Kansas City Chiefs Training Camp Quotes: Andy Reid, Jamaal Charles, Alex Smith, Dontari Poe, And Derrick Johnson
By Ben Nielsen
Oct 13, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) sacks Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor (2) in the first half at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports
DERRICK JOHNSON
Q: How good does it feel to be back out here?
JOHNSON: “It feels great. It’s my 10th season, 10th training camp – five in Wisconsin, five here. So it is a new feeling, a new beginning all the time. Every team is different and this year, 2014, seems like a special year.”
Q: How much more prepared do you think you will be being in the same system for the second straight year?
JOHNSON: “You have more confidence, especially in the scheme and what Coach Bob Sutton is trying to do. I have a lot of responsibility in this defense, and I just feel that much better about it. I can’t wait for the season to start. We played exceptional, especially the first half of the season. Didn’t finish as well as we wanted to. We’ve got a lot of things to work on. We have a good nucleus of core guys here and are doing a bunch of good things here.”
Q: What do you need to work on?
JOHNSON: “Well, finishing the game. Our sacks went down at the end of the year. We allowed big plays to play a part in us losing the game defensively – I always speak from defensive side of the ball. It’s a lot of things to get better but that is the best thing about football: You’ve never arrived. There is always room to get better.”
Q: How is it playing alongside Joe Mays?
JOHNSON: “Joe Mays is a guy that is very physical. (I) talked about him during OTA’s. He is a guy that is known around the league to bring the hat. I’ve had about eight, nine, 10 MIKE’s (middle linebackers) next to me since I’ve been here. It is one of those things. He is a guy that we have great communication. I can’t wait to get on the field with him.”
Q: Does it matter that someone is always new next to you?
JOHNSON: “Does not matter, does not matter. This league is about change, how you adjust, and people change around the league all the time. When they come in, the veterans get them acclimated to the system and just go.”
Q: Do you remember your first tackle against the Jets your rookie year?
JOHNSON: “I’ve been blessed to be with the Chiefs for this long. The main part is staying healthy, being out there, being accountable, being responsible, staying on the field when they need me. This year I have the opportunity to break the record pretty early in the year. That is exciting, that is exciting. So I have a lot of things to do this year.”
Q: What is it like seeing Jamaal’s new deal?
JOHNSON: “Jamaal Charles is our best player on the team. He is a guy that we look up to. We put a lot of pressure on him to do well in the games to help us win. He’s our horse on this team, and he’s a Longhorn, too. That’s even better for me. He’s a good friend of mine, too. He’s been blessed, and he is a very humble young man.”
Q: What was your reaction to Charles possibly not being here?
JOHNSON: “I didn’t think that, I didn’t think that. I play football so the business part of it – you never know what goes on in that. But Jamaal is a football player. He wants to be here, and he is here.”
Q: What do you think of Justin Houston showing up on time?
JOHNSON: “That’s big. We need all of our guys here, and we’ve got all of our weapons. We just need to put this core group of guys together, get the system down, get our chemistry down. We’ve got a lot of bullets to fly this year.”