Las Vegas Raiders Darren Waller on Contract, Teammates, More
HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders' Darren Waller is an elite tight end in the NFL, but what makes him special is the depth of character he has as a man.
Waller spoke after training camp practice about a myriad of subjects including reports that he is seeking a new deal, his new teammates, and much more.
You can watch the entire video of his press conference below, or read the transcript:
TE Darren Waller
Q: Any thoughts on your contract situation and are you okay with it not getting done before this season?
Waller: “Yeah, I'm focused on playing right now. My agent handles that. Whatever is going on there is whatever's going on there. But whatever the outcome is of that, I’m here and I'm playing.”
Q: How excited are you about this playbook?
Waller: “Yeah, I'm excited. It asks me to do a lot. It challenges me, just like it challenges a lot of other guys. Allows us to do some new fun things. And yeah, I'm very excited about the way they're pushing me, the way that they're challenging me to show up for the team. It's expanding every day and what more could you ask for?”
Q: How has it been adjusting with not having a designated tight ends coach?
Waller: “Coming into it, you think it'd be different, but I think Mick (Lombardi) and coach Jerry Schuplinski do a fantastic job of making sure they're covering the details with us and holding us to a high standard. We never feel like there's a lack of care by any means. Somebody's always, whether it's Cam (Clemmons) coming in helping install stuff for the run game, they're doing a great job of divvying up roles and how they help us out. It must be better. I think they're doing a fantastic job.”
Q: How much have you watched what the Patriots have done historically?
Waller: “Before this year, I mean, you check them out because they're really good. But this year, I mean, just because they're installing that system, it's been a lot of their film. So, it's been a lot of watching that, there's even been some [Aaron] Hernandez in there just to see how good they were with him. But just to see how good they were, how dominant they were, how precisely detailed they are just from his offseason, from April till now, it's been very helpful to see the way they do it and helps us hold ourselves to a high standard too.”
Q: How hard or how easy is it to compartmentalize and just focus on football while your agent is working on a contract?
Waller: “Yeah, as a human being, you want to think about things like that. But for me, I feel like adopting the mindset of when I'm here, what can I give to the team? As opposed to what I can get. If I give enough, I feel like when my time comes to an end on earth, I feel like people are going to, or at least I'm going remember if people can remember me for the impact I had on people, or things I was able to do for the world and for people. So, I try to take that attitude into the smallest details and parts of my day. Because yeah, we're humans and we can get distracted, but I feel like taking that approach has definitely helped me to focus in on just what I can do within the day here. And it keeps it simple and keeps it fun.”
Q: Watching you today you're spending significant time helping guys. Is that something this offseason you purposed in your heart, maybe even be more of a mentor?
Waller: “Yeah, absolutely. Just finding my own leadership role. My role for me is just sharing knowledge, sharing experiences, because there's a lot of guys, it's a high-pressure league to perform. And I feel like my role may be to help him to kind of stay in the middle, because it's like you can make one good play and be super excited. And then you make one bad play, you're like, 'Oh man, am I going get cut or something like that?' So, I feel like, I come in and just kind of help guys stay in the middle, stay encouraged and help them with small details that I picked up along the way. But to also just let them know that I'm still learning too. I'm not any better than you, I'm just a little bit maybe further along. I've seen a few more things than you have, and I try to help you any way that I can. So, I try to take that serious.”
Q: How much has getting on podcast and telling stories really help you express your feelings but also help other people with their journey?
Waller: “Yeah, I feel like it's more of my purpose. Just as a man who's in this position, who's in the game that's, supreme toughness and physicality, stuff like that. I still have real human experiences and I feel like it helps me be better at this game when I talk about what I'm feeling and what I'm going through. I just try to present that to people and be like 'if you have conversations like that, it'll have you feeling much freer on a day-to-day basis.' We don't have things to hide, or you don't have to be afraid of what people may think you just put yourself out there as authentic as you are. It just makes the world a better place. So, I just try to play my part.”
Q: Has being on the field helped you guys work out that chemistry with the guys coming into the receiver's room?
Waller: “Yeah, I feel like that's the only way you can do it, with live bullets flying at real speed. And it takes that build up stage where it's on the air and learning the details. But it has to be to a point where you're competing against people and it's moving fast and it's for long periods of time, because games are long. It's something that, everything looks really good on paper, as far as our philosophy and stuff like that, so now it's about putting in the work to make it translate to the field, because it's not easy, especially in this league. So yeah, it takes that every single day and every day is going to matter up until Week 1.”
Q: What does Demarcus Robinson bring to this team?
Waller: “I feel like somebody that's been in a championship environment, somebody that's been in an environment of what it's like to win a division year in year out and establish dominance and make plays in big moments in big games for that team. My locker is right next to him, so I always chop it up with him and just watch how he moves and how he goes about doing things, because he knows what winning a championship looks like. And you want to be around those guys and soak what you can from them. And he has fun while he's doing it, so I feel like he's a great addition.”
Q: How have guys taken to being more discipline in the Red Zone?
Waller: “ Yeah, guys are excited about it, especially with some of the things that they're presenting to us, to be able to do down there. And I mean, even in the spring, like that's like, 'Hey, this is what we got to do, you guys want to make that jump, this is one huge space, especially on offense, like we have to to be better.' So, guys are definitely excited about it. And as we get going into a full speed within training camp, I feel like it'll develop more and more. But I'm excited about it with the guys that we have, we got so many guys that can make plays for us in key situations like that. So, it's going to be a fun development.”
Q: What is the Mack Hollins mile?
Waller: “I did partake in the Mack Hollins mile. This was in the spring, after every lift. So, we'd condition, then we'd lift, and then after the lift we'd go out and run a mile. (Describes mile run) It's supposedly a mile. You got to ask Mack. We're taking his word for it.”
Q: Mack seems like an interesting guy?
Waller: “I mean, I don't want to give that guy too much credit, but I've known him a couple of months, and he's probably one of the top five funniest guys I've ever met in my life.”
Q: Statistically, do you think this could be a breakout year for Foster Moreau? And how do you pronounce his last name?
Waller: “Well, I learned it's Morrow. I called him Moreau for - I still do. Even though I know how it's pronounced I still get it wrong. As far as stats go, who knows? But I know his impact. I know how good that he is. And I know how much he's improving. And the more that they put him in situations, he's going to take advantage of those situations in a positive way. I feel like that's all he's ever done since he's been here. So, I don't know exactly what the numbers will look like. But I know his impact is only going to continue to grow.”
Q: How has it been adjusting to being in same room with another person who is the focal point, like Davante Adams?
Waller: “I mean, I think it just provides a great energy to the room. You throw Hunter [Renfrow] in the mix, and then you throw Demarcus [Robinson], like a lot of guys that know how to make plays, that energy in the room just lifts everybody up to that level. Even when guys may not have it a certain day, it's like you see that guy lined up next to you, across from you, somebody like Tae, I'm like, 'I'm coming with it'. I'm not going have Tae out here feeling like he's by himself. So, it's really a positive impact on me. He's helped me just want to raise my game to another level and, help our team do the same thing.”
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