Darrin Simmons on Bengals Team Chemistry, Special Teams Unit Ahead of Training Camp
Darrin Simmons on Bengals Team Chemistry, Special Teams Unit Ahead of Training Camp
Video Transcript
Conversation about team chemistry and how important that's been.
Why has it been this offseason maybe different than it's been in years past and what you've seen from the groups?
Well, I, I think that's a little bit of an ongoing story, right, as to how that develops.
I mean, you, you can develop in some of that in OTAs, right?
But I think the, the crux of that gets developed in camp.
So we're together , you know, for a lot of days here a lot longer.
It's back to back to back days.
It's not, uh, um, and we're involved here in meetings longer.
You know, so I think a lot of that is still yet to be determined.
But I do have a great feel.
Um, I have a good feeling, I guess, about the guys we brought in and the, you know, I think it's the level, not only experience, but the success they've had as, as both as players individually, but then some collectively.
We're bringing in, you know, multiple Super Bowl champions here.
We're bringing in all pro players.
And so I, I think with that comes a level of respect.
Um, not that we didn't have some of those types of players here before, but I think when it's new and you're bringing it from different backgrounds, and you try to combine that, right?
I mean, that brings a, Uh, a renewed sense.
And that's, that's what's great about the game that we play, right?
It's, it's so many different backgrounds from so many different people all get one, you know, together to try to mesh that, and that's what makes it exciting to me.
Joe said that this is the most talented roster on paper that he's played with here in Cincinnati.
You are the longest tenured assistant in the league.
Is this the most talented roster that you've been?
Oh, man, you're really challenging my memory.
Um, we, we, we've had some talented rosters way back too, but I probably tend to agree with them.
I, I think this is, you know, we've helped maybe fill in some holes, fill in some blanks that, I don't blanks, but, uh, we, we've upped the level of, of, uh, respectability in some of those positions.
So I would probably tend to agree with that.
Um, but you're, you're dating me, when you start to ask me about some of those teams we had back early on .
There's some pretty talented teams we had back early on too, you know, 05, 006, those are some pretty good teams back then too.
But I, I probably tend to agree this, this is, this on paper, it feels that way.
Well, of course, we'll see what happens if somebody punches us in the mouth.
That that's when I really feel those guys come along.
Lions, Darren, what is the characteristic you value most when you're, you know, you've seen so many Bengal teams here that you value the most that leads itself over the course of a season to success?
You're talking just team in general?
Team, um, toughness.
I, I, I, I, I think that that that's part of it.
It's, there's a lot of them, I think that have equal weight, right?
Intelligence is one, toughness certainly is one.
Um, you know, you have to have such great team players.
You know, I, I, I think gone are the days of when there's so many individuals where , you know, one player can take over a game like, like, like they can, like they used to be able to.
So, you know, uh, uh, I, I, I, I think having great team players who are intelligent and who are tough and who love to be, who love the game and love the process that that comes to take.
Prepare for a game, I think are all big factors for me are ones that I would look for.
What about, what have you appreciated the most about Zach Taylor and what you've learned about him his entire tenure here?
Well, I, I think his ability to, um, let guys do their job, and not that it hadn't, that hadn't been the case before, but I have a lot of respect for Zach.
I think knows what, what, uh, he majors in, and, uh, he, he knows that he's a great offensive mind.
So, you know, I, I think that.
You know, as, as the head coach, it's his responsibility for all three phases.
Don't get me wrong, but Uh, you know, I, I think that he helps, uh, support me as a special teams coordinator, um, with personnel.
Um, I think he has a solid feel for how the, the game day roster is put together, the 48 guys we're, we're looking for.
And I think he trusts me, um, to handle my area.
He trusts me to handle what I do.
So, that's one thing I really respect is, is he, uh, um, I, I think he'll be hands-on if he needs to be, if he feels like he needs to be, but I, I, I do feel like that he trusts me.
Um, to do my job and be, you know, uh, a productive part of our productive third of the team.
So that's a, a huge area of respect to have.
There's obviously gonna be a lot of pressure on Zach this year and y'all to perform.
It seems like he actually handles that pretty well.
Why, why does Zach handle pressure maybe better than other coaches?
Um, I guess because of his very calm demeanor, right?
I, I don't, I don't, I don't ever, I mean, maybe you would know more than I would about ever seeing him get ramped up other than somebody other than the officials, right?
You know, I, he's good at that.
Uh, uh, I, I've seen that happen multiple times, but I, I, I, I think, you know, His demeanor and his ability to stand on an even keel is very good.
He has a very good, he does a very good job of relationships with, with players.
And I, I, I think that, uh, he works with guys well.
And I also think that when it, when it comes time for him to make a stand, he'll make a stand.
Um, but, but I, I do think that his ability to, you know, reach, reach each player, each guy from different backgrounds, it's, it's tough for him because he's the head coach of the offense, right?
He's the head coach of our team, yet he's the head coach of our offense, but he still has to have relationships with players on defense, but the majority of his time has to be spent with the offense.
Um, so I think his ability to, you know, get to those players on defense or get to the guys on special teams that matter, I, I think is a really, really good quality he has.
When you look at returner, Charlie's proven things, Keyshaw really popped at the end of last year.
How do you view that spot this summer?
Well, I, I, I view it as a pretty good.
Competition, right?
I mean, Charlie's the kind of guy.
I mean, he naturally should be.
He's proven he can do it.
He scored 3 times in 3 years, but, you know, he's got to be able to stay on the field.
And so, you know, I, I think having, uh, somebody like Keyshaw here pushing him in that regard is a huge factor.
And and I see it as a, as a good competition.
I, I see it as a competition.
As we go through training camp, that they'll get a lot of, I mean, both those guys are going to get a ton of reps. And I think it's just part of the equation, right?
I think also the other part of the equation is what they do on offense, like, who do they feel most comfortable with on offense.
And if there's a deciding factor, it'll be what they do in, in the, uh, as a return.
Just having snapper, holder, kicker, first time in a handful of years, kind of ironed out.
Is that a major advantage?
Major, yeah, a major advantage.
You know, I sense this is the, the, the, I mean, we, we were so fortunate here for so long to have, you know, the same snapper and Clark and the same punter and Kevin, and those are just mainstays, right?
A few of the kickers changed , but I knew there's going to come a time where this is all going to change, and we tried to put it together in pieces, you know, a little at a time, it all kind of ended up happening at once.
And, you know, we, I feel I feel like we've finally settled on the 3 guys, um, who we're gonna have, we're going to have here for a long period of time.
So I believe it's a major advantage for us to go into year 3.
I believe that those 3 guys can be able, will be a weapon for us that we use, whether it's flipping the field with Ryan, um, whether it's hopefully controlling the ball better than the plus 50 with Ryan, and plus 50 punting, and then the ability for Evan to hit long kicks and be consistent on kickoff.
So, it's a big advantage for us.
