Read the full transcript from Mike McDaniel's press conference on November 26, 2024.
(I know all the focus obviously is on getting through this week and winning Thursday, but just to get this out of the way with Shaq Barrett unretiring today, are you and General Manager Chris Grier open to his return at some point next week or beyond?) – "Just to be candid, obviously there's a reason why you target and sign somebody, and then I was fully caught off guard or caught by surprise this morning as I found out and it wouldn't be reasonable or – I really haven't had a chance to think about it. I think the team is counting on me to think about the Packers and I'll get with Chris (Grier) and we'll work through that, but there's a ton of implications that go along with it in terms of team and roster stuff, so we'll work through that as we just got the news today."
(And with LB Tyus Bowser that sort of popped up – two injuries that he's dealing with – do you expect him to be available Thursday?) – "He's working through it. He's a competitor that really wants to play so we'll give him – what is today?"
(Tuesday.) – "Tuesday, Wednesday a little bit and we should know more tomorrow."
(Where are you with LB Cameron Goode? You said he was ahead of LB Bradley Chubb, but is he at the point where his window can open?) – "Are you asking, is he 'Goode'? (laughter) He is Cam Goode. I have nothing to report other than no setbacks. They're getting closer for sure and there's a lot that goes into it, but Cam is approaching 'good' or he is 'Goode' or he will be good."
(What made S Marcus Maye the choice to make room for S Patrick McMorris?) – "Tough decisions, really a lot of roster variables and positions. You have to take into account anybody that has an injury in that position group that affects depth, so when you're trying to make tough decisions and it involves a safety, a lot of the times it comes from the position group. But I absolutely have high regard for Marcus (Maye), and I would say it's less about him and more about 'Pat' (McMorris) and the stuff he has to offer. He's ready to go."
(If I can just one more about Shaq Barrett, I know he kind of surprised you guys with the retirement in camp. Had you guys communicated with him at any point up to this week of that he's contemplating this before?) – "No, so that's why it's just kind of news as you guys got it, it's to us. So we'll sort through that. The Tuesday of a Thursday night game, it's tough to kind of totally know the way – I've got to talk to Chris (Grier) first and I've just got done with a meeting and about to go to another one. So we'll get to do that, but I hadn't had any communication."
(Earlier today it was announced that WR Tyreek Hill's tickets were dismissed. Knowing that the season kind of started and you were emotional about everything that had occurred in Week 1, do you have any response to that? Did you hear about that, that his citations were dismissed at all?) – "I have a lot of people make me aware of a lot of things, but I think with regard to the business at hand – I did go into depth into that situation when it occurred at the very beginning of the season, but I don't think it'd be prudent relative to what this team is preparing for and I don't really have much else to say beyond what I already have."
(The Packers defense has 22 takeaways, eight games with multiple takeaways this year. What makes them so good at taking the football away from opposing offenses?) – "When you're talking about takeaways and turnovers, so much of it has to do with the variable that you can't control and that's effort. The Green Bay Packers, a defense lead by Coach (Jeff) Hafley is a very high octane, high effort crew, so good things happen when you are pursuing the ball and have high strain. Some of those fumbles become turnovers when you have a collective effort, so I think it starts with the overall strain. They're very ball aware; you can tell they talk about it a ton. A good zone defense that plays with vision and then has the accompanied pass rush that can make quarterbacks make a decision a hair earlier than they would like to. You leave yourself vulnerable to risky situations when pass rush and coverage are tied together, and I think ultimately, they do a good job of taking advantage of mistakes. You have an overthrow, generally it's a pick – a lot of guys with ball skills in the back end. I think the collective effort doesn't surprise me that they rank where they do without seeing the takeaways directly based upon how they play every play. When I did come across the takeaways, I wasn't surprised because they play each and every down that way."
(The balance in this offense right now, the ability to sustain and elongate drives, do you feel like this style is better suited for success in cold winter environments like the one you're about to see on Thursday?) – "I think that the variables that you can't control like your opponents, your matchups and weather, being able to adapt to certain circumstances is vital. Being able to be aggressive when attacking a defense, inherent in that is being able to have success in a multitude of ways. So being able to show up on a game day and survive the elements, maybe you show up and defenses flip the script and it's an eight-man front and they play two man all day. Or they're a two-man team and they just play zone spot drop. You're constantly trying to sharpen the axe, so to speak, for every team in one shape or form faces elimination games. In elimination games, you don't choose the matchup, you don't choose the situation; you just keep playing or your season is over, whether that's to get in the playoffs or in the playoffs. I think it's important for teams to be not subject to matchup if they're trying not to leave it up to fortune for their success or failure of a season."
(I wanted to ask you about your history with Head Coach Matt LaFleur. You guys were together for three spots. Having an intimate knowledge of a guy being on your coaching staff, you've been in meetings with, knowing his thought processes and him knowing yours, does that hurt you in the process of preparing for a game like this?) – "Just based upon successes and failures as your career goes, I think for me at least, earlier in my career knowing information or things that I thought that I knew, you can kind of overthink certain situations. I think ultimately with Matt (LeFleur), I just know the team is going to be super prepared. The second I start crystal balling things based upon the past, then I'm leaving myself vulnerable if he's still working hard and changing which I know he is. I think the biggest thing is as a coach, I have such a high regard and respect for Matt. He's been a big part of my career and was really helping me along during my career path when times were tough and when things were going well. Through all of that, I know that regardless his standard is that he prepares his team – offense, defense, special teams. He is going to be detailed, and they're going to be ready to play and they're not going to take you lightly and you're going to have to play football to beat them. So that's where I'm going to kind of leave it. Based upon my past, the second I've absoluted something to a coworker or a fellow coach – I got that out of the way before I was a head coach because I'd do it and then you're wrong and then you're like, 'Sorry.' As a head coach, people tend to at least pretend to listen to me more. So I try not to overly crystal ball, but the one thing that I make sure that the whole coaching staff and the team knows is that come Thursday night, there's going to be a prepared motivated team that's going to come after us and going to give us their best shot."
(Given your relationship with Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur, is there any fun story or friendly wager that you think about as you prepare to coach against him?) – "Beyond some nonsense texts that I sent out after our game on Sunday that may or may not have incentivized – I was giving him the optimist, 'Hey, if you don't feel like trying that hard, it's OK.' (laughter) You want to talk about things that I probably shouldn't say in a press conference at a microphone, we were at our late 20s, just cutting our teeth in the coaching industry and what's funny is when you look back, you don't feel like you're young in your late 20s – or at least I didn't, I thought I was like an adult. But some of the things that you think you know as a football coach, you're not nearly as hardened from tough times and you think you have some answers and you get humbled along the way, and just some of the growing that we did as coaches, it was very impactful. He really pushed me and some of the other coaches I was working with because he's a tireless worker and that type of competitive nature as you're cutting your teeth as a coach in the league, it's a big deal and it's gone a long way in my career. I think the world of him and it doesn't surprise me the success that he's had. And he's – I'm just going to have to concede, he's probably the best-looking guy out there. I mean let's just be honest, so I'll concede that title for sure."
(Sean McVay is pretty attractive.) – "You think so?"
(Yeah.) – "I don't know. So you prefer Sean McVay to Matt LaFleur? I can't wait until he hears that. (laughter)"
(A lot of the players have shared the times that they've watched Thanksgiving night football as they were little. Do you have any special memories of watching games on Thanksgiving night?) – "Yeah, I think it might be the coolest game to play in in the regular season. I can remember – you guys might remember – a snow game with Leon Lett. Like that's one of my first TV memories, I was in Fort Morgan, Colorado – population like, 12,000 people in northeast Colorado, and I remember sitting there, watching that. I think it's unique and special because everybody can relate to, 'All right, well I know that my family is sitting down. My Uncle Ray is sleepy because he always eats too much turkey,' all the different nuances of family time, but it's always kind of centered around watching football after old school people would be watching the parade and stuff and then you turn on the game. So it's something that everybody can identify with, it being a holiday experience that is annual, so it's a cool thing to be a part of. You feel very grateful and that's always a cool experience to have that platform and have everyone jump into your season journey and get the opportunity to play in front of America. It's a really cool one that I don't think is lost on anybody."
(Did you get a chance to evaluate Jordan Love when he came out? And if so, how have you seen his evolvement as a quarterback?) – "Great player. I think what's been cool is any time you watch people have expectations thrust upon them and then to be able to grow as a quarterback, you can see the influence on his game that he took from Aaron Rodgers but then you can also see him play his own style of ball. I think the way he competes is real cool; I think he's not afraid of the situation. He will make the long, intermediate or short throw, so it's been cool to watch him develop, and I know Matt (LaFleur) has a fun time coaching him."
(With OL Isaiah Wynn activated, do you envision a reserve role at first for him and could there be competition down the road?) – "I think one foot in front of the other. I think right now – Isaiah (Wynn) is a competitor, so he's working to be his best each and every practice. As coaches, we don't always have the most patience in the world, but I think it would be silly of me not to take into account there was a year, almost a calendar year, where he didn't play football. So you're trying to put players in positions to succeed; I love him as a player but I'm careful not to put him in situations that isn't prudent to his success. And there's also some guys, Rob Jones is really playing at a high level and the facilitation of 'Brew' (Aaron Brewer) and both Rob and Liam (Eichenberg) has been a strength of ours during the course of the season. But you love those problems in terms of there's only so many spots on the field that guys can play, so I'm happy for Isaiah to continue to work and feel better and better each and every practice so that becomes more and more difficult for us."
