HC Jonathan Gannon joins the media on the first day of Training Camp

HC Jonathan Gannon joins the media on the first day of Training Camp

after it. Um, exciting time for everybody in the NFL right now. A lot of work to be done and uh, started yesterday and continue here as we get going. Um, couple injury notes for you guys. Uh, Bal won’t be out there coming back from the neck still. Uh, BJ won’t be out there coming back from the knee. Uh, and a new one that popped up was Walter hurt his calf uh, training. Um, so he’s going to miss some time and all three of them are uh doing everything they can to get back on the field. Uh, so that’s just a little update for you guys with that. Give me some questions. How serious is Walter Nolan? You know, they’re all different, but he’s going to miss some time. Uh, you know, really don’t like to compare injuries. He he hurt his calf. You know, um little bit different injury and they’re obviously different people. So, um, he’s working hard to get back. When you say this time, you mean you’re expecting throughout past camp and into like preseason, regular season, or right now just talking about training camp time? Uh, well, I I don’t know, Danny, honestly. You know, they’re all different. So, he’s he’s recovering, rehabbing, and he’ll get out there when he needs to get out there, but he’s going to miss some time with all three of them. Is there a chance this extends into the regular season? Um, again, Teao, I don’t know that. You know what I mean? I really don’t. Um, you know, we’ll we’ll see how it goes. Each one’s a little bit different. And each injury is a little bit different. Each guy’s a little bit different. So, um, we’ll we’ll get rolling and other guys will get ready to go and they’ll get ready to go. They’re want to be out there with their teammates in practice. Um, and we need all three, but uh, when they’re healthy, they’ll play. Can you sense the frustration on those guys when when they’re Yeah, it’s, you know, but they know it’s part of the game. You know, you know, the the Bal and BJ got hurt playing football. You know, Walter gets hurt doing the right things training. You know what I mean? It’s part of the game. happens. Um, and you just control the controllables, honestly, you know. So, along the control the controllables, and I know you’ve talked about this before, the outside noise as a coach, when somebody says expectations to you and what you expect in a successful season, how do you define expectations? Yeah, I mean, I don’t define it define it by the the definition, I guess, Darren, but you know, that’s it. To me, it’s an external factor. Um, you know, we’re working hard every day, doing our best that we can, uh, becoming a better football team. With Felari, there is so much hype, I guess, I don’t want last training camp has knee injury. Is this a setback, but is it going to slow his progress at all not being able to go on the field right now? you know, obviously reps are learning experiences, so he he missed a year of reps, of game reps, you know, um and I really liked where he was trending. Um but when he gets back, he’ll pick up where he left off and then, you know, every day will be a learning experience for him. Coach, when you come into this, is it is there an offense or defense better or more progressed, I guess, than the other? Not necessarily better, but just more advanced than the other one, and do you expect I don’t think so. You know, I think we’re going to pick up where we left off, but again, we kind of, you know, you’re you’re kind of picking up. I think I talked about it um in OTAAS like it’s OTAA is kind of stepping stone for camp. So yesterday’s meetings, all three phases, there was a lot covered in a short amount of time that they have to know, you know what I mean? So, um you’re on to 221A now, you know what I mean? Not 101. So, um that’s cool, but we’ll have to coach all the details just like you always do. That’s where the game is. Um and and each guy’s a little bit different, but uh the sense of urgency to get better individually and collectively is there. So, I’m excited about that. When you Let’s kind of talk a little bit. When you set up a locker room, what’s your philosophy for how you put guys where you put guys? Put guys where they want to where they want to go. Where they want to go? Pretty easy. Rookies rookies don’t have a say. Vets do. Every year is different for you. Wills by me. He’s not happy about it. Sorry, Donnie. Go ahead. Go ahead. Give it to me again. Oh, I’m right with the players in the locker room now. Is are there any differences you can tell at least right now from this year’s team compared to last year’s team? Uh, I think they’ve they this there’s always a sense of urgency if you’re in if you’re in the NFL. Um there’s always a sense of urgency to do your job at the highest level that you can do it right. I think that um there’s a level of enthusiasm throughout our team um that they understand what they need to get do what they need to do uh to win more games. Um and I think it’s pretty clear to those guys and and honestly Donnie they know there’s it’s going to be highly competitive. You know the roster’s in a good spot. Mine’s done a great job with that. um there’s a lot of spots open and there’s a lot of competition for those spots. So guys right now um are looking to compete for their roles and they because they know the clock’s ticking as far as there’s no break in between you know uh they’re competing for their roles through preseason through training camp and then when we get to week one you’re going to define roles. So, um, I told him last night, you look at it, it’s end of July here, and you think, oh, we play, you know, September, whatever. You think you have a lot of time, but you really don’t. When you look at the schedule, there’s really not a lot of time. So, every second counts. Our the boss talked last night. I thought he gave a great message to the team like it every day matters. You know what I mean? You got to be getting better every day um to do what we want to do, which is win games. Does that feel elevated from last year in terms of guys? No, I like I said like I think you know if you’re the NFL mindset is there’s always a sense of urgency everything like that. I think uh the players are really confident where um who’s sitting next to them that if we play our brand of ball we can we can win some games you know what I mean? So and I don’t think they didn’t feel that last year or the year before. U but it’s a heightened sense of awareness. We’re in year three now and and we got what we need. Say it again. Will’s locker like right outside your office? No, I’m right next to him. Like you’re like you actually have a locker. I I’m not. I was maybe being a little sarcastic. If I could be in the in the players locker room, I would be next to Will. Should you take that as a compliment? Make sure he make sure he laces up his shoes the right way. The old John Wooden thing. This is how you put on your sock. It’s a great book. Coach, what is your expectations for tomorrow this camp? And how can you take the next step? Same as all our players, all 90 guys, all coaches, all staff, every but myself. Get better every day. Get better every day. Work your craft. Get better every day. That he knows how to do that. Everyone knows how to do that. Um, you know, we need everyone to be at their best to impact games, you know, and he’s no different than, you know, whoever. Does your in your time in the NFL, does it seems like there’s there’s so many younger wide receivers that come out of college and make this tremendous impact right away. Does it feel elevated now than maybe it was 10 or 15 years ago that these guys can come in? And I’m not just talking about Marvin, but obviously Chase did it and Jefferson, that kind of thing. It feels like receivers have jumped a little bit. You know, there’s so many variables that go into that question, Darren, for me to answer, and I don’t have the uh the breath of knowledge to give you a good answer on that. I know that um guys make certain jumps throughout their career. Um you typically you see a lot of guys make a jump from year one to year two. Um but that’s not always, you know, there’s guys that have made jumps in year six and year seven. if you ask our the oldest vet we have on the team, he’s trying to make a jump right now. So, I think that’s just part of being an NFL football player, like you you got to be getting better, you know, and that happens for every different guy at a different timeline. And like I said, like you know, I’m not going to compare. There’s there’s too many variables that go into that. What does that look like that why he made the jump or why he didn’t make the jump? What’s allowed Kas and Kelvin to have such long careers? consistency. Honestly, that’s you know what in in my mind they do things right consistently all the time. They got the routines. They stick to them. They maximize themselves as player, as people. Um you know, off the field, they treat people the right way. Should be able to do that. Coach, knowing fans will be here tomorrow. They got talent. They got talent. Knowing fans will be here tomorrow. Is that Are you excited about that? Always absolutely. Oh yeah. Oh yeah. Our guys like to, you know, be under the lights and have eyes on them, you know what I mean? Every NFL player does. So, uh, that’ll be fun. We always have good turnouts. I hope we have a good turnout this camp, whatever the open practices are. Uh, I’m excited about getting in front of the fans, you know. Uh, it’s a cool thing that the whole organization puts on for those people to come out and watch. How does having depth on defense and the offense kind of hoping to pick up where it left off last year? How does that impact how you organize a camp and maybe even open up the playbook a little bit? I wouldn’t say open up the playbook. Like the playbook, all three phases got, you know, um torn down and rebuilt from scratch with who we have as we sit here today. Um but you got to be adaptable with that. You know what I mean? um cuz it might not look like, you know, in in a week it might not look like what it looks like today, you know what I mean? So, obviously we have schemes in place, things that we believe in, core philosophies and all that. Um but to me, good coaching is you put your players in the best position you can with who you have with who you’re going against and let it rip. So, that’s kind of what we do here. Seems like this time of year there’s always a handful of teams that have some sort of drama going on off the field, contracts, whatever that is. Since you’ve been here, that has not been the case with this organization. What benefit does that have in the locker room with the team when you’re not having those distractions off the field? Yeah, when I first got here, I had to talk to Buddha, so that off the top of my head, uh I I want you here, buddy. Um no, uh that was a phenomenal dinner. Um yeah, I say this like the you know, it’s a business, so I understand why those things happen. and Monty has done a really good job and Michael have done a really good job um to eliminate a lot of those for us. Um and when you can eliminate a lot of those now you can concentrate on football and getting better and you’re not really worried about distractions. Now distractions are only distractions if you let them be that. But you’re talking about people’s lives too. So I understand that. Um I’m very grateful the spot that we’re in as we sit here today. Um, and that’s because Michael and Monty have done a really good job with our players, you know, and the business side of that. You see a lot of distractions come up with the business side, which the players, you know, should do that. Um, but, uh, I feel really good about where the team is at, what our focus is on right now, which is getting better. Um, and and you know, every day we got to maximize every day. Other than the injured guys, everybody’s here and ready to roll. Yeah. Yep. You mentioned you want more friction in this camp. If the players are wondering, what does that mean? They know what that means, Paul. They know what that means. That’ll start next week when the rules allow us. It’s very early. It’s July. To, come on now. It’s early. When you lead with a question like that, when you lead with a statement before the question, I know what you’re going to ask. Go ahead. You know, I’m gonna ask what what makes this a successful season? I don’t I don’t know, man. Process, man. Process today. I’m worried about today, truthfully. You know, um I talked about it with our psych docs this morning. It’s like, you know, um you know, how there’s psychology with, you know, where your attention goes to. Um and to perform at your best, what you need to be thinking about, what you need to be focused on. um a successful season is looks like you evaluate that in the off seasonason. I am not there right now, you know. Uh and it’s it’s that’s the truth, you know. It really is. So, uh I understand those that’s out there just like for every team, every player, every coach. Um you know, if you want to do the best job that you can, you’re not focused on that. Do you set goals for yourself going into camp in the season? Not for myself, for the team. previous Shanny Camps, you’ve talked about momentum at great great length and depth. I don’t think you ever actually answered. Do you believe in momentum? I saw somebody wrote something. Somebody sent me something. Um I believe in a compounding effect of doing things the right way on a consistent daily basis with energy and enthusiasm to get the result that you want. Done. All right, guys. Thank you.

HC Jonathan Gannon joins the media on the first day of Training Camp

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