Metcalf, Peppers, Frazier, Jones, Fautanu Media Availability (Sept. 10) | Pittsburgh Steelers

Metcalf, Peppers, Frazier, Jones, Fautanu Media Availability (Sept. 10) | Pittsburgh Steelers

those plays when you had them, did you feel like they were common pre- snap? Did you think by the look of the defense, you had an opportunity to bust a few after uh you got those catches? Uh, no sir. Whenever I catch the ball, I just look to, you know, attack, get vertical as fast as I can. And, you know, it just so happened that it had it played out like that. We were playing the jet. How good is Aaron at putting the ball in a spot where you can do that quickly, catch and secure it. How’s that relationship developed in that regard? Right. He’s very well at uh you know throwing us away from the DB to where we can just catch the ball and uh go up field cuz he’s the one actually looking at the defense nine times out of 10. Uh you know my back is to the DB or you know I don’t know where they’re at after I make a break. You heard from any former teammates or coaches yet this week? You try you steady trying to make this about them cuz no I ain’t heard from nobody. Well I was going to say I mean obviously Seahawks fans it’s going to be a big deal for them. Steelers fans are excited to see you out there too at home for the first time. Um, what’s the excitement just to get to Agasher Stadium to make it about you? Uh, well, it’s about us at the end of the day. Um, looking forward to playing in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers fans. It’s going to be my first time back here in a couple years. So, just looking forward to the excitement of, you know, the first home game. You made any pinball catches in your career? Uh, I had one similar a couple years ago against the Eagles. Drew Lock threw it to me on our two-minute drive. Uh, you know, when Jacks scored their final touchdown. What was it like getting acclimated here versus, you know, you’re drafted in Seattle, that’s your first time going through everything. Was it a different process or a different feeling when you come here, come in as a vet to get used to a new team and a new way of doing things? No, man. Cuz I let my, you know, my work ethic and I go uh I take this game very seriously. So, my preparation, you know, speaks for itself. Um, I’m going to prepare like, you know, it’s going to be my last game or like the first game. Um, you know, my preparation is the same. I always finish everything that I catch and I’m always going to work hard. So, I think my the way that I handle my business, you know, just speaks to my teammates and and the volumes of, you know, who I am as a football player and my character. Where where does that come from? Is there somebody is it from like your dad being a football player growing up that instilled that in you or, you know, where do you point to how you develop that kind of mentality? Uh, my dad for sure, but uh, you know, I’ve had, you know, a plethora of coaches, um, you know, people that I’ve looked up to, mentors, you know, in my life who, you know, who I go to for advice or, you know, for their, uh, you know, um for me looking at something that I should work on whether that be in my game or in my life. So uh yeah throughout my whole life coaches, teachers, my dad is yes sir a big one. You go from facing one talented young corner in SE that you know about him and how you have to match up with him and go back and forth. Yes sir. There are 32 great DBs on every team. So you know it’s just another week in the NFL for me. What did you learn about your other receivers? Uh I didn’t learn nothing. Y’all just seen that they’ve been making plays since the day I got here. Um, y’all just opened your eyes and decided to watch them, I guess. What do you think they learned about you? I know you told us last week you were excited for them to see you on a Sunday. Uh, you mean your demeanor’s a little different on game day than throughout the week here? Oh, yes, sir. I’m a different type of a person, player. I get into my uh alter ego on on game day. Is there a name for that alter ego or No, no, it’s just seek and destroy. Did you have that alter ego when you were playing in college on Saturdays or has that just come out on Sundays? No, this since I was playing uh in high school I would say. Like sort of mentioned you of course it was week one so there’s a lot of unknowledge but there’s an anticipation that the sauce was going to follow you quite a bit. Did that overall kind of go the way you anticipated and at times when he wasn’t on you did you guys feel like you took advantage best as you could? Uh the defense has to you know um scheme up to try to beat us. We don’t look at the defense and, you know, think they’re going to be in, you know, a specific place. We come out, uh, with a play call and they got to stop us. That’s just our mentality of how we line up. DK, how do you feel you’ve developed, you know, over the course of your career from your six years in Seattle up until now here in Pittsburgh? I just think the way that I’ve matured and grown uh as a football player on the field and uh my leadership skills have definitely been honed in thanks to guys like Bobby uh Russ Tyler Lockett uh you know coach Pete especially being around these great players in this organization great head coach I’ve had a chance to you know learn from a lot of great people. What does it say about your passing offense that you can have seven different guys catch balls four different guys each catch a touchdown and do it so efficiently? That just uh speaks I think the testament of or the work ethic from our coaching staff and uh just how eight um you know tries to get everybody involved. He’s definitely going to throw it to the open player. Aaron was talking about also just with your preparation everything. He said like you always have to end practice by making a catch like you want to like a shooter like needs to shoot end on a make. What else is there anything else detailed that like is part of your process that like along those lines um that’s similar? Uh just ending everything on a positive note. So if I get a drop, I always got a big big eraser. Um as Russ would call it, my rookie year, um you know, make a catch or like you said, a shooter. Um you know, ending on a make or in the weight room, always do one extra rep of everything. So uh just the way that I carry myself and just the way that I view life is always ending on something positive. Just a bad game, honestly. So you know, I just got to continue to grow from that. How do you take that you’re concerned about? What do you work hardest on to correct? Everything. um everything, you know, um it’s always a game of inches, so you know, all the small details and all the little things you can do, you know, just help yourself out in the long run, you know. Is it a different mindset at all this week? Did you prepare and go in? No. No, it’s always the same mindset um going in. You just got to continue to prepare the right way and, you know, just hope for the best. Mike said he hasn’t lost confidence in you. Do you feel like you still have confidence to fix what needs fixed quickly? Mike said he hasn’t lost confidence in you, but do you still have the confidence to kind of fix what needs fixed very quickly here? Oh, yeah, of course. Um, you know, I never lost confidence in myself. Uh, you know, everything is not going to always be perfect, but at the end of the day, it’s my job to protect Aaron, and I didn’t do that. So, um, you know, moving forward throughout the season, you know, I got to do that. So, was there a conversation between you and Aaron after, you know, especially that first one? But, no, no, not really. It wasn’t, you know, it it was, but it wasn’t about nothing, you know, that people would think about, you know, it’s just like, oh, you know, we’re going to get back in the lab, continue to get better, you know, just glad we got out of here with the win. Um, so that’s about it. I say, what kind of feedback does he give you in the game? How does he kind of maybe try to adjust next play? It’s just always next play mentality with him. Um, he tell me, you know, I effed up some plays. You know, it’s it’s all of us. you know, it’s not just you, it’s a whole collective unit. So, um, we just got to continue to do that. Russ could still move a little bit. He thought he was over there by the end and obviously Justin’s a great scrambling quarterback. Is there a heightened sense of urgency on your guys’ part as an offensive line because 41? It is. It is. Um Um, it definitely is. you know, um he’s really not a mobile threat to anyone, even though he’s still tucking and tucking and run one of these days. So, um you know, you just got to be prepared. Um but, you know, just like you said, he’s he’s an older quarterback. Um he’s season in the game, so you know, we just got to continue to try and keep him upright. Um give him enough time to make his reads and, you know, put the ball on the money like we need him to. So, is it giving you that feedback? Is it a different challenge because he is less mobile than Russ and Justin in adjusting how you guys are playing? Yeah, of of course it’s always different um challenges that come with come with everything. Um but you learn to adjust to those and um you just got to figure it out cuz he’s not going nowhere. You know, I got a full season ahead with him. So, you know, I just got to continue to lock in to what I got to do to protect him and keep him upright. Now that you’ve had a chance to go back and watch the tape, what were some of your big takeaways from the the lines performance on Sunday? Yeah, I think um we got to be cleaner in pass protection. Like coach T said, we can’t can’t have um you know, Aaron getting hit. That’s always our main priority. So, what’s that biggest thing that you guys need to clean up in pass protection to keep them cleaner? Yeah, it’s just everyone. It’s all technique. It’s details. It’s uh Yeah, just really just details of of of the protections. Zack, how about the run game? think guys need to do to get the run game? Yeah, I feel like we were um you know, one block away a lot of times and uh it’s just details again. Uh everyone’s got to be be on the same page. What are some of the challenges that Seattle’s defense poses in comp I guess compared to some of the challenges the Jets pose? I know Seattle likes to bring a lot of simulated pressure. Yeah, they bring they bring a lot of pressure. There’s a lot of movement on the line. Uh it seems like the D linemen, they move a lot. Uh so we have to be ready for that and be ready to adjust to that. Zach, it was your first opportunity in a game situation with Aaron. What was it like huddle with him uh game with him? Uh he was great. He uh controlled the huddle, controlled the game. Um just had really great command of the offense. How do you feel like the communication was for you guys? Communication was good. Communication was good. Uh I feel like we were, you know, on the same page. Um you know, I feel like we had had good communication and just across the board. I think it was was the first offensive snap of the game. there was a sack on Aaron. How frustrating is it to start a game that way? Start a season that way. Yeah, you never want to start start a game with a sack. Um, but it’s more about how you respond after things like that happen. You can’t can’t let that play beat you twice. Um, you know, it’s easy to um, you know, have a bad play like that and then let that kill the drive, but you just got to keep playing. Zack, after watching tape, how do you think the line’s going to respond this week? Yeah, I think we’re going to respond and have a lot better game this week. Uh, it’s what we have to do. We have to bring it every week and that’s what we’re going to do this week. Exactly. There was a big over they call it overreaction Monday that Monday after the first week one regardless that that’s for people like us for the players. Do you have to sort of you know especially early in the season with so much expectations? Do you guys have to what do you do to guard against that yourself to not over like one bad game? Yeah, I mean it’s uh yeah it’s like the first game of the year it’s going to be a little sloppy. We’re not exactly sure what the defense is going to bring out there. Not exactly sure like how they’re going to line up, stuff like that. It’s it’s a little sloppy, but um I think you know once we get a couple games in us, it’s going to clean up a lot and uh stuff like that. Was Aaron Combing did he have a calming presence to the Yeah. Yeah. It’s it never seemed like he was uh worried or anything. He he was calm throughout the whole game. Even when we’re down a couple points, he was still same guy. Zach Mike talked about how the run game hasn’t had a whole lot of opportunities to really get going. You guys didn’t do a whole lot first team in the preseason and then you know this was a very back and forth offensive game on Sunday. What do you guys have to do to kind of short track this run game to get things going at a quicker pace so you guys can put good tape on out? I would say like just having success early is a big key to it. um cuz I I don’t think we had u success early and then we kind of went more to the pass and um you know that worked so we stuck with that and then we we got to some downhill runs late but uh you know I think if we can just get it get it going early that’s a big key. Arthur talked about how you guys have one of the more more athletic offensive lines and ability to pull from every position. What what do you what can you guys do with that to make that part of starting faster? Yeah, I mean, uh, just, you know, everyone has ability to pull and that’s, uh, it’s a big part of the offense. A lot of guys do it. So, it’s just another layer, another another thing that we do, um, you know, that the defense has to worry about. What’s Aaron’s feedback style with you guys? Is he really specific on the details? How have you kind of learned about that? Yeah, he he’s very uh specific on the details. He lets us know if we’re wrong, too, which is good. He holds us accountable, and uh I think we need that. Does he do that in game or is that like a Yeah, like if he’s someone’s not in the right spot, he he’ll tell you and um some people can take that the wrong way, but I I think it’s a good good thing u just to hold people accountable. What do you take away from pass pro and what needs to improve going into this week? Um personally, um obviously there’s some reps I want back. Um lost a couple of them, but I would just say just continuing to be consistent and um not losing the rep myself, you know, putting myself in the best position to to make that block. Um, working on a lot of stuff today, so I feel like in a good spot going into this week. So, how frustrating is it first? I think it was the first offensive snap is a sack given up. Just how frustrating is that for an O line and what do you have to do to rebound when a game starts like that? Um, obviously that’s probably the most stressful thing on us is and to start a game off like that. Obviously, if you start a game off like that, can’t get any worse. So from there, um, just continuing to play with fundamentals and and finish blocks and, um, I felt like we did a better job going into the the game we settled in. And, uh, so yeah, Mike Tomlin, yesterday mentioned the need to get the run game going a little bit more knowing it’s week one and there’s still a lot to be worked on. How do you guys take those steps forward to get more of a run game in this weekend? I think just continuing to to watch what Seattle’s doing um, and executing. That’s really the biggest thing is um finishing blocks, not falling off blocks late and making sure that we’re staying in between the guy that we’re blocking and the running back. So, what’ you learn from playing behind or in front of Aaron for the first time in a game? Um just like any other quarterback, man, we got to do a better job of staying in front of the block, the guy that’s trying to rush him. um felt like he was hit too many times and just as a no line, but feel like we’re gonna do a better job this week. So, obviously Aaron’s not as mobile as some other quarterbacks that have come through here. He’s 41 years old. Is there an added pressure on you guys as an O line to keep him upright and to, you know, a different challenge in in keeping that pocket clean? Uh I don’t think we can use that his age as an excuse. Um regardless who’s back there, whether that’s him, Mason, um Will, anybody. Obviously, we got to do a better job. I think that’s a big buck guy. So, did you feel like when you look at the film like it was more like matchup problems more than assignment problems saying that like you guys it looked like you guys knew where you were supposed to be but just still lost at certain points to I mean really talented guys for the Jets. But did you get that sense just looking back at film at what you guys have to be better at? Yeah, I feel like we were all in the right spots blocking the right guys just continuing to clean up our technique and that’s uh exactly what we were doing today is uh working on that. Obviously, we got to continue to work on our craft and that’s something we have to take personal is making sure that eight stays upright at all times. What’s what’s Pat Meer been like this this week just talking with you guys to to improve? I mean, the message is always the same. Um whether we have a good game or a bad game is continue to play the way that we want to play and that’s um aggressive. So, we got to stay on that side of the ball being more aggressive rather than them attacking us. So, Seattle likes to bring a lot of simulated pressure. How do you guys prepare for that and how was that different to what you saw a week ago from the Jets? I think just reading reading stances, um, watching our keys, uh, just making sure that we know that they’re going to move a lot on the D line and bring guys off the edge up the middle. So, um, just watching film and making sure we’re prepared. Troy, I know you were doing your own thing at UDub for a year. How big of a figure was DK net in Seattle when you guys were in the same city? Yeah, I mean I mean I would say that whole entire team just the the Seahawks brand obviously DK was a big part of that. Um we’d go to we’d go practice at uh the V-Mac which is their practice facility once a year and uh honestly it’s like the worst practice of the year because it was like the hardest day. I don’t know if that was like on purpose because like we were at the Seahawk stadium, but obviously seeing a guy like that here now. Um just talking to him to see what his relationship was like with those guys over there and a lot of good things he was talking about. But um yeah, just treating it like any other week. So excited for him to finally play against his team and uh yeah, we just got to go out there and execute. Jabel, how do you think this fit is for you in this game? Oh, I think it’s a great fit. Um it’s just little different things than I’m used to doing. So, just got to lock in on the details, get out there a little bit more, shake the rust off, but I should be all right. Jill, I know you’re just getting here, but you know, you’re a guy who’s been very versatile in your career. You’re pairing with Jaylen Ramsey. You literally lined up outside slot free safety in the box. How exciting is it to play a defense that’s going to have that many versatile weapons? Well, it’s always exciting when you got a lot of guys that can do various things, but you know, I’m I’m I’m excited to, you know, join the family, help this team in any way I can be another versatile asset, and, you know, can’t wait to see can’t wait to see how it looks, you know, later down the year. What the end of the way through for you in New England? It just is what it is sometimes. You know, you’re not good enough. You play a long time in this league, you know, you’re going to get traded a cut. So, you know, it is what it is. I’m I’m I’m happy Tomlin made the call. you know, he was a coach I definitely said I wanted to play for before I retired and it just happened a lot sooner than I thought, but I’m happy to be here. What’s the last month or so been like for you going from being cut and then getting this home and coming here? Uh, you know, it’s been it’s a different experience for me, but at the end of the day, that’s the nature of this league. You know, business is business. You can’t put your feelings into it. And, you know, wherever you end up, you know, they want you and you got to go in there, put your best foot forward, do whatever they ask you to do to help that team. It’s a football game. So, that’s what I plan to do. I think you tweeted that you’ve played for a number of different coaches in a number of different schemes, different positions. How does that versatility help you out in a situation like this? Oh, it definitely helps. Um, especially, you know, you get familiarized with the language. It might be some crossovers in various areas. Just helps you pick up the defense a little better. Helps you play the technique techniques a little better, but each individual ball club has their own way they want to do things. So definitely got to watch some tape, you know, camp previous game to see the, you know, the the different techniques for the kind of the same calls a little bit. But, you know, I think I I think I’m I think I’ll be all right for sure. You said that you wanted to play for Mike T before the end of your career. Why was that? Why is that? One of the best to do it. You know, I already had, you know, a chance to play for Bill. He was another guy that said I wanted to play for was it year 19, year 20 for him. always puts his best foot forward, has his ball clubs in good positions at the end of the year, man. That’s how can you not want to be a part of that? Are you guys have much interaction uh before they brought you in? Uh just after the game, not too much before that, but just memorable or anything? I mean, in college, but once I got cut, no, nothing. No, I mean Tomlin like over the years. Have you you interacted with him? Oh, yeah. Just after the games and things like that, you know, of course player, coach, banter, things like that. Jabar, do you have any relationships with any of the guys on this team defense? Maybe his teammates would just know them. Yeah. Yeah. Uh I played with John, I played with Dan, I know Corless, then you know the guys just playing against him um you know for a while. I was up down the road, you know, early in my career, so I’m familiarized with a lot of these guys in here already. So it’ be a easy change. I kind of met more of the guys in the secondary. Oh, um no, not really. It’s going to be my first time kind of, you know, playing with those guys. I knew Elliot a little bit when he was uh with Baltimore. You know, we played against those guys a couple times, but for the most part, it was my first time kind of messing with those guys back there. Did you hear from Did you hear from anyone um you know, once the news kind of broke, did you hear from anyone on the team tax calls or anything? Um once I once I signed for sure, but nothing before I kind of just kept it low, just see how the car has played out. Mike Tomlin always likes to kind of talk about, you know, when you guys come in getting on that moving train and getting up to speed. What’s that process like? How challenging is it and how apt do you feel to be able to do that? Well, you know, it’s part of your job as a professional. You know, get in here, learn the playbook, learn how they want to do things, learn our identity, and you know, when your number’s called, you’re expected to produce. That’s the name of this game.

DK Metcalf, Jabrill Peppers, Zach Frazier, Broderick Jones, and Troy Fautanu spoke to the media after practice on Wednesday, September 10

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