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Walt Aikens – November 21, 2019 Download PDF version

Thursday, November 21, 2019

S Walt Aikens

(On playing defensive snaps…) – “I feel like the coach will put you in the best position, and if my name is called then I’ll do what I’ve got to do.”

(So you’ve never lobbied for snaps on defense?) – “I didn’t say that. (laughter) I didn’t say that at all, but I believe in our system. I believe in our coaches. They’ll put people in the best places.”

(Have you ever wondered, “what do I have to do get an opportunity on defense?”) – “Yeah, for sure. For sure.”

(And have you ever asked that?) – “Yeah.”

(And what was the answer?) – “It’s up to the coaches, like I said. I just do what I’ve got to do. I come in every week, prepare (on) both special teams and defense, making sure I’m ready at any given moment. As far as I’m concerned, I handle what I’ve got to do on special teams and when my name is called, I do what I need to do.”

(Have you ever thought that maybe that you’re kind of too good of a special teams player to play defense?) – “I like the way you said it. (laughter) I like the way you said that.”

(You did split two guys last week.) – “I feel like I can play defense at any given time. I’m ready, like I said earlier. It’s just all about the opportunity when my name is called, stepping up to the plate, but I’m preparing just like I would going into any other game, knowing what I’ve got to do, prepared and focused.”

(Can you put into words how good that feels when you split two guys to go make a tackle downfield on punt?) – “Oh man, that’s good because I know I’ve got my teammates behind me. I know Matt Haack likes it. He came up and said, ‘thank you’ because he boomed that ball and I was like, ‘yeah, we needed some good coverage on that one after the kick he had.’ It’s a great feeling, getting down there and making an open-field tackle in a tough situation, especially with two on you. I just need to do more of that.”

(What is it like to know that people generally put two on you and you’re supposed to win?) – “I look at as a challenge. You’re sending two at me; I’ve got to beat the vice. It’s dog-on-dog. It’s a legal street fight, so may the best man win. I try to win the majority of my reps – I try to win all of my reps. It (doesn’t) always work out like that, but the thing is to keep going and show that fight so they have to double you. That’ll free somebody else up.”

(Can you sense that you’re getting a lot of respect around the league for your work on special teams?) – “For sure, for sure. Even during game play, (I) hear other players talk, ‘all right, 35 right there, 35 right there.’ If I know they’re looking for me, I know I’ve got to really show out because they’re going to be coming for me, so I’ve got to come for them just as hard, if not harder.”

(What was your reaction the first time you heard another team go “35, 35?”) – “That was early. That was early in my career I was getting a couple doubles and stuff like that, knowing that I was a bigger body at the gunner position and making plays. I love it. I take it as a challenge and try to win every play.”

(Nice compliment, too.) – “Thank you.”

(So does the Pro Bowl ever cross your mind because they have a special teams?) – “For sure, for sure. Walt Aikens for Pro Bowl. (I’m) lobbying. My mama’s lobbying on Twitter if you haven’t seen it. (laughter) Shout out to my mama. I’m working towards that. Really, I’m just doing what I’ve got to do. That stuff will take care of itself. Until then I’m just going to continue to play good ball and continue to try to dominate.”

(Were you serious about your mom lobbying?) – “Yeah. (laughter)”

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