LB Mack Wilson (10.22.20)
LB Mack Wilson:
On WR Jarvis Landry playing through a broken rib and what it means to see a teammate playing through injury:
“Most importantly, I feel like it just shows what type of guy he is or what type of guy anybody could be. It is crazy when you have guys on the team who are willing to do whatever it takes to help the team, to help win and to give us any chance to win. It is crazy. It is something that you can’t really even put into words because guys like Jarvis work extremely hard, and he is one of those leaders who has been here for a couple of years. I am just trying my best to be one of those guys like Jarvis as my experience and my years come along.”
On if the Browns defense not getting any takeaways against the Steelers reinforces how important creating turnovers is to the team’s success:
“That is something that we have harped on ever since our first day back in the building together. We talked about how we want to create takeaways and how we want to make that a priority in our defense. We did not do a good job of that this past week, obviously. We just try to create takeaways to set our offense up to be successful and to give us the best chance to win the game.”
On if the Bengals offense presents opportunities to create takeaways:
“Yeah, definitely. The first time we played them, they threw the ball 60 times. For a quarterback to throw the ball 60 times, that sounds like at least two to three interceptions to me. We just have to do a great job with making sure everybody is locked in, playing within the gameplan and just attack the ball.”
On if he admires Landry’s determination to keep his consecutive game streak going despite facing multiple injuries during his career:
“Definitely. That shows a lot about him. That basically just lets you know nothing will stop him from anything. He has been doing a great job here in Cleveland with being consistent and with being a leader with fighting through adversity. When times get tough, he always finds a way to push himself through. I feel like that is spreading all around the team because that is something that does not go unnoticed, and we all see it and we all realize that there are guys out on the field who are hurting every day who are pushing to do whatever it takes to help the team.”
On if Landry pushing through injury is more inspiring during a game or if that pushes everyone throughout the week of practice, as well:
“Yeah, definitely. He may make a catch, make the wrong move with his body or maybe fall to the ground, and you can see him reaching for his ribs. We just know he is hurting. We just know that Jarvis is a warrior or whoever it may be is a warrior to be able to go out there and compete on Sundays and still try their best to give us a shot to win a game.”
On if the Browns defense is emphasizing anything in particular this week following last week’s loss:
“We just have to remain focused. It is the next game. We learn from the things we did not do well the past game, and we just carry it over to this game with a new mindset, a new focus. Just getting ready to go out and compete and give ourselves the best chance to play great as a team and win.”
On where he is in the learning curve of his career:
“I would say it has gotten a lot better from last year, obviously. You can see it in my play a little bit. I have gotten more comfortable. I am able to kind of see things before it happens. That just comes with experience. With me starting 14 games last year, it kind of helps me out a lot this year. I am still learning. I am still growing. I am young. I am just going to continue to take it one day at a time.”
On if he is physically feeling 100 percent:
“I feel like I am getting there. I am not 100 percent yet. It is something that I have been pushing myself every day to kind of get back to being me. I am just going to continue to do whatever the guys tell me to do as far as treatment wise to kind of get back to 100 percent.”
On LB B.J. Goodson wearing the headset on defense:
“We have B.J. Goodson doing it. Coming into the offseason program and into now, my coach was saying I am capable of playing any of the three positions. They decided to play me at WILL, but if I have to play MIKE, I can. B.J. has been doing a great job with that, (LB) Jacob (Phillips) or whoever is in at MIKE, they have all been doing a great job with that, but it is something that I am capable of doing for sure.”
On asking special teams coordinator Mike Priefer to play special teams following the kickoff-return TD against the Colts:
“First of all, special teams is something that I take pride in. That was something that my freshman year in college that I played and I went 100 percent on it. Just being at the next level, I know that special teams is a big part of being successful in his league. It is a big part of winning. Them returning a kickoff return for a touchdown is totally unacceptable. I kind of got pissed about it, and I went up to Coach Prief and was like, ‘Coach Prief, put me on kickoff. Put me on special teams. Whatever you need me to do, I will do it because I want to help the team win as much as possible. I want to be able to put us in position to win. Whatever you need me to do, I will do it.’ The next couple of days, he texted me and said, ‘I am going put you on the twos on punt, kickoff and different special teams, and we will just go from there.’ Like you said, he knows I am still recovering from my injury, but I am like, ‘I am here Coach. I am suiting up so whatever you need me to do, I will do it.’ That is just my mindset as a football player.”
On if it has been frustrating that he has not been able to be on the field as much as last year due to his injury:
“Yeah, definitely. It has been tough. I have days where I just kind of reflect on me last year as a player and where I am right now. With me getting hurt, I feel like I took a few steps back. Like I said, I am trying my best to get back to 100 percent so I can play more and so I can do whatever it takes to help us win. That is really it. I want to be on the field as much as possible. I want to play. Everybody knows that. I just have to approach it as one day at a time, just be there for my teammates and my guys in the LB room and just do whatever. Whatever they need me to do, I am here. At this moment, it is just all about what can I to help us win.”
On if he misses not being used on the nickel package and if that is a possibility as he gets back to 100 percent:
“I miss it a lot. Like you said, being able to be on the field and not really come off, I miss it. I feel like me being on the field more would help me make more plays and things like that to put us in situations to win. As far getting more playing time, that is totally up to the coaches. Like I said, I am just going to continue to take it one day at a time, continue to bust my ass and continue to just do all the little things right to show them that I am recovering well and that I am ready to do whatever when they put me in the game.”
On the boost S Ronnie Harrison Jr. returning can give to the Browns defense:
“It is a huge boost. Even when we first got Ronnie, I was pumped. I was telling the guys on defense that he is going to be a big spark for us. He brings a lot of swag to the defense. He is just a ballplayer. He can do it all. We are happy to have him back. Ronnie is a great guy. He is a great leader. He works hard. He is not one of those guys who is not going to do too much talking. He would rather lead by his actions on the field and on the practice field. It is a huge boost to have him back in the back end. I can’t wait to see how he continues to contribute to the team and continues to make plays for us.”
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