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Clayton Fejedelem – December 3, 2020 Download PDF version

Thursday, December 3, 2020

S Clayton Fejedelem

(I had a question for you about Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman. I spoke to LS Blake Ferguson and LB Sam Eguavoen and they both joked about the frequency of getting chewed out by him. I was curious just to get your take on his personality – whether it’s in meetings, on the practice field, on game day – and what he brings to the facility every day?) – “He just demands that you know your assignment. You’re only getting chewed out if you’re not going through all the scouting reports with a fine-tooth comb. He holds the players to a standard, the guys on this team hold each other to a standard and that’s why we’re executing the way we are right now.”

(I know this isn’t specifically your role, but I’m sure you’ve probably played a gunner role at some point in your special teams career. What does it entail to be a gunner? What do you have to go through?) – “To be a gunner? I’ve taken a couple reps in practice here and there. Don’t have any under my belt – no reps under my belt in live games – but to be a gunner, you have to be able to execute in space, you’ve got to beat your one-on-ones if they’re doubling you and vicing. It’s a demanding position. When they have an eight-man box on their punt return unit and you’re out singled, you have to win because everyone else on that unit is protecting first before we can help out and cover. So it’s definitely a skill position. Your better athletes, your quicker guys are out there. Not only do you have to win off the line, but once you get down there, you have to win at the point of attack against some of the best athletes and get the punt returners on the ground. It is a demanding, demanding position.”

(I have a two-part question. I wanted to get your thoughts on facing your former team and also since I’m assuming you have guys that you still have good relationships with over there, how closely do you keep tabs on what’s going on with them and what you make of their season?) – “I still talk to a handful of the guys over there. I haven’t been doing much talking this week. You’ve got to keep everything in-house, but they have a good unit over there. (Bengals Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator) Darrin Simmons, he’s a good coach. They’re going to come out and have a good game plan; but yeah, they’ve got guys like – I talk to Brandon Wilson. You saw last week he had a 103-yard kickoff return. They have good players and we’re going to have to execute. We’re definitely excited for the challenge.”

(This weekend is My Cause My Cleats and I was just curious what you’re wearing and what the cause is for you, if you are wearing them.) – “I’ll be wearing the Pat Tillman Foundation. I just – a lot of people know the story unfortunately with what happened to him overseas; but I am a big advocate for our military. I support our military and I love what the foundation does and what they bring for opportunity and scholarships and just a military family with a military background, so they can continue to grow and empower themselves in society. I love the Pat Tillman Foundation. I’ll be representing them and that’s what I’ll be rocking.”

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