Raheem Morris Week 1 Press Conference | Atlanta Falcons

e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e you have a good birthday I did oh yeah what did you do for your birthday worked study the Pittsburgh Steelers you have a dinner I always have a good dinner but not yesterday I was waiting for the cameras guys you guys good all right well um the only thing we got injury related is Nate lamman as you guys know about the quad and then Kyle was dealing with a little hamstring so we got them limited other than that we are um really healthy and doing really well with that i' open up questions with you guys uh yeah coach could you discuss um the uh process uh over the last few days of trading Tyler hinei in uh yesterday sign in Peter Manz a third quarterback yeah we traded Tyler um good situation for him um I mean you said Tyler but I just repeated it we traded Taylor and uh we uh you know good good situation for him good situation to go out there and potentially be the two and do some really good things for those guys um and for us it was about picking up a third quarterback to get trained and ready to go um you know obviously Mike's our second we got Kurt ready to go um get another guy in this building uh to get them prepped and ready to go Nate um as a veteran's been around a little bit done a bunch of things so get him in here and get him prepped up and ready to go and um just Kurt just uh the overall since he's been here he ready to go now game's here uh you know what's that whole process been like on boarding a a veteran like that and was headed into you know 13 14th year in the league you know Kurt was really uh a major part of our fabric anyway before we got him just kind of understanding a little bit about our offense and some of the similarities that he's run in his past um he's really a fit from a culture standpoint when it comes to the person in the ethos that you want to go out there and get so it really hadn't been difficult at all um it's been more you know catching up to some of Kurt's things and some of the things that he does well um some of the things that we do well some of the things that we can't do you know all of those things just the process of learning your identity with the new quarterback and it has been a lot of fun just throughout the whole process you know him right from the beginning from OTA days up until now to the training camp to get ready to play our first game and we're here and uh I can't wait to get out there with him going to be the first time that Kirk is you know going to be hit and you know there were some worries with t for training camp you guys around on on the ground um are you comfortable where he's at right now as far as you know Sunday goes and getting hit it's hard to say that you're not you're worried about Kurt getting hit in his 13-year career um I mean the guy's done it a bunch within the deal but definitely there's always some stuff Within injury but um you know guys in this this game are built for that uh that's why they're different breed different animal different type of guys that go out there and play this game and he's definitely one of those um I've known Kurt from 2012 as a very young tough guy ready to stand there and take a hit at any time um and I don't think that's one of the thing that requires to be practiced when you're a quarterback so I um I got a respect for that guy and his toughness so obviously you didn't mention on the injury list like he's a full go nothing no limited no he's he's been full go for a while while now um you know we said it was a natural limitation with the OTA days of staying away from everybody everybody standing up and then once training camp started you know he's really been full go I've kind of protected him a little bit with the whistle quick whistles for no scrambles but you know other than that man he's full go I wouldn't send him out there limitate versus the pitchburg Steelers I'm I'm lying I would but does Kirk's demeanor surround the building change now that it's a game week it's pretty early in that process you know we've only had our meetings I'm not sure if he can change his process too much he's pretty rigid he's pretty Stern and he's pretty into his ways he's pretty serious pretty locked in he's pretty doubt that whether we're talking about walkthrough whether we talking about OTA days whether he's talking about a scrimmage um he's pretty doubting guy so I'm not sure if it would change too much um I'm excited to watch him go through the process I'm excited for him to get us going into practice and for us to for him to lead us it'd be fun would you say our new captain would you say it's kind of true that ear in the season especially in week one that defenses kind of have the advantage in general over the offenses just because of the natural way that you know building up to this point in the season works out or or not it's tough man it's like um that's usually what you say about practice you know usually the defense has the advantage the first couple of days because there's so much information going in there but really you know it's about your process it's about knowing who you are and being that being the most important thing and and then more importantly knowing what you can't do so like when you talk about building your identity we'll definitely get a chance to go out there and find out what that is this weekend and I look forward to that so you you just never know you know like it's all about preparation it's all about all those things and and I'm I'm certainly hopefully I'm feel well about that at the end of the week what your captain process did you pick or players voted electronic players it was electronic players vote old school style year style it was a handout piece of paper Okay tally those things and uh let the let the team speak and um we voted then I had to pick uh had to take some out you had a lot of lot of Captain votes in his team and uh you had to figure out what number you had to cut it off at and decide how many you get and things of that nature and and we got to four you mentioned about Kyle the hamstring anything to be concerned about there uh not for me um went out there and practiced the other day for us and did a really good job and um just trying to be transparent about all that stuff you know we had issues like that around here before so just being transparent you know he had a hamstring a couple weeks ago or whatever it was and uh really hadn't affected him too much much he's been out there practicing doing just about everything and and we're ready to go this is more of a general question but just how does the week feel different now that you are preparing for a game that matter everything this is the coach's time man this is this is our favorite time of the year uh actually going out there and preparing and being part of the game plan and being a part of offense defense and special teams and really determining what it takes to go out there and win this football game is the most important thing so for us it's everything you move from evaluator to the person that's got to go out there and find ways to win obviously you were here when Arthur Smith was here but do you feel I don't know a little bit of a I don't know because you are facing the former coach that went here does it feel any different or do you hear from the players at all like a little extra motivation I'm probably a little different when it comes to that like I've been coaching for a long time I'm old turned 48 yesterday and like uh I've been around a long time man I've been fired I've been hired and I don't feel any resentments towards Arthur Smith or any of the guys um and I don't really think he will either I think he's really just tring to go to get his next win um I think when you get to the point that you just kind of focus and then you know I think you just kind of focus on getting a win whoever you're going against you know will he get a game ball if he wins I'm sure Mike could give him one you know but like I don't think we look at it that way I think we look at it as going out there competing against our guys you know but you know hopefully um we're coming AC as as we're coming across as the winners and the Victor and and that'll be the most important thing we've been talking about guys coming back from injury grvy Jarrett coming back to a game how excited are you to just turn him loose and watch him do his thing again really excited EX for Grady you know um that emotional SP they gave to you guys when you talked about the first time I thought was excellent um and it's and it's just been how he's prepared and practice since that whole process so just being to watch him go out there and play you know no different than Kurt you know like I think the question was that my word about it is more you're excited for him you know both of those guys you know probably would be the best way to work that thing when you're watching guys come off injuries or watching the guys add their new teams we talking about Matthew judon and Simmons it's just like the excitement for those guys to be a part of their new culture how much do you let yourself feel that excitement as a coach because you're worried about obviously preparing for the Steelers but at the same time you're excited it's game one for you I'm human it's emotional for us man it's like uh it's an exciting game I think it's okay I think it's okay to show your emotions with your guys I think it's okay to show your emotions just in general and uh I love these dudes man I'm not gonna lie to you so like it's it's a lot of fun for me to go watch these guys go out there and compete pretty cool identity was determined during the preseason or is it ever evolving it's evolving it come out on Sunday and uh I love that question one of my favorite but like uh the guys got to go determin that you know like coaches try to always tell you what their identity is going to be but in my opinion it's going to be formed by your guys and the people that sit in those seats when you get up there and give that first team speech what do you make of the Steelers defense it's a unit that kind of seems overlooked because of the quarterback situation going on but it's definitely a very deep veteran defense I mean they just resigned cam Hayward so sure there's a lot to be of the history of the group is is is phenomenal and that's just that's just the the nature of the beast when you're talking about the Pittsburgh Steeler Steel Curtain but we don't have to play ghosts we just got to play the guys that are on their team now and they certainly got a a bunch of good guys that you got to worry about when you're talking about Cam being resigned are you talking about those two Edge rushers are you talking about that safety that's just phenomenal and I do know their names I know me and Mike Tom like to use the phrase that they nameless gray faces but you know you know those guys names you know a bunch of those guys on that team they got couple additions on that football team that you know going to be really well and um you got to go out there and prepare for those guys and prepare to go play against those guys in the system that's been well documented for a very long time where do you feel Justin Simmons is in just like getting his workout do you think that he can be ready to get some reps on Sunday he's a very smart you know locked in veteran he's been doing this for a very long time he comes from a similar style of play that we want to go out there and do there's a lot of carryover for him um he'll be able to go out there and contribute from a uh a performance standpoint I I'm feeling really confident because this is a guy that knows how to prepare his body for these type of activities he knows what it requires to go out there and play in a 60 to 70 play game or whatever it requires um so I feel confident in that but I also feel confident in the people that's going to play with them and have the ability to be able to get all those guys in the game whenever needed and possible and I'm also really confident in the guys being really transparent and honest with me and his coaches in order to let us know exactly what we need to do in order to make this thing happen to that and to follow you know just in joining Jesse and and kind of the partnership that they have these are two guys who probably are you probably consider them the alphas of the defense and and the way that they carry themselves the leaders of the defense so how do you see their relationship not just kind of having the respect of of what they know each other can do but working together to compliment each other uh they got so much respect for each other you know they had some time together in the Pro Bowl um they got a bunch of guys are fighting his defense for the alpha you know we talked about Grady we talked about David you can talk about you know lamman you can talk about Nate I mean you got some guys who got some real Alpha type personalities that they're going to have to fight for but it's really cool to watch all those guys get together collaborate and really go out there and be established what taran's been trying to get me to say since I got here about that identity right and like that' be something that those guys would go out there and establish together and I think the communication at a high level I think going out playing fast physical and free which jimie talks about a lot I think those guys are really to go out and just explode whether it's preparation or the outcome of the game do you think week one sets the tone for the season no it's week one you know um I think you can't get over excited about the the wins and you can't go over the boat when it comes to what happens if you don't win um I think you got to go out there and make it a process for yourself and it's always a learning process in either situation and I think if we can respect our process and go through that as much as possible I think that'll keep give us the ultimate focus in what we need to go out there and get the goals that we want to get accomplished as aach how do you know the type of team that you have when pretty much no one played in the preseason is it just something you know in in practice that you see that obviously we don't get to see at all you got to trust your practice habits you got to trust what you do you got to trust those practices we have versus Miami you got to trust those practic we have versus each other you got to trust our M scrimmage you got to trust their ability and our performance team and our ways to develop those guys you got to trust in the fact that our guys can go out there and Coach those guys guys and absolutely detail the work that need to get done and how we need to get it done from a performance standpoint from a technical standpoint from a fundamental standpoint from a belief you know and I believe in my guys and like I can't wait man it's been a lot of fun um I've been around it the last couple of years and to be able to get those things done without the um to to mitigate injury so to speak from the injuries and the things that are unnecessary for the guys that you have don't have to put out there and there are some guys you got to put out there to find out some real answers and we're able to do those things so the guys is going to go out there they'll be ready coached a game record of sorts in Aaron Donald for a couple years there's a game of sorts how dare you Jesus I did not say that aaronj watt is a game record yes how do you balance like letting them like keeping them in check versus still doing what you want to do offensively you know um you cannot let them go wreck the game there's no doubt about that right and but you cannot let them like you play fearful um you got to go out there and be ready to go out there and execute the game plan and be very smart and detailed and that's what the coaches come in to help those things happen and that's what I mean about the transparency and the absolute honesty from players and coaches alike to be able to go out there and identify those problems um and I think it's up to players to go out there and fix those problems and and definitely that guy you said of sorts Aaron he was a game wrecker and and you said that not me but you know TJ watt is a game record of short you know and I am not going to let him go out there and wreck the game and that's going to be part of our plan and he's still M that's what those guys do you know it's like uh but I think that's part of that is uh the real answer to that is the mental toughness right when you go play against these great players that you're gonna play against every single week is they going to make plays and how mentally tough is your group to bounce back and play the next snap you im feeling that excitement I'm curious how different that feels in this season being in that head coaching role again um this whole every day is like that kind of excitement right every day is my last every day is my first and it's like that great feeling man and I got the same people I come back and talk to I've been fortunate enough to be able to come back here and see ded's face again and to be able to go and work in those circumstances for me is like uh just a lot of fun and and it's it's constant energy and and everything that I do and I love it so like I don't know I love it I what me tell you I can't wait to go play When Sunday Zach's calling his first game as an offensive coordinator officially on Sunday I know experien calling plays obviously but how much have you noticed to buy in from everyone to be on the same page as him heading into one I don't know necessarily A Buy in from everyone else I think it's a buy in from him as well right you know when you call games you're in a constant learning and a constant situation of going out there and preparing you guys to be the very best version of themselves and I think it's the ultimate communication going to him and them coming to them so like the collaboration that you have to have within football is a very unique thing to to to a lot of things that we do in life and and these guys are establishing it as we go so like you know the amount of success we've dependent upon that and somebody's definitely getting fined in the back one of the camera guys but it is uh it is a lot of fun to be able to go out there and do all those things get those things done together how unique is it to have somebody that really doesn't have anything on paper to show in terms of calling a game I don't know if it's Unique I think every time you you get a first opportunity to do something I think it's the first opportunity to do something and uh that's what we'll be able to go do we'll be to go do it in this 32 man setting I mean 32 team setting and I think Zach will be just excited because they've been preparing for it his whole life you know from when he was a quarterback coach when he was a quality control coach when he worked at PFF whatever the case may be I think he's preparing for these settings and like uh the constant communication allows it for me to be able to breathe and and accept the life that he's going to be ready to go out there and chose he chose Bailey alluded to it a bit ago Russell Wilson's been doing it in this league for a long time what kind of challenges will he present I think whoever's playing quarterback you know is going to present that challenge you know like Mike told me to prepare for Justin Fields so we did right and Russell is going to be able to go out there and present the challenge he's always presented to teams and and with the I'm sure the obnoxious amount of preparation he's put into the game plan in order to go out there and what he got to get done right but there are roles that guy's going to play so expect the expected right and like that's what we'll do so like we'll go out there and prepare there's a lot of unknowns in this game just in general it' be a rules type of game rules ball for them and for us right they're preparing for Raheem Morris and what the Rams presented but this the Atlanta Falcons so let's get ready to go that's nice for them to tip you off about Justin you know um that's a nice way to make me waste time and uh he's the master at it he's he's and he's conducting a master class on uh on field though he's not and phi's going to show up yeah coach um just can you discuss the front office and Terry the promotion Brian pace and Tumble being moved into you know spots underneath Co coach Kyle man Terry got bored man just start moving people around I'm just kidding no Terry um as you know he very conscientious guy and and and and always wants to um put people and acknowledge the people um that that really deserve it and and and tumbo uh being promoted to what he was able to do is a long time coming um has been a guy that I've been able to work very closely with whether it's been with receivers or it's been defensive backs or whatever the case may be or just a normal argument in the lunch room in the coffee room whatever right so I got so much respect for him and what he's been able to do in in his profession and him moving up and being elevated is something that I I look at and I glow and then having the ability to be around Ryan PR Pace you see that natural leader which made him a GM in the first place and you see some of the things he's been able to do for our department and be able to come here um after being fired like I was at one point and be able to elevate himself here within his profession and within this organization I think it's high regard for all of those guys and the same thing goes for Cal Smith and being able to allow some of those things be pushed off too Ryan because it takes eess people to be able to go out there and form winning cultures and winning organizations and I've watched these guys um do that firsthand in my couple of months here and it's been awesome how do you balance you said there's so many unknowns week one how do you balance with that offense with is it the Arthur here is it the in Seattle is so in Denver is it Justin Fields how do you not go kind of crazy like overwhelmed by all that not that you would but how do you sort of streamline that you do go crazy you you obsess over it you obsess over it and you prepare for it but you try to limitate you try to limit it to what you think is the best decision that you can possibly make um for the best moment and like that's what I believe we got in place the best decisions for this moment is there anything special you do on game days like I don't know if person do you do anything to ground yourself to stay in the moment you said kind of when the national anthem hit that's my deal that's it okay it's like I got I got no special routines um I don't know I'm pretty loose just in general but um the games are awesome that that that's what you coach that's why you coach you that's why you play you know I I love practice but man I'd be pris toate I did love the games love these things anything else thanks y'all all right guys e