Terron Armstead – November 22, 2024
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Friday, November 22, 2024
T Terron Armstead
(I know everybody here – us, your teammates, your coaches – admire you for playing through stuff. With the knee was it just kind of wear and tear that it’s developed where you didn’t practice the last week and a half?) – “I’m not even going to get into it, for real, just trying to do everything I can to be ready for Sunday. That’s it.”
(Feeling good?) – “It don’t matter.”
(How pleased are you with what – you continue to put high level stuff on tape – are you pleased with your year personally?) – “For me I try to treat every game the same. I try to be my absolute best, keep the quarterback clean, make lanes for the running backs. So I really don’t even get into to grades or the way it looks. Like every game I approach, I try to be the best I can possibly be, so I try to treat them all the same.”
(How much have you enjoyed these long sustained drives that we’ve seen so many of these last three weeks, four weeks?) – “It’s great as far as it’s a testament to our execution, to be able to execute whatever we dial up. We love the explosives, though, don’t get me wrong. Like I would love to see one-play drive, two-play drive. We love to see it, but to be able to have sustained drives and execute down after down, eliminating the penalties, the turnovers and all those things. It’s hard to do, to have 15-play drives and run that many plays without those mistakes. So it’s been great for us to be able to execute.”
(And I had one other thing for you. I know you’ve helped LB Chop Robinson a lot. Without giving away what, with the success he’s had the last couple weeks – like 13 pressures, two sacks – have you seen little things he’s done that you’ve said to yourself “I helped him with that, I’m pleased”?) – “Chop (Robinson), he’s scratching the surface of what he’s going to be. His work ethic, his ability to take what you give him – a coaching point, a tip or something that you see and apply it like immediately – is incredible. But the way that he goes about his business, his level of professionalism as a rookie, he’s got a lot more production that we will continue to see.”
(What allows you to have so many occasions to be able to make it to a game day despite not practicing on certain weeks like you did last week?) – “It’s a lot of mental. I’ve got to be locked in on the playbook, know my assignment and then have a plan for each player that I’m going against. So I do that. I do my homework. I make sure I’ve got a plan on how to attack each rusher, how to fit in the run game against who I’m going against so just a little extra work.”
(I asked Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith about how the 33-year old T Terron Armstead is different than the rookie he first met. He said you were actually wise beyond your years as a youngster, but he got a little emotional in describing you as a friend. Can you talk about your relationship with him?) – “Yeah, Frank (Smith) is a huge reason why I’m here. Our relationship, our connection. Back when I was in New Orleans as a rookie, I didn’t start right away so there wasn’t much time for my development from the head o-line coach, I would say, and Frank, man, I’m talking about every day after practice, before practice, after walkthrough, before walkthrough; we hit it – technique. It was me, Senio Kelemete and Bryce Harris – us three. I mean like every day, we’d grind it out. And then you started to see my growth and development as a player and being NFL ready and when that time came, Sean Payton gave me the nod. It wouldn’t have happened without Frank, plain and simple. So I’m forever appreciative of everything – the time, the effort, the energy – that he gave to me and he’s truly a friend. He cares.”
(How is Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith different? How is he different 11 years later?) – “He’s definitely different. It’s cool to see, like it’s great to see his growth and development because we were together two years and then we weren’t for the next eight. So to come here and he’s offensive coordinator but back when I knew him, he wasn’t even allowed to speak in the o-line room. He couldn’t even make a coaching point or adjustment. It just wasn’t the climate of the room. That wasn’t his position. So any type of coaching would be off to the side or after practice. So to see him running the room, running us and the entire offense – he’s talking quarterback play; he’s talking receiver routes, depths and all that. I’m like, look at my dawg, man.”
(He’s a guy whose name has come up for head coaching jobs…) – “As it should.”
(What are your thoughts on that and did you ever see some of those glimpses back then when you first met him?) – “I was always really trying to digest everything as I came in as a rookie, but to see him and his development now and the success he’s had, successful players he’s had in his position room; but the fact the ‘Frank approach’ and why he has such close relationships with so many players is he truly cares about the individual, not just the player. And we know we’ve got a job to do so he hits that hard, but he’s also somebody that has no problem getting personal and showing you that he’s got your back regardless. Frank is somebody that you would go in an alley with. I don’t know how well he can fight, but he will fight.”
(The way TE Jonnu Smith has been further incorporated into this offense, what kind things do you think it could open up?) – “He’s been great. Jonnu (Smith) is a weapon. He’s a weapon. He’s a running back with the ball. He’s given us an added dynamic that we haven’t had honestly in the last couple years, so people try to take away Tyreek (Hill) and (Jaylen) Waddle, but now, with Jonnu and (De’Von) Achane out the backfield, ‘O’ (Odell Beckham Jr.), Odell, he’s getting more and more touches. Malik Washington. It’s making us more dangerous so you’ve got to kind of pick your poison.”
