Bradley Chubb – November 7, 2023
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Tuesday, November 7, 2023
LB Bradley Chubb
(Why has the defense clicked? Why has it started looking like it’s supposed to?) – “Just guys buying in. I feel everybody is understanding their role and perfecting their role, not trying to do too much and not trying to make up for somebody else’s mistake. Everybody has bought in and understands exactly what they need to do so guys don’t have to stretch and reach out trying to help somebody else out. They can just focus on their job. I feel like ever since we’ve kind of locked into that, we’ve been moving as a unit … But yeah, just guys buying in, and that’s been working out well.”
(You probably had your best season in Denver under Vic Fangio, and now he’s here and you’re having the kind of season you are. What is it about you and Vic that kind of go together so well?) – “I just understand what he expects from me. I feel like early in the season, I wasn’t at the point that I wanted to be. I kind of just started understanding and getting back to who I was and what I knew he expected of me and what I knew this defense expected of me. Like I said, just buying into perfecting my role – whether that be dropping, playing the run, rushing the passer. Just trying to perfect that each and every day. I think we just have that connection so hopefully we keep it going.”
(How important is it to disconnect during the bye week?) – “It’s huge because you got so much time of getting into a routine and staying on a team each and every week. It’s a new goal, new opportunities and stuff like that. For us to kind of decompress and relax and let the weight of the world off our shoulders for a little bit and come back in the second half of the season, it allows us to come back a lot stronger.”
(A little bit early, Head Coach Mike McDaniel was talking about the realities of the NFL, one of them being the salary cap, and how it is a finite amount of money that goes around. In your case, he mentions that he thought that you, in his words, exorcise pressure demons that go with your salary and how it relates to the salary cap. What’s your response to that?) – “I mean, yeah, no doubt. Like I said, earlier in the season I just didn’t feel like I was making that big of an impact on the field and I was kind of letting it get to me. I’m supposed to be this guy and all that. But that’s when I had to look at the man in the mirror and understand, hey man, you do this. It’s not about what people who put expectations on you, it’s not about that. It’s about what you know you can do and how you prepare to do that. I just started tapping into that a lot more and I did that, I started bringing guys along with me, and I feel like that’s kind of shifted the energy for all of us as a defense. It’s allowed us to grow better because everybody had that same mindset of looking in the mirror and understanding what they need to do better. It allows all of us to grow, I feel like.”
(How has it changed your outlook right now? Mentally, it must be a load off your shoulders?) – “Yeah, it’s a load off. But I know the work is not done. We still have eight more games and hopefully if we do the right thing, we have three more after that. My main thing is just try to continue to be the best me each and every day. And this bye week is it’s going to be an epitome of that. It’s a lot of free time and I have to do everything I can to be ready for the Raiders.”
(Question from LB Jaelan Phillips – Mr. Chubb, what do you think the biggest challenge of the second half of the season is?) – “Getting Jaelan Phillips to buy in. (laughter) Nah, I’m just playing.”
(Are you going to miss Jaelan Phillips over the bye week?) – “Yeah, for sure. We’re going to be kicking it. That’s my dawg. We’re going to be kicking it regardless. Whatever we do, I know we’re going to have fun doing it. It’s going to be good.”
(Kicking it where?) – “Beach, boat, house, playing video games. No matter where we’re at, 2 and 15 are going to bring that energy.”
(It looked like you got pretty emotional with it being the one-year anniversary of you coming to Miami. Where did you get that emotion?) – “Just understanding overall it’s just life. Life just puts you in positions, God puts you in positions that you never would’ve seen yourself in. I would never thought I’d be in Germany playing against the Chiefs in such a big moment and stuff like that. It’s dope to take a look back at where you were and where you’re at now and see everybody grow, see myself grow. All the emotions came out because I remember where I was mentally a year ago. Like, yeah I got money and got this, but am I happy? Am I where I’m supposed to be? And all those questions finally coming in life and getting them answered and understanding I’m right here where I need to be.”
(Is that adulting?) – “That’s adulting, 100 percent. That’s adulting. It’s life. Everybody goes through it and I had a great support system around me. I have a great Lord and Savior to help guide me through life. It’s been amazing.”
