Lions' D'Andre Swift: 'I Know That Wasn't Me'
There are certainly many occasions that will test the confidence of a young professional athlete.
Whether it be a decrease in playing time, not making the team or making a critical mistake on the grand stage.
For Lions rookie running back D'Andre Swift, his error late in his first career NFL game against the Chicago Bears has not shaken the confidence he has in himself.
What keeps him remaining positive?
"Just knowing who I am as a player," Swift said when asked Thursday about the drop in the end zone. "That's not me at all. So, I just keep my confidence up high, and know who I am as a player and get back to the fundamentals.
"I'm a real confident person. I know that wasn't me. I just got to get back to fundamentals, having a good week of practice -- just being consistent. So, when I get an opportunity again, God willing, I don't make that mistake."
Support from coaches, teammates and everyone in his contact book
The ex-Bulldogs running back has reportedly received an overwhelming amount of support since the mistake occurred Sunday.
"That's amazing. Just to know that they got my back. In the heat of the moment, I'm going to be down on myself. Just the competitor in me, want to make that play. I just got to do a better job, and just focus in and finish it. Just to hear their words of encouragement, it meant a lot," Swift commented.
Swift's head coach, Matt Patricia, immediately came to his support, too, and made sure he let reporters know Monday that Swift wasn't to blame for Detroit's Week 1 loss.
"We had a lot of opportunities to win that game," Patricia said. "It’s not about him at all. It’s about the other plays that happened. He’s going to make a lot of plays for this team. He’s going to be a great player for this team. Everyone goes through growing pains from that aspect of it, and I just wanted him to know that he’s a great player, he’s a great guy, he’s going to come to work, he’s going to keep pushing forward and to think that we didn’t win the game because of his play is totally inaccurate."
Swift's dropped pass won't prevent Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford from continuing to throw to the first-year pro in late-game situations, either.
"(I'm) throwing it to him 100 times out of 100. Trust that kid. He'll make the play," Stafford commented Wednesday during a video conference with Detroit media.
Additionally, Swift was pleased with all the individuals from his contact book that reached out to him in an attempt to uplift his spirits.
"Probably everybody in my contact book reached out to me. My parents, family and friends kind of just helped me get my spirits high," he added.
He gets his first crack at sweet redemption Sunday at 1 p.m. at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers.
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