Atlanta Falcons players and coaches speak to the media following practice at AT&T Training Camp

How's training camp been going this far? >> It's been pretty good. I mean, uh, going into year six, I think it's the best weather we've had, so that's always a big bonus. This battling the elements is the hardest thing about training camp. >> What's it been like working with Callahan so far? >> It's been really good. Um, he brings in a whole new perspective on things and he just has so much knowledge throughout the years as a coach. So, he's really bringing in new things for us to work on and really develop our games with. >> Besides the newness, a bunch of guys have talked about how detailoriented he is. What are the meetings like with him? >> Yeah, very sharp. You got to stay on your toes. He'll uh he'll make sure you don't fall asleep at all and just fire out questions at you. >> When you talk about newness, are they new drills in particular? Is it a new way of approaching the same drills? Is it new feedback? Like what what is new? >> It's a good bit of everything. Um new drills, new ways to approach it. Just new little nuances and techniques that you can really add to your game to supplement just the strengths we have. You guys are going to do things a little bit differently in the run game from what I understand. How much do you enjoy the challenge of changing what you guys have done here for a little while and getting to what Bill wants you guys to do? >> Yeah, it's always a challenge running the ball and I mean this game it's it's definitely very prideful and it's something that we've been able to do in the past very well and we want to continue it. >> How's it working with Tua getting his cadences down and things like that? >> It's been good. Um I mean Tua is a big pro him behind the behind us. It's uh it's been really good. >> What have been uh I guess the unique things about having two left-handed quarterbacks? I know you're lefty yourself, but it's got to be the first time you played with two of these guys, right? In the same room. >> Yeah, I mean Mike was the first one I've been around and I think I'm the first lefty they've been around, too. So, it's been good. I mean, I I'm sure it's really nice just having both them kind of the same arm, just kind of the same spin on the ball. I've heard that's a little bit of a change. >> What are the adjustments that you have to make uh as far as your your snaps with lefties? >> Uh it's nothing for me. I'd say it's just a little bit different for the tackles. just who's on the blind side. Got it. >> Speaking of new, obviously tons of new staff. We're talking about Callahan, but beside that, there's so many new faces around. What do you feel like the vibe of this bu building is at this point? >> I mean, it's been good. Uh riding on good on high vibes. Everybody just wants to get better. I mean, we've been uh close in the past and we just really need to get over the hump. >> Ryan, you weren't here last year and there wasn't a lot of starters playing in the preseason. How important is that for these guys to get out there? Coach says play football, you need to play football. Do you like that idea seeing the starters get some action? Yeah, it's always important. I mean, going against the same people in practice, sometimes it just gets a little repetitive, which you can always get better, but seeing just new fronts, new people in the preseason really gets you ready to go week one. >> It probably varies play by play, but I'm curious. Can you help me understand maybe how a center's role on a screen play is different from maybe a tackles or or guards just given how interior you're starting? >> Yeah, we just have uh kind of a different mindset. Obviously, everybody has a little bit more of a workload on certain plays, but just being a center, you just got to get it started, get it IDed, and just get everyone on the same page. >> Is it more about kind of like I'm holding the water maybe on the backside so nobody chases it? >> Yeah, I mean slipping and being >> there's a bunch of plays. So, honestly, it's it's all just it's all just different on each one. Yeah, you can do a little bit of everything. >> Cool. >> All right, Tyler, preseason game number one. Obviously, it's exciting for anyone to play against somebody else and to actually play football at this time of year, but what are you looking forward to? Um, like you said, I'm looking forward to competing against another team. Um, you know, we've been practicing for two weeks now, uh, going against our defense and they've been competing against our offense. Uh, so it's going to be great to see a different color out there. Um, I'm looking forward just to play the game of football. You know, it's a it's a kids game. Uh, we play a little kids game with a bunch of big kids out here. So, I'm looking forward to the energy, the atmosphere, and uh, seeing the fans out there, and also playing uh, playing a good game of football. >> What's fun about this running back room? >> Uh, everybody is just a good person, you know. um we compete on the field, but when we're off the field, everybody is making sure everybody's on the same page. Uh making sure they know what to do, making sure they know the little details of the playbook. Um it's just good to see that uh you know, you got guys in the room that's trying to help other guys um stay at the standard that we hold ourselves into the running back room and that's to be elite running backs in the league and to be the number one running back room in this league. >> What's the personal standard that you hold for yourself? >> Uh to be great. Um I come in each and every day um and work the hardest I can. uh take advantage of every opportunity. Um I'm going on year five now. Uh I've been waiting for a chance to play running back and I feel like this is a fresh start for me with the new staff coming in and I get to go in and show my capabilities and my abilities and what I'm able to do on the football field and off the football field as well. Um so I'm just looking forward to uh just setting setting my standard as high as possible and setting the bar as high as possible for me. >> You talk about a change of scenery. I mean when you had the opportunity to come here, what went through your mind? >> Home. Home for for sure. Um, I went to high school in Noon High School, probably about 15, 20 minutes up the road. Um, so it's a real moment. I got my family here. Uh, I got family in Carolina, too. It's nothing but 3 hours away. No more planes. Uh, so, uh, it's just a real moment for me. Not just only see my family, but my friends as well. Um, and everything just feel like it's on God's timing and it's aligning the right way. >> Did you see Bejon talking to Kendall Daniels on the field, talking or chirping at him the other day? Did you see? >> Yes, I did. I did. I did. I don't think uh I'm a running back bias, so I don't think Kendall's making that tackle. Let's just I'm going to be real. Um >> he said he was smart enough not to hit BJ. >> For sure. For sure. Everybody's Everybody should be smart enough to hit BJ in the moment cuz we're trying to get ready for week one. Um for sure. But um I don't think he's making that tackle. Um that goes for any any linebacker. Uh I don't care who the linebacker was. I don't think nobody's making the tackle. >> But when you see someone like Bejan, who you know now off the field, he's like the nicest person ever, but on the field very competitive, very fiery. When you see something like that, how exciting is that to be a part of that? >> It's very exciting. No. Uh it just shows that everybody has a a certain standard they hold theirself to. Um whether it's competing against your own teammate or competing against a guy from another team. Um it doesn't matter. Uh we hold ourselves to standards and we try to excel past those standards. Um and that's the that's the biggest thing about this game. Uh you can never get too high, too low. Uh just go out there and compete and be yourself. >> You got a plant. >> Did you get a plant? >> I did get a plant. >> What plant did you get? >> It's a great question. I just know my plant is going to be the one that holds up. So, Petri gives you guys these plants. Yes. >> And he says, "Whoever keeps it alive, what what's the situation?" >> See, I don't know the prize. That's the thing. I don't think they told they haven't told us a prize, but whatever the prize is, I will win. Um, >> but you know nothing about your plant. >> I know. It's okay. But I know how to take care of a plant. That that's that's what matters. You know what I mean? You know, a little bit of water, you know what I'm saying? A little bit of sunlight, about 2, three hours of sunlight, direct sunlight, and indirect sunlight. You know what I mean? So, I know I know the little process a little bit. >> Has anybody had theirs already uh, you know, passed away yet? >> One more time. Has anybody had theirs already die yet? >> Uh, I haven't really been paying attention to other people's plans. Just mine, you know, just focus on >> internal vision, you know what I mean? Just just focus on my plan, you know what I mean? >> I'm sure you knew like watching Vision from afar that he was a very unique guy. What surprised you about him though, just kind of hanging around him last handful of months? >> Uh, just how good of a person he is. Um, you know, some guys of uh those calibers, uh, those type of u hype as you would say. Um, could be a different person on off the field. It just surprised me how good of a person he is and how humble he is. Um, and when I came in, he uh was great to me. Uh, made sure I knew what was going on in the playbook. Uh, we talk on and off the field, football related or non- football related, whatever the case may be. So, uh, that's that's what really surprised me the most. Um, football really didn't surprise me. We all knew he was uh, as good as an athlete as he is and well, as great as athlete as he is and plays at an elite level. So, um, really how humble he was. >> You got him to play a lot of, you know, good run schemes. What about the one because I'm pretty sure when we had Ban back in May, he called what Callahan brings and just legendary like the concepts that he brings. So, what about them is so good, unique, and what makes him work in your opinion? >> You know, I played uh I played with a lot of good running backs. Um play with Aaron Jones, Jonathan Taylor, uh and now uh Bean. Uh so, I've definitely seen what it looks like to play at least seen elite level schemes. Um and far as this scheme is just like it's explosive. Um everything about it, everything plays off of each other. Um, and I'm excited to see how this thing goes come this preseason, come week one. Did >> you go a lot of games when you were at North? I mean, you get out of the dome. >> Uh, I went to quite a few. I went to quite a few. I also played in the dome uh being Corky Kale uh state championship, whatever the case may be. Uh, so it's a surreal moment for me even when I was in middle school. Like I used to go watch the high school games and the state championship, too. So, I've been uh I've been there quite a few times. >> Talk about just the the the football back here. When you come back here, just the level at all levels, how good it is. I mean, do you you put hold your head high when you played at other teams and know how good football was? >> For sure. It's it's a football state. Uh Georgia is one of the highest levels of football and one of the best football places you can go to to watch um um on all levels like you said. Uh it's it's a great thing to see. Um and I like advise anybody that wants to play good football to come out here cuz it's not it's not only going to make you better as a good football player and athlete, it's going to make you better as a man, too. >> Where do you think high school football stacks up in the country? >> George High School number one. I'm going say that. I'm going say that anytime. I don't care if you're in Florida, Texas, Cali, whatever the case may be. Georgia Stack's number one. >> Um, from what I understand, you like clothes. Do you have a clothing brand? Like, tell me about that. >> So, I do have a clothing brand. I'm very highly into fashion. I actually walked on my first fashion show uh in Paris uh this past uh February and that was a great great deal. Um I got my own clothing brand coming out. I'm actually dropping tomorrow. Um Yes. Yes. And I'm very excited about it. I've been working on it all off seasonason. It's been taking up pretty much all my time. So, um it's going to be good to see how how the people people pay attention to it. >> I'm sorry. Tell us some of the creative process behind that. >> Oh, yes. So, uh basically I met a I met a guy last year uh throughout the season. Um and he contacted me and he ended up styling me for a season. Um and he was the fashion show that I went to. He had his own fashion show out there, let me walk in his clothes and whatnot. And he asked me to be his business partner. And while I was out there, he was just teaching me the grand scheme of things, the numbers, um what it takes to make a clothing brand, like the kind of team you have to have. Um, and I was just soaking all that in, jot my notes down. Um, and just listening to him and just following his footsteps cuz he's been in the game so long. So, um, far as the creative process is definitely a long process, but it's something I'm willing to do cuz I love it. Um, if you guys want to go check out my brand, it's called Rare Rare Clothing. What's Rare moves different? Um, my Instagram, Rare WRMD. Uh, it will be out. It's out there right now. Uh, dropping tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. So, get at it. Do your teammates know that you walked in Paris Fashion Week? >> Uh, maybe some of them. Quite a maybe a few. Uh, I don't think everybody knows, but I'm sure they don't know now. >> How'd you come up with the name? >> Uh, really? Me and my mom. Really? We were just sitting there brainstorming and um just brainstorming the living room and she was like, "How do you like Rare?" I was like, "I like that." I was like, "Well, what's the what's the catch? Like, what's the model?" She's like, "What's Rare moves different?" So, props to my mom. Mama, I love you. I appreciate you. there has been such a boom and a correlation between fashion and the NFL in the last couple of years. What have you noticed in that space? And I mean, you've got teammates who care about it, too. >> Yes. Uh, everybody tries to be different. Um, and it's and it's hard to find ways to be different cuz once something is trending, everybody tends to hop on that trend. Um, so what I've seen, uh, it's just guys wearing the same the same type of stuff. And I've been trying to find ways to implement different type of creative styles, maybe from a different brand or something I've never seen or something I've seen overseas and try to implement it into mine. Um, really mainly overseas cuz what they wear overseas people we don't have here and we always get it late. Uh, and they always get it early. So I try to just take what I see from over there and implement it into my brand. >> Yes. Thank you. Thank you. >> Excited to head back to India next week. >> Oh, for sure. For sure. It's going to be good to see my guys out there. Uh, good to good to reconnect with the coaches and stuff. Um, and it's good. It's going to be good to compete against them. Um, it's always fun competing against uh guys you to spent time with and grew relationships with. So, I'm definitely looking forward to that next next coming next weekend. >> Now that you are back home, is there anyone special in your life that you're looking forward to have the opportunity to come watch you play that maybe couldn't before you playing out of state? >> Uh, my family. It's my family. Uh, pastor, um, people really that just couldn't make it out there uh because of situations. Um, but really just just my family in general. I got a big family. Um, and I'm very close to my family. Uh, so it's going to be good to see everybody that used to come to my games in high school, middle school games, little league games. Um, it's going to be good to see them actually in the bins this summer. This time >> Bob, your coach, right? >> Yes. Bob Per, he was my coach. And then I had uh Bill Stewart. >> Yes, I was there with Bill. Yes. Yes, sir. >> Your coach was Mike who's the quarterback rather. >> Uh, so I had K for and Jimmy and then I had J.R. Martin. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. >> Uh, you know, it's been great. um you know, obviously a little newer to the team, you know, being this being my first year, but um just the camaraderie that we're building already, um you know, it's it's something special and especially on the uh defensive front side of things, man, like we're really um just flowing as a rush and it's just uh it's been great. >> And you were with Coach Defensky in Cleveland last year, right? >> Correct. >> How I'm curious like his training camp approach, is it very similar to what it was last year? Has he tweaked some things in your opinion? what what's it been like seeing kind of both sides of it? >> Um yeah, I mean there's definitely some similarities. Um you know, one point that he had made is, you know, in order to be different, you got to, you know, you got to train differently. And um you know, there's definitely been some some differences and it's been uh it's been for the best. You know, um you know, it's a little warmer here than it is in Cleveland. And uh but yeah, no, he's doing a great job of um you know, getting the best out of everybody and um everybody's been buying in to everything he's been saying and um just attacking the days. Did you was edge rusher? I guess defensive end probably back in Yeah. Was that your first position that you played or did you play kind of multiple spots? >> Uh you're talking about in this defense? >> No, just like back in middle school, high school like where where did you start your football career? Did you start out as a defensive end? >> Uh yes and no. Um I mean naturally I was always a bigger kid so the uh the line has always been kind of my deal. Um but I was a little skinnier and smaller. I started out as a just an inside linebacker in uh high school. Um worked my way to defensive end and tight end. Um I get into college and uh believe it or not I started my uh red shirt freshman year as a nose tackle at 245 lbs at San Diego Stateing >> um as a one as a one shade and uh had a hell of a time fun doing it. Um actually my uh teammate here Keshan Banks was uh with me at San Diego State and um you know being able to reunite with him uh it's been great. Um but then uh you know as time went on made the transition to defensive end and then um been playing that since and um I think been playing it pretty well. >> Well, thanks. >> Um yeah, Keshan Banks has been somebody who's impressed me. I think his get off is something that's really stood out. What can you tell me about his game? I don't know much about him. >> Uh man, he plays with his hair on fire. He's got those big dreads and um I mean seriously he like you said his get off is impressive and he's just a tough player and um I'm just so happy to have him back on the team. >> How do you work on your pass rush skills in the offseason? I I I've heard a lot of different things over the years. I'm just curious uh how you go about it. >> Yeah. Uh man, you know, um you know, offseason is obviously the first thing is getting the body right, but uh you know, next shout out uh OG. Um I have a trainer back in San Diego that um you know I train with kind of get the hands moving you know the feet moving again. Um you know that comes a little later in in the year um you know the you know obviously before we start camp here but uh you know cuz when we get back here it's bullets are flying and you know hear the bullets. So yeah I you hear I think a lot about the game slowing down from different perspective but I I would imagine that like one of the coolest experiences would be the game slowing down in like a handfighting trench situation. Is that accurate to your experience on a game day? Do you kind of feel almost like things melt away maybe and you're really just like we're locked in when it's a great one-on-one matchup? >> Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you honestly put it um and a great phrase there. I mean um obviously you know you got your first move and uh you know when you don't win that first move and then it's you know transitioning getting the hands back inside you know and then just you know the the the fight the battle to get that second move. Um because you in the NFL, I mean, obviously you want to win first, but a lot of the rushes and sacks come from, you know, those second, third moves, um to get the guy down. >> Awesome. I want to get you out of here before everybody else comes out. >> Okay. All right. Well, appreciate it. Thank you. It was great to meet you as well. >> Great to meet Jeff was here. Obviously, last year wasn't a guy on, you know, Kevin staff, but how similar is the defense he wants to run that you guys had last year? Is it a lot of similarity with that? >> Um, I mean, yeah, there's there's a ton of similarities. You know, obviously, uh, back in Cleveland, we ran the the tact style defense and, you know, we have, um, that here as well, but, uh, the biggest thing is just, um, you know, they call, we call it heart mind fist here, and it's just the the physicality and the effort to the ball. Um, you know, keeping the standard very high. Um, I mean, the standard is standard and both places it's been the same. >> You like the fact that Kevin wants to play some other starters and do you like that the reps are going to be there to get kind of some live bullets, see some new faces? >> Yeah. No, absolutely. You know, more than anything, you know, um it's getting the the the feeling of, you know, getting the mind right before the game. You know, everybody's got their little pregame routines. Um so, you know, I think it's it's great. >> Nobody likes to see anybody go down, but the fact that you had a player, you know, Jayen opens up some doors. Where do you guys kind of obvious lot of people competing for that position? You just play your own game or I mean, obviously you kind of take a little different look at that now that maybe there is a spot. Yeah, I mean, um, Jaylen was a huge, huge deal to this team, this defense, um, to our room and, um, you know, with him being down, you know, obviously we're going to honor him with the effort and physicality. Um, you know, like you said with the opportunity, I'm out there every single day just trying to get better myself and whatever happens happens. Um, and yeah, >> one more thing for me, Kevin, this is, you know, I don't know if this is his second job. Do you see a difference in any second time around maybe that you you experience with? >> Um, you know, he's always had a fire to him and I've really like that, you know, and obviously, um, being with him before and then coming back to play with him, you know, obviously I have a lot of respect for him and, um, yeah, I really, you know, all the players, you know, rally behind him. Everybody, you know, believes in what he says and, um, you know, yeah, I would say so. >> All right, first and foremost, getting ready for this preseason game on Friday. What do you hope to see from the receivers in that game? Well, the thing that we're really working on first thing is learning the playbook. You know, that's first thing. And then what we've done is really worked on our fundamentals and technique. And then the the last thing we want to see is great effort from those guys. >> Describe what you think you have in Zachariah Branch. >> You know, I think Zach has a chance to be special. Uh obviously in college, you saw him a lot with bubbles and screens like that, but we uh we've opened up his uh route tree and you know, you'll see him going down the field and you know, really expanded his run uh his uh passing tree. Let's >> go. um Datson been doing in training camp for you guys? >> Oh, uh he's been great. He's uh he's really bought into our our system. Uh working hard and uh you know, we're we're happy to have him. >> How much did you evaluate him, you know, 2022 when he came out in the draft? >> Yeah, I liked him coming out of college. Uh shoot, I was with Dallas at the time and we had him in on our 30 visit and you know, he was one of the guys we had targeted. >> What' you like about him then and how much of that guy from what you watched then is you know, here now. >> Yeah, that's a great question. The thing with uh Jan is, you know, his stature is not too big, but he plays big and he has a good route tree. He can get in and out of breaks. Uh good run after catch guy and, you know, that's what we're expecting to see. >> Having worked in um Miami when Tua was there, just how can that kind of help you coach the receivers and maybe some of the tendencies that he has? >> Uh I think with the receivers telling them that Tua does have great anticipation and and know that ball sometimes will come out fast and we just got to get our head around. Uh I think that's one of Tua's strengths. Yeah, I was noticing I think it was on Saturday like Tua and Drake were really on the sidelines like talking with each other and kind of going over routes. How important is it for especially for those two to kind of nail down that connection in camp? >> Yeah, like all quarterbacks and receivers, that's very important. You know, those two guys haven't worked uh a lot together except for, you know, this year. So, that's all new to both of those guys. Coach, I I think it's easy for a lot of people to put extra emphasis on the preseason games and given the boxcore nature of kind of the wide receiver position. Um, look at really these three games as indicative of who should make the What is your message to your room about, hey, don't press any extra more, go out and show what you can do like is that anything you give consideration to, especially maybe for the young guys? >> You know what? That's a great question. And the thing that we uh talk about is, you know, not chasing the reward, but reward the chase. and as far as working our technique and fundamentals. So, we might go out there and we might run a great route and we don't get the ball and I'm like ecstatic. We might run the wrong route, the wrong depth, our our technique is wrong, we catch it and we score 50 yard touchdown and you know that's something we don't reward, you know. So, it's all about our technique and fundamental and effort. >> Coach, how's a couple guys that have been around here a couple years uh Drummond and Blair doing for you in camp? >> Yeah. Uh the two guys you mentioned, uh they're true pros. Uh they study hard. They they're uh my guys that I'm able to move around to XZF, wherever I need, they can fill in. Uh and they do a great job. >> What What's like the overall goal you're expecting to see from these guys uh post first preseason game? Any specific things you're looking for? Yeah, I mean, like I said, uh, making sure that they know what they're doing out there with the plays and, you know, really working on our fundamentals and technique, seeing that show up out there and and giving great effort whether they get the ball or not. >> Those are pretty stacked like wide receiver room. So, what is the key for someone being able to stand out? >> Uh, also I think what they uh contribute to special teams, you know, it all matters. So, you know, in our room, we're we're going to work on our stuff for the receivers and then they'll work all the special teams stuff. And you know what? Um, there's still a lot of time to decide this roster. So, >> if I'm not mistaken, it's like half of the guys in your room played high school basketball. Why do you think that translates? >> I mean, I think uh a lot of wide receivers are are good athletes, so usually they're multiple sport guys. >> Is it in your evaluation of of the game, is it important to divorce yourself from the outcome of the actual play and focus specifically on what your guy is doing? because I'd imagine there's a lack of chemistry maybe right now between the quarterbacks and receivers that would be there in the regular season just given the rotations happening. >> Um it's not hard for me because like I said, we're going to work on our fundamentals and technique and and that's what we watch. So like I said, um whether they get the ball or not, you know, we're going to evaluate their routes and evaluate their blocking and and everything that matters. Sometimes we'll evaluate uh we talk about they got to run for the love of the game sometimes and clear it out for their buddy and then I'll go down and run and you know I'm I'm excited about the guy that did the clear out and said hey you got the assist and you know the guy that caught the ball and said hey he cleared it out for you make sure to give him some love.