Q: Has your relationship with Flo’ grown since you were a rookie?
A: There’s definitely a big difference in my relationship with Flo’. You know, just proving to him and proving to the team that I can be a key contributor to this defense and just building unique relationships, like he tells us every single day, and I listen a lot to what he’s saying, and also apply what he’s saying too. Just going up there talking to him, we’ll laugh sometimes — like, my rookie season we weren’t really laughing — so nowadays we’re laughing, joking, having good conversations, and I really feel like it’s a blessing to be coached by a person like that just because of the fact that his standard is so high. When you have a coach that has high standards and you have a player that has high standards, the synergy and togetherness, it’s just something that’s unbreakable when you have a coach and player relationship that looks eye-to-eye. So, I really feel confident as a player having Flo’ as my coach. It’s really just a blessing to be under his wing.
Q: How did Greenard help you come into your own in your first two seasons?
A: If I didn’t have J.G. my rookie year, I probably wouldn’t be where I am mentally, physically and spiritually. I feel like he played a big role in my career — honestly, just being a big brother for me that I never really had before. He put me onto a lot of game (tips and tricks) when it comes to being in the NFL and just specifically being a young player in the NFL trying to make a name for myself.
Q: The other vet you’ve learned a lot from … what makes Gink’ one of the greats?
A: Gink’s special as hell. Gink’ is very smart — the highest of the highest awareness when it comes to the game of football. Always one step ahead. Always prepared for anything that you throw at him. It’s kind of ironic. When I was in college, I used to watch [film of] Gink’ a lot — Gink’ and J.G. I just so happened to be on the same team as the two players I used to watch primarily when I was in college. So, I’d be stupid not to be a sponge and just pick his brain. We sit next to each other in the locker room every day. We joke, laugh and talk ball all the time. I really feel like just being a part of his career is very special and very honoring and humbling in my point of view. Having that type of ball knowledge, as a resource and as a teammate more importantly, you know, just when I line up and I look over there and I see him, I just know that he’s got my back. Just like how I got his back.