Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn
September 7, 2017
Q: Have you ever gone into a season with a rookie kicker before?
A: No.
Q: Were you encouraged by what kicker Aldrick Rosas did in the preseason and how he handled things?
A: Yeah, you’re trying to see how he comes in in the spring and how he responds and takes coaching and then he’s gotten better and he’s very coachable. Then you progress into training camp and more live reps and then the game. So, it was nice to see him keep getting better with that. So yeah, it’s been encouraging.
Q: Is wide receiver Dwayne Harris still in the mix to be the kickoff and punt returner, even though he missed much of the preseason due to injury?
A: Oh yeah, that’s not unusual. I mean, last year he didn’t get a whole lot of reps in the preseason. Takes some hits off of him in the preseason, you try and identify other guys that can do those jobs.
Q: With Mark Herzlich being on IR, who is your backup long-snapper?
A: We have two or three guys that we’re working.
Q: Do you think that the rookies were successful this summer in working to contribute on special teams?
A: I think all rookies – whether it’s offense or defense – have to contribute on special teams. That’s what we look for and that’s kind of the natural progression the way it’s been and good football players are good players. So, we expect those guys to contribute, we spend a lot of extra time with them to get to them to contribute. So, we’re excited to see them play if they get the opportunity.
Q: What was your reaction when Rosas hit the game-winning kick in the final preseason game at New England?
A: I was happy. It was a competitive game for a preseason game, which is nice because of the expanded roster. So, it’s nice to see it on both sides. I mean, they hit one, we hit one. All these games are close, so it’s good to at least have that experience in the preseason.
Q: Was it specifically good to see from Rosas because he is a first-year guy?
A: Yeah, it was good for I think everyone to see. He’ll keep learning and progressing.
