Kenyan Drake – July 26, 2019
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Friday, July 26, 2019
RB Kenyan Drake
(Coach always talks about players being selfless. You were selfless last season. You didn’t get as many carries as you probably wanted. How difficult is it to get a lot of guys on that same page as a NFL player?) – “I can’t speak for everybody else. I know who I am and what I can control. It’s all about controlling the controllables. There is only one ball. I try to go out there and put myself in the best position to help this team win games. That’s all I can do.”
(What do you have to do to solidify that number one job?) – “That’s not something I’m really necessarily focused on. I’m focused on getting better every day. Today is the second day of camp. Tomorrow we put the pads on and get to bang a little bit. That’s football. I’m happy to be here, happy to go out there and improve every day and let the chips fall where they may.”
(Why do you think this will be your best year yet?) – “I got a great routine. I’m taking everything one day at a time because I wake up every day excited to be here. Every day is not promised and I feel like it’s important to make sure that as you’re taking in your routine, you’re improving. Of course you’re going to make mistakes, but try not to make the same mistakes twice, and become a better individual and player every day.”
(Did you change up your offseason at all this year or has it been the same as years past?) – “I actually cut five pounds in fat coming into this training camp. I wanted to be more lean and have a lot more conditioning so I can be available on the field as much as possible in terms of not (being) winded. The best ability is availability.”
(We hear so much about multiple defenses, what you guys are doing on defense, but how multiple can you guys be on offense where you guys have different roles for different guys at different times.) – “That’s for (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores to decide. My main goal is to understand what I’ve got to control, what I can do and help the guys in my room for sure, because with me being in my fourth season and the longest tenured running back on this team, I’m looked at to be a leader and every day that’s what I’m trying to accomplish.”
(How did you lose the five pounds?) – “Just my diet and being strict on myself having a better routine. (I’ve been) cutting out the fast foods, having fish, eating lean chicken, eating a lot of vegetables, alternatives to pork and red meat like turkey bacon, turkey meats, salmon patties. I guess we’re sponsored by Publix – Publix has great salmon patties if you don’t know about it. (laughter) I always go there and cook my own salmon patties in my skillet every night. Obviously it’s a little different now that we’re in camp, but they have great food here too.”
(Is that something you decided on your own or did someone recommend you do it?) – “It’s a lifestyle. I’m getting older. I’m obviously still young, but it’s never too early to start changing your life for the better in terms of how you approach every day. I looked at Frank (Gore) last year and he gave me a lot of wisdom in terms of his ability to be in a very grinding positon at running back and still be able to go out there and be able to do the things he does every day – how he eats and treats his body, the things he does on and off the field. That’s something that I wanted to implement into my career.”
(Are you starting to feel the difference?) – “For sure. I feel like I have a lot of energy waking up in the morning, throughout the day, sustainability with my energy conditioning-wise. Also, I might be leaner but muscle weighs more than fat. So when you shed that fat weight and build the muscle back up, you keep the strength.”
(What food or drink have you missed the most?) – “I’m a big sweets person, but when you have a goal in mind, it’s not too hard to cut stuff off that is going to hinder your ability. It’s not anything specific that I miss. Cookies and cream ice cream, I love ice cream (so I would choose that) if I had to name one.”
(You’ve had much success as a kickoff returner in your career. How much would you like to be a punt returner?) – “Any time I can get the ball in my hands, I feel like I can be dynamic for this team. My versatility is something that I cherish. Punt returning is not natural to me because I haven’t done it in a game. I always try to do it in practice. The more you do it, the more comfortable you get. If called upon, I’ll go out there and try to do my job.”
(Can you get used to running behind a fullback?) – ‘Yeah. I always tell (Chandler Cox) ‘Roll Tide’ every day. (laughter) I love having him on the team because he’s hardnosed and he’s a great player. I look forward to continue to see what he can bring to this team.”
(You don’t want to say that too much because he might let one go.) – “No, he keeps trying to tell me that he wants me to say ‘War Eagle.’ That will never happen ever. (laughter) It’s all fun and games out here, we’re on the same team now, so it’s no hard feelings.”
(It’s no secret that Year 4 is an important year for an NFL player. How are you approaching this year knowing that a big part of your future could be determined in the next few months?) – “I’d obviously be lying if I said it wasn’t on my mind, but the things that I’m focusing on is that I’m not looking too far ahead. How I control the future is how I control the present. Every day I’m here, I’m in my playbook. I try to lead by example by coming here and doing the things I need to do from a routine standpoint – eating right, taking thing we learned in the film room to the practice field, correcting mistakes things of that sort. It’s still early out here. It is what it is. I’m excited for the opportunity to come out here and help this team win a lot more games.”
(Being a dynamic player as you mentioned, a lot of you guys play Madden, that game is about to come out. Did you feel slighted by the 79 that you got scored? You being a dynamic player.) – “I couldn’t care less.”
(Why do guys care about that so much, where guys are protesting the game and guys telling fans to…) – “Whatever makes you happy, go out there and shout it from the mountain tops. I’m not really too concerned about a video game. I’m more concerned about me going out here and helping this team win games.”
(What do you think about what RB Melvin Gordon and RB Ezekiel Elliott are doing with their contract situation and how that affects backs and how they are appreciated in this league?) – “I feel like what they are doing is definitely monumental because how they are trying to maneuver with the things they are trying to accomplish, I feel like it’s a great thing for them personally. With how you affect the future, like I said, is what you do right now. They’re trying to change the narrative with how running backs get paid, how they’re seen, the versatility that we have. We pass block, we catch the ball out the backfield, we run the ball, some even throw the ball. I feel we’re the most versatile, not saying we’re the most important position – it’s a team sport – but we do a lot of things, I feel like running backs should get compensated for such.”
(Why do you think that position has been undervalued and what do you guys have to do to get back to the importance that it once was?) – “They say that running back is a dime a dozen type of position, but how the athletes are now coming out, these guys are – their versatility speaks for itself. Speaking of those guys that you names, ‘Zeke’ (Ezekiel Elliott) and Melvin (Gordon), they’ve done it year in and year out. I feel like they should get compensated for the things that they’ve accomplished, but that’s up for their team to decide and however they kind of maneuver. Whatever they’re trying to accomplish, I’m happy for them and I wish them nothing but the best. From that point, I’m going to focus on what I got to do and hopefully when I get the leverage to do what I need to do, hopefully I get the same respect.”
(If you have a son one day that wants to play football, would you put him at running back or maybe wide receiver, quarterback or defensive back?) – “I might just put him in soccer. I love soccer. (laughter) Football is a great sport. It’s the greatest team sport. At the end of the day, I’d want him to go out there and have fun and learn the things that the game has taught me. It’s taken me to places I could never imagine, being involved with this game. It doesn’t matter specifically the positon or anything like that, I would just want him to go out there be happy, be healthy and enjoy the game and take from it what it’s going to give to him.”
(Obviously Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea has a lot of Patriots ties. Do you look at RB Sony Michel, RB James White or someone on the Patriots and say I can look at that and say that’s going to be somewhat of my role?) – “No. How they do the things in New England, obviously we have the same type of – the coaching staff down here. But we have different players. I’d love to look at the different things that they do, but also have to realize that I have to go out here and play my game. I can’t literally go out there and say he had success at this, I’m going to go out here and try to emulate that. I wish them the best of luck at the things they will continue to accomplish, but I have to make sure I go out there and do the things I need to do from a small aspect and continue to improve from there.”
