 70 percent of the games I played, it was the most consistent that I blocked. It was the most consistent that I’d played. Obviously you can watch the game and know that I wasn’t affecting the game drastically by making receptions. But I felt like it was an accomplishment for me. I was very proud of the way I played. I was proud of what I had to go through to put myself on the field for the six weeks or seven weeks that I played. And I felt that I blocked well. Going forward, and really going into last season with Coach Shanahan and going forward, the most important thing about my game will be a consistent level of play. Being able to watch a game tape and say, 'I don’t want eight plays back, I don’t want six plays back. I blocked well. I ran routes well. I did what I can to help this team.’ And going forward, consistency will be the biggest thing for me.”
On if a Super Bowl title is his sole motivation:
“I’ve accomplished beyond my wildest dreams, individually, what I could have ever hoped for as a player. To have over 400 catches for this organization, to make two Pro Bowls, I’m amazed. I remember being in Hawaii [for the Pro Bowl] the first time thinking 'I didn’t even think I’d play in this league.’ A kid from Wyoming and I’m sitting here in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl looking around and Peyton Manning is sitting next to me. I mean, that’s amazing to me. That being said, that’s all fun and that’s a great part of this game, but the thing I remember the most is going to the Super Bowl and watching the Saints run out of the tunnel. I watched those guys run out of the tunnel and thought nothing would ever compare to that. Nothing would be the feeling of running onto the field to play the Super Bowl and being a part of a team that won the Super Bowl. But I’ve been here so long and this has been such an important part of my life — Washington D.C., I live in Leesburg — I don’t want to run through the tunnel in another uniform. I don’t want to finish my career looking at a team that can win the Super Bowl and say 'I want to go anywhere just to win a Super Bowl.’ This will be the only team I care about the rest of my life and I want to do it with this team. As cliché as that may sound, that’s true. I’m a fan of the Washington Redskins. I’m a fan of the guys that played before me and I love being a part of it. So, yeah, the Super Bowl for this team is really why I’ll continue to play this game.”
On how tough it will be to for him not to be able to play, especially if this team succeeds:
“It’s tough to take. It’s hard for me, this early in the year when I still believe we’re a very good football team, to say I’m going to sit and watch the games. I hate it. But it is what it is and there’s nothing I can do about that now. There’s nothing I can do besides try to help our players — Fred Davis, John Beck, our coaching staff — and do everything I can to help this team. I obviously can’t be on the field. So, just take it for what it is and make the most out of it.”
On being embraced by Redskins fans:
“Really I just feel lucky that I’ve played for an organization and a fan base that I can be myself. I think everyone in here has been around me long enough to know that I am myself. And people have embraced that and there’s nothing more you can ask for than to be somewhere that people care enough about you that they want you to be yourself and you can enjoy your life doing that.”
On why he didn’t hire a private rehab specialist during the lockout:
“Until June, I didn’t know it was a problem, and then I did do that. It was stiff. I hadn’t had that. But until the end of June, I thought I was still just recovering from surgery. I was working hard, but that’s something I think about all the time. Why didn’t I go to a physical therapy place in March, but ultimately the people that you trust and the people that you’re around are the trainers for the Washington Redskins and this is where I wanted to be.”
(Courtesy of the Washington Redskins)
