Pass Game Specialist/Tight Ends Coach Tommy Rees (1.2.25)

 

Now that Mike Vrabel’s gone, what did you learn the most from him in your time working with him?

“Yeah, I mean he was invaluable especially early in camp and early in the season when he was with the tight ends predominately. And just being able to see how he approached different players to reach guys that — not everybody learns the same way, not everybody takes coaching the same way, but his ability to reach guys and use different tactics, like that was critical for me. The way he’s able to look at the game as a head coach and kind of a full picture of things. So, to be able to hear that firsthand and be around it firsthand. And then, honestly for me coming from college into the NFL, for a guy that spent most of his life in the NFL, just the nuances and some of the differences between the two games and hearing that from him was great. I was, still am extremely appreciative of the time I got to spend with him and being able to pick his brain, hear some things from a defensive perspective. It was a pretty unique but really rewarding experience to be able to work with him.”

 

I think it was at the Greenbrier, the only time we talked to Vrabel he made reference to having a past relationship with you. Where did that come from? 

“Yeah, I knew him a little bit, just through other coaches, people that we had both either worked with or knew from the past. And then when those guys come around for Pro Days or whatever it may be at Notre Dame or Alabama and having that experience. So, it wasn’t like we knew each other great, but we definitely had some mutual contacts and people that were from the same circle.”

 

Can you just comment on, I know we asked you about it a little bit before, but just the way he got so physical during practices and even with the tight ends and all that kind of stuff, how that went?

“Yeah, it was cool for me to see and I think I probably — Look, I’m not, stature wise, quite what for Vrabes is, but like even as the year went on and he wasn’t with us, to be able to be hands on with the guys and feel the blocks and feel some of those things and being able to use those techniques, that was valuable for me. And for him, he was always looking at it, like we block the position he played almost every snap, right? So, to be able to hear it from the other side is a really interesting perspective for our players and for myself.”

 

You talked about the nuances between the NFL and college. Being back in the NFL this year for you, like, what are some of the things that really jumped out to you there? 

“I mean, I just think the personnel that you face week in, week out in the NFL is such a part of the game plan. There are guys that can wreck games, right? In college, you might get a few of those throughout the year, but it’s not week in, week out. And so, at this level, that’s probably one of the biggest factors on how you approach looking at an opponent is just, ‘Okay, well, who are the guys that we actually have to go affect and block and how do we make sure that we’re putting our players in the right spots all the time?'”

 

Because you recruited and coached some of these guys, will you be part of the draft process maybe more than a normal position coach would? 

“Yeah, I mean, that’s not necessarily up to us, and that’s something we’ll … as the off-season approaches. But we were part of that last year and continue to have our role in all of those things.”

 

With David (Njoku) getting named a Pro Bowl alternate, I mean, just the injuries he’s dealt with this year, and he’s been in and out, just how has he handled that? How have you guys handled it as a group? 

“Yeah, I mean, Dave every week wants to play. Obviously, there’s been limitations there due to injury, but he’s fought. He’s a tough guy. That’s something I learned about Dave throughout the year, just his commitment and his toughness to wanting to be out there with his guys. You saw it a few weeks ago as he gives our team a spark. So, really fortunate to be able to coach someone like Dave. It hasn’t been the easiest year for him, but he’s, throughout all of it, has really strived to try to get out on the field as much as he can.”

 

If he’s healthy next year, what do you see for him just in terms of the kind of production he’s capable of? 

“Yeah, I mean, you guys saw it here a year ago, and you’ve seen it in glimpses this year of when he’s able to go, when you get the ball to him, he’s really good after the catch, he’s really good with the ball in his hands, he’s a great matchup in the red zone as we’ve seen throughout the season. And so, continuing to build off that. He is truly one of the tight ends in the league that you can have in the game to affect the pass and affect the run, and so that standard doesn’t drop for him.”

 

Is it true you interviewed with (North) Carolina twice?

“Those opportunities come about. I had a good experience there, but my focus has been on the season, and I’d rather just keep things looking ahead here and making sure that we have an opportunity to have a good practice and a good game this weekend. But those opportunities come and I’m fortunate for things like that, but my focus has been mainly here.”

 

It hasn’t been the year that anybody wanted, but how are you a better coach than when you came in last January?

“Yeah, I mean, I think one, being with the position group I’m with, the tight end group is part of everything. Outside of the quarterback, you have to know run game, protection, pass game, how to get open, how to block someone. For me, the personal growth there has been tremendous. Look, when you deal with adversity, you learn a lot and this year has not gone the way any of us had planned for. But I think when you’re faced with those times, you learn in different ways and you learn how to keep moving forward, how to keep coaching guys, how to make sure that you’re week in, week out putting your guys in positions to have success. Sometimes you learn more in these types of situations than you do when everything’s going great.”

 

(Notre Dame) Irish or (Georgia) Dogs?

“I mean, what do you think I’m going to say? I would say, first and foremost, hopefully everybody down there is okay and safe. There’s a lot of people that I’ve spoken to with Notre Dame down there that it was a pretty hectic couple days. So, obviously I’m pulling for the Irish. More than anything, hopefully everybody’s okay and can get home safe.”