Transcript: Outside Linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux

Outside Linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux

Q. Is it different for you, being talked to like that directly by a coach?

A: I mean, it wasn't anything negative. It wasn't necessarily in a sense like 'oh' but I mean it's understanding that people; for a coach talking to for example, a great player and a coach talking to a player that he sees potential in, it's going to be different. So, him wanting to let me know that he feels I can be a Pro Bowler this year, he feels I can kind of take the league by storm, and me knowing that him saying it, really doesn't mean much, right? It's about what I go do every day, and that's kind of the conversation that we had, that I am the only one who can get me to the places that I want to be.

Q. Do you feel like you are somebody that responds to that kind of interaction?

A: He's just preaching to the choir. I am a guy who kind of preaches that stuff to myself, and I am a guy who tries to lead in that standpoint. So, yeah, we are talking the same language as always and just continuing to get better. I think that's the point of camp. It's easy when you get to practice 15, 16, 17, it starts to get complacent, it gets repetitive. Just continuing to stay fresh, continuing all that grind.

Q. How much do you want to be a better player than you were as a rookie?

A: If you are not growing, you are losing. If I don't become a better player, I am going to be out in three years. That's the truth to the NFL. Just understanding that if I want to be here for a long time, it has got to be a continuous growth. (Special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey) T-Mac, he always talks about kaizen, which is the act of continuous growth. So just respecting the game and continuing to grow.

Q. What's it been like for you to have (outside linebacker) Azeez (Ojulari) back?

A: It's been amazing. We try not to run into each other at the quarterback because we always like to meet there. Now it's building that chemistry, right? We know we have two good rushers, but now it's learning how to rush together.

Q. Do you welcome the opportunity to get some preseason game action in?

A: I mean this is football. Even last week, like dude we warmed, but it was like 'yo, you are not playing' like what do you mean, you know what I am saying? I wanted to go out there in shoes, but no, I mean, I am excited to play, I am excited to unleash what we have been working on, what I have been working on and continuing to use this game as a platform for growth.