WR Sterling Shepard
October 10, 2017
Q: Is your injury a sprained ankle?
A: Yeah, a sprained ankle. Kind of similar to what I did that time in [training] camp.
Q: Is it the same ankle?
A: Yup, same ankle.
Q: What exactly happened on the play you got injured?
A: I mean, I planted to go inside and then I took another step trying to jump, and as I was trying to jump, my ankle kind of rolled over and I tried to push off of it. Just did it like that.
Q: Any idea on your availability for Sunday’s game against Denver?
A: I have no idea, I’m just kind of taking it day to day.
Q: Do you have to be more cautious because this isn’t the first injury to that ankle?
A: No, I don’t think so. Just kind of do the same steps I did last time and just kind of not think about it whenever I get back out there. If you think about it, then that’s when stuff tends to happen again. So, you’ve just kind of got to wipe it out of your memory.
Q: Do you think the injury is the same severity as your one in training camp?
A: Yeah, pretty similar to the last time, like I said.
Q: How do you stay upbeat, after both the injury and losing so many receivers last game?
A: I mean, you’ve just to keep plugging. You’re playing for guys next to you and you’ve got to know that now you’re playing for those guys that are hurt. Those guys that wish they were out there every week and fighting with their brothers too. So, now you’ve got guys having to step up and go do it for those guys.
Q: How would you describe the mood of the team right now?
A: I mean, guys still have their head held high and we’re looking forward to this week. We’ve got to get things going on the right track. It’s been tough sledding for us so far, so we’d like to see things turn around here.
Q: What was it like to see one receiver after another go down with injury on Sunday?
A: Man, I’ve never seen anything like it. Especially from just one unit, it was like one guy after another coming into the training room. I was actually going to go pick up my medicine and I heard about Odell [Beckham Jr.] and that one, they all crushed me, but to end it all off and have him out, it’s crazy to see.
Q: What is it like to see guys like Tavarres King come back to the team and Travis Rudolph be promoted from the practice squad?
A: Yeah, it’s great seeing those guys. I haven’t seen ‘DP’ (Darius Powe) and ‘TK’ (King) in a little while. So, like I said, guys are going to have to step up and play that role. So, we’re not going to flinch about it, we’re just going to have to – next man up.
Q: Has it set in that you are now the most accomplished guy in the wide receivers room?
A: I mean, yeah, that’s what it is. Not much to say about that, that’s what it is for me.
Q: Are you worried that your ankle is going to be something that you’re going to have to worry about all season long?
A: Yeah, but I mean, it’s something new every season and that just comes along with the game that we’re playing. Last year, it was my toe. Guys are always going to have bumps and bruises, you’ve just got to fight through them.
Q: What happened to your toe last year?
A: My toe? Yeah, I had sesamoiditis all last season. So, that was tough for me, but you just kind of learn how to play with it.
Q: Do you hurt both ankles in training camp?
A: No. I hurt the same one [this time as last]. It’s the same ankle.
Q: Does the fact that it is the same ankle as last time concern you at all?
A: No, I just think it just planted wrong and it rolled over on me again. I’m going to start taping my ankles now, it’s something that I did all throughout college. When I got here, I kind of worked away from it. Now I’m thinking I’m going to go back to it.
Q: You didn’t tape your ankle between your last injury in training camp and this one?
A: No, I didn’t. I did for a little while. You hear so many different things, you don’t really know what to do. But I know I did it all throughout college and I didn’t have any issues, so I think that’s what I’m going to stick with.
Q: Have you had a chance to talk to Beckham since Sunday?
A: Yeah, I talked to him just a little bit. I saw him actually going into my MRI, he was after me. So, I talked to him for a little while. I also saw Brandon [Marshall] there. I thought I was going to see Dwayne [Harris] [laughs]. I didn’t see Dwayne, though.
Q: How is Beckham doing?
A: He’s one of those guys that’s always going to have a high spirit, no matter what’s going on. This is a tough time for him, but he’s doing well.
Q: Did you have the feeling it was a serious injury when you saw WR Odell Beckham Jr. go down?
A: Yeah. Pretty sure. Pretty sure he knew that right when it happened.
Q: How do you feel secondary’s will play you differently now that you don’t have Marshall and Beckham Jr.?
A: Probably a lot more one high. Just press man. Loading the box up. Trying to stop the run. So, we have to do a great job beating one-on-one coverage and separatinh from guys.
Q: What was it like to look around the wide receiver room today?
A: It is different. I mean, you don’t have guys cracking jokes like you usually do. We didn’t have three guys in the room that were big pieces to our puzzle. We still have guys that are going to step up and do their jobs though. I’m confident in that.
Q: Have you taken time to look at everything and think to yourself what has happened here?
A: Right after the game when I left, I was just like, man, what happened? But, you have to move on. That’s the way the season can go sometimes. It’s the NFL. Things happen. Guys have to step up.
Q: You’ve played the game for how long?
A: For a long time. Since I was five years old.
Q: Have you ever seen anything like this?
A: I’ve never seen anything like it. Just so many guys – four guys from one group go down, never seen anything like that.
