Head Coach Kevin Stefanski (9.19.25)
Opening Statement:
“Okay, going to be a great challenge down there on Sunday. It’s going to be hot, beautiful day for football. Excited about the opportunity that we have in front of us. We understand how talented this football team is, they’re well coached, obviously they’re 2-0 and we have a lot of respect for them. So, we have to play our best football, and the guys are working hard in that regard. Good week of practice, and then obviously finishing touches the next day. And we’ll see you guys at one o’ clock. With that, I’ll take any questions.”
When did Andre’s (Szmyt) calf injury show up?
“Yeah, during practice. Felt something, we’ll get an MRI and see what it is.”
Are you planning on bringing some kickers in case?
“I think it’s premature to say.”
Joel (Bitonio) could potentially play because you trusts he has so much experience, right?
“Correct.”
Do you know he said yesterday he felt better from Wednesday to Thursday. Do you know if he’s still feeling that way?
“He’s progressing, but with this type of injury, you need to make sure find out where he is every single day.”
Can you give us any more details on Andre, you know, how did it happen or late in practice?
“Nothing notable, Mary Kay (Cabot), felt something. We’re doing the appropriate thing, getting a look at it with some imaging.”
And if he can’t kick, just what is that like for you to have to get somebody ready to go on such short notice?
“Yeah, we’ll. We’ll get the imaging back first, see what it says and we’ll adjust accordingly.”
Is Jack (Conklin) further ahead than he was last week at this time?
“He’s doing a nice job working every single day, but again, that’s one that we’ll have to see over the next 48 [hours].”
Are you hopeful DeAndre (Carter) will be out of the protocol by Sunday?
“I think it’s best to just follow the protocol on those types of things. He’s done everything that has been asked of him, but we’ll make sure we just follow the protocol.”
Just your special teams. Obviously, this is another little hit to your special teams not knowing what’s going to happen with Andre and just talk about how challenging it’s been to have lose DeAndre and have the issue with Corey (Bojorquez)?
I would say that’s football, Mary Kay. Unfortunately, injuries are part of this game, or guys out for whatever the reason, they broke a shoelace. So, the next man has to be ready to go.”
We talk about next man up, in particular Cornelius Lucas. What’s it like for you guys to have a veteran that can step up if need be?
“Yeah, I think you said it there, Cam (Justice), veteran – he’s been through it all, he’s seen it all. Talented football player, so was ready when called upon and will be this week if called upon as well.”
Kevin (Stefanski), on the other side of things it looks like (Tucker) Kraft might be a question for them if he can play after getting hurt yesterday. Obviously, they don’t have (Jayden) Reed like that offense still. What do you see and how do you evaluate it knowing?
“Yeah, we expect everybody, as you know – to play, and he’s a great player. We think very highly of their tight end room. That entire group is really good. They have weapons, they always spread the ball around. That’s kind of their pass attack it’s not focused on one person.”
With Denzel (Ward) coming off what happened last week, and it’s going to be hot again. Is there anything that he needs to do or can do leading up to the game to make sure that doesn’t happen?
“I think all of our guys, Scott (Petrak), are working hard and fueling up their bodies and making sure they’re ready to go. It’s going to be hot for both teams, so you just need to take care of what you got to take care of.”
Would you expect to rotate Dawand (Jones) again?
“We’ll see.”
Kevin, as things evolve with Quinshon (Judkins) now in the running back group. Do you believe in different roles for different guys on the script? Do you believe in a hot hand? What’s your general thought in using multiple guys? You’ve done it different ways.
“Yeah, I think it really depends on who you have. I can remember being a young fan of Duce Staley when he was splitting time with Brian Westbrook and Correll Buckhalter. They had a three-headed monster back then. So, Duce is kind of seeing it all. I trust Duce to the point of the hot hand. We like our guys, we like the skill sets that our guys have. So, there is a balance there in making sure you’re putting all the guys in the right position to succeed.”
Kevin, you get to see Myles (Garrett) every day. You know what a game breaker he is. (Micah) Parsons is the same kind of guy. Is there one characteristic that makes those two stand out amongst those elite pass rushers in the league?
“You know you always want to be careful comparing guys. We get to see Myles every day to your point, Tom (Withers). Special athletes, obviously these guys are so competitive. I think that’s the other piece of this, and just how hard they play this game. So, I would prefer just to talk about our guy who is playing at a very high level and playing hard and making plays in the run and the pass. They are so talented. Micah Parsons is elite. We have a ton of respect for him. They’re great players.”
Coach, was this step back for Mike Hall (Jr.) part of the plan? Him not practicing the last two days?
“Yeah, all part of the plan.”
Coach, Grant (Delpit) talked about how you’re trying to endorse complimentary football, and you said that you’re making players compliment each other during meetings. Where did that come from and why do you think it’s so important?
“Not exactly the same word, but for the sake of the argument, just feel like it’s important for our team to understand that this is a team game and we need to do things that set our teammates up. And we need our defense to set up our offense, just like we need our offense to set up our defense, and special teams is so big when you’re talking about field position. So, just make it a point about how we need each other in this team sport and how this, it works on Sundays when you can feed off of each other.”
What’s the best compliment you’ve heard so far?
“Yeah, I’m not going to give it away. Somebody got fined for one of the compliments. It was a coach. Tommy Rees.”
We talked about the Packers offensive scheme the other day, you were complimentary of it. What do you like best about what they do over there schematically?
“Yeah, Coach (Matt) LaFleur’s always done a great job, really, going back to when he was a coordinator and then there in Green Bay. They really do believe in the marriage of the run and the pass, and that comes true with their run game and their play actions. They do an excellent job of pre-snap motion with wide receivers, with tight ends, with running backs. So, there’s just a lot that goes into it. And ultimately with offensive football, you’re trying to make it look hard on the defense and be simple for you. And I think, I’m sure the way they teach it, it’s simple for them, but it does present challenges.”
If Kraft can’t play and they also have Reed out, what do you think that means for their offense and for you guys?
“Yeah, when you look at their offense, Mary Kay, I think that they have great players across the board. They do a really good job of spreading the ball around. They have talented players at all positions that touch it. So, just kind of to the previous point, it’s a very sound system. I don’t think their offense, like our offense, is about one person.”
Kevin, I think the CBS broadcast for the last game said that in regards to your rookie quarterback development, you have an airtight plan down to the minute. I was curious, it’s one thing to have one rookie quarterback in the room, but to have two and even Bailey (Zappe) as a semi-young quarterback, are you drawing from any influence when it comes to creating that plan for development?
“Drawing from what was it?”
Do you have any influences from your past when it comes to creating the plan to these guys, even when they’re not playing?
“Not necessarily. I think the big thing for us, it goes back to that intentionality of what we do. That’s Bill Musgrave, that’s Tommy Rees, that’s our player development team. Everybody understanding that we’re bringing our guys along. And it may on one day mean meetings, may on one day mean a physical individual drill – if you will, at practice, hile this side’s doing this, these guys are doing that. So, just like, big picture being very intentional about every minute that you have.”
Kevin, if Tucker Kraft can’t go, you’re going to see a lot of Luke Musgrave. How much has his uncle given some info on him?
“Pretty special there for Coach Mus to have his nephew playing on Sunday, speaks very highly of the young man, as you would imagine. I did threaten that Mus would play him in practice this week and put the jersey on him, but yeah, it’s a pretty special moment for the family.”
You mentioned before early in Deuce’s tenure that you were a fan of him. What’s it been like working with him knowing that you have that connection?
“Duce and I have a lot of mutual friends in the business, and so I knew a lot about him, obviously growing up, but also as a professional in this profession – as a coach, I should say we both work with a lot of the same people, and just who he is every day is the same guy and he brings it every single day. He brings the juice to the field that you guys see, brings the juice to the meetings that you guys don’t see. But he’s a valuable member to our team.”
The fact that you guys did such a nice job on Derrick Henry, does that inform what might happen against Josh Jacobs or are they so different?
“I think every challenge is unique, Mary Kay. Josh Jacobs is outstanding. He has unbelievable patience, vision, power, speed, quickness. He fights for extra yards. They can use him in a variety of ways. He’s really, really, really talented.”
In your minimal downtime, have you noticed this run the (Cleveland) Guardians have put together?
“I haven’t paid attention, every morning I’ll check the standings. But as you know, it’s that time of year where it’s fun when you start staring at the standings and start thinking about what the postseason might mean for your team. So, yeah, we’re definitely watching those wins.”
Offensively, did it look like an efficient operation this week, just in terms of syncing up the quarterback and receivers and not throwing picks and stuff like that?
“Well, I think what you need, Mary Kay, is precision in everything you do. Run game, pass game, but certainly the pass game, you need precision. And that really does mean that the quarterback has to be on time with an accurate ball, receiver has to be at his depth with the right technique, and the line has to hold up a protection. All those things to have precision where you can play on time and play with rhythm.”
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