Chad Ryland: "I have taken the offseason pretty seriously." | New England Patriots Press Conference

really important question starting game one of the world Ser Nola Nola's been throwing the ball pretty well I think Nola will do all right heck yeah heck yeah how's it feel to get back out there football related activities anyway you know quite the real thing but yeah no it feels great um I think when I look back to this off season and most recently here at OTAs it's been an awesome experience um took the offseason pretty seriously took my four or five days after the season and got back to it so it's been a it's been a progressive build um but looking forward to continue to keep chipping away and the finish product come fall time what was your M focus focus off yeah no I think the main thing is taking everything I learned last year good bad and different um looking through my journal and then going and match that with the film after I took a few days away just flush the mind of football go back and look at it and I could find some fundamental differences look at some other guys across the league and then continue to build that into one big snowball push it down the hill and let it keep getting faster and faster as we get close to the season yep yeah yeah I did I was all sorts of locations across the country getting with some coaches some guys getting some work done um because first off season in the NFL it's a big one um you take everything like I said that you learned and you get to build on that into year two so I'm super thankful for everything that I've been able to attack this offseason and looking forward to keeping it going still got a couple months left to keep perfecting it as many different things as you heard from guys was there a common theme with former kickers um no I would say actually a lot of it was self- diagnosed and just no one knows my body quite like I do so trying to just go out on the field and having that free freed to go and experiment um back home in San Diego with Bryce and Joe um all over that that was really special and I'm super thankful for that time so Chad have you done anything to train differently this offseason than maybe a year ago um yeah I think every offseason and from this one to the college ones to moving forward each one will be its own unique experience um try to eat a lot better train in a different matter um and then make those fundamental adjustments that I know will ultimately make me a lot more successful come to fall time did you find anythings change the answer to that is yes will I share it no not yet ask me like back half of the season if you like site this day like hey you told me to tell you the fundamental stuff I mean if you watch the film from last year and you watch where I'm at on the field now you'll be able to see some key differences if you really really pay attention or have an eye for it so I'm going to keep that sort of like in-house to myself but the answer is yes if that makes sense respectfully sorry what do you think you learned about yourself after like looking back on your Rook year yeah no I think I learned a lot about myself I think one of the most important things that I learned was that I truly love my craft um through the struggles of last year I'm not going to hide hide from that I said it early on last year like I kick it I own it no matter what the circumstances are I have to find a way as the kicker to go and execute and hit the ball straight and that's that's what I've really taken upon myself this offseason I'm lucky to have a bunch of good teammates around me um to help me work through that stuff and continue to chip away and have eyes on me and be able to communicate like hey guys this is what I'm trying to accomplish here um from your perspective or Bryce in the holding perspective what does this look like feel like comparatively to what we were at so that open form of communication is huge an We're Not Looking Backward wear you know we're looking forward is that something that that you picked up on oh 100% Chris 100% um the best the the TP motto tbia the best is ahead um and I think that's true for all all facets of football not just special teams but no I'm certainly looking forward to it um I'm no no coward to a challenge and and certainly want to continue to grow in my craft and will hopefully grow each year and take each offseason moving forward through however many years I'm blessed to play as serious as I did this off season how much of an advantage has been mentioned working with them through the offse now here in the spring as opposed to last year you guys come in working as an operation first kick experience yeah I think it's huge um just that relationship and continual relationships that we're building with each other it goes a long way whether you're in the business world the athletic world the media world when you work longer with your co-workers you tend to gain better relationships and then things start to come and flow easier you guys can critique each other on a more level where you know it's not personal um because we all just want the best for each other and to succeed at the end of the day how's it been uh digging into the new kickoff rules yeah it's fun I mean I don't make the rules um but I think it's certainly an exciting new facet of the game and we'll we'll be interested to see how it plays out come come season time how does that without I know PR said it was going to get too much into the details but how much that shift your approach as a kickoff kicker now with the you know new strategy h um I think it gives it's a it's a new facet of the game that hasn't been seen before at the NFL level so it'll be fun to see it's almost like a like a horse race like in Kentucky Derby it's like who's going to get out of the gate fast and keep that lead with new discoveries and all that fun stuff so it'll be fun have you talked to anybody who uh played the X any kickers who played the X who who worked with it I have not no I have not startas you I was yeah between pck 100% I think that's that's one of the more fun um similarities between kicking and then the other two sports I've played with baseball and soccer it takes the physical tools of soccer mixed with the mindset of a baseball pitcher um so that's kind of the the cool little throw it in the pot stir it all together and in my head that's how I get my kicking fundamentals and mentality last question there's been a decent amount of continuity but also a lot of change in so how things kind of been different in terms of know the vibe or anything like that would draw yeah no I think for me I'm always trying to have a positive output um I can only speak for myself but I'm just trying to attack every day as I think a lot of the guys are just trying to get better each day and just want to continue to grow as a team as individuals so we can put together a good product on the field in the fall uh I I started reading your book I started reading one of your books and the Bible I'm trying to finish the Bible by the time Camp starts yeah no one yeah yeah yeah awesome thanks guys thanks guys thanks