Joey Bosa Already Embracing the Harbaugh Culture | The Breer Report | Sports Illustrated

not a lot of people get to play their entire career in one place and retire so that's kind of a goal of mine and um hopefully it works out breaking news Joey Bosa and CLE Mack restructure their contract to stay with the Chargers I introduce the next coach of the Los Angeles Chargers Jim and officially open the ball Joey you're one of the guys here who has a unique perspective on on Jim Harbaugh so I guess I want to start with what your impressions were of him before he became the coach here um I guess my only Impressions early on before before I met him was that he's my you know my rival coach back in college and uh you're kind of taught to hate everybody that comes out of that program but everywhere he's been he's been a winner um I went in obviously with an open mind obviously I don't hold on to that rivalry to this day like that uh I'm an old man now yeah he's uh first day I met him we probably talked for 45 minutes an hour are just chatting about life football and everything and I think he's a really you know unique guy um has a lot of a lot of experience a lot of unique perspective on things he gets across his messages in a unique way and and and does it in a in a fun kind of funny Jim Harbaugh kind of way I guess is the only way I can can express it I'm just excited uh with the culture that he's building I mean that's a word that's kind of overused in football but I I you can really feel it around around here where it's not each coach kind of teaching their own message it's it's from the top down and everybody's following his his leadership and the path that he's laying forward so I'm I'm really excited one of the things that like obviously for that you guys had to deal with right away was really difficult which was your contract how did he handle that with you because obviously he's known as a guy who has had really close relationships with his a lot of his players but I mean you know as well as anybody what you know how this is a business and how you have to look out for yourself so was there any sort of bonding that you guys were able to do going through a difficult situation like that early on really didn't talk too much uh during that period it was it was a quick turnaround it really was about a week of of negotiation and things happened fast and uh you know I wanted to be here and him coming only strengthens that feeling old news I I haven't really thought about it since um I'm just here to try to have you know my best year yet and uh prove that you know I'm not not washed up just yet um but yeah it was uh it was an interesting um interesting experience but I I think seeing khil obviously take the pay cut after the year he's had is inspiring to to see the kind of man he is and the player that he is uh willing to come and and stay with an organization because he he sees great potential here and a chance to you know win it all which is what it's all about it's what you're going to remember down the down the line so um yeah I'm I'm happy with how everything worked out it was uh it was it was a fine experience and uh I'm just ready to move forward was he a factor in deciding to do that like and I mean did he let you know like hey Joey I do want you around yeah yeah I mean he he did reach out to me but I mean he was he was definitely a factor I think um that stability that he brings um is is important uh obviously with uh Staley leaving last year it was uh we were all waiting to see what was going to happen and it was it was definitely a positive that that he was picked for the job um but yeah it's uh it it was a lot of pieces just the new facility being being here my whole career it's been something that I've wanted to do not a lot of people get to play their entire career in one place and retire uh with the team that drafted them and gave them that opportunity so that's kind of a goal of mine and um hopefully works out you haven't hit anybody yet right like nobody cuz you guys can't until next week um but Jim's program has always been I think one of the things it's really cool about is it sort of looks the same everywhere he's been whether Stanford San Francisco Michigan um can you already see signs of what you're going to be maybe in the way you guys are working out or what you're watching in the film room like are there already a lot of signs of of what Jim wants to build here yeah I mean we had a great great start with the off season during OTAs uh laid the groundwork for for great Camp um you know every every year it's the same questions about uh this is the Year this and that and every year I feel very confident about it our goal right now is not to worry about a week from now a month from now but come out every day grind with each other push each other compete and uh it'll take care of itself but the answer is the short answer is yes I I do feel like things are definitely heading in the right direction he has a great plan uh that he's executed multiple times before so it's not like he's just winging it out here so I I feel really confident about that and um but like I said I think not worrying about our our potential this that whatever just coming out here and um and grinding every day like I said How's this place made a difference yeah it's unbelievable I mean this is my second day in this place so still getting lost yeah but um it's it's unbelievable uh I was just looking at it during practice like damn this is pretty serious uh but yeah it's it's a blessing to be able to make it from from San Diego to hog to now this this beautiful new facility is it's it's great have you like I know you don't want to too far ahead but I would assume at some point this off season you looked in the guys in San Francisco what he did for Patrick bis what he did forom and what he did for Justin Smith what he did for all these veterans Frank G who are really good players before he got them but kind of was able to create an identity and bring something together have you like allowed yourself to think about like what that could mean for you for khil for Derwin for ran for for guys who are already really good NFL players like what Jim might be able to give you guys yeah I guess I haven't really thought about it the way you the way you just uh said it but um yeah it's important you can't do it on your own no matter how talented you are you need that leadership um I think Dylan our position coach has been doing a great job but yeah I think I compare him to who I had in college orm and it just felt like he knew something that we didn't and he was able to uh bring us all together and bring the best out of everybody so yeah yeah I'm I'm very confident about that I think my best years are ahead of me um and I think we have an unbelievable group I'm excited I just don't want to get ahead of myself yeah everybody has the stories about climbing trees and sleepovers and all like and I know people around him don't like the word quirky but uh like that's sort of been his reputation forever do you have any good story so far um of anything that Jim did or said in a meeting on the practice field whatever that was kind of like all right like that's the guy you know I've been watching from kind of Afar for all these years nothing crazy but just just like you said in his meetings uh nothing specific but kind of the way he he speaks about things as little phrases and funny little jokes sometimes he's I don't think he's even trying to be funny but he's a he's a genuinely funny guy but I think people really pay attention in his meetings because he's interesting and and you're always looking forward to hear what he wants to say I think one thing that kind of you can tell about him is how much he loves his job right like like he genuinely I don't know it feels like you watch him out there's nowhere you'd rather be exactly how how do you think that rubs off on a team when a coach is that way yeah I mean he says it says it every day that there's no place he'd rather be all my coaches have have been really positive have had a good attitude but you know it's really genu genuine feeling from him um and like you said it does rub off it it's uh contagious to have have that love for the game and love for each other and your teammate and and you know putting each other putting somebody else ahead of yourself but um I think as we continue to grow closer it's going to the culture is going to grow stronger and stronger and you know hopefully hopefully everybody's feeling like Jim by the end of the year I saw him pull all you guys up at the end of practice we we were uh we do the after practice finishers and we carry a big medicine ball and you know he's he's always there with us doing it and you know I don't some guys it can seem like he's uh kind of doing it for show but I think he's he's really genuine about it and he just that's his favorite part of it is being being with the players being being part not one of the guys but being with the guys he just loves loves what he does and uh hopefully it does rub off I think it is awesome thanks guys I appreciate it always good to see you