Mecole Hardman: “Wherever They Need Me” | Buffalo Bills

Mecole Hardman: “Wherever They Need Me” | Buffalo Bills

How do you say your first name? Can you say your first name for us? Micole. Micole. Not Mikl. It’s Mico. It’s Micole. Okay. Making sure. Thank you. So, uh, what is it like to be on the other side now after all those years with the Chiefs? Uh, it’s kind of it’s kind of weird a little bit, you know, um, going against these guys for the last six years and, um, now just be over here. Um, but, you know, I’m excited for opportunity. I’m glad to be here, man. And, um, they welcome me with open arms, so I’m happy about that. Um, they definitely joking with me about, you know, the past matches that we didn’t had in the years. U, but it’s fun. I’m I’m enjoying it. How much was factoring in being so close? I mean, you’ve played them so many times, so much. You probably had a pretty good pulse on the the team and what what they do. How much did that factor into you wanting to be part of this organization now? Uh, honestly, I I was just happy for any opportunity. Luckily, this was the opportunity that came about. Um, you know, being out, you know, out the NFL. I say out the NFL, but been in Frasier for so long. Um, you know, at that point, you just want any opportunity just to get back and play again. So, I’m happy that they called and gave me a chance and opportunity. So, I’m grateful for that and just so happy it’s one of the one of the guys I’ve been going against my whole career. So, but I’m looking forward to it. Game is something that this team is in need of. Do you think that could be your early path to get on the 53? Um, I don’t know. You know, I’m I’m definitely, you know, that’s kind of like one of my bread and butters throughout my career has been, you know, a good return, man. So, um, but I’m just here for wherever they need me at, you know, wherever they want me to step up at. I’m just, you know, give it my best and and go out there and do it if it’s returns or if they want me to get in on receiver, wherever it may be. But, um, I definitely can, you know, make a spark in the return game, you know, given the opportunity. Yeah. And with your speed and the numbers you’ve had in the return game, why do you think you the opportunities hadn’t been there, uh, over the last several months? Um, I don’t know, you know, I think it’s it’s definitely difficult when it comes to, you know, roster moves and, you know, definitely late into the season after the trade deadline, things like that. So, um, teams got to be strategic of what they do and who they bring in and, um, and what they bringing people in for. So, um, I think it it’s all calculated and I think they, you know, calculated the right moves to to bring me in and, um, give me an opportunity. So, I’m going just take advantage of it and, um, enjoy it. When did you find out you were coming to Buffalo? Uh, what’s the day? Wednesday. Uh, I came I knew I figured it out on Friday, I think. So, it’s it’s mid November, right? You got to just jump right in. How soon could you contribute, especially on the offense? I mean, everybody thinks about training camp and all these reps and everything, but do you think when you get your chance, you could step in and help them on offense? I think so. Um, you know, just being able to learn the uh the terminology here and, you know, get comfortable with the playbook a little bit, you know, just enough so I can, you know, go out there and, you know, try to play like without thinking. So, but I think I can contribute um whenever my numbers call, whenever they may be. But, um, like you said, I just got to be ready for it, though. How do you do it? But what is the the process like to crash course on offense when you jump into a season like this? Uh you got to put in that work, man. When you at home looking at the playbook, uh writing down notes, whatever it may be, getting in with some of the uh the coaches and and just going through and try to find the nuances in the offense and you know what makes sense to yourself and and then, you know, going out here and put out on the field so you can get comfortable with it. And that’s coming with a lot of mistakes, a lot of messing up, especially you know, hearing a play call in the huddle and stuff like that. But um you just got to you know do the you know sacrifice the time and maybe a little bit of sleep too but once you get it you get it. So is it part of that too when you look at it say wow this is something I can help on. This is a concept that I really can be effective on. Is that something that you try and internalize a little bit as you’re learning? Uh yeah you probably definitely want to you know put your little tooth cent in there here and there you know but um but honestly I think they got a plan for me and I think um you know whatever they you know got for me is is for me and I’m I got no objection to anything. I’m just happy to be on a team again man just ready to play. I know you didn’t cross paths with him at Georgia, but you and James, you have a relationship already? Yeah, that’s my dog. He was at Georgia when I was there, his freshman year, actually. So, that’s my guy, man. Um, good to see him. He’s a familiar face. Um, so, uh, he been doing great this year. I’m glad to see him doing his thing, man. Um, to be on the team with him again is dope. I know it’s only been one practice, but your first impression of working with Josh Allen so far, Josh is big. Like a big person, man. Um I didn’t know he was like, you know, you play against him, but just being out here, man, he got an aura about him, man. And um so he’s definitely he one of them guys, one of them quarterbacks that you would like to play with in the league. And um I think I had some of the greats that I’ve played with. So um just to, you know, have him as my quarterback and, you know, um be able to, you know, maybe catch passes from him. It’s going to be it’s going to be great thing. And he’s he’s he’s one of them ones. So uh Josh has a handshake, but everybody looks like might have started with one. You got any hand? Yeah. So listen, first of all, Josh, you can’t just He threw me in the fire because as we going to the Indie, he just handshake everybody. I’m just like, “Well, just put it there, sir.” You know? Um, so we got to work on that. I got to I got to get one get one with him. And um hopefully we get that soon because I I felt left out today. I’m not going to lie. So um but hey, it’s first day first day out here. So we g we gonna figure it out. As as a receiver, where are you comfortable lining up? Where have you lined up as far as the X, the slot, things like that? Uh mostly been a slot throughout my career, but um venturing to the outside a little bit. You know, try to get some 101 ones out there, utilize my speed, whether it’s some in cuts, some outbreaking routes or down the field. So, uh but honestly, right now, I don’t know exactly where I’m going to be at. I think it’s all over the place. So, um but that just come with learning the playbook and you know, the more you can do, hey, so you were on an offense last year with one of the great quarterbacks of all time that was still probably a little bit sluggish, especially in the passing game. This team is going through something similar here. How did you figure that out? How did it work out with the Chiefs last year that you were able to still get to a Super Bowl and succeed even as the offense seemed to be fighting things all season long? Uh, I fit in. I think just being there so long, man, and and knowing different things and, you know, trying to bring good energy, a positive mindset, and try to just, you know, spark things up, whether it’s just wherever you at on the field. Um, but when when things like that, you know, it’s it’s life. You going to go through slumps, but it just depend on how you um how you bounce back from it. eventually going to always hit and whenever that hits you got to, you know, hit it in the mouth and you know, come back out of it. So, but you know, this team is great. They got a great quarterback, a great coaching staff. So, um pretty sure, you know, things gonna get back

Wide Receiver Mecole Hardman addressed the media after practice on Wednesday November 12th. Topics include: signing with Bills, playing against the Bills the past few years, learning the offense, his familiarity with Buffalo, his role on the team, learning the playbook, and playing with QB Josh Allen.

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