Tight End Darren Waller
Q: On (Seahawks defensive lineman) Leonard Williams trade.
A: That's part of the business, like being in it so long. It's like, a guy like Leo means a lot to the team, means a lot to the people that are upstairs. They know losing a guy like him is tough just because he's a guy – guys playing ping pong in the locker room with guys that hang around and he brings a high level of play to the field but that's just how it goes, man. I think a lot of guys understand that.
Q: With your situation, you mentioned your hammy, it wasn't a muscle thing? Is it like a tendon thing? Did the MRI confirm that that's what it is?
A: So yeah, coming out of the Washington game, it's a tendon attached to your knee so it's not really like you can't strain your muscle down there. Going out there and playing with that kind of left me prone to a little bit more susceptible to pulling my hamstring so the injury from last week kind of led into this one.
Q: You've dealt with these in the past and probably came back too soon. How much does that make you cautious about when you do finally return?
A: The main reason I missed like eight games last year was because trying to come back in like two and reaggravating it two or three times in practice where nobody could really see it so it's like 'where is this guy?' Taking a little bit more of an approach and saying like, 'why not four weeks or just three weeks or whatever it is' and use that time efficiently and not try to be the hero and come back. Just be like, 'Oh stressing and pushing' when it's like I've got to take care of my body first.
Q: Is this the same injury as that? The same leg?
A: It's a different leg and it's a different –
Q: This is your left?
A: This one is my right.
Q: Okay so last year –
A: Usually it's always high by my butt, like proximal hamstring.
Q: So it's your left last year?
A: Yeah.
Q: When did you have the MRI done?
A: Monday.
Q: Is this different or is this the same as – you kind of had something come with you this season? Different than that?
A: Yeah.
Q: If I heard you correctly, you're thinking weeks?
A: Potentially, yeah. The number of weeks, not that sure but yeah, it may take a little bit.
Q: How are you feeling today compared to the weekend?
A: A little less sore. A few days out, the (athletic) training teams working on you throughout the clock so feeling a little bit better but there are strides that you've got to make as far as coming back from this so I'm still pretty early on in the phase of it.
Q: So you're a little way away? Is that fair to say?
A: Yeah. Not a long amount of time but yeah, it might be a little bit.
Q: The leg that was barking at you earlier this year, that was bothering you, which one was that?
A: That was my left, yeah.
Q: So, on Sunday, obviously you had the one catch and you left but just on that play is –
A: Yeah, it was that play running across the field. Like as soon as I probably crossed the ball before I even got hit I kind of knew.
Q: I know that you talked about the frustration on Sunday night but now that the MRI confirmed, how tough is it now to be like 'my gosh, another one of these stupid hamstring injuries.'
A: It's very frustrating, a little bit discouraging, like any human being would be in my position but no stranger to tough hands and tough circumstances so I'm not one that's going to fold up right here. I'm going to do whatever I can and however much time I get left with this team this season I'm going to give it all I got.
