Adam Gase's Self-Deprecating Gem and More Quotes from the NFL Coaches' Breakfast
NFL coaches met for breakfast Tuesday in Phoenix as the NFL owners meetings continue.
From pass interference rule changes to game locations, there was no shortage of conversation topics. New England coach Bill Belichick discussed retiring tight end Rob Gronkowski, while the Jets' Adam Gase gave a gold quote on the ageless Tom Brady.
Here's all the news and rumors from the breakfast and meetings:
• Jets head coach Adam Gase said he's amazed at how Tom Brady continues to perform at his age: "I wake up and feel like shit … and he’s older than me." Gase is 40, while Brady is 41. (Connor Hughes, The Athletic)
• Bears coach Matt Nagy revealed Chiefs coach Andy Reid has his own bitmoji of himself wearing a Hawaiian shirt and holding a stack of pancakes. Nagy showed it to reporters to prove it’s real. (Adam Hoge, WGN)
• 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on current conversations with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo: "We can talk, but we can’t talk about football. We don’t have much else to talk about, though, so it’s pretty awkward." (Joe Fann, 49ers)
• Dolphins coach Brian Flores said, "The term tanking is disrespectful to the game. To use that term stirs something inside me. No. There is no tanking." (Joe Schad, Palm Beach Post)
• Ravens coach John Harbaugh on the Browns: "They’re the most talented team in the division right now. No question about it." (Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland.com)
• Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says coaches voted 32-0 in their meeting to let the existing upstairs official correct obvious errors for pass inference, roughing the passer, etc. But they don’t think it’d pass ownership. (Tom Pelissero, NFL Network)
• At the breakfast, Rams coach Sean McVay says coaches young and old are in unison about finding a way to fix clearcut obvious officiating mistakes. Talks on replay proposals will continue Tuesday. (Tom Pelissero, NFL Network)
• Saints coach Sean Payton said the competition committee added a proposal last night that would allow of some non calls on defensive pass interference and offensive pass interference. (Judy Battista, NFL Network)
• Saints Sean Payton on fantasy football: "Along came this great thing called fantasy football. What fantasy did, it didn't change who was betting ... on the game, it changed what was being discussed. There's nothing better now. It's exciting. Everyone you know has skin in the game." (Will Brinson, CBS Sports)
• With NFL teams debating the 4th-and-15 alternative to the onside kick, one option being discussed is having that play originate from the 25 instead of the 35. (Tom Pelissero, NFL Network)
• The Raiders are mulling playing a preseason game in Canada, possibly in Saskatchewan. The Rams could also potentially play in Hawaii. (Ian Rapoport, NFL Network)
• Cardinals’ head coach Kliff Kingsbury on Kyler Murray: "I mean, I guess it's more what don't you like? When you watch him play, I mean he can run it, he can throw it, he's a competitor....He's one of the better dual threat players to ever play." (Adam Schefter, ESPN)
• Redskins coach Jay Gruden said the team is going to take a hard look at the top QBs and will bring them in for visits and consider taking the right one at 15. (Ian Rapoport, NFL Network)
• Giants coach Pat Shurmur on picking 6th in the NFL draft: New York wants the "best player on the board at that time. If they do fit a need, that’s ideal." (Kimberly Jones, NFL Network)
