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April 2, 2014
Redskins Park
Wide Receiver DeSean Jackson
On why the Redskins are a good fit and how his familiarity with Washington played into his decision:
"I think first off, I feel they embraced me as far as RGIII [Robert Griffin III], [DeAngelo] Hall reached out to me and made it feel like it was home for me here. After everything that was going on the past couple days and the last week, that’s a big step and first move for me. I think DeAngelo Hall really stepped up to the plate and you know called me and just said, 'Look bro, I know I've been playing against you for a long time but this is a situation where I think if you came in here, I think you could help us out a lot.' You know, for myself I was at a point in my career where that made me very humble – to everything to go down the way it happened – but coming here, Bruce Allen, Mr. Snyder, Jay Gruden, I think it was an open arms situation. And I was just looking for an opportunity to come in and be productive and help out any way possible. I think this place right here is a great place and has some great things going on and I’m just happy to be an addition to help this team win."
On how he responds to negative reports about his character:
"Honestly, man, I'm not here really to address that. I feel the people that really know me and know what type of player I am, they respect me and they know I'm a team guy. I just go out there and put it on the line for what I do and who I'm around, so I think that’s never really been a problem. Here, the best thing I can say is you know you have got a group of guys that would love to play with me and stepped up and kind of supported me and supported my situation. So I'm looking forward. I'm happy about the situation I'm in here and like I said, at the end of the day, it's all about winning in the NFL. We all know what it comes down to. Everybody's happy when you're winning. That’s the biggest thing I can say is I feel like I am around a group of guys that are very talented, and at the same time, they’re young, they’re in their prime and I'm just happy to be an addition to the Washington Redskins, and the city has done a great job of reaching out and showing me how much they care and appreciate my game and what I'm able to do. That’s what we look forward to."
On if he feels he now has something to prove and quarterback Robert Griffin III's influence on his decision:
"First off, I'll start off saying I think it's a part of being a professional. I'm not going to sit here and say I don’t or I do have anything to prove. I think every time I go out on the field and step on that field, you want to have much success and you want to do things that you’re known for doing. As far as Robert Griffin, I think he's done a great job of embracing me and calling me as soon as he knew I was a free agent and saying, 'I want to do my best to be able to get you here.’ I think they respect him enough out here to just hear him out and listen to him and he had a big part of getting me to sign here, so I praise him and DeAngelo Hall to the utmost respect. Those guys stoop up for me and they just embraced me. They knew what my talent was and they knew what I could help bring to the football team, so that was the end of the decision."
On if he was surprised by being released by the Philadelphia Eagles and how motivated he is to play the Eagles twice a year:
"Like I said before, it was a humbling experience for myself, me being at the peak of my career and doing some great things in this league the first six years, this going on my seventh year. I think I'm very humbled for me to be where I'm at and for me to be able to be released like that. But at the same time I feel moving forward is the best for me and it’s the best for ahead of me as well being added to the Redskins and being able to come to a team where they just won the division the previous year before. There's some great things that’s going out here in Washington. As far as putting out the statement having to address that, I just felt that was the right thing to do at the right time and eventually I think people will really understand to see the real DeSean Jackson and not see the painted picture that was put out on me. The best thing I can say is I'm moving forward, man. I'm going to do everything I need to do to be a Washington Redskin and do my job at the utmost and be respected by people in this league and people in the organization being a Redskin. Like I said, there's a lot of things to look forward to with this.”
On if he has picked a jersey number and if he has discussed taking No. 10 from Griffin III:
"I definitely am familiar with the No. 10 on Robert Griffin. But, you know, we've talked about it a little bit, but there hasn’t been a decision that’s been made yet so far, but maybe by the time season starts we'll know. But maybe RGIII will wear No. 3 and I'll try to get in 10. We'll see how it goes though. Never know."
On his initial impressions of Head Coach Jay Gruden and Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay:
“My initial impression of meeting them was – I’m familiar with Jay Gruden, obviously, because of Jon Gruden, his older brother, but I’ve kind of been keeping my eye on him the past couple of years in Cincinnati and seeing what he was able to do with Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. So my eyes have kind of been on him. As far as Sean, I have met him a couple times because he has been here and been the tight end coach. But I think them two guys together are very intelligent and it’s kind of similar to what I learned in the past in Coach [Andy] Reid’s offense. So I think it will be a very great fit and I don’t think it will be hard for me to catch on and learn it because some of the same terminology, I have already been using it, so I think it will be a smooth transition.”
On how much the offense’s potential played into his decision:
“That was a key factor with this whole decision. Seeing what Pierre Garçon did last year, Robert Griffin – having a great year too regardless of the record – I think Alfred Morris, them guys are very talented guys in this league. And I think throughout the league people will know that. It’s going to have to be a decision-maker on defenses. So we’re just going to figure out what roles will be played and how we’ll go throughout training camp and offseason workouts, and whatever role it is, I’ll be happy to play it. Anything I’m asked to do, I’m going to go out there and do it to my utmost ability and have fun and do it at the same time. The biggest thing about this move is finding a place where I can be happy and go out there and just be myself and I think here was the best fit for that so I’m very excited about it.”
On the number of weapons on offense and how opposing defenses will try to stop them:
“All this – we have to put in work, which is due first. We have all offseason. We’re able to come in early because of the new head coach and stuff, so I think the offseason and the work we put in will speak for itself. Once we kind of get into that mode and get into different phases with the offseason workouts, I think we’ll have a better feeling for what’s going to go on and how it is going to be played out. It’s the early stages, but I think everybody as far as Washington Redskins fans and everybody in this building is very stoked and happy about the situation and myself as well. I’m happy to be here. We just want to come together as one and hopefully win as many games as possible and at the end of the year be one of the last teams standing. So I think that’s the biggest thing as far as being a professional athlete and being in this league, that’s all you can really ask for. So as long as we can do that, I think everybody will be happy.”
On having a first-year coach in Jay Gruden after having a first-year coach in Chip Kelly last season:
“Honestly, Chip Kelly came in, he did a great job. He had a great year. But I’m moving forward and I’m proud to be a Washington Redskin. Jay Gruden, I think he’s a very intelligent guy, once again, and I saw some of the success he had with A.J. Green and Andy Dalton with the Cincinnati Bengals. So I think he’ll do a great job here. He has a lot of weapons. He has a lot of toys to mess around with, so I think he’ll do a great job. He’s a great guy, great person, and we’re better off to say, 'Let’s get it on and have a great year.’”
On how excited he will be to face the Eagles:
“I definitely will be very excited about the opportunity that is presented, regardless of who we’re playing. Obviously me coming from the Eagles, that will definitely be emotional and a big game, but I like to say every game that we’ll play this year will be the same way. You know, I’ve never been to the visiting locker room in the Linc [Lincoln Financial Field] before, so somebody will probably have to show me the way to get there.”
On his relationship with cornerback DeAngelo Hall:
“My relationship with DeAngelo Hall off-the-field – you know, he’s like a big brother to myself. Regardless of what people saw us on the field get into scraps and fights, back and forth, things like that, he’s always embraced me and I always respected him with the utmost abilities. I think it will be a great transaction for me to be here and me compete against him all offseason practice and training camp and things like that. I think we’ll be able to make each other better. I’m just excited about the opportunity and I’m happy to move forward in my life and just go out there and do what I need to do to help my team win games.”
On his final thought:
“I just would like to tell everybody and give everybody a little insight about myself. Coming from Los Angeles, California, being where I’ve been in my life and doing the things I’ve done – you know, I’ve lost my dad to pancreatic cancer. I started a foundation – the DeSean Jackson Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer – so I want everybody to know I will be foot-in-first in the community. And I actually have a book called “No Bullies in the Huddle.” I go to different schools and do a lot of speaking engagements to kids to let them know that bullying is not cool and that’s not the right thing to do. First off, I’m just looking forward to meeting everybody in person and I’m ready to go out there and just embrace all my fans and just have fun and doing what I love to do, which is to play football and score touchdowns and help my team win. So that’s the overall about myself and I just want to open everything up with welcome hands and welcome arms, so I appreciate everybody for hearing me out and being upfront and being cool with me as well.”
Redskins Park
Wide Receiver DeSean Jackson
On why the Redskins are a good fit and how his familiarity with Washington played into his decision:
"I think first off, I feel they embraced me as far as RGIII [Robert Griffin III], [DeAngelo] Hall reached out to me and made it feel like it was home for me here. After everything that was going on the past couple days and the last week, that’s a big step and first move for me. I think DeAngelo Hall really stepped up to the plate and you know called me and just said, 'Look bro, I know I've been playing against you for a long time but this is a situation where I think if you came in here, I think you could help us out a lot.' You know, for myself I was at a point in my career where that made me very humble – to everything to go down the way it happened – but coming here, Bruce Allen, Mr. Snyder, Jay Gruden, I think it was an open arms situation. And I was just looking for an opportunity to come in and be productive and help out any way possible. I think this place right here is a great place and has some great things going on and I’m just happy to be an addition to help this team win."
On how he responds to negative reports about his character:
"Honestly, man, I'm not here really to address that. I feel the people that really know me and know what type of player I am, they respect me and they know I'm a team guy. I just go out there and put it on the line for what I do and who I'm around, so I think that’s never really been a problem. Here, the best thing I can say is you know you have got a group of guys that would love to play with me and stepped up and kind of supported me and supported my situation. So I'm looking forward. I'm happy about the situation I'm in here and like I said, at the end of the day, it's all about winning in the NFL. We all know what it comes down to. Everybody's happy when you're winning. That’s the biggest thing I can say is I feel like I am around a group of guys that are very talented, and at the same time, they’re young, they’re in their prime and I'm just happy to be an addition to the Washington Redskins, and the city has done a great job of reaching out and showing me how much they care and appreciate my game and what I'm able to do. That’s what we look forward to."
On if he feels he now has something to prove and quarterback Robert Griffin III's influence on his decision:
"First off, I'll start off saying I think it's a part of being a professional. I'm not going to sit here and say I don’t or I do have anything to prove. I think every time I go out on the field and step on that field, you want to have much success and you want to do things that you’re known for doing. As far as Robert Griffin, I think he's done a great job of embracing me and calling me as soon as he knew I was a free agent and saying, 'I want to do my best to be able to get you here.’ I think they respect him enough out here to just hear him out and listen to him and he had a big part of getting me to sign here, so I praise him and DeAngelo Hall to the utmost respect. Those guys stoop up for me and they just embraced me. They knew what my talent was and they knew what I could help bring to the football team, so that was the end of the decision."
On if he was surprised by being released by the Philadelphia Eagles and how motivated he is to play the Eagles twice a year:
"Like I said before, it was a humbling experience for myself, me being at the peak of my career and doing some great things in this league the first six years, this going on my seventh year. I think I'm very humbled for me to be where I'm at and for me to be able to be released like that. But at the same time I feel moving forward is the best for me and it’s the best for ahead of me as well being added to the Redskins and being able to come to a team where they just won the division the previous year before. There's some great things that’s going out here in Washington. As far as putting out the statement having to address that, I just felt that was the right thing to do at the right time and eventually I think people will really understand to see the real DeSean Jackson and not see the painted picture that was put out on me. The best thing I can say is I'm moving forward, man. I'm going to do everything I need to do to be a Washington Redskin and do my job at the utmost and be respected by people in this league and people in the organization being a Redskin. Like I said, there's a lot of things to look forward to with this.”
On if he has picked a jersey number and if he has discussed taking No. 10 from Griffin III:
"I definitely am familiar with the No. 10 on Robert Griffin. But, you know, we've talked about it a little bit, but there hasn’t been a decision that’s been made yet so far, but maybe by the time season starts we'll know. But maybe RGIII will wear No. 3 and I'll try to get in 10. We'll see how it goes though. Never know."
On his initial impressions of Head Coach Jay Gruden and Offensive Coordinator Sean McVay:
“My initial impression of meeting them was – I’m familiar with Jay Gruden, obviously, because of Jon Gruden, his older brother, but I’ve kind of been keeping my eye on him the past couple of years in Cincinnati and seeing what he was able to do with Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. So my eyes have kind of been on him. As far as Sean, I have met him a couple times because he has been here and been the tight end coach. But I think them two guys together are very intelligent and it’s kind of similar to what I learned in the past in Coach [Andy] Reid’s offense. So I think it will be a very great fit and I don’t think it will be hard for me to catch on and learn it because some of the same terminology, I have already been using it, so I think it will be a smooth transition.”
On how much the offense’s potential played into his decision:
“That was a key factor with this whole decision. Seeing what Pierre Garçon did last year, Robert Griffin – having a great year too regardless of the record – I think Alfred Morris, them guys are very talented guys in this league. And I think throughout the league people will know that. It’s going to have to be a decision-maker on defenses. So we’re just going to figure out what roles will be played and how we’ll go throughout training camp and offseason workouts, and whatever role it is, I’ll be happy to play it. Anything I’m asked to do, I’m going to go out there and do it to my utmost ability and have fun and do it at the same time. The biggest thing about this move is finding a place where I can be happy and go out there and just be myself and I think here was the best fit for that so I’m very excited about it.”
On the number of weapons on offense and how opposing defenses will try to stop them:
“All this – we have to put in work, which is due first. We have all offseason. We’re able to come in early because of the new head coach and stuff, so I think the offseason and the work we put in will speak for itself. Once we kind of get into that mode and get into different phases with the offseason workouts, I think we’ll have a better feeling for what’s going to go on and how it is going to be played out. It’s the early stages, but I think everybody as far as Washington Redskins fans and everybody in this building is very stoked and happy about the situation and myself as well. I’m happy to be here. We just want to come together as one and hopefully win as many games as possible and at the end of the year be one of the last teams standing. So I think that’s the biggest thing as far as being a professional athlete and being in this league, that’s all you can really ask for. So as long as we can do that, I think everybody will be happy.”
On having a first-year coach in Jay Gruden after having a first-year coach in Chip Kelly last season:
“Honestly, Chip Kelly came in, he did a great job. He had a great year. But I’m moving forward and I’m proud to be a Washington Redskin. Jay Gruden, I think he’s a very intelligent guy, once again, and I saw some of the success he had with A.J. Green and Andy Dalton with the Cincinnati Bengals. So I think he’ll do a great job here. He has a lot of weapons. He has a lot of toys to mess around with, so I think he’ll do a great job. He’s a great guy, great person, and we’re better off to say, 'Let’s get it on and have a great year.’”
On how excited he will be to face the Eagles:
“I definitely will be very excited about the opportunity that is presented, regardless of who we’re playing. Obviously me coming from the Eagles, that will definitely be emotional and a big game, but I like to say every game that we’ll play this year will be the same way. You know, I’ve never been to the visiting locker room in the Linc [Lincoln Financial Field] before, so somebody will probably have to show me the way to get there.”
On his relationship with cornerback DeAngelo Hall:
“My relationship with DeAngelo Hall off-the-field – you know, he’s like a big brother to myself. Regardless of what people saw us on the field get into scraps and fights, back and forth, things like that, he’s always embraced me and I always respected him with the utmost abilities. I think it will be a great transaction for me to be here and me compete against him all offseason practice and training camp and things like that. I think we’ll be able to make each other better. I’m just excited about the opportunity and I’m happy to move forward in my life and just go out there and do what I need to do to help my team win games.”
On his final thought:
“I just would like to tell everybody and give everybody a little insight about myself. Coming from Los Angeles, California, being where I’ve been in my life and doing the things I’ve done – you know, I’ve lost my dad to pancreatic cancer. I started a foundation – the DeSean Jackson Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer – so I want everybody to know I will be foot-in-first in the community. And I actually have a book called “No Bullies in the Huddle.” I go to different schools and do a lot of speaking engagements to kids to let them know that bullying is not cool and that’s not the right thing to do. First off, I’m just looking forward to meeting everybody in person and I’m ready to go out there and just embrace all my fans and just have fun and doing what I love to do, which is to play football and score touchdowns and help my team win. So that’s the overall about myself and I just want to open everything up with welcome hands and welcome arms, so I appreciate everybody for hearing me out and being upfront and being cool with me as well.”