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Nik Needham – October 14, 2021 Download PDF version

Thursday, October 14, 2021

CB Nik Needham

(I looked it up before we walked in here. You’ve played more than 50 snaps the last three games. Obviously the coaches believe you could get the job done. What’s it like to earn their trust?) – “It’s been good, but I’ve still got a lot of work to do as far as that point. It feels good to be trusted and seen as reliable and dependable. I’ve been trying to work on that since I’ve been here as well. That’s one of the things they gave me my rookie year. I’ve been trying to build on that every year and year. I think this year I just really matured more, so I’m just trying to take that to the field as well and just executing.”

(What’s it like to have to – every year you have to come here and you have to prove yourself all over again. I know that’s the case for a lot of NFL players, but it seems like it’s more the case for you. Every year, there’s somebody to replace you.) – “For me, I guess I take that as that’s my life story. I’ve been the underdog. I keep that in my back pocket, a chip on my shoulder. I don’t really try to focus too much on that because like I said, I’ve been working as an underdog my whole life. I just keep one day at a time. That’s my mindset. If you get too wrapped up in all of that other stuff, you start going down, and your play starts going down. Whenever they need me or whenever they need me to make a play, I’m going to do my best to go out there and execute. I’ll just try to keep doing that and hopefully they’ll keep relying on me.”

(What was the moment when you knew that you could make it in this league?) – “I don’t know. That’s a good question. I guess when I first got here, that was a little glimpse – in practice and training camp. But then obviously preseason didn’t go how I wanted it to go, so that was tough. I guess when I got brought that fifth week and I played in the game and I saw – like I watched myself play and I was like, ‘Wow, I really can do this.’ It was cool to see that. I think I played fairly well my first game. I think that just helped stack the confidence and keep me going.”

(What was the mood of the secondary after the last game? Was it humbling after facing QB Tom Brady and those receivers? Was there eagerness to prove that that’s not you guys?) – “It’s kind of humbling, I guess. But realistically, we know that’s not us. We are a way better unit than what we put out there. It’s definitely tough to lose like that. We gave up some big plays. We know that’s not how we play. We’ve got to go out there this week and do what we normally do. We’re just trying to go out there and execute and compete at a high level.”

(Yesterday we heard from a lot of guys excited about the trip to London. The timing of the trip is weird because you guys are trying to snap a losing streak. Is it that much more of a challenge going into this week knowing the trip ahead of you?) – “I don’t think so because Jacksonville has got to do the same thing too. We’re just trying to go out there and get a win. We’re not worried about what’s going on in the outside world and that type of stuff, and other distractions. We just want to go out there this week. It’s another game week. We’re playing another opponent. We just want to go out there and come out with a victory. We don’t want to worry too much about travel and stuff.”

(Can you enjoy London though?) – “My friends have played up there from the Falcons and he said it’s not what you think it is. I heard we’re staying like an hour away, so I don’t know. So we’ll see.”

(Who is your friend?) – “Jaylinn Hawkins.”

(After giving up so many scores and yards against QB Tom Brady and company, what’s the main thing the secondary has to focus on to improve this week?) – “Just techniques and your mindset really. You can’t just go out there and give up all of those plays. You’ve got to trust in your technique, trust that your other teammates will be there to help and trust your leverage and all of the things that fall under that. You can’t beat yourself up too much because we still have plenty more games to play. So if we’re just all thinking about Tom Brady and the Bucs, we’re not going to be successful for the Jags. We just try to put that behind us and go out there and play.”

(What do you think about QB Trevor Lawrence?) – “He looks like a good young quarterback.”

(We didn’t see CB Xavien Howard today and he missed yesterday. It’s been a couple of weeks where he and CB Byron Jones are dealing with different things. How do you approach that you may have to step up?) – “How do I approach that? Whenever they need me, whenever my name is called, I’m going to be there and try to give my best and try to be as reliable and accountable as I can. You can’t worry too much about what’s going on with everything else. You have to just focus on yourself, so you can be in the best position to execute when your name is called.”

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