How do you guys feel about how you performed in your first two playoff games and what's been kind of inside the locker room or on the practice field. The challenge that you guys have kind of put forth to each other about playing a complete game on Sunday.
Yeah, it was always bittersweet for both those games, you know, because obviously you're so happy and excited that you won the game and you're able to advance and doing the things necessary to win the game, but also knowing that that's not our standard, you know, for defensive play that ever since I've been here, you know, And so that's that's something that's been a point emphasis. I think we obviously have to play our best game going into this going into this game to have a chance to win
it all. And you know, we've been trying to share things up and making sure we're prepared as hard as we can.
Well, right along those lines, John Lynch and Steve Books said that some of the effort was handled internally, and Kyle just said that you guys have players that are okay being told what to do with that in mind, have you seen a shift and is that what makes this team get better and better? That people aren't afraid to be criticized.
Yeah, I love our mindset right now. I think guys are going about the work the exact right way this week. You know that has been handled in house, and you know, I think we'll be ready to go and fully prepare for Sunday.
Their love bred Zach Schwartz here with the Big Twelve. Obviously didn't play in the Big Twelve. But how excited are you to see BYU step up into that conference and watch them continue to compete? And would you be willing to say that you are a member of the Big Twelve at this point?
Yeah, I'm I do claim them now obviously being a BYU cougar and super excited and and always cheering for them going into the Big Twelve and being able to compete with the best. I think that was the plan all along, was wanting to compete at the highest level, and so I'm always rooting for him pite freshmen.
You're right, would you to get an announcement about a game in Madrid coming up? Is that something you'd like to be part of as a player? And what do you make if they continued international expansion of the NFL. Leagles were recently announced as is designated team for the game in Zapala.
Yeah, I think that'd be awesome. You know, anytime we get to play international. I think playing last year in Mexico was a super awesome experience. To be a part of playing in Madrid would be awesome. And just any time we can continue to expand the fan base outside of the US, it's it's always a great deal.
Hi, Fred afterox, thank you. What's Mike shanahan leadership style like and how does motivate you guys? Mainly that the ones who played for yous ago against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl.
Yeah, Coach Kyle, he's uh, he's a great head coach, obviously, the best that I've been around, the only NFL head coach I've been around. But he's been awesome. And the way that he coaches is just super honest, and you know, just knows how to completely paint the picture through the tape. You know, it's not just just saying words that he shows you exactly what it's supposed to look like, what
it's not supposed to look like. And he's just such a brilliant mind to be able to teach football offensively, defensively, and special teams to allow us to be well prepared for each and every game.
SI, but how congratulations, Thank you? I wanted to ask, You've been around a lot. You've been there, done that in a game like this where there's so many different variables this week, the Super Bowl halftime show being longer, I mean, how can you, having been there, done that yourself, impact the rest of the locker room who might not have been there and done that before.
Yeah. I mean I was blessed the first time around, back in twenty nineteen, twenty twenty Super Bowl to be around around a lot of really gray veterans, a lot of really great leaders, you know, Richard Sherman, Joe Staley, you know, guys that have been there and done it and kind of you know, hearing from them how the game was and lead the week leading up to it, you know, had me fully repaired as just a young
second year player. You know, I feel like I was fully prepared for the moment in this time around, being able to be that veteran now having gone through it and knowing that like what it's going to take, you know, because I've been on the other side of it where we were sad at the end of it. You know, now I want to be on the on the right side of things. So just kind of just reiterating the
guys to stay focused. Obviously, all this stuff is cool and all, but you know, we still got to play football at the end of the day on Sunday.
And obviously you have your own defensive rules that dictate coverages. But when you're dropping back into coverage in the middle of the field and it's Patrick Mahomes, how much does he change the calculus in terms of like when, how how deep you drop, how tight you squeezes windows with what everything he can do with the ball.
Yeah, I mean, he's just a really special player. I think the things that he does, you know, playing and play out, he obviously can do a lot of different
things in terms of extending the play. He has a great connection with his players, you know, specifically Travis and knowing exactly where he's going to be finding open space, and so you know, you might be more used to having your eyes on the quarterback and being able to read him, but you know you're gonna you're gonna have a where you have to have awareness for where the receivers are on the field at all times, and you know he's obviously gonna break the pocket and do those
sort of things, being able to plaster guys laiding it down. It's like playing two down, two different plays in one. You know, that's what makes it so hard with him.
Good afternoon, Danilo in Mexico. You've played long enough in the NFL two sense and feel when a momentum shift is coming. It happened a couple of times for you guys positively on the playoffs. How does coach Shanahan deal with it when it's coming your way, when it's happening in your way? And how does he deal with it when he sends it going the other way? When you feel the other team get a momentum chief get a break,
how does he handle that? How do you handle it on the side land with the more unexperienced players.
Yeah, I think momentum is real. It's a real thing. I don't think it's all on one person at all. You know, coach coach Shanahan, you know he has a job to do out there, just as every single other person out there has to do. You know, I think for me, just continuing to keep the guys head keep their head straight on during the game, regardless of what's going on, you got to worry about the next play. You can't think about what's happened in the past in the game. The only thing that you can affect is
whatever that next play going forward. You know, we have a next play, best play mentality regardless of where we're at in the game, and I think when we do that, we have the best results possible.
Well, Hi, Fred, American Football Community Belgium. You haven't missed a game in your career that they say that the best ability is availability. How does that contribute to your success as a player and a leader of the defense.
You know, I wish that was I wish that was fully true. I had missed one game back in twenty one, you know that was that was hard for me. I tried to come back that week. I had a strained hamstring. But that is my one blemish, you know, I think it's been awesome. I've been blessed, you know, by the man upstairs to be able to stay available, to stay healthy, as well as you know, learning how to take care
of my body. You know, from from early on in my career being around great veterans and learning about what it's going to take to be a good player in this league. You know, obviously, you can have all the talent in the world, you can work your tail off, but if you're not available on the field and you're hurt, you're constantly in the training room, You'll never be able to continue to get better by getting those reps day in and day out. So I take a lot of pride in that.
Hey, Fred, from the outside looking in, you and George are too of the emotional team leaders for this you know, organization One, what type of leader is George and the locker room? And two where did you develop the leadership skills to lead the defense in and out of battle each and every week.
Yeah, George is an outstanding leader just because of who he is. It's not necessarily you know, with each guy who I guess is considered a leader on the team, it's not about what you're saying. It's about how you who you are and how you show up every single day. The consistency that George has shown throughout his career with the level of play that he's played, with the level of competitive uh, the competitive nature that he brings every single day. You know, obviously he has a love for
the game, a love for life. You know, you see that every single day and how he how he you know, just operates. But you know, I'm really happy that he's on our team because he does. He does bring up the level play for everybody. I think that's what a good leader does. You know. For me, I've learned from a lot of great leaders, just like I mentioned before, Uh, the guys that I've been around, and I just try to do exactly what I just said is be consistent
day in and day out. You know, I want I want my my work to speak for hisself, not not just my words. I want to I want people to to lead by example.
Hive red from NFL and what's the key or the secret to stop extremely creative play colors under read?
Yeah, I guess that's that's what we're trying to figure out right now, all the way up to Sunday. You know, we're trying to figure out that that the answer to that question. And you know, I could speak to Coach Reid. You know A Feller b Yu Cougar. Uh he's been he's been obviously really great in this league for a
long time. Uh. Such a you know creates such uh unique plays you know, with his players that he has on his team, and so there's gonna be times in the game where we see looks that we haven't seen before and we just got to play throughout the down. But yeah, we're we're still working all the way up to Sunday to figure that out.
Hid What are some characteristics that Rock Party has that you think the whole team benefits from.
I mean, there's there's too many to choose for a Honestly, I think the thing that stands out the most about Brock, you know, for for us as his teammates, is you know, just the pure humility, uh that he that he plays with, that he comes to work with every single day. You know, he doesn't let the outside noise affect him any at all, Like it affects me more than it affects him, like seeing things that people say about him. But like he's
just made of the right stuff. You know, he's focused on the things that are going to allow him to continue to get better in this league. To say that what he's doing right now, you know, in his second year as the last pick of the draft last year is I mean, you can't say enough about it. It's amazing I'm so happy for him, so happy he's on our team and he's the reason why we have a chance to win a Super Bowl.
Love, Hey, Fred yep So, talk about the value of having coach Holland, what he's taught you, how he's helped elevate your game over the years, and how having you know you and Drake Drake green Law, how that kind of maybe helps you open up what you can do on defense.
Yeah, I'm I'm so grateful for Johnny Holland as my linebacker coach. You know, I can't say enough about what he's meant to me and what he's meant to our group, you know, our linebacker group. What he goes through day in and day out, you never know that anything was wrong. Obviously, he has his battle with cancer right now, and you would never know it because of the positivity and the
energy that he brings day in and day out. And he's been such a pivotal piece in my development as a player from the moment I got here because he just showed a lot of confidence in me, from from being a young pupp and to being where I'm at now. His thing is about instilling confidence in his players because he sees what you know, confidence can do for you know, bringing a good player and making them great. So he's helped me to, you know, achieve the things that I've
achieved up to this point. And I think you mentioned something about Drake Greenlaw and you know Dre again, I can't I can't speak enough about how important Dre is. Like I'm not the player I am without having Drake green Law next to me. You know, he doesn't get the respect or you know, any of the admiration that he deserves. But he doesn't care. All he cares about is playing football, going out there and hitting people, you know,
and towing the line. But you know, I love that about him and I love having that out there on the field with me. He makes he makes our defense way better than if had he not when he's not out there, you know what I'm saying. So really grateful to have him out there.