Cameron Wake – June 13, 2018
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Wednesday, June 13, 2018
DE Cameron Wake
(What are your thoughts on the addition of DE Robert Quinn?) – “Pleasantly pleased, I guess? Obviously, being in this league for a while, I know of the guy. I can’t say I knew him personally before now, but knew of him. (I) obviously watched his body of work. (He is a) tremendous, tremendous football player. I can say he’s a great man and a great teammate. I’m actually smiles all around for that acquisition, for sure.”
(What do you think of the overhaul to the defensive line in general? It sounds like not only are there more guys, but it seems like there’s a little bit of a new plan to kind of roll guys through and keep everyone a little fresher.) – “I’m all for that. I think, obviously, playing defensive line is – of course debate amongst you as you will – I think probably the most taxing position on the field. What you do is different than any other sport, position, or whatever it may be; but it’s a lot. So having guys and being able to trust guys to say, ‘Hey, listen. Such and such may not be in this week, but (we need) you to go in and play at the same level. No let down. Do the same things and give it all you got, and somebody will be in there to spell you when necessary.’ I like that plan of attack and I look forward to implementing it into game-time situations.”
(There is this theory that your fellow defensive lineman have come up with that DE Robert Quinn’s bend is the best that they’ve ever seen. I’ve seen your bend. I’d like to get your thoughts on who’s bend is better and your viewpoint of Robert Quinn’s bend.) – “He’s a tremendous athlete. He’s done a lot of things that you don’t see anywhere else. So, comparing bends, that’s … Again, enjoy yourselves. I’m looking forward to meeting him – both of us bending – at the quarterback come Sundays, for sure.”
(What does DE Robert Quinn do that’s so phenomenal athletically?) – “It’s probably a combination of the maker – his mom and dad – hard work, flexibility and just that wisdom of where the quarterback is going to be, (knowing) at what point do you bend, which step – things that he’s probably repeated and done through repetition 10 million times throughout his career. But it’s one of those things where it’s looking across, I see it and I know for an offensive lineman, that’s a bear. I’m going to enjoy watching it on Sundays. I’m sure you guys will, too.”
(You had a productive season individually last year; but you guys collectively, the sacks, you were in the bottom five I think in the league. Did that wear on you that as a group you weren’t able to do that and did you identify anything, any trends? Were you guys close a lot of times? What was holding you guys back as a group?) – “There were a lot of missed opportunities sometimes. I think, to me, I’m not a sack counter. I think you guys know that about me. I honestly couldn’t even tell you where we ranked. I know as a defense and as a team, we didn’t get to where we should’ve. If you look at the guys we had, and our expectations, we weren’t there. If we were to have success as a team, I truly don’t care about sack numbers. I just want to get everybody on the same page as far as winning the game on Sunday and us reaching our potential. I think obviously potential to be at the top of the sack numbers should be there; but I think that comes with all of the other pieces of the puzzle – whether it’s stopping the run, third-down numbers, some things offenses are going to do or not do. All of that ties into what you get to do as far as getting to the quarterback.”
(A couple things about you: I think it’s ironic you’re wearing a sacrifice shirt because isn’t that the story of your career in many ways?) – “Are you sure it’s not a coincidence?”
(No.) – “Truly it is. I think, every year, I go through and I kind of get an opportunity to see the young guys, see the new guys and get different stories from different guys, whether it’s free agents or first-round picks, whatever it may be. You can’t help but to kind of reminisce back on your own and reflect. Every year I tell the rookies, ‘You’re already in a better position than I was when I was at the same point in my career long ago. Cherish the moment. Trust me. Take it from me that whatever is pulling you on the outside of football – I don’t care if it’s the South Florida sun, fishing, golfing, girls, party – whatever that thing is, sacrifice for now and put everything you can into this game and it’ll reward you tenfold. A lot of guys who listen, you’ll hear their name some day. Some guys you won’t. That’s just the nature of the business and you’ll never know who they are.”
(I know you’re 36 years old. Do you feel it? Do you feel like you’re in the same condition you were five years ago, 10 years ago? Can you give us your mindset right now about where you are physically?) – “I feel good. I feel as good as I’ve ever felt. As you get closer and closer to tapping out that battle with father time, I think you have to do whatever you can on the other side as far as the wisdom of the game. You maybe can’t physically work as hard, but you can definitely work smarter. There are more things I know now that I didn’t know when I was 25 years old when I was out there running around with whatever God gave me. To be able to be as physically able as possible at 36, and still have that wisdom to put those two things together, I think you can still be successful. Again, with a little bit of sacrifice, if it’s worth it, then I think the fruits of your labor will come to bear. So, I’m looking forward to it.”
(Is it fully year-round for you? Do you have to do it every single week or is there a long weekend you take sitting on the beach where you don’t work out?) – “All year round. It’s a lifestyle. People always ask me, ‘When do you cheat?’ or ‘When do you do this?’ To me, it’s … I don’t even look at it like a cheat. I’ve decided many years ago that this is going to be my life if I want to be successful. To me, every week off that I’m taking is a week that some other guy is not, or a week that I’m stepping back or a sack that I’m going to miss or a play that I’m not going to get. It all comes down to what it’s worth. If I told you or I told a rookie or whoever, ‘Listen, if you never drink a drink of alcohol throughout your entire career, you’ll have 15 more sacks for the years you’re playing. Whatever that is. Is that worth it to you?’ Some guys say yes; some guys says no. ‘Never have fried food for your 10 years and you’ll make X more money.’ Some guys say yes, some guys say no. To me, even if it’s one sack, one play, it’s worth it, because 10 years from now when I’m not playing, I can have all the cheeseburgers, all the beaches, all the everything, because I put the time in now to put myself in a position that I can have all those things. But if you try to do it the other way around, you won’t be in that position to even enjoy the stuff that you’re working towards. It’s all year round. It’s 24/7. It’s just a lifestyle. It’s not a cheat or a weekend. It’s my life and it won’t change until I stop playing.”
(Are you always calculating it? Would you turn down a beer in February saying, “That might be a sack I don’t get Week 7 against Buffalo,” or something?) – “No. I said in 2005 that I’m not going to have beer, because it will make days like the days that come where it’s third-and-10 and he’s hurting or he’s tired or he didn’t recover – whatever the million different scenarios – I know I have a step ahead of him no matter what it is. It could be one millisecond. It could be … To me, even if it’s 10 years for that one millisecond, that’s worth it for me. Beer is not my thing, but it’s not that much of a draw that I can’t get … Beer is not going to change. Beer is going to taste the same in 10 years as it tastes tomorrow, yesterday and that sack won’t. That opportunity won’t be there 10 years from now. So, I can get it now; I’ll have the beer later.”
(Ten years from now, what is the end game for Cameron Wake? I say 10 because that’s probably when you’ll retire.) – “Freedom is my ultimate goal. I think unlike … Probably no different than most of the guys in here, whether it’s (the) newspaper business (or) football you want to have freedom. I want to say in 10 years I will be able to do whatever I want. If it’s skiing all year round in the Swiss Alps, I sacrificed so that I could do that. Or if it’s teaching boys and girls how to pass rush, whatever it may be, I can make that choice. But like I said earlier, if I’ve been drinking beers for the last 10 years, I might have to go do something for the next 40 years. I couldn’t go skiing and drink beer all day and sit on the beach, whatever it may be. To me, freedom is happiness and that’s kind of what my direction is.”
(We all know the story back in 2016 of how the vision was to make you a pass-rush specialist and not play on early downs. Coaches admitted that wasn’t ideal. You started 10-6, continued last year with good play. Do you fully expect to remain a starter and does the idea of ever being a pass-rush specialist appeal to you or are you an NFL starter who should complete his career as an NFL starter?) – “I feel that I have NFL starter ability. I don’t think that’s been questioned or ever been a question. I’ve obviously been that for however many years it’s been. But again, like I said earlier, working hard versus working smarter. Could I play every down? Obviously, yes, I’ve shown that. Is that in the best interest of the team? Is that in the best interest of myself? Question mark. I think to me, as I’ve shown … Again, I’m not … I don’t have this ‘Everybody look at me. I must be the starter.’ That’s not my mentality. I want to do whatever is going to help the entirety of the team, the entirety of the defense. So, if it means me being a third-down guy, let’s do it. If it means I have to start and play every down, I’ll take that role on, too. And I’ve done both and I think I’ve been fairly successful either way. Again, it’s going to come down to the personnel, the scheme and what’s going to work out for everybody involved. I don’t have an ego that I need to have that starter by my name. Whatever needs to happen will happen. Let’s get it done.”
(Ten years of playing is a long time for anything, but what is your best guess today as to what you will be doing 10 years from now? What is your number one goal?) – “That’s a hard question, because if you would’ve asked me 10 years ago, I don’t know if I would’ve said I’d be doing this now. So, 10 years from now, your guess is as good as mine. I don’t know. Maybe I’ll be skiing in the Swiss Alps somewhere. Who knows?”
(Have you ever been skiing?) – “Every year.”
(When it comes to DE Charles Harris, have you enjoyed a mentorship role with him? Is that something that you look for or you’ll do it if he asks? What’s your attitude towards it?) – “I probably enjoy that (not) as much as playing football, but quite close. I think … Again, there’s so much that you gain playing this game and being in the locker room and just going through life as an NFL player that no teacher can teach you, no pamphlet, no seminar. Most coaches don’t understand and don’t know. You’d have to have been in the mix and a lot of the lessons that I’ve learned early on in my career were from guys who played 10-plus years in the league and said, ‘Listen, this is how you get to the quarterback. This is what to look for on Sunday. This is what to look for off the field. Don’t do this. This is how you’re going to get that second contract.’ So many different things that go into being a professional athlete and being a good pro. To me, I want to see everybody win. I want you to make the most money, get the most sacks. I’ve done that. One of my younger players was telling me, ‘I’m going to make sure we get you to the Pro Bowl.’ I’m like, ‘Let’s get you to the Pro Bowl. I’ve been to the Pro Bowl. I’ve done this, this and this. How about let’s get you there?’ So, whatever you need, whether on the field, off the field, anything. I am completely open and again, I want to share that wisdom because it’s not like I can go to other areas and tell them, ‘This is how you do this pass rush,’ or, ‘This is how to work as an NFL player.’ I can only speak to a certain group who has the ability and who will be able to implement the things that I’m saying. It’s kind of that use it or lose it. I’m not going to take it with me and give it to anyone else. I’ve got to give it to the Charles Harrises of the world to hopefully apply the same way the Jason Taylors of the world (did) for me, to have me stand here talking to you guys.”
(For every young player who kind of wants to follow you, they say, “Do what Cam does.” And after they join you for a while says, “I can’t do that.” Do you have that moment?) – “I’m going to say not just young players, I’ve had older players. They kind of pick you brain and say, ‘Okay, what is it?’ And maybe it’s like he spoke about not having a beer year round. And again, this is not universal or exclusive to me or to football or to anything. It’s what is it worth to you? Is one more sack worth five years of a clean diet? Some people are like, ‘That’s crazy. I love cheeseburgers.’ Some people would say, ‘Yes, I’ll do anything I can to have one more sack.’ Because like I said before, cheeseburgers aren’t going anywhere – video games, women, partying. All of that stuff will be there, trust me. But you’re only going to have one Monday Night Football game. You’ll never get it again. I’ve had guys, like I said, veterans, rookies, people who work 9 to 5 all come to me like, ‘You’re crazy.’ But I’ve also have people who’ve said, ‘You know what? I’m going to do whatever I can to make myself better.’ It’s a universal thing for anybody. What is it worth to you? Are you willing to pay the cost? Some are; some aren’t.”
