Detroit Lions players meet with the media | 2025 NFL Regular Season Week 7: Lions vs. Buccaneers

Detroit Lions players meet with the media | 2025 NFL Regular Season Week 7: Lions vs. Buccaneers

Can you just speak to the first off the defensive effort overall over there that you have the nine points, but then just everybody who stepped up in the secondary too, a bunch of guys making a ton of plays, just how impressed were you with the overall defensive effort and then those guys stepping in the secondary too. Man, I told those guys, man, after the game how proud I was of them, you know, every last single one of them, man, Whiteside, Hart, you know, all of them. It’s like all you know all I thought about when I was out there man is play for those guys and I told him you know uh even though y’all you know this y’all may be our first opportunity man show the world because you know we heard the noise man you know we heard all the noise you know secondary whatever whatever but those guys went out there and played their hearts out man and I had no doubt in them you know I just wanted them to let’s let’s go out there and show everybody instead of talking about it and that’s what I feel like they did tonight. How much do you think you’ve laid the groundwork for everybody on this roster punching at the ball? I mean, what they call it, the Meek Peak, you know, I I wanted two tonight, man. I wanted two tonight, man. But, you know, uh on that on that one with the running back, I wanted, you know, another one. But I’ll take that one. You know, I got some more to come. I got some more to come. Obviously, you just wor the branch jersey here. How much motivation did that provide the secondary this week? A lot, man. you know, that was our goal to go out there and uh, you know, support him because we always in his corner, man. You know, great player, a unbelievable person, great teammate, you know, so we wanted to go out there and represent him, man. You know, we step in the building, man. We want we want him to know that, you know, we in his corner no matter what, man. You know, we love him. You know, we we can’t wait to have him back. Told me you all had to buy those jerseys. Did someone buy them for everybody or did everybody go on? Uh, we had to buy them. We got the bomb. But I mean, it’s all good, man. You know, uh, money money can’t buy loyalty, you know. So that and you know, we very loyal to him, you know. So, like I said before, we wanted to come out here and, you know, once we step foot in the building, we wanted to show everybody and show him that, man, we love him, we not worrying about whatever, you know, we moved on and we can’t we can’t wait to have him back. What do you think about the plan that put together? Great plan, man. Hell of a coach, man. you know, and even though he’s young, you know, uh we believe in him, you know, we believe in him and to to to put us in the right position. And that’s what I feel like he did tonight. And he had no doubt in us, you know, he had no doubt in us. Yeah. With all with all that went on last week with the game and the suspension, everything. Did you guys come into this game an angry bunch, angrier than normal? I mean, as a as a defense, I mean, you always want to go out there and have a chip on your shoulder, man. You know, uh like I said, we heard the noise. You know, we had some very unbelievable key players that were that were down. Like really our whole start, you know, our whole starting secondary, but the way this team is put together, man, you know, we have a great leader and Dan and great GM owners, they put this team together, they went and got the right guys that if any one of, you know, our great players go down, you know, we got guys that could come in and step up and not have no drop off, man. Like, like I said before, man, I’m very proud of those guys, man. I went I I felt like I don’t want to single myself out. But when I was on that grass, man, all I was thinking about was play for those guys, man. You know, go out there and play for them. And like I said, I’m so proud of them, man, because they went out there and they executed, man. You know, we just can’t wait. You know, we we had to earn that by week, man. You know, we going to rest our body and get ready for the next opponent. What did you see? It seemed like you found the camera and had a message to deliver. Can you let us know what what you were saying there? Uh I I see I I looked at the camera. I just said I told y’all I am different. This is what I do. This this a this a this a regular day in the office, you know, and I told one of my teammates, man, what I you know, what I wanted to do when I go out there, you know, uh I wanted to elevate my play cuz me personally, I feel I feel like I haven’t been playing the way I I want to play, you know, and that’s the expectation, the high expectation that I I just put on myself, you know. I feel like even though I wish I could have, like I said, I wish I could have that punch out, you know, from that uh from the running back and I should have got my head around on that uh double move, you know, but I take it, you know, uh God was on my side. Last year after the Minnesota game, you you threw out a quote that just kind of stuck with me. You said, “You can’t bury what come from the dirt.” Yeah. How did that manifest for you today? Uh you know, it just it it just shows that, man, everything is earned, man. Not not given. you know, I don’t I don’t fit the measurables, you know, I don’t fit none of that, you know. I might be the shortest guy on the team, you know, but that don’t matter. That don’t matter for me, you know. Uh I didn’t I didn’t been through so much adversity and I feel like overcoming situations when I’m out there on the grass. That’s that’s that’s normal for me, you know. I feel like, you know, I’m different. Like I said, I got, you know, I’m I’m God blessed me with a mindset and I just feel like each and every time I’m on the grass, I feel like I’m the best. you know, all respect to, you know, my opponents, my teammates, but every time I step put on that grass, man, I feel like, you know, I’m the best. Especially when I’m when I’m playing with good eyes, good technique, and playing the way the coaches, you know, expect me to play, you know, I’m I’m, you know, I’m a very dangerous individual, you know, when I’m out there side to Monday Night Football. So, for you being able to get opportunity to post game with Lisa Solders and getting that opportunity, man, what did that mean just being on this on this stage and and because the quarterback’s usually the star guy, so what that mean for you to get that? I mean, it’s always good, man. Like I said, God just blessed me in so many ways, man. You know, I give him all the praise. Praise and glory, you know, cuz if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be in this position. I wouldn’t be, you know, have the mindset, the work ethic, the heart that I that I have, man. You know, uh, this organization, I feel like, gave me a second chance, man. And they they believe in me. And that’s all that’s all you can ask for. You know, when you got God on your side, you got teammates, coaches that believe in your organization, fan base. I have no choice when I’m out there, you know, when I step on that grass to give it my all. Whiteside has had a crazy journey to this point. What did you see out of him tonight? Say it again. Whiteside has had a crazy journey to this, man. Me and Whiteside had a conversation is crazy in the middle of the week. You know, we like I said, you know, that’s a private conversation, but I told him like cream always rides, man. you know, never get down on yourself because this league is crazy and opportunity could present itself. But it’s crazy the same thing he did out there today, man. He do it every day at practice, you know. He’s a he’s a ball guy. You know, even chef shot on him out a couple times, you know. Uh so what he did out there, he stepped up. I that I mean I, you know, I expected that, you know, when you know, we got a guy that went down, he he come in, I didn’t I didn’t blank, you know, really the whole defense, you know, we didn’t we didn’t blank. Those are two young safes that are out there today. 10 snaps between Hart and Allen for today. That’s a communicationheavy position. I mean, the job that they did through the week of practice and then taking it out to the field today, that’s all we had. I told him that’s all we don’t give it to them. That’s all we had to do was go out there and communicate cuz like I said, the belief is there, you know. We believe in one another, but we just couldn’t give Tampa Bay anything. If they going to catch balls, whatever, they had to earn it, you know, and and I take that and those like I told him, man, like I can’t say it enough, man. I’m more proud of those guys, man, because they went out there and made my job easier. You know, we talked, we made sure everybody was was on a was on the same page, you know. They went out there and played our style of football, man. But like I said, I didn’t expect like I I expected that cuz I see it every day at practice. Secondary was was wounded, but the Dline got 54 back. Just how did you guys feel Alen’s return to the defense tonight? We told them, man. We told we told the whole Dline. We said, “Bro, we going to give y’all a lot of cover sacks tonight. Like, we going to make we going to help each other.” And of course, getting five fullback, man. You know, just we knew we was going to be able to get get pressure on the quarterback. You know, that that whole three line is unbelievable. All we got to cover, you know, we just we just got to cover for for a couple seconds, you know. I feel like we played as a unit tonight, man. How many points Tampa had? Nine. But we played as a unit tonight, bro. And we got so much room to grow. Was it one of those nights where you just felt like yourself in a way on your way to a careerhigh until we are? Uh, I mean, I’m always feel like I’m capable to do that. It’s just um some, you know, some games it works out like that, some games it doesn’t. But, I mean, ultimately, I’m just trying to do whatever it takes to help us win. So, what is it about Monday night? What is it about Monday Night Football? Because you had the big one against the Raiders a couple years ago. You have this one right here. Is Oh, yeah. That’s about whenever you play your best, I guess. I guess. But what did you see on the blocking on your long touch? Uh I just seen black. That’s all I seen. Just just everywhere. No, my bad. Just a whole line just 10 yards in front of everybody. That’s all I seen. And you know, I just hit it. It looked like you were smiling for the last 30 yards. Did you know? You looked like a big grin on your face. Yeah, I knew it was a T when I got out when the first like 12 yards. I knew it’s a T. So nice apologize to you for missing that block. All right. I mean, it’s whatever. We all I missed the block, too, this game. So, we all, you know, messed up at some point. What’s it mean just to see this team come together and get a win like that? A lot of people were talking about the injuries you had before the game. They’re not talking about that anymore. Yeah. I mean, we played uh, you know, great complimentary football. You know, we wasn’t doing good. Uh, the defense really stepped up, you know, all game. So, I mean, they played we played the whole game like that. I mean, we just have we just got to do our part. When you’re on the sideline and you see this defense stepping up, running Baker around the way they did, demolishing Tampa the way they did, what does that tell you about Shep and the way he’s coaching up that side? Yeah, I mean, we always knew they’re capable of doing that. You know, we put we prices against him every day in camp. You know, it’s rough pressing against them every day in camp. So, I mean, we we knew they’re capable of doing that every game. After that second touchdown, you went up and down the offensive line. The tight ends shaking their hands, snapping them up, saying thank you. What was that conversation? What were you saying that day? I do that every time. Every time I score, I do that. I just dab them up. I appreciate them, you know, because, you know, without them, I can’t I can’t do it. So, how good does this one feel going into a bye-week now? You kind of shake off what happened in Kansas City and kind of Yeah, always good to get back in the winning column, especially going into a buy. Feel good. Everybody, mostly everybody’s going to be back. So, uh, yeah, we just got to finish it. We know you got to a handful of Pistons games last year. You’re dressed up. We got the home opener Sunday. Will you be in town for it? Ooh, is this Sunday? Uh-huh. Ooh, probably. Celtics, probably. Yeah. Oh, yeah. It’s gonna be a good game. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. How about you, Dad? What’s it mean? You’ve never lost two games in a row in your pro career. What does that mean to you? And and what does that say about this team? Uh that shows resiliency and shows that uh I mean, we hate losing. We always want to try to find a way to bounce back and um get back, you know, to our standards and that’s uh trying to win every game. It really felt like how a game would feel when I was regularly in the fold, you know, in the mix. So, uh credit to the strength coach here. um to the training staff, you know, for getting my conditioning and everything right with the workouts we were doing. So, felt good on that pass deflection, that might have been the loudest the the crowd was all night. I mean, to have that for them to have your back after, you know, everything it took for you to get back up. That felt good. It felt really really good. It felt It was just good to be out there, to be honest, just playing football. Um and then I’m out there in front of all the fans and I forgot how that felt. It was, you know, watching the game on the sideline when I was out and whatever. It was just like watching it just like a like it was on TV, but being in it so much different. I that joy is what I was like deprived of. I forgot like how much I really really really love this game. So that was it was good to be out there. I think how about the job the guys in the secondary did today. Oh my gosh. Yeah, they did a they did a a great job. They were detailed. They were locked in. Um I I loved exactly how the energy was with them today and it was great. It was great. What’s it about this team? what everybody’s talking about who you don’t have and the point is who you did have. That’s exactly who we are. And you know, coach speaks about that, but he’s not just speaking. He’s he’s serious. It’s it’s the next man up mentality here. And our next man is going to be ready to go. He’s going to be detailed. He’s going to know the defense. He’s going to know what’s going on, why is calling this, why he’s not. Um, so I feel like our next man mentality is a little bit different than most cuz our guys is going to be ready to go. So going to the bye-week now, five and two, good win. And I mean, how much more important is that now that you you have the rest and and a good feeling to go into it? Yeah, I mean uh the buy hit at the right time and uh it’s always good to leave off with a good no and then um come back uh off the buy and uh just to pick up where we left off. This defense a little short-handed today and they stepped up. What can you say about the defensive side of things? Yeah, know the defense did their thing today and um they they really took over this game. Um there’s a couple times where they put the offense in great position and we weren’t able to do anything with it. That’s uh that’s the frustrating part. Um just to see how good they were they were playing and not being able to match their intensity, match their uh production uh just hurt. So uh yeah, those guys bled out today and the reason why we won to play as dominant as you guys did across the board today to win in the fashion that you did. What does it mean to this team? Say that one more time. just to win in the dominant fashion that you did today against another really good team, control the game, both sides of the ball game. I just think uh defensively uh there uh our defense was really dominant. Um um we have a lot of things to work on offensively and we know that there’s a lot there was a lot left out there. There was a lot left to get and we didn’t we didn’t take advantage of those things. So, um we just got to clean up the tape tomorrow and uh see what went wrong because I I think we got we it couldn’t even be more it can truly be dominating because uh it was just one side of the day and hats off to the defense. Me kind of set the early tone with punching the ball out last year. It seems like everybody is doing it and doing it with great effectiveness. Just the the work you guys have put in and and seeing the results on that front. Yeah, I mean since otaas we’ve been practicing, we have drills in practice that we do before every before every practice that we do um punch out drills. Um anything that that cause fumbles um so we do a good job doing that and emphasizing that throughout the week and they come out here and put it on film. You know, I know it really makes our coaches happy because we taking what we learned from uh practice to the game. So no, it’s amazing. I mean that’s just a bunch of dogs be hungry for the ball and when you got a group guys like that, you know, sky’s is the limit. So, you probably won’t be able to appreciate it till you watch the film, but you knew what the deal was in the secondary for all those guys that step in, several of them that haven’t played any snaps in the NFL, you know, what do you make of just the the collective performance of that group? Man, it’s it’s amazing to see. I mean, when a group of guys get an opportunity to go out there and and and put the put the uh NFL on notice, man, it’s it’s amazing. I love to see it. Um, you know, Coach Chev always preaches like if you’re dressed for the game, be ready to play because you never know what could happen. It’s always a next mentality for us. um man and and it it’s just a beautiful thing to see and like I said we always preach like he had the same expectations for everybody no matter if just got in last week got in today uh expectations are higher on our defense and uh the standard is high and they they went out and did that and I’m super proud of those guys. So I’m going to tell you when you go back and you watch that fumble you’re going to be more mad cuz that whistle came after it was in your hands 100%. Yeah, I was I was so confused. I thought Dan was I don’t know if you challenge play like that. I don’t really know the rules that well. I just go out and play football. But no, um it is what it is. But uh I I know I know the coaches and my coaches and my players will be be super proud about that. So it ain’t counting the books, but it counted in my heart. So Hey Dar, can you can you walk us through your sack? It seemed like there was pretty good coverage in the back end and you used kind of like a dip move to get home. Just what did you see as that play develop? Um so it’s a little little scheme that we got. Um, I knew that, you know, kind of been studying Tristan Works, uh, throughout the week and, you know, and not saying they struggle, but, you know, it was I seen a couple of guys give him the inside move and be able to do that. They picked up pretty well, but, you know, it was really Mohamed who really helped that play. We had like a little spy. He wrapped around and Baker seen him and stepped right up to me. So, we It’s funny how you you go from doing it in practice and it go to the game and and it actually works. So, it know it’s a proud moment for sure. So, seemed like a lean was someone who was get you into play after 10 months away. Could you feel that from him from the very I mean it’s his energy throughout the whole weekend to the day was insane. I mean it just feels so good to have continue to get guys back, continue to have our whole defensive back, man. He uh he’s a guy that you know you need to have out there on the field, man. He’s such a big playmaker, such a huge part of this defense and know we’re just so blessed, honored to have him back and get some movement up front and we have been doing that. But it’s it’s always good to have 54 back. So he said he got stronger during rehab. He said he said he’s felt it. Does it look like it to you? Yeah. I mean it’s to me it looks like he never been hurt like and and that’s kudos to our training staff man giving him back and and all the work that he put in to get back to this point like he’s man he he worked so hard and and I’m super proud and super like super blessed to have him back with us. So, what does it look like from your perspective watching him when he’s pushing? Man, he’s uh a super super dominant player. I mean, we all see it. I mean, from the outside looking and it’s it’s unbelievable. We see the work he put in each and every day. How he works on his craft, how he lifts in the weight room. Like, it’s that’s a guy that, man, the sky’s is the limit for him, man. He’s one of the best in league in my opinion. Uh he can do everything. Pass rush to to play the run to take on double teams. I mean, this is when you have a guy like that, man, it’s it’s unbelievable and it creates a lot for the defense. Hey, Derek, the narrative obviously going into this game, so many injured defensive players that no way can you guys stop Baker Mayfield and that offense. But to hold them to nine points, what does that mean? Means a lot. It just shows us what our defense can do. I mean, even when we got players down and the next man comes in, like that goes back to the expectations that, you know, the coach have for us, that coach has for us, Dan has for us. Um, and and you know, we prepare like it. We go in a week and obviously a lot of stuff to clean up, but man, when you can go in and you can trust the guys who, like I said, came in a day ago, a week ago, been here, finally get active and be able to go out there and put that on tape, man. I’m like, it it means so much to me to see the guys get the opportunity to go out there and do that. So, D, bigger picture, did you guys view this as sort of a measuring stick game against the team that came into this game leading the NFC Monday night national TV at home? Like, was this a chance to, you know, make some sort of statement about where you guys are in the conference? I 100%. But I mean like they’re they’re a major team over there, major coaching staff over there, they do they do it the right way. They play football the right way and we know that. I always tell people like when you play against Tampa like it’s always it seems to always be a game. Um because the way they play and kudos to them but you know it’s it’s really for us is going in week in and week out just doing what we do and practice our preparation, our technique and things like that and coming to each week with the same mentality to win. And uh you know, I think we did a really good job of doing that and executing and and came out with the dub. But like I said, man, it’s a great team over there and you know, it’s it’s a big win for us. I think Big Baker’s getting tired of seeing you. I feel like you got an act of making big plays against Yeah, he Yeah, I I I think he is cuz every every time we play him, always comes to me and, you know, tells me I’m a hell of a player. That that means a lot coming from a guy like him, man. He’s a amazing quarterback, man. He’s done a lot in this league, a lot for this league. Um and he’s a great competitor, a great guy to go up against. um because it it tests you a lot especially, you know, we got a quarterback who creates plays, which he does a lot and does very well. Um to be able to come in here and contain him and and and and take what we did from, you know, throughout the week to the game means a lot. So, well, like I said, there’s a lot of good players in this locker room and guys just aren’t going to let you led by the headman. We’re just not going to let you settle. So, that’s huge, you know. So, it’s I think that makes up for a lot of it. and we’re going to go into the next week every week and try to correct things and get better at practice and you know there’s no give up. There’s a lot of fight in this team. No matter where we’re at, we’re going to fight. How big is it with everybody talking about who you guys don’t have to go out on a Monday night against a team that had the best record in the NFC and put up that performance? Uh it’s huge. You know, um everybody’s always going to talk about what you don’t have. Everybody needs like point talking points to talk about, but we’ve seen these guys. We’ve been in the locker room with them. So, we’ve been seeing them, you know, opportunity to make plays like a guy like Eric Howlet out there. We’ve seen him for two or three years now. Try to get things done, you know. Um, all the other guys back there. We know what Amique’s about. We got uh just a bunch of guys out there who are dogs, man. They waiting for opportunity. Rock, we’ve seen Rock play all over this league and do well. So, you know, it’s it just means a lot that they went in there, they took it serious, and they stepped up. Talk about getting the ball back for the offense. That’s the first play on a drive. What did you see there, Arthur, that you were able to drive on that ball? Um, just Baker. Uh usually he he reads one side and he quick comes back to the other side and that’s where he wants to throw um most of the time. So I just saw him usually when he scanned away I knew he was coming back and that just made gave me a chance to just break on a on a downhill throw. Uh he perfect call cover two. Um and I just made the play honestly. This defense is turning the ball over like crazy, you know, just just to be part of that parade. Um I mean you know um that’s what that’s what we’re in the league for to get the ball back for the offense. You know we have a high velocity offense. you know, they they put up a lot of points. So, if we can get the ball back for them, it’s going to be an easy game for us. We can make the team one we can make the offense one division onedimensional on the other side, you know, so it helps us out as well. We all knew the the drill this week with the injuries with BB suspension, you know. What was the the tenor of the room, the mood of the room? What was the It was no drop off, you know. Um you know, we all professional athletes. We all, you know, hold each other accountable. You know, um we know what we have. We know what we’re capable of. You know, obviously everyone else doesn’t. You know, we’re in the room every day seeing what we’re doing. for practicing with each other every day, you know, um and we trusted each other and obviously it showed today. Felt like their offense was pretty stuck most of the night like you guys had them um either going backwards or nowhere. Could you feel some frustration set in for them as the game went on on on that side of the ball? Not really. We just kind of just try to hone on what we need to do to try to get the offense back the ball. You know, that’s our job. You know, we don’t really care what the offense does. As long as we can kind of do what we need to do and get those guys the ball like Gibbs and all those other guys, we’ll be fine. you know, talk about your room and the way these guys came together with all the injuries and having to shuffle the deck. Uh, adversity, man. Um, you know, these guys are standup guys, you know, very professional, right? You know, um, you know, next man up mentality, you know, um, there should be no drop off and obviously you guys saw that today and, um, I’m very proud of everyone in this in the room that, you know, we stepped up where we needed to. This is a big win. They were five and one coming in best record of the NFC. What’s it mean for you to get this win over these guys to hit the buy at 5 and two? I mean, it’s nice, but it’s on to the next opponent. you know, um, you know, this league is a weekby- week, you know, um, league. So, you know, we have to enjoy the win tonight and get back to work next week. I think we got, uh, Minnesota and they got some good receivers, too. So we got to get to work.

Hear from Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, defensive lineman Alim McNeill, tackle Penei Sewell, linebacker Derrick Barnes, offensive lineman DJ Reader and cornerback Arthur Maulet. Following the Detroit Lions 24-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season.

0:00 – 8:15: Amik Robertson
8:16 – 10:51: Jahmyr Gibbs
10:52 – 12:23: Alim McNeill
12:24 – 13:51: Penei Sewell
13:52 – 19:27: Derrick Barnes
19:28 – DJ Reader
Arthur Maulet

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