Atlanta Falcons players speak to the media post-practice at AT&T Training Camp | Press Conference

How's Mike look in uh getting back to 11-on-11? What are your impressions of him then? >> I mean, it's the same old from what he was doing with 7-on-7, so I see the same stuff. >> What's your comfort level like with 2 and 1/2 weeks to the season opener? >> What's my comfort level? >> Yeah. >> Uh I don't think you can ever say comfortable in the league. So, I I I I don't know how to answer that one. >> In terms of In terms of ramping up and, you know, whatever progression you feel like you make toward being at your peak on week one, and where in that process are you? You're not necessarily >> Yeah, I'll just say right now, you know, the pads are becoming part of my body now. So, that's that's getting as comfortable as I can be. So, um that's that's a good thing about our ramp-up right now. >> You played against against Clark in college, right? And you're rivals here with him now. How much have you seen him evolve 2022-2023 onward? >> Uh I've seen him evolve every day, and he just comes here to work and and does his job, does his role to the best of his ability. >> What was he like as a college corner? >> Um >> All-American, right? >> I mean, I was, too. But, um Nah, he he was a competitor. Um they called him Little Hulk uh in in high school in went to La Habra. I mean, he he's built like a bodybuilder who had played cornerback. Um but, yeah, he's an exceptional player. We had some battles over at Utah. Um and then obviously we had battles here, you know, so it's it's been good to constantly compete against him, especially too, he's just a great guy. >> You played against him in high school, too? How did that go? >> Yeah. >> Speaking of like competition, it feels like you and Kendall have like got or he seems to really kind of get excited when he's gotten some moments of defensive passes, especially against you. I don't know if it's like that with everybody, that's just how it seems to be, but >> Uh no, I feel like the defense picks when when they want to celebrate stuff, and it's mainly when it's me doing something bad or I didn't make a play, they love to I guess give them confidence a little bit. Um Yeah, I don't I don't know exactly how to answer that one, but they I mean, I got to be doing something good for them to get that happy for stopping me, right? So, um yeah, kudos to them. >> As a competitor, do you enjoy that? >> Hell no. I enjoyed it though. >> Jaylon, another CTE study came out today and it was not you know, not not great. As a player, how do you process that stuff? You pay attention to it closely? >> No, I I don't. Um I just play the game that you know, God gifted me to play and um I keep on doing it till the wheels fall off, but um whatever research they can gain from it, I know it's going to be really really good and beneficial to the league and and to the players itself. So, um whatever forward progress in that, really really good. >> But but it's not something you worry about. You feel like I put that to the side and just play. That's the only way. >> I mean, I'm lucky I play outside, you know? I mean, our hits are are pretty heavy when when they do happen, big hits, you know, but they're far and few in between, especially you know, with how the league league is trending and things like that. I'm not I'm not in the trenches where I'm just head butting a guy every every play, so um hopefully pray to the Lord that you know, nothing like that happens to me or or any of the guys out here, honestly, cuz I know it could be pretty bad. >> Jaylon, you guys didn't play Saturday. There's a chance you'll play this Friday. Important to get that last little bit of rep in. I mean, it's going to be a couple weeks before you actually see some more action. >> Yeah, it's always good to um to to play in an actual game, um see flying colors around, flying bullets and stuff like that. So, uh just go out there, get get the feet a little bit more wet, get prepared, and uh uh week one won't be so much of a shock anymore, you know? So, I think that's what I'm looking forward to. Okay. >> But just with between, you know, two uh Mike and you know, even look at Jack's trying and then Cooper Rush, like do you have to like make adjustments [clears throat] depending on what quarterback is out there? >> Uh two are lefty and two are righty. >> That otherwise >> Pretty much it. Yeah, football in the got to go get it. >> Just interested in um how the um the offense is coming together. Uh you know, new offense again. You got to get ready to play here in a couple weeks. Um you have to install. How how's everything starting to fit and flow for you guys? >> It's progressing really well. Um Tommy, uh RP, everybody, you know, has all hands on deck and doing a good job and progressing um with this new offense um and getting things right, you know. Sorry, excuse me. Little details and and all that all that stuff is um is getting honed in on and we're just preparing our asses off for for week one. >> So, if you could walk me back through when you met Jeff Hafley and I would say process for 2018-2019, what do you remember about him about that >> Man, great coach, great guy. Um obviously, I was committed to the Buckeyes, man, for quite some time while I was in the recruiting process. So, you know, pretty familiar with him. Um but now, man, I look forward to, you know, obviously going to war with him this weekend and obviously seeing him. Hopefully, I get to dap him up after the game and all of that stuff, but a hell of a coach. >> So, he he flew in like to go see you and your dad. What do you remember about that? >> Man, uh great convos like um obviously, man, it feels like it was so long ago. Like, what? That was 10 years ago? Like, what? That flies by. But no, um now, all [clears throat] in all, like great dude. They had a plan for us, you know, obviously with him being the secondary guy at the Buckeyes at the time. Um and I just remember, you know, they had a a great plan for us like, you know, and that's the biggest thing is like, you know, fit and all that stuff. Obviously, he ended up going to another place and went to Boston College. So, we didn't end up going there, but um throughout the process, it was like, you know, about fit. Uh and then just making sure that, you know, obviously everybody was on board and they had that and I felt good about it, man. Love that dude. >> Was it hard to call him and say, "Hey, I'm leaving?" >> So, how it kind of went down was like he was basically taking another job, Boston College. And so, when we found out, it was like, "Okay, like all right, if Jeff's not going to be there, that's my guy." Like be like, you know, the equivalent of like Justin Hood and PT leaving. Like, you know, obviously if it was on the college level. So, it's like you're recruited there. I was committed for a year and was like, oh no, I can't, you know, I don't know who's going to get the new guy. So, had to had to pivot there. >> So, if he hadn't left, you end up at Ohio State? >> Likely. I think, yeah, probably. >> Do you ever wonder about how that could have turned out? >> Who knows? I'd have played with big boy Zach Harrison, you know, it'd have been it'd have been cool, man. Obviously, he was drafted third round, so I think we would have been damn good, you know. >> It all worked out okay, though. >> Oh, it worked out fine. You know, we made some plays here and there. >> How much progress have you made this since the end of last season? >> Oh, great question. I think, personally, a hell of a lot of progress. I mean, you think about from an injury standpoint, um getting back on the field, getting back ingrained with the guys, um and then also the mastery of the defense, just learning, uh taking that next step. I think that was the biggest part for me last season, you know, obviously taking a backseat, being injured, being out. It's like, how can I still get better? How can I, you know, kind of implement different things that guys are going to go through on the field, um while I'm watching the film, right? And so, we took that very serious last year and, you know, I feel like it was an apparent it was an apparent thing now that I'm in camp and, you know, able to make some plays and I feel good, man. >> Yeah. >> What does Al Golden mean mean to y'all? >> Oh, man, everything. Um just the guy that he is every single day. Uh you know, obviously, he preaches just strain, just running to the ball, you know, playing with identity that, you know, is uncommon, you know, playing with a level of passion and, you know, heart and grit and uh he resembles all of that, embodies all of that, and we're grateful to have him, man. >> Clark, another CTE study came out today. Every time it comes out, it's alarming. How as players, how do y'all process that? How closely do you pay attention to that? How worried are you about that? >> I mean, it's one of them things, man, that you see, um but obviously, what can you do? It's like, obviously, I trust the officials of this of this organization and, you know, of the NFL to, you know, put us in the best position to play safe. Obviously, the biggest thing is like keeping our head out of things and um I think that's the emphasis. So, defensively, you try to you try to play it the best way possible so that, you know, obviously I got a little one, so, you know, want to be right keep the brains right for her. So, um but yeah, I mean I didn't even see that article, but um yeah, that's it. >> Are you wearing one of the new helmets? >> Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. >> over? >> So, I've been a Schutt guy. I love the F7, so I got the newest one of the of the F7s and I've been a Schutt [clears throat] guy though since probably my freshman year of college. >> newest F7 came out this year? >> I'm not even sure. I think so. I think I think I think it is this year cuz they switched last year. >> in the newest of the Schutt helmets? >> Yeah, somewhat. It's comfortable. It's light. Um feel like a pillow. Like Yeah. >> Yeah, hey, how do you feel this whole camp's gone for you? Has gone for you? >> Man, I feel like I mean, to answer your question, uh like I've grown, man, like a lot of ways, but I feel like the biggest thing is just consistency, you know, obviously being one of the veterans is like the goal is to not only make plays. I feel like we've done that, but just to be consistent, you know, to show, you know, some of the younger guys this is how you kind of approach this thing day in and day out and um this is how you just keep on stacking, you know, cuz it's a game of attrition, um which I learned last year being injured and how how long can you keep on going? Can you keep on enduring? And you know, that's kind of been my biggest focus and obviously mastery of the defense is um something that I'm really trying to do. >> Mhm. Feels like CJ, I'm sorry, did you want to go ahead? >> was that injury being out uh for you last year? >> Super tough, man, just because you never want to be out. Um you never want to miss extended time and you know, with what I had last year is like it was so much up in the air. You didn't really know when you'd be able to come back, right? And um without getting into too much of that, like tried to really just stay positive through it all. Um staying around the building. I was up here, I mean, just as much as the guys that were active, so that was my goal and that was my intent and that was something that I was really trying to kind of take from last season. I didn't know when I was going to be back truly. >> Feels like CJ Henderson has had a good camp. >> Mhm. >> Do Do you see him making strides? >> Oh, man, like CJ's a guy that I mean we you guys probably seen this. We work every single day after practice. Um he's a guy that, you know, just like I said, as a vet you're trying to keep on stacking days. You know, you recognize that it's a long camp just like it's a long season. So, you're grateful for every single opportunity that you get and he's taking full advantage of that. >> I've heard Hood like yelling scoop and ball and all this. Are they Are they preaching that more to you guys this year? >> For sure. I think um I mean it starts top down like Stefanski's biggest one of his biggest things is like scooping every single ball. It's a cardinal sin not to scoop a ball if you make a play um and the ball is just laying there, you know, cuz in the game, truth be told, you never know if it's a fumble or PBU sometimes you but if you run and burst and, you know, you get to it you might have an opportunity, you know, get a scoop and score or something like that. >> Have you ever hooped with Hood before? >> Yeah, I have. I have. I have. >> I hear he's quite the the player, yeah. >> can hoop. Hood can hoop. When his back is all right, you know, when he >> [laughter] >> No, no, don't tell him I said it whatever. Um but no, Hood Hood can definitely hoop. He >> His energy's strong, it appears, too, yeah. >> Oh, yeah, man. He like you talk about a guy that loves this thing, man, like Hood is somebody that comes to mind, you know. Obviously, Hood is one of those guys that's going to demand the best out of you. Um but he's also able to keep it light when it needs to be light. Um he's, you know, a fun coach to you know, to play for and I'm grateful for it.