Offensive Line Coach Mike Bloomgren (11.7.25)
With a quarterback like Dillon (Gabriel), especially a young quarterback, what role do you guys as an offensive line play in helping him get comfortable? Obviously providing the blocking, everything. But in what other ways can you guys help him acclimate, get more settled in?
“Yeah, the best thing we can do is do our job and do our job well. I mean, that’s what allows the quarterback to stay on time, and stay in the pocket, and see things and get the ball pushed, speaking from the pass game. In everyday life I think the communication and the relationship between the center and the quarterback is of paramount importance. And them being on the same page, identifying things the same way, and in those fractional seconds we have at the line of scrimmage, being able to ID things and be in lockstep.”
Mike (Bloomgren), in what ways have you seen that starting five start to gel together? Especially, because I think the (New England) Patriots game is the first time all year that you guys have the same starting five in back-to-back weeks.
“Yeah, I like that starting five – I feel like I’m a better coach with that starting five. I really have a lot of confidence in these guys and the way that they’re working, those five guys that started that game and in their abilities. So, I’m always excited to have that group going – the way they’re working in practice, the way they’re communicating, it’s getting better every day, as it should.”
On the field, do you see it like play out more so in the way you may be up stunts and stuff like that, the slide protections? How do you see that manifest on game day?
“Yeah, I think that and the nonverbal communication, just making sure they’re on the same page. Every rep we get together is gold. Making sure we see the game through Po’s (Ethan Pocic) eyes and the communication allows us to get there, and then what we’re able to see pre and immediately post snap, those are the keys where we’ve got to make sure we’re doing a great job. You know, I think for any offensive lineman you talk about A, A, A – alignment, assignment and adjustment. And of course they know the playbook, but the ability to see things and process things in real time allows them to make the adjustment necessary about what the defense does.”
You’ve been around and working with Tommy (Rees) for a little while now. What traits do you think he has that can make him a good play caller?
“Tommy is – he’ll probably be pissed I say this – but he’s a football savant. Like, I was in my third year coaching in the NFL when I was his age and he is such an old soul with so much football knowledge. The way that he processes information in this game, the way he thinks this game is so next level, you know? Like, I’m amazed by him daily. So, I’ve enjoyed my working relationship with him since February and I’ve learned a ton of football from Tommy.”
With Jack (Conklin), do you still see him getting back to where he needs to be? Because he missed so much time, it’s been start and stop for him. Do you see him struggling, but getting back to where he needs to be?
“Yeah, I think this – I’m always shocked at his ability to kind of come back and make playing right tackle in the National Football League seem like riding a bike. And it’s always good to have him back from a pass pro standpoint. I’m sure there’s something he’s trying to kick the rust off of still, but it’s not really noticeable to be honest with you. I think he’s playing good football, got a lot of trust in him, and he’s another one that thinks this game incredibly well. And the relationship with him and Wyatt (Teller) and their communication – and lack thereof at times – that they still get on the same page – that’s what years of playing this position, reps on top of reps, allows you to have.”
When you talk about Tommy being a savant like that, how does that manifest itself? During a meeting or? What does he do that shows you that?
“Yeah, I mean, there are so many offensive coordinators in the National Football League that think about the pass game and the pass game only. His ability to really process protection and any potential issues, his ability to see things from a run blocking, a leverage standpoint, the creativity he has in the game plan, those are the things that come up meeting to meeting. And you know, like, like everybody – I mean, there’s a lot of ways to get to Chicago, right? And a lot of them work. So, we’ve got different histories, and so it’s great to talk through those differences and land on the one that’s right for the (Cleveland) Browns right now.”
Wyatt, the other day, was adamant about wanting to stay, not wanting to get traded, that he’s grateful that he didn’t get traded, and he talked about being here long-term. Just how valuable has he been for you? And this line looks like it might be in some transition going forward. How valuable would it be to have a guy like him around?
“You know, I think all four of those vets have given me so much confidence in what we’re doing. They’ve cleared up things, and the way things have been done in the past, the way things have been called. And so, I really think those four old heads have provided tremendous value for me, the offensive unit and this football team. So, I think having guys like Wyatt Teller in the building are just outstanding. I was glad he didn’t do the same interview as Dave (Njoku), but I’m glad Dave’s ready to be here, too [joking]. You know, my kids showed me that video the other night. God bless y’all.”
When you look at the New York Jets’ defense, in the wake of them trading away Quinnen (Williams) and Sauce (Gardner) – what are you seeing from the Jets?
“Yeah, Mary Kay, still, it’s an NFL defense. Those are two outstanding football players, they’re as blue as blue gets in my eyes. But, like, what we’re preparing the guys for right now is the structure of the defense. The combination of Steve Wilks and AG (Aaron Glenn), which those are two great coordinators in this league. And so, really preparing them for the structure, and then trying to make sure we’re studying the guys we will play against and put an emphasis there.”
Mike, you talked about the adjustment part of playing as a cohesive unit, and I thought about how post-snap, disguised with coverages are talked about all the time. But in terms of the trenches, what makes it so difficult sometimes with adjusting to what the front might do post-snap?
“Yeah. So, I think, like, specifically as you talk about the Jets, these guys – we pretty much could put on a chalkboard where they’re going to align, right? That looks the same at the start of the play, much like what you’re talking about with coverages. A lot of people want to show shell, play one-high. This defense is going to look the same, and then those subtle movements or the subtle pressures, those are the things that are such a big deal if we’re not connected and not on the same page. If we don’t understand where our combos are going, and certainly when you bring motion into the equation in the run game, or when you bring cross the ball motion and protection, those are the things we have to do an unbelievable job with our eyes to get any communication necessary out, pre and post-snap.”
Quinshon (Judkins) has had a good amount of success, but there’s been, it feels like peaks and valleys in the run game. Where do you think you guys are, from a run game perspective?
“You know, it was awesome to have the bye week and to go back. I think before you can really talk about where you’re going, you better study where you’ve been, and what was good and what wasn’t. And so, I think we have an identification of schemes that Q runs really well and that we block really well, and we’re going to lean into those heavily. And there’s some more components that through our self-study, you’re like, ‘hey, we need to incorporate that more’. And another thing for us is having Ced (Cedric Tillman) back. You know, you talk about having a receiver back – why does that help the run game? Well, it just does because of his physical presence, and so, obviously, he’s going to help us this week in the pass game, but his presence in the run game is going to be felt as well.”
How much do you work with the wide receivers on the insert motion and the techniques and schemes of that?
“Yeah, I think through Tommy’s creativity and some of the things we’ve done in our past, we have good ways to get them involved in the run game to make sure we have hats on hats. I think C.O. does a wonderful job – Chad O’ Shea does a wonderful job with getting those guys to understand, like, this or this based on the structure of the defense, this or this based on the post-snap movement, and to get them in the right place to go get those hats on those skinnies.”
How excited are you for the changes that you guys have installed over the bye week and what you might see out there on the field on Sunday?
“I’m really excited. Like, you’re always doing a self-scout. You’re always looking at the prior game, but the prior game. One thing that happens to you is, you have so many good calls on a call sheet, and you practice them and you almost think in your mind you’ve run them. And so, it’s great to go back and verify what you’ve actually called in a game, what a defense sees in you, and what they’re studying, so you can get the right counters and you can lean into again, what you’ve done well.”
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