Danny Crossman – December 1, 2022
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Thursday, December 1, 2022
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
(Do you watch the World Cup?) – “Occasionally. If it was summer, I’d be watching it constantly. But not now.”
(I saw one of the U.S. Women’s soccer players kicked a 55-yarder in Eagles practice.) – “I saw that a couple years ago.”
(Have you ever seen a pure soccer player make the transition to kicking or how difficult do you think it would be to master the technique?) – “I think it’s a lot more complex than they would readily admit and I think it all goes back to the shape of the ball. That’s completely different and a total different trajectory of what they’re so capable of. It’s amazing what they can do with the ball and the way they can make it move. But you’re not doing that with a football. But talent-wise? Yeah, I think if they put the time in, I think there’s a lot of them that could do it.”
(Occasionally you see world-class soccer players who might pop in for a visit and goof around and try to kick some field goals or you might see MLS players make noise about doing both. Have you ever been a part of even a goofy try out or a real try out?) – “I have not, but I’ve had several kickers that – I think Jason Sanders is a prime example – the first time Jason Sanders was ever at a college football game is when he was playing in it. The first time he was ever in an NFL game was when he was playing in it because he was a soccer player growing up. He had no interest in going to football games, NFL, college. It wasn’t part of what his makeup was at the time. So I think all those guys, I mean, they’re so talented. I think once they can figure it out, the transition would be doable for a lot of them. But no, I’ve never been a part of that. But I’ve had several guys that their background was strictly in being a soccer player.”
(You guys might be missing your two starting offensive tackles this week. When you go into a game, do you ever think in light of that, maybe special teams will make a bigger contribution? Do you look for to make a bigger impact in other areas? Or is it all one of 17 and the approach stays the same?) – “It’s still play by play. I think how the game may play out, you look at in terms of that, but in terms of what we need to do, we need to play and take care of our business week-in and week-out regardless of how the rest of it goes. Now with that being said, obviously when you put the three elements of offense, defense and the kicking game together, there’s certain weeks that certain portions of that – based on opposition, based on scheme, based on coaches, based on players – are going to have to maybe carry more weight.”
(I know you and Head Coach Mike McDaniel had expressed your confidence that things would get on track all along, but how comforting anyway was it that K Jason Sanders made all his kicks?) – “I think the biggest thing for me and I guess for everybody – it was big that he did it on Sunday. Again, the reason that Mike (McDaniel) and myself and the rest of the organization feel good about it is we see every kick he has on Wednesday and we see every kick he has on Friday. And we see what those results are and as we’ve always said, those results have to transition to Sunday because that’s the only thing that truly really matters. But to be able to see what he’s been doing during the week to come up and come to fruition on Sunday, it was good to see.”
(Did you sense any sort of relief or confidence boost within K Jason Sanders after he did that?) – “No, and that’s probably one of the great things about Jason (Sanders). He still has that mentality of just what we talked about earlier – that maybe it’s the non-football mentality of he knows his skills, he knows his talent, he knows what he’s been doing and he trusts in it, and he believes in it. So a lot of that stuff doesn’t bother him at least outwardly or nothing that we’ve talked about. But I’m sure – make no mistake about it – anytime you are successful, success breeds confidence and it’s always better to be confident.”
(Was there something mechanically that he had to correct over the bye?) – “No.”
(And with that in mind, it’s such a unique position where it’s like, you know he can do it, but maybe that position is a little more in between the ears than maybe any other one? How do you approach that as a coach as far as trying to like, coach the psychology of that position that’s so unique in the sport?) – “I think the key is to be a good listener and what he’s seeing, what he’s feeling, what he’s thinking. I think that’s the biggest thing. We’ve all seen it and you equate it to a lot of things, but probably from a from a sporting standpoint, you probably equate it – punting and kicking is like golf. You know what you’d like to do, but it doesn’t always happen. You get the greatest golfers in the world and all of a sudden, they put the ball in the water. They miss the green by 20 feet. It’s not that they can’t do it. They didn’t do it in that particular case, but the talent is there. They worked on it and if you keep working on, you’re going to get the results.”
(How problematic was it that P Thomas Morstead was in on two tackles Sunday?) – “I think the problem is we missed too many other tackles. You have to tackle better. When you have opportunities and when you’re in position to make plays, you got to make those plays.”
(It says 80 percent chance of rain in Santa Clara. I don’t know if it’s as windy in Santa Clara as it used to be in Candlestick. I went to a nasty Monday Night Football game there once. Are you a guy who like wants to bring out the hose or is that not a really a thing you do?) – “No, we’re fortunate enough that we get enough natural precipitation when we’re in the midst of practice that way we don’t have to simulate it. We’re going to get it naturally.”
(Building on that, does the ball carry differently in December? The colder air and all that?) – “Without question. There’s a lot of things – how the ball compacts, rain – all those things are always a factor in what’s going on. We’ll spend time, we’ll look at it, we’ll talk about it, but we’re going to get what we’re going to get. We just got to be ready for it.
Tua Tagovailoa – November 30, 2022
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Wednesday, November 30, 2022
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(You shouldered some of the blame for the sacks last game. What are some of the things you wish you would have done differently once you had an injury to T Terron Armstead?) – “Well, I think picking plays that were more sustainable to our offense’s success in that game than just thinking, ‘Alright, we need to make a play, and we need a play to happen now.’ Whereas we weren’t necessarily running the ball so our (play) action game wasn’t necessarily perfect when we did do it. It made it tougher on guys to sustain blocks. It made it tougher on guys to seal blocks and get on blocks and stay on guys. So I would say just going with open mindedness of things like that.”
(I asked Head Coach Mike McDaniel earlier in the day, like, one of the themes of his previous offenses was like yards after the catch. I mean, he even said, like, we want to get the YAC. You guys have been really successful on offense, but the YAC hasn’t been there maybe compared to previous offenses. What sticks out to you in terms of like I said, maybe the way defenses are playing you guys or just trying to take what they present? What are you seeing?) – “I would say what we see a lot on tape, defenses are getting a lot deeper than usual with linebacker depth and you also see the shell of the safeties. They’re getting really, really deep. So they do play, I would say, our team a little different in that regard, I would say, just because of the speed that we have. But the opportunity for YAC, I would say, it’s hard when guys are playing so far back. It’s hard.”
(How much has the offense grown from the beginning of the season until now?) – “Yeah, I think we’ve grown a lot with our relationship with each other and how close we’ve all gotten as a group. I would say the communication is still something that we’re continuing to work on as a whole unit, with me getting the play into our guys, with our guys communicating up front what the blocking scheme is, to the tight ends making certain calls, the receivers understanding their assignments. And then it translates also to the passing game. I think we’ve done a lot of good things, but there’s still a lot of things that have been left out on the field and we continue to grow and we continue to get better at those things every week.”
(Can you express to us how important T Terron Armstead has been in the development of this offense and your progression this year and how much you guys are rooting for him to get back from his injury?) – “Yeah, it’s been really good having a veteran as himself help out with the guys up front. When Liam (Eichenberg) went down, how he kind of took Rob Jones under his wing and kind of helped mentor him throughout the process of what it means to be a starting left guard and how you go about your business. And so just seeing their relationship grow and how they communicate on that side, and then also with having Austin Jackson back really helps. I think when you have someone like that who’s a veteran, those guys come in on a Monday, just the o-line, and he runs their meetings. I was in their meeting this past Monday before we had our offensive meeting, and it was really cool to see him take charge of that room and kind of show guys and tell guys just what it was. ‘Hey, I take ownership of this. That’s my fault.’ And like, nothing slips. No one gets a free pass, not even himself so that was something really cool to see.”
(How much of 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo have you been able to watch just in terms of obviously starting for the 49ers offense, and what are some things you noticed that are pretty good?) – “When we were starting with the playbook, we watched a lot of their tape with Jimmy (Garoppolo). There were a couple of CJ (Beathard) on there, CJ clips. Trey (Lance) was on those clips as well. And you got to see the timing of the footwork with how they did things on certain pass protections, play-pass protections, necessarily where the spot was in certain protections. And then the timing and how that married up with the route. I learned a lot from his tape and the tape they produced over however many years.”
(What do you see in that 49ers defense? They’re No. 1 in the NFL.) – “Yeah, I mean, we’re preparing for these guys like every other defense. We understand that this is probably going to be our toughest competition because it’s our next, but for us, I don’t think we look at it as something that we shy away from. We embrace adversity. We embrace competition and it’s a great opportunity for us to showcase what we can do against the best and what more can you ask.”
(Your passer rating on third down is about as high as you can go. What is working so well on third down that enables you and the offense to click the way it is?) – “Yeah, I would say, first off our coaches. The third down game plan that ‘Bev’ (Darrell Bevell) and a couple of the other coaches put together, I think they put us in great spots and also being able to simplify some of the coverages for our guys when we go for our third downs, whether it’s (Cover) 1, 2, 3, as far as coverages we’ll see. Or if it’s (Cover) 1, then we’re reacting to a zone. Whatever it may be, it makes it a lot easier when they can simplify it in those terms, with the plays that we have, just so our guys can visualize and understand what I’m going to do versus man, what I’m going to do versus zone and that’s it, or vice versa.”
(What are some things that, some ways that you’ve noticed San Francisco use 49ers S Talanoa Hufanga, the safety that makes him so special and so impactful?) – “Yeah. Just kind of looking at his tape, I mean, I watched a lot of Troy Polamalu when I was growing up just because of him being a Poly brother as well. And then kind of seeing Talanoa’s (Hufanga) film, it’s very similar. Very instinctive, very intuitive, understands what has to be done in their defense. Doesn’t necessarily do much as far as not trying to disguise. Like really good at disguising if it’s Cover 4, if it’s 3-weak, if it’s 3-strong. And then when he has the pressure, you can see it over and over again. He does a really good job listening to the cadence and trying to time things up in that sense. So we’re going to have to mix it up, just so we give him a hard time to try to figure that out. But it’s not just him that we have to worry about. They’ve got Dre Greenlaw. They also got No. 54 (Fred Warner) who, in my eyes is like, a really, really, really good ballplayer. They got (Nick) Bosa. I mean, they’ve got dudes everywhere at every position. So it’s going to be a great opportunity for us offensively to dial in on the details of our offense and execute them.”
(I know it’s tough being away from family for so long on these road trips, these long road trips, but is there anything that you look forward to with these trips whether it’s just all about ball or something else?) – “Yeah, this is a great opportunity for our team to bond. We’ll be out there and it’ll just be us and I would say, as captains and with our leadership council group, we don’t think that it’s necessary that when we do get downtime away from football, guys stay in their room, or ‘hey, I’m tired.’ Like no dude, you can sleep when it’s time for you to sleep. Let’s get guys to go out and let’s do things with our guys, whether that’s finding a basketball game to go to, trying to find a box, trying to go rent out a movie theater, trying to go watch a baseball game, whatever that may be, Top Golf. I don’t know. We’ll try to find some things that we can do that’ll help us get closer with our guys on this team.”
(I know it’s not this week, but finding out the Chargers game is going to be flexed to Sunday Night Football – what was your reaction to finding out you have another primetime game and then also what does that say about this team what it’s been able to accomplish thus far?) – “Yeah, I would say speaks volumes that our game got flexed to the hard work that our team has put in and it’s starting to pay off. But we’re focused on the game that we have to go out and play this week, which is the Niners. So we’ll focus on that and worry about next week.”
(We know a couple of your teammates, especially the running back room, are former 49ers. Obviously Head Coach Mike McDaniel has a lot of familiarity. What differences have you noticed this week in them, if any?) – “I would say I haven’t seen much of a difference with any of them. They’ve really been the same guys coming into work, wanting to work and I haven’t seen any changes really.”
(Does that kind of surprise you that those guys can stay so level-headed when you know obviously this will probably be emotional for them just to go back and see so many familiar faces?) – “I would say it is kind of surprising, but I think, too, for those guys, it makes sense as well for our running backs just because I wouldn’t say they’re emotional guys necessarily. So it is kind of neutral to see how they are in every day, like that’s who they are. I’m sure that when it gets closer to the game and when we go and do play, that you’ll see a lot of energy from the both of them. But for now, they’re just the guys that come into work and the same guys that I see every day.”
Jaylen Waddle – November 30, 2022
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Wednesday, November 30, 2022
WR Jaylen Waddle
(We were just talking to Head Coach Mike McDaniel, and he says that you and WR Tyreek Hill are special and that pretty much, this team is going to go as far as you take them. What’s different about your relationship that makes you both so good?) – “I think just our trust in the offense, our trust within our teammates and our trust in our quarterback and coaches. Just make sure everyone owns their job and is doing their job. That’s how we’re going to keep moving forward.”
(San Francisco is the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL. What are the challenges going against them?) – “Like you said, they’re the No. 1 defense for a reason. They play good together. They’re very sound on defense. They don’t make any mental errors, so it’s going to be a great challenge. They’re a good group and (have) kind of been in that system for a while, so everybody knows their keys and reads. It’s going to be a good challenge for us.”
(With all the 49ers connections on this team, Head Coach Mike McDaniel, RB Raheem Mostert, RB Jeff Wilson Jr., WR Trent Sherfield, is there an element, even if those guys aren’t talking about it, but you guys want to go out there and help those guys get this win?) – “It’s really not. We’re just looking at it as another game on our schedule. It’s going to be a big game because the 49ers have been a good team in this league for quite some time now. But it’s just another game.”
(It’s a long plane ride. How do you keep busy? What do you do?) – “We’ve got a lot of entertaining guys on the team, so I’m pretty sure we can, you know, find some ways to stay entertained. (laughter)”
(Who’s on the top of the list?) – “Probably Raekwon (Davis), for sure.”
(Are you looking at this California trip as just two games like they would always be? Or is there something more significant special about it because you going to be out there for a week?) – “No, we’re just looking at it as two more games on the schedule against two really good opponents. It’s going to be kind of different, us staying out there for a week, but I think we have a team that’s good at adjusting. So it’s going to be a good challenge for us.”
(You’ve got a championship pedigree – you’ve won want a lot of games throughout your young lifetime. What, in your opinion, makes the transition from a team from being “Oh, they’re good. They’re pretty good,” to being like, “This is a championship caliber team?” What’s necessary? What’s required of those types of teams?) – “I think just progression every week, us not making the same mistakes twice is definitely key. Just us trying to get better throughout the year is definitely where I feel like championship teams are made and built.”
(How much time have you spent in California in your life?) – “I spent some time out there. It’s a great place to visit and stuff, so I’ve been out there a couple times.”
(What’s the feeling knowing you guys are going to be out there for like 10 days?) – “It’s going to be cool. L.A. (Los Angeles) is a cool spot, so it’s going to be cool.”
(What are your must-packs that you have to bring that you can’t live without when you’re gone that long?) – “I don’t really have a must – I would say my video games, but I’m pretty sure somebody is going to bring theirs. So I don’t need any extra luggage.”
Bradley Chubb – November 30, 2022
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Wednesday, November 30, 2022
LB Bradley Chubb
(I asked Head Coach Mike McDaniel last week about what it does in offense with you, LB Melvin Ingram and LB Jaelan Phillips on the field at the same time. He said the whole goal is to create a little bit of hesitation. How critical of a thing is that little bit of hesitation?) – “When you’re playing with elite athletes, these people are the best to do it on any level. So just a slight second of thinking or overthinking could cause a big play on your end. You can’t hesitate. You can’t do any of that. You’ve got to play fast and that’s one thing we’re looking to do this week.”
(You mentioned that you played this team earlier in the season. What can you take from that and what can you share with your teammates about that?) – “I joked earlier that I’m in a division on my own this year. I played a couple of teams twice all over the NFL. So it’s cool to be in that perspective, but from earlier games, the only thing I can say is just playing physically. I feel like we put that on tape the last time I played. I feel like it’s the formula. We’ve just got to play physical. You asked me earlier what they do well and they just try to get you to think, overthink, hesitate and get that edge on you. So I feel like as a defense, we just got to be 100 percent locked in on what we’re doing and just be physical at the point of attack and make sure we play hard.”
(When you don’t have film study and you aren’t practicing, what do you do with so much free time when you’re on the road?) – “I mean, you just got to be disciplined man. At the end of the day, this is what you get paid to do. Our job is to go out there on Sundays and perform at a high level. So whatever it takes to prepare to do that, whether you’re a film guy or whether you’re not it shouldn’t matter where you’re at. At the end of the day, your job is your job, so you got to make sure you do it.”
(Will you go sightseeing in LA?) – “Oh, yeah. For sure, you’re going to get out (of the hotel). I mean, you got off days here too. So, Monday, Tuesday, you get a chance to get out and about. But when it comes down to the work week, we know where our head is at.”
Jaelan Phillips – November 30, 2022
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Wednesday, November 23, 2022
LB Jaelan Phillips
(The 49ers have a very high-level defense. Do you see that as a challenge in terms of keeping their offense at a minimum and holding them accountable on defense as well?) – “Yeah, I think it’s always about playing complementary football, so we’ve got to do our part on defense, just like the offense has to do their part, special teams – just all phases of the game. Definitely.”
(When you face an offense that likes to get the ball out quick, is the internal clock in your head sort of going a little bit faster?) – “It just kind of raises the sense of urgency a little bit. When you have the opportunities, you have to take advantage of them. So we’re definitely going to get after it. Obviously, they have really talented tackles, a really talented o-line. Jimmy (Garoppolo) is a great guy. It’s going to be a fun one.”
(Do you have time to spend with family or friends that you still have out there?) – “Yeah, I’ll have a little bit of time. An off day on Tuesday and things like that, and then my mom’s going to come out, drive out and hang out. So yeah, I’ll be able to see a couple of guys.”
Mike McDaniel – November 30, 2022
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Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Your two tackles, how are they doing?) – “They’re not tackling anyone. (laughter) Terron Armstead continues to impress me as just an individual and professional and a teammate. I can tell you one thing that I’m certain of; if there’s a way that he can be on the field and play in December against a playoff team, he lives for that moment. And as long as there’s nothing keeping him from hurting his team or himself, he’ll be out there. You can rest assured that he will do everything possible and if he’s unable to go, it will be because it would put himself and his teammates in harm’s way. Austin Jackson, I would be surprised if he was able to play. I’m not expecting him to be able to play, but like you guys have heard me talk before, my crystal ball is not the clearest so I won’t guarantee anything, but me personally, I’d be very surprised if he played.”
(A quick follow up to T Terron Armstead – you said that on Monday, he was getting more, I guess more feedback on possible treatments. Did you get any clarity on maybe the timetable in terms of day to day, week to week? Whether he would be able to practice this week? Surgery?) – “So surgery, no. I guess you’d say it’s game to game. We’re pretty relatively by percentage of, I guess it’d be like two or three sevenths of a week. It’s been pretty recent and in the process he has – I can tell by his spirit that he thinks there’s a legitimate chance not to count him out for sure. And I’m not sure. I think he was kind of like everyone reading and writing about that question. He really, really wants to help lead this team, which we rely on him to. So he was a little nervous, I think, in the 24 hours after, but in double the time, he’s come back with a little pep in his step so we’re all excited to see that.”
(For first time ever, NBC juggled their schedule, to put more eyes on the Miami Dolphins and I know it’s not this week, but just in general, the concept that y’all are on the national radar and been talking about – how do you want everyone to handle what is obviously now raised expectations?) – “First of all, I think of avoiding reality and entering into delusion is dangerous, so I think it’s important to recognize that as that’s ultimately what you want. But at the same time, when things don’t affect what the goals, the mission of a team – if we would have said on April 4 that our goal was to get flexed – see you guys. (laughter) I think you acknowledge it and that’s something that the players should be proud of. That means the players have decided that they want to make the most out of all the talent that they have and they’re committed to doing so and it’s a credit to them for sure. But at the same time, it is next week so if you worry about next week against a team like we’re facing, you will be humbled fast. So I think it’s important to acknowledge but it’s also just something.”
(When you prepare your team, you say, “Look how good the Browns are, the Texans” and you show and film and so forth. You have a unique perspective this week knowing inside and out how the 49ers operate. Do you think your players, I don’t want to say, listen more to you this week, but understand the unique perspective you have this week?) – “Maybe? I don’t know. I think when I’m talking to the players, generally, if I have an opinion on the football team that we’re playing, I’m voicing the opinion while I’m showing the tape. So that’s the bottom line. This is a bottom-line business in terms of we are what that tape shows. So I think there’s probably human nature. They know that I have spent a good amount of time with a lot of those people on that team. But at the same time, that kind of is par for the course in this league case in point. Like right when the game ends, handshakes; every single game, you have two teams battling it out that had prepared to beat the opponent literally all week. And then right when the game’s over, you can tell that there’s invested blood, sweat and tears, relationships, from players across the board, whether it’s high school, college or in the NFL. So it is more often than not a very normal thing. That isn’t out of the ordinary at all for our league. It’s a small league and I feel like we’re talking about people that I’ve coached with every week. It’s kind of the deal and one of the reasons that you guys have noticed that or done that is because that’s what happens when you have success, and the 49ers have had success for a while and they expect success, and they don’t settle for anything less than as a result. People are afforded other opportunities and Coach Shanahan’s tree grows and grows. I think maybe on Monday, maybe they think something of it. But by this time, we’re focused on the business at hand and we’re really focused on the Dolphins as it applies to the 49ers in that order.”
(Is RB Raheem Mostert in a good spot to return in San Francisco?) – “Yeah, I think so. If we had to go above and beyond, I think he could have played and if we would have just completely been adhering to his hopes and desires, he might have played last week. But it was too risky for what he means to the team. So he should be ready to go this week.”
(I understand how you met 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, but how did the friendship between you and he grow and this obviously is something that’s been for decades now, you’ve been tied together?) – “I don’t know. I’m hard to get rid of. (laughter) I think I recognized him as an ambitious coach that got into it to help players. I recognized in him early that he really could help players grow and live out their dreams. He knew more than anybody that I’d been around about football so you try to be a resource and you try not to miss opportunities, especially ones right in front your face. So maybe he felt bad for me or maybe he recognized that I was listening. Either way, it was a great working relationship that I’m very much grateful, indebted and really don’t know where I’d be without it.”
(Is it going to be tough for you on Sunday? Not hard, but is it weird?) – “No, absolutely not. The relationships with everyone are real. There are players that I’m not standing here today if they don’t do so many countless things. There’s working relationships, all that. But that’s neither here nor there. The players, the people in the building and the coaching staff; everyone is depending on me to do my job as they’re dependent – I directly affect a lot of people in that regard. So it’s very easy for me because it’s principally, I think the incorrect way to look at it. This isn’t a team to service me. Yeah, I have had life before this year, for sure. But wow, I think it’s incredibly insulting to so many different avenues, people in the building, the organization, the fans, if I’m worried about, ‘wow, this is where I used to stand or there’s games here.’ Yeah, I mean, of course. But people are depending on me to not lean or think that way because that’s an opportunity cost that I’m not worried about the things actually matter at hand and because of that, it won’t be hard at all. It is football. They have a very good team, coached very well, and they play really hard. And what a wonderful opportunity for us to go on the road and play a team that you have to earn everything you get. And that’s literally why we do it. We don’t do it for Sunday night flexes. You do it for opportunities like this because you don’t get this far, whether you’re athlete, coach or anybody in between. You don’t get this far without a competitive nature and burn that this is the only thing that kind of satisfies that. So this is just great football between two teams that haven’t lost in a minute and generally when you haven’t lost in a minute, you don’t want to feel that feeling, so there’s a lot of incentive on both sides to make sure that they end up on top. And isn’t that why we do football? That’s why we follow it. That’s why you guys report it. It’s not because I say cool things or look cool. I promise you that. It’s because you really appreciate in life when things have to be earned not given. And this will be a game that the winner will definitely earn for sure.”
(Talking about earning just off of that, what is the value of this game for your team understanding it’s late in the season, the opponent you’re facing on the road, and most of your roster hasn’t played a playoff game? What is the value of that?) – “1/17th. But no, it is, because what are you trying to do? Are you trying to be the best down the stretch? The best version of yourself? Or are you trying to hope? So each and every game you’re building from, does that mean you play as well collectively? No, of course it doesn’t. But are you continuing to learn and benefit from that and progressing as a team? Because ultimately, at some point in time you play – there’s one team that doesn’t have to go home – I wouldn’t say loser, but a loser. So at some point in time, you’re going to have to play teams that are really good. You’re not going to be given anything and it’s going to be in front of a live audience. And the stakes are going to be all in. You can’t get enough of these opportunities, which we’re very fortunate to have. You look at it as a tough road trip. I look at it as a necessary road trip. If you’re trying to do anything – these are only going to be good things. It will be hard for sure. But nothing that is satisfying is ever easy. Let’s be honest.”
(A follow up on the road trip, is this a good time where you’re gone for so many days, and the players, their downtime when they’re not in meetings or practices, whatever that they’re around each other too?) – “Without a shadow of a doubt. A huge, huge deal to me. I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of some teams, that how tight they were going into it pales in comparison to where they’re at after it. It’s nice because you don’t have anywhere to go. So I think that time is very important. Again, you’ll always do more for your teammates than ultimately you’ll be able to muster up for just yourself. That kind of burns out. But when you have that extra incentive, maybe you learn about someone’s past, learn about a sibling they have, find an interest. All of those things are what’s special about a team. And the pillars of a team are always centered around relationships, and relationships grow when you invest in them. So it’s a mandatory investment that you don’t really have anywhere to go. But generally, and I’m very, very confident, and certain and excited, that this team with this character that cares as much about each other, it will be a wonderful opportunity. And I expect to see the best version of our team camaraderie and really we should see the best face of the team after that experience because it is something that’s tangible, for sure.”
(WR Jaylen Waddle, after his rookie season, was kind of primed to be a focal point, a centerpiece, of this offense and then you trade for WR Tyreek Hill. How have you seen him respond to adding such another such a high profile player? And how have you seen him bond with Tyreek over the course of the season?) – “You see it is very transparent that he is a team-oriented guy that wants to make plays for the right reasons, which is he really thrives in making plays for his teammates, much like, quite literally, every teammate of his. On offense, there’s a lot of contributors that go into his share of targets, which although he’s not afforded the most, it is the second most. And in the same way that all the sacrifices that other players happily do, for those extremely talented teammates, you do things to be a part of something, to do something that – you can as Jaylen, a lot of people dream of 100 catches. I mean, cool, but winning. That’s the deal. And you win with your teammates, and sometimes that requires some people to be stat selfless. Sometimes that requires people to bear the burden. Those two together help each other. I think our team, I don’t think they lose sight of their teammates and what their teammates do for them. We ultimately go as far as your best players take you and this just in, but I’m not ranking players. But they’re up there.”
(You know that offense pretty well. Since they’ve added Christian McCaffrey, has the 49ers offense changed much or is it too small of a sample size?) – “I think that’s a steadily evolving process. Are there things that they do different? For sure. Just because you have different players and your job is to put them in position to succeed. So what are they good at? I think that’s something that they do a great job of. They try to do their best, they have a lot of good players and they do their best to get them all involved in the game because they know that’s the best chance for them to win. So there are new things that they are doing, for sure, because there’s different players. I can promise you one thing that there’s not anybody in that building that’s not working for sure. So they’ll always evolve. But it’s just football.”
(One of the themes on your previous stops working with the West Coast, Shanahan, style of offense was yards after the catch. This year, with you taking over the reins, yards after the catch hasn’t been at thetop of the league, but the offense has still been successful. I was curious what have you seen from the way defenses have played you that has led to maybe not getting as many yards after the catch?) – “You try to assess the tape and find yards that we left out on the field. I think we’re still working at maximizing those, but at the same time, when players put on tape that they’ll make plays if you’re not backed up enough, or you’re not keeping the entire offense in front of you, there’s pros and cons with ensuring that there’s not big plays. And in that, you’re always adapting, and I don’t think anything in our game will ever be satisfied with just because you’re always trying to get better and not worse. And if you stay the same, you’re probably getting worse. But I think it’s something that during the season, it’s hard to forecast the way things will look, how people will defend you. And that changes game by game. So you have to adapt and there’s certain focuses and points of emphasis that we have to really focus on now, just because the different styles that people are playing us. So I think that’s a natural constant consequence. I think that’s less about oh, those players aren’t YAC players that we have in our offense. I think most people would argue that’s quite the opposite. And there’s plenty of examples to show. I know they are trying to max out all those yards always, but at the same time, there’s a component of handling adjustments and you can’t fight what defenses want you to do. You have to do your best to take advantage of it. So however that that manifests itself, there are multiple ways, numerous ways, to make cats hairless. Skin a cat. That’s it, right? (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel – November 28, 2022
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Monday, November 28, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(There was an NFL.com report that T Terron Armstead does not have a pectoral tear. It’s a strain and he will return. From the timetable you’ve been given, what you’re willing to share with us, do you think within the next two to three weeks it is realistic to see Terron on the field again?) – “I definitely wouldn’t put that past him, but we are gathering information, seeking all specialists and kind of letting the injury settle a hair so the information can be a little more concrete and a little clearer. We’re evaluating some options with him in terms of how to treat it and stuff. But you know how I feel about Terron. He’s the consummate pro. So I would be really foolish to go ahead and stamp an exact timeline because he’s – you just never know, it might be right around the corner.”
(Is there confidence though that T Terron Armstead will play again this year?) – “Yeah, I’m confident that he’ll play again, as with the information presented. Hopefully, there’s nothing worse or more disparaging in the next couple of days.”
(With T Austin Jackson, any update as to whether this could again be a long-term ankle issue?) – “We’re still gathering information on him, too, but it was the same ankle. It was not the same injury – percentages in playing football and it was kind of a weird, freak thing that was pretty violent. So we’ll be hanging out down in the training room. I’m going to put an office down there just so I can get my information quicker.”
(I know you don’t want to make this week about you, but of course you’re going to get those questions about facing the 49ers and the friendships you have there and the experiences there. What do you think that will be like for you as you prepare for a big game against the team you’ve coached with just last season?) – “I will do everything in my power to make it another game, because I think that should be the objective of any head coach is that you make it about the players. I really stray away from making anything about me. I just don’t believe in it. I have a very high opinion of the 49ers franchise and players, coaches, staff members. I have a lot of love for anybody that I worked with, especially for that extended period of time. So those relationships and people will always matter to me. But in terms of this week, it will be odd for a second, for sure, to be in a different locker room, or pulling up on the bus in a weird area, or being on a different sideline for a second, I’m assuming – just odd as in abnormal. But after that, my obligation is to serve each and every player and coach and try to get the best out of them. Nowhere in that equation has anything to do with my past history and travels, so that’s why I don’t – when I say it’s not about me, I really, really mean it. I do understand that there is – I do understand where people are coming from in thinking it’s that way. That’s just me personally and just a philosophy that is strong and near my heart.”
(What about facing 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan, him being on the other side after how many years you guys have been together and the familiarity aspect?) – Well, I don’t have that much – I don’t really look across the sidelines that much at opposing coaches. So I don’t think, on the field, I will feel anything different than any other game in regard to him. I owe a lot to him in general. I will be forever grateful, and I think he’s always been one of the best, if not the best, offensive coaches and head coaches that I’ve ever had experience being around. I will not be undertaking any Oklahoma drills as well this week on the field with him. I think he would – it is definitely about some players. It’s a tough test, and that’s the bigger deal – No. 1 defense in the league, an offense that does a great job getting yards, getting it to all their unbelievable talented skill position players and a special teams (unit) that has definitely – Ray-Ray McCloud is an issue that you have to handle. So that’s the bigger thing is that we’ve been progressing week by week, and in the NFL, if you’re aspiring to do big things, you have to play big time football in December and January against big time teams. So that’s something that I think our team will be excited for, and I know the 49ers will be excited to play football like they always are each and every week.”
(Postgame last night, QB Tua Tagovailoa alluded to WR Jaylen Waddle’s attention to detail. I know you were very excited about him when you got here based upon the tape, but I’m curious if you can recall a moment where you realized it’s not just the physical talents with Waddle, but he’s wired the right way too?) – “Right after the break – over the break, I was interested. I love the way he worked in OTAs, and I was very, very high on him coming out of college. It was obvious in OTAs that I really liked the human being and definitely believed in him. Really, coming back from summer break, you don’t have any time to learn, and you don’t assume anything – I didn’t know how he was going to come back, because that can be a very huge time for a young receiver, especially in a new offense, is what do you do between OTAs and training camp to prepare yourself for an NFL season. I was as encouraged by him as any other player in terms of how he came back ready to play, so it was obvious early. And as we’ve gone on, very talented players aren’t always that hungry to be coached. You have a lot of success as a very talented player, and a lot of times, I’ve experienced players feeling as though coaching is an insult. He is quite the opposite. He keeps learning each and every week, and he is not – it’s always a guy has a chance to be really, really good and chase greatness in this league if you have a ton of talent, but you’re constantly hoping that yesterday’s version was the worst version of yourself that you’ll see moving forward, that you’re constantly getting better. And that’s something that he has proven to his teammates that he’s a really good player. We have to rely on him to make plays for us to play the style of football we want to play, and his teammates rely on him and trust him. I know that each and every week, he’s going to put his best foot forward to be the best version of himself. Yesterday offered a great opportunity for him to improve. There was some stuff in the game that he’ll tell you that he definitely could have done better and some situations that he encountered that was the first time in the offense that he encountered this season. So there’s timing nuances and route-running nuances that he’s going to continue to progress, and that’s why the Dolphins got a good one him.
(You mentioned big-time teams. It’s no secret the next three road games obviously are against playoff caliber teams. The offensive line and the potential uncertainty there. And you’ve had to deal with this throughout the season as far as the effectiveness of keeping QB Tua Tagovailoa upright, giving him time and help, going into this big three game stretch, potentially some shifting there, and also just the challenge ahead of you got three big time games on the road coming up in this team in this middle of this playoff race.) – “I’m very steadfast and consistent with this one where I hope that no player on our team or coach has any clue who we play after the next opponent only because to the point that I try to get people not to even know our schedule, because I don’t think that is how you win in this league. You just worry 100 percent about the challenge at hand, and you better versus the 49ers or they’ll quickly humble you. And then you just learn from that game and you move on to the next. And I think that is as simple as it sounds, I think that is a concrete formula to allow win, loss, tie – to give yourself the best chance to put your best stuff out on the field. And anything that short-changes that is an opportunity cost that I try not to do. I think the bottom line is in December and January, meaningful football is the starting point. You want to be in those months playing meaningful football. And when you are in those months playing meaningful football, it is something unlike any other style of football that exists. The beginning of the season pales in comparison to that environment. Each and every week will have implications on playoffs that will help determine seeding and whether you’re playing home or away, and whether you can continue playing with the team that you’re on. Our team really likes to be around each other, has a lot of love for each other, and wants to see us take this as far as we can. And the biggest thing to do that is to go ahead and strap up for the most exciting football that that exists, which is real ball in the 12th month of the year.”
(You’ve already touched on how odd it’s going to be going back to Cali, but do you look forward to the chess match? Are you going to look forward to the chess match that you’re going to have with your former mates when you go back to San Fran?) – “I’m excited for the players to play against each other. Again, one thing I do know, in all three phases, the 49ers will have a good plan to go against us. I know that’s what they do. And we will have a good plan as well. And either way, exactly the details of each and every plan, the players will decide on the field. The players are the ones that have to execute each and every thing whether you’re offense, defense, or special teams, and those are the players that are tackling, catching, running, hitting, throwing. I think that’s what is exciting is that you have two teams that have won several games in a row. They get to play each other and something’s got to give. And that’s fun football for everybody. What I do notice, on both sides, I’m very confident that both teams will give it their best shot, which is no other way you want to watch December football than that.”
(How concerned are you about facing DE Nick Bosa if either of your tackles should miss the game, or for that matter, if both of them are in the game?) – “If Nick Bosa has a pulse, you’re concerned. If he walks past you in the in the parking lot, you’re concerned. He’s one of the better players in the entire NFL. You could easily argue, many people have, and I think a lot of teams that have played him have, that he’s the best pass rusher in the NFL. You always will encounter really good players, or elite players, on really good teams. That never fails. And so you always have to get used to playing teams with exceptional players. He’s going to make his plays. You try to do your best to minimize those with various things. Every little detail, you have to be mindful of where he’s at and, and how he’s going about his business, regardless of who’s there. I think from an offensive staff perspective, you have to do your due diligence to try to minimize him as best you can, knowing that you’re never going to stop him and he lives and breathes pass rushing. When I was around him in San Francisco, he would do pass rush moves on sanitizer. Like the little pods? Like, if you see like an object like this podium, he would do a pass rush move on it. (laughter) So that’s just who he is. But there’s always going to be challenges and I’m excited to go ahead and have our team go against really quality players and give it our best shot and see what we got.”
(T Kendall Lamm, what can you tell us about what you like about him?) – “First and foremost, nouns as last names go a long way with me. (laughter) He’s made a footing in this league. I’ve known of him when he’s come out, and then playing at this level, he’s done a good job. I think the more NFL game experience that you have on your NFL team at the offensive line position is critical, just because it’s not something that you want to come off as a reserve or off the bench and enter in your first situation. It’s not ideal at all. He’s a good player and I’m happy to have him around.”
(It wouldn’t be a Monday if we didn’t ask about Byron Jones.) – “Right? It wouldn’t be, right (laughter) There’s been some good communication and he’s absolutely going to play when he’s able to. And when that is – (you guys) broke it, broke my crystal ball. (You) broke it. (laughter) It’s the same story as last. And I will keep you abreast. I think everyone agrees that’s been the formula that has kept us winning is that question on Mondays, so make sure they keep coming. (laughter)”
(I want to ask you about the receiver position in general. How have you seen that position evolve in importance over the years and how does having a player like WR Tyreek Hill sort of factor into that perspective?) – “I guess the receiver position has always been unbelievably important because you look at a receiver and their average yards per catch is generally longer than a first down, which means they move the ball when they are involved. I think during my career, you’ve seen different applications of utilizing the receiver position in the areas of the run game, pass protection, the other phases, to try to stay ahead of defenses. I think that’s something that’s growing to a degree, having receivers do some things that normally tight ends do. I think that’s different. And I think, in general, people have found ways to get receivers the ball more, henceforth I think the receptions a year record has gone up. I can’t remember what it was when I first started. But it was incrementally, you’ve seen people get bigger and bigger numbers at that position. So when you are able to find ways to get people to ball more, they can be a bigger part of the offense. And I think that when push comes to shove, with the amount of talent at the quarterback position in this league, where guys can place the ball down the field and really tight windows, there is no coverage or defensive philosophy or matchup that can replicate having an elite player at that position. And Tyreek Hill is somebody that defenses have to account for on every play. Just by that, he can not only make plays for you, but he affects every other player on the field. When you talk about people affecting whether it’s a coverage check or if the safety is cheating to his side, you start being on the minds of every offensive player or every defensive player and coach, and you have indirectly affected the game in an unbelievable way. So he is a big time player for us, but he affects the game specifically more than the stat sheet can really do justice because every play he’s in the game, you’d be hard-pressed to think that in a majority of those, the defensive coordinator would be calling the exact same call if he didn’t exist, or they wouldn’t be emphasizing it. It’s kind of like talking about Nick Bosa in that regard, where you’re very aware of where he’s at, and I think that is a huge deal but even bigger deal when he’s a captain voted by his peers that continues to progress and evolve as a leader, and as someone that dictates and sets the tone for the way your team approaches football. And when your highest paid player on your team doesn’t blink at doing the dirty work, the residuals are profound for sure.”
Robert Hunt – November 27, 2022 (Postgame)
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Postgame – Houston
OL Robert Hunt
(Is it more disappointment the way you guys closed and the fact that you actually got up. What does that say about what your expectations are?) – “We know what we want to do. We know how we want to do it. We had a chance to do it and we didn’t so it’s frustrating. That’s the nature of it. It’s frustrating. We wanted to do something a little more, but it’s hard to win. We got a win so that’s really the main thing. We are 8-3 and we’ll come back tomorrow. Well, we got Victory Monday so not tomorrow. Come back Wednesday. We’ll be there tomorrow probably but we’ll see what we can get better at then. That’s that and try to move forward and get better.”
(What should have the second half looked like in your eyes?) – “We could be better on the run game. We could just probably clean that up a little better. It felt slushed, it didn’t feel like a win. It didn’t feel how it did the last couple of weeks so hopefully we can get back to that. You know, it was a bye week and that’s no excuse but getting back out here and getting a feel for the game. Like I said, we’ll come back next week and try to get better. I know we got really good coaches and we’ve got good dudes in the room so everybody is ready and willing to work.”
