Alex, was it like just being back here in La Trobe? You know what this is going to bring when practices get started.
Yeah, it feels cool to be back just last year being my first time here, and it's just a cool experience here with all the fans coming in and you know every single day. I think that's just brings awesome elements of practice. It just really the times feels like a game when the fans are out there, and also
just the team colarader with the guys. Being back with the guys so cool, you know when Dorin's playing games and stuff like that, and so that's that's one reason I'm, you know, glad we're back, is you know, getting to spend a lot of time with the guys and really just tell them, you know, getting to work with everybody.
You said before you want got here, you wanted to have the deal done that was accomplished. Where were you when your Asian called and said, hey, this thing is happening.
Yeah. I still remember me and my wife were cooking dinner and like in our house, we're getting dinner ready and he calls me. He's like, y'all, y'all might want to find somewhere to sit and so he went to sit on the couch and I still remember, you know, saying like, hey, you know this is this is what they're offering, and you know, let's said. We were just
ready at that point, like let's do it. And so I just sat the time of remember just being a little emotional and like my wife is kind of speaking for me time sauce. I was just kind of speechless, but it was. It was just an awesome moment and cheerly one I'll never forgetting. Right after that, called called my family, told all my friends before the news leaked out and stuff like that, because think signed the next morning. So it was just a surreal moment.
So you guys were in Pittsburgh when you got the call?
Yeah, yes, I was working out in Pittsburgh, working out with Cam throughout the during the break and stuff like that. So we were at our house in Pittsburgh, and yeah, it was a just cool moment.
Was Cam the first teammate you told, or TJ or who was it?
I think it was Cam because I've usually you know, we usually work out Wednesday mornings and I text him was like, hey, I won't be there in the morning, A little busy got something to do, because I know he probably be like where you at or something like that. So yeah, I think he was the first one and then the news got out and everybody else found out.
In terms of the defense, the Steelers have invested a lot of money on that side of the ball. Is that pressure for you guys or what does that type of commitment tell your unit?
Yeah, I think it's just you know, we just got to go out and do what we gotta do. We have the guys to be the best defense in the league this year, and so I'm just looking forward to it. Starts hearing La Trobe and work with their communication and just getting the playbook down, and I'm just really developing that camaraderie. So I'm excited to see how how we do is a year of this year, I know we're going to be special.
Minka had said during the Ota mini camp period on the South Side that he felt like the defense was finding chemistry and the communication was getting better. How do you guys up that here in La Trobe to get it to where you want it to be to be ready for the.
Regular Yeah, I think you can just always get better. You know, there will be days, you know, where you're not your best. But I think if you're just continually getting better, I always like to say one percent better, I don't think we just get one percent better every day. Then you know ultimately you're gonna find successes. So I think you know, just day by days we continue to you know, I think the coaches always say, find a different mistake to make you know we're not None of
us are perfect. You know we're gonna make mistakes. But if you keep making the same mistake over, no, we're getting that's a problem. So if you if you make a mistake, address it and move on to something else, find new problems, as coach Tomlin says. And so I'll just continue to get better and eliminate mistakes is gonna be huge.
Coach Tomlin said that you are in a least robin and that you just have that grind. You've talked about the walk on mentality, not you know, being well recruited heading into college. So how does that carry on now that you have got a lucrative contract.
Yeah, I mean just being a walk on. I'll always carry that mentality with me. I like to say the walk on mentality because it's so important for me and I remember getting there and just being being a walk on, not having a scholarship. It just really instilled something in me and a work ethic in a drive that carry with me to this day. And so no matter what it is in life, you know, I just try to be the best at what I at what I do.
You know, whether that's being the best husband in the future, of being being the best father I can be, and in the field, just be the best player I can be. It kind of applies to everything in my life. And so I also like to think I'm a batman as well.
In terms of your group outside linebackers D line you have to take them to dinner. What are they making you do now that you got the new money.
Yeah, they're probably gonna get me give with something. I know that there's probably a dinner that they're gonna give me with. But you know, it's a I think the same same thing happened a couple of years ago with teacher and something like that, and so they're definitely gonna give me with something. I think they think the day o theyre oh, yeah, it's gonna be nice, but hey is what it is. But you know, just super blessed and thankful to be here for the next four years.
And you know this is this is where where I love to be. I mean, my wife loved to call Pittsburgh home.
Alex, thanks a lot of congratulations again, Thanks MISSI