Raekwon McMillan – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
LB Raekwon McMillan
(It’s got to be asked, how is the knee?) – “It’s alright … In OTAs, I was still thinking about it. I was still worrying about whether it was strong enough or if it was ready yet to take every snap. But I’m out here at camp, had the whole offseason to train with my trainer and had more time to work on my quad muscle and hamstring and all of the muscles around my knee. I finally feel like I’m back to where I was and feeling a little better than I was when I went to camp last year.”
(So the last two days, how much have you been thinking about it out there?) – “Not at all. Just scheduled maintenance right after practice, going in and getting stretched, cold tub, hot tub and all of that regular stuff everybody else does. When it comes to being on the field, I don’t really think about it much at all.”
(Was a brace an option?) – “For me, honestly no. I felt like if I needed a brace then I needed more time to rehab and do stuff like that. My whole rehab I did without a brace, thanks to the training staff here. They did a good job of keeping me focused on working without it and making sure I had stabilization without it, so I feel more safe without it.”
(How did last year help you any way at all?) – “I’m ready for the heat. (laughter) Last year I learned a lot. I had enough confidence and I was named the starter last year, so I had confidence in myself that I could come out and do the same thing this year. Nothing is given in this league. I had to come out here and earn it again. Me coming out here and earning it again after coming off of that injury was very fulfilling for me.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill talked about mentally he was in a better spot watching on the sidelines coming back. For you, not being in the defense last year, mentally do you feel like you’re in a better spot by sitting back and learning, now coming back and learning on the field?) – “Yes. Last year I felt like going into it, I didn’t know all of the nuances. I didn’t know everything about the defense. This year, you’ve got to sit back and really see what the defense needed, where they need me to be and what my role would be on the defense. (I’m) coming in and fulfilling that role for them and doing everything I can to make this team better.”
(Have you been able to use that even in the first couple of days of practice?) – “Yes, for sure. Knowing more and being able to teach the guys behind me – like Jerome (Baker), ‘Q’ (Quentin Poling), a young guy in Frank (Ginda and) we’ve got Cayson (Colling) in there. Those guys are coming up and when I came to the sidelines last year, I was the one asking questions. I was the one that needed all of the answers. This year, I’m more of a teacher and I know a little bit more.”
(Typically a middle linebacker, a lot of middle linebackers, come out on passing downs. Do you feel like your ability to cover will make the decision hard for whether you’re playing on passing downs or not?) – “Yes. That was my whole objective and goal for the offseason is being able to come in and dropping a little bit of weight so I can stay on the field the whole time. That’s every middle linebacker’s dream – being able to stay on the field. We’re in a game now where on third down, you see most middle linebackers come out, like you said. For me, to stay in the game, it’s all about me being in shape and knowing what I’ve got to do and where I need to be and being a positive role on the field. If I’m out there and I’m a weak link, they are going to take me off the field.”
(Have they told you if you’re one of the two best guys and that you’re going to play?) – “It all depends on what happens at camp. We’ve got a lot of good guys in our room and anything can happen.”
(You and QB Ryan Tannehill were kind of in the same boat last year. Obviously you were at very different points in your career but how much communication did you have with him? How much did you guys pair up going through the whole rehab experience?) – “We’ve talked about it before. Throughout the whole rehab process, Ryan kind of walked me through what I was going to feel, how I was going to feel and some of the pains I was going to have and how to get through them. With some of the pains, it’s all about fighting through it. It’s not all about what you’re feeling, it’s about how you’re going to get through it.”
(The physical pain you’re talking about?) – “Yes, the physical pain. Ryan (Tannehill), he’s been through it two years in a row so he knows what’s going on.”
(What about the mental part of it, because that’s tough too?) – “(Tannehill) is a vet, so he kind of walked me through that too as well. For me being a rookie, this was my first injury I’ve had ever – college, high school, little league. My first game in the NFL, I got hurt so it kind of (affected me) mentally.”
(Are you still mad about it a year later, a why me kind of thing, which is natural?) – “No. I never got to the point where I got mad at myself or got down on myself. I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to provide for this organization; but this is my year right here, so I’ve got to give them everything I’ve got.”
(How much are you looking forward to contact? It’s been a while.) – “Yes, that’s what middle linebackers live for, so I’m ready for all of that.”
(You’ve had a lot of time obviously the last year. Any middle linebackers that you’ve studied in the NFL that you’ve sort of seen similarities to with your game?) – “Yes, I try to study all of the three-down linebackers. Deion Jones, Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner and some of those guys. The guy from the Cowboys (Sean Lee) – those are all pretty good linebackers and I just study the game and how they play.”
(When did you start thinking of yourself as perhaps a middle linebacker in the NFL?) – “When I got to college and (Ohio State Head Coach Urban) Meyer and (former Ohio State Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach) Luke Fickell sat me to the side and told me that was going to be the best position for me, for my future and for my family. So, I took that and ran with it.”
