Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (11.21.25)
Opening Statement:
“Okay, good work out there today. Excited for the opportunity that we have in front of us. Obviously, got some work to do tomorrow morning, and then we’ll get on the airplane. But the guys had a really nice work week, understanding how important it is to own this plan, own the details of it so we can play fast on Sunday. But with that, I’ll take any questions.”
Myles (Garrett), obviously no long-term concerns?
“Correct, yep. Sick.”
With Dillon (Gabriel), still in the protocol, but just don’t want to push it for Sunday?
“Not going to play him, obviously. So, the focus is to get better, but he continues to do better.”
So, is he not fully cleared from the concussion protocol yet?
“Not just yet, but he’s doing great.”
Bailey (Zappe), what has he brought to that room? How much have they leaned on him?
“Yeah, he fits in great in that room, has an awesome personality. Obviously, we’ve been around Bailey now a couple times, having had him here last season, but fits in really well with his teammates. Competes really hard out at practice, does a great job at practice. I think all the players would attest to that. So, just has the right way about him, has played in a lot of football games, and a guy that we trust.”
What was Shedeur’s (Sanders) week like? Last time we talked you hadn’t had any practices yet. So, after three practices, how’d he look?
“Yeah, he did a good job. Obviously for young players, young quarterbacks, you name it, the work week is structured so that it’s a buildup, if you will. So, every single day you’re looking to learn, soak it all in, go perform, learn again, and I think he’s handled the week really well.”
Over these next 48 hours, what is your message going to be to Shedeur? Obviously, it’s exciting for him to be making his first start and all the intrigue with it. What is your message to him?
“Yeah, his focus is do his job for the football team, just like it is for everybody. And he knows that. And he’s, again, handled the week really, really well. Obviously tomorrow, the rest of today, tomorrow is about finishing touches when it comes to the game plan and really locking in and talking about owning all those details. But that’s where his focus is.”
The two tackles, Jack (Conklin) and Cam (Robinson). Cam, no designation, but how did you feel like they went through the week?
“Cam obviously came out okay, and no injury designation there. Obviously with Jack, is continuing to push it, which I appreciate about him, and we’ll see where it goes. It’s just not ready to make that ruling just yet.”
Kevin, I know you can’t control it, but just the tackle situation in general this year, the constant injuries you’ve had at that position. How challenging has it been week in and week out, trying to prepare? And then also at the same time, you go into games, and you’re losing players in the game too?
“It’s part of the game. Injuries are a part of the game. Nothing that we like about that, but that’s our job as coaches, to see who’s available and get them ready to play.”
In terms of David (Njoku), how much do you think it will help Shedeur to have him back with no injury status and ready to go?
“Yeah, obviously Dave’s a big part of who we are, what we do. So, it’s good to have him back out there, good to have his energy back out there, and looking forward to obviously having him feel like himself. And then, as you know, tight ends for a quarterback are a great sense of security, if you will. So, I think we have a bunch of guys that that can affect the game.”
Is that knee something he’s just going to have to manage for the rest of the year?
“Yeah, and I think Dave’s, over the course of his career, has shown to always play through some unique injuries. But that knee, certainly he’s a warrior.”
You’ve done it a lot, Kevin. When you have a new quarterback, is the prep week different?
“For me, or?”
For you, for the energy of the team?
“I think our guys really focus on the process and the structure, the meetings and the walkthroughs. I think I’ve mentioned to you guys before, we trust all of our guys. If you’re up on game day, we trust you to go do your job. And sometimes it’s the backup tackle, and sometimes it’s the backup quarterback or sometimes it’s a corner that goes in. Whatever the position is, we can trust our guys. We really keep our focus on the work week, and I think that’s the most important thing. I think it’s the best thing you can do as a player, as a coach, is just keep your focus on what’s important, which is all of us owning our role and doing our job.”
Kevin, is this the best Myles has ever played?
“Probably unfair for me to say. I’ve had a front row seat to it all. I think the level at which he’s playing is impressive, but I do think there’s more there. I think, like we’ve talked about over the years with Myles, pay attention to how he plays the run, pay attention to the tackles for loss. I think sacks get so much attention in our NFL world, and our football world, and dully – that’s fine because they’re important, but affecting the game in a variety of ways is so important. So just pressuring the quarterback, harassing the quarterback, making life hard on a quarterback. But also playing the run, playing physical against the run, getting tackles for loss, taking on a double team so your teammate can make a play. So, listen, the stats are what they are and it’s so impressive, but the impact on the game on a down-to-down basis I think is what probably might be overlooked by some of the stats.”
Kevin, with all that said, do you think he’s got an eight sack game in him?
“I hope so, Tom (Withers). Good game to start that.”
Isn’t it absurd though that you can even consider that? I mean, potentially the guy could do it?
Yeah. I don’t think we go into games or Myles goes into games trying to hit a number. I think he goes into a game trying to do his job and affect the game in any way he can. And obviously he’s had some games here where there’s been multiple sacks, and that’s obviously finishing the pressure with taking the quarterback down. But we look at it at that play-to-play basis, what he’s doing to affect every single down. And again, the ability to play the run should not be overlooked.”
You mentioned that Shedeur is really focused on the game plan and what he has to do. Have you guys addressed the notion that there could be a circus atmosphere with him starting his first game and all the things that come along with that?
“Obviously, the conversations that I have with Shedeur I’ll keep private. But Shedeur is just like all of our guys, in that he has a job to do, he wants to be there for his teammates and do his job. Everything else doesn’t really factor into how we go about our business.”
We know Jim Schwartz doesn’t hand out compliments all that often. Yesterday though, he had mentioned that Carson (Schwesinger) as a rookie has picked up some things in the game that it took Ray Lewis three seasons into his career to get. Just from your perspective, what has made Carson so good so fast and early on in his career, where those intricate details of the game he has been able to pick up?
“It’s interesting because from day one, he’s been making plays on the practice field and sometimes it’s not that hard. You just kind of watch what’s happening on the field and when a linebacker in offseason program is showing out, that typically means this guy’s a pretty good player because it’s hard – there’s no tackling, there’s no run plays and that type of thing. But immediately it was clear that he had a great handle on the X’s and O’s of football, the cerebral nature of football. And obviously when you’re playing that middle linebacker position, you are in the middle of the nerve center and you’re “running the show,” quote unquote. So, to be able to get that right off the bat, I think is a testament to the young man. I think it’s a testament to Coach (Jason) Tarver who I think does an amazing job with our young guys and our veterans. And then the physical aspect of this, of just running, hitting, tackling, intercepting the ball, those are all things that we saw from the jump with him, and it certainly carried over into this season.”
I know you don’t take it for granted, but when you see Myles, he passed Reggie White a couple, weeks ago, passed LT (Lawrence Taylor) last week, do you ever take a step back and think how special it is for you to get to coach a guy that’s in that upper echelon?
“Yeah, but there’s time to reflect. So, now’s not necessarily the time to reflect on that. Now, do I marvel at his skill? Yes, you know, and I marvel at it in practice. There’s been many a practice that he’s ruined and that’s when he’s practicing versus Browns, that’s when he’s practicing against another team like we do in training camp. So, we get to see it day in and day out, even in those settings. But yeah, probably not fair to reflect too much right now other than to say he’s a great player for us, he’s a great, he’s a leader for us that we follow and we’re counting on him.”
With the red zone offense, I think the Raiders are second in yards per carry. And then of course, the field gets condensed, as you move down. So what’s the key there to getting into the end zone and red zone?
“You’re saying key for our offense? (Yes). Yeah, it’s a good defense. It’s a very good run defense. It’s the scheme. It’s a combination of scheme and players. I think they do a really nice job with the things that they’re doing from a front standpoint and then just the players that they have. The linebackers can run. There’s physical defensive linemen. Obviously, Maxx Crosby can show up anywhere and has the ability to beat any block, whether the blocker has leverage on him or not. So we have to identify their fronts and do a great job in that type of way because they play so many different looks for you. But at the end of the day, it is a physical defensive line, physical group of linebackers that we have to match up, physicality.”
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