Transcript: Head Coach Brian Daboll

Head Coach Brian Daboll

October 24, 2024

Q: Where do you stand at left tackle?

BRIAN DABOLL: We'll come out here, we'll go ahead and go through our normal procedure and then see where we're at the end of the week.

Q: Will (tackle Joshua Ezeudu) Josh get the first crack at reps like he did last week?

BRIAN DABOLL: For practice?

Q: Yes.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, he will.

Q: About (tackle Christopher) Hubbard, is he ramping up? Is he a guy you might look at left tackle?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, absolutely. He'll get reps today there, and we'll see where we're at.

Q: Who's not practicing today?

BRIAN DABOLL: So, (defensive lineman) Dexter (Lawrence II), (cornerback) Adoree’ (Jackson), (cornerback Cor’Dale) Flott, (linebacker Ty) Summers. (Punter) Jamie (Gillan) will be out here. He's going to kick, kind of kick off to the side and see where he's at. Other than that, everybody will practice in some form or fashion.

Q: Will (outside linebacker Brian) Burns practice?

BRIAN DABOLL: He will.

Q: How about (wide receiver Jalin) Hyatt?

BRIAN DABOLL: He will. Everybody will do stuff other than those four people, and then Jamie again will kick off to the side and see where he's at.

Q: Is Dexter going to be like a maintenance thing with him early in the week?

BRIAN DABOLL: I'm just taking it for today. Kind of do the similar program that we did last week. We'll see where he is at tomorrow. Just make to sure he's as healthy as he can be.

Q: Is it the same injury as last week?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, same thing.

Q: Are you going to sign (tackle) D.J. Humphries?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we had him in for a visit. Met with him, talked with him. Again, nothing on the horizon right now. Had a good visit with him. It was kind of him get to know us, us get to know him.

Q: What's the thought process there? I mean, that's a veteran guy. What’s you’re thinking with that? Are you going to get a veteran at that spot or any other veteran now at this point?

BRIAN DABOLL: We think he's a good football player. If it's the right fit, then we work something out. And if it's not, then we won't. But it was a good visit.

Q: He is coming off an injury, right? Is he not quite there yet?

BRIAN DABOLL: He is. I'm not going to get into where he's at. He's a good young man. We had a good visit with him. So, we'll see where that goes.

Q: Why did you guys have (Steelers quarterback) Russell Wilson in for a visit this offseason?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we're beyond that. But I will say this with Russell. He's a good football player. He's been a good football player for a long time. Did a heck of a job coming back last week against the Jets. Created explosive plays to (Steelers wide receiver George) Pickens. Since 2018, one of the higher, explosive play quarterbacks, 20-(yard) plus plays. Won a Super Bowl. Was in another Super Bowl. Got a lot of respect for him as a person, as a player.

Q: You've been playing games in Pittsburgh for a number of years now.

BRIAN DABOLL: This will be the 18th one.

Q: It's the 18th. So you're counting?

BRIAN DABOLL: I looked at it the other day.

Q: Do you know what your record is with the 18th?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, it doesn't matter.

Q: You’d rather not look that up?

A: Yeah.

Q: What is it about that place that is perennially difficult to deal with?

BRIAN DABOLL: Well, I'll just start with the organization. It's a model of consistency. (Steelers Head) Coach (Mike) Tomlin is an exceptional coach. Before that, (Former Steelers Head) Coach (Bill) Cowher. Obviously, (Former Steelers Head) Coach (Chuck) Noll, 1969. It seems like every meeting that I've had with head coaches that have been part of the staff, it's almost the same meeting. Different faces, but the same meeting relative to the toughness that that team plays with, the grit that they play with, how they control the line of scrimmage on both sides, run the football, use the action game. Defensively, it's just plug and play. You've seen with these players, it's just the next guy up. (Steelers linebacker) T.J. (Watt) and (Steelers defensive tackle Cameron) Heyward are unbelievable football players, but there's a style in which they play with that is physical and aggressive. I've got a lot of respect for how they've done things for a long time ever since I've been in the league, just getting ready to play them. Well coached, play tough, play physical, have a style that they play with, and then the atmosphere is one of the best when you go there and play at their stadium. Tough place to play and a very tough opponent.

Q: This is a weird transition with regard to stability, but last night we were with (President and Chief Executive Officer, Board Director) John Mara at the screening of The Duke and obviously he came out and was supportive of you and (Senior Vice President and General Manager) Joe (Schoen), saying he believes in what you guys are doing and he wants stability here. How important is that to you guys, not to have to worry about that, not that you don't worry about it?

BRIAN DABOLL: I think you focus on what you can control, and I've said this numerous times, we have a very good communication process, a good relationship. Again, nobody's happy about the results or the record, but the communication and the process and the people, I believe in them.

Q: When you set out to build something, you and Joe got here. What you said about the Steelers and what they have, is that essentially something that everyone chases in this league?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would say it's pretty unique though. The culture that they've had for a long time, obviously that's what you would love to have, and that's why you have such great appreciation when you get ready to play this team. This coach who's been here…this is his 18th year, the consistency of how they do things is very impressive. I haven't been in that room, so I can't speak on it. From the outside looking in, it's very impressive how they do things. But the most important thing is you go to their place, it's a very tough place to play, and the players, the scheme, the style, that's why they've been successful.

Q: What did you think about (Former NFL Coach) Bill Belichick's criticisms of your team?

BRIAN DABOLL: Fill me in.

Q: Bill on Monday was very critical of your guys' approach with Saquon, he was critical of you guys' approach on the line, putting Ezeudu at left tackle.

BRIAN DABOLL: I would say that my focus is on our team, and we do everything we can do to be as good as we can be. And look, there's things we've got to do better, but I can't focus on the outside.

Q: Obviously (quarterback) Daniel’s (Jones) a prideful guy. He wasn't happy with the way everything went down the other day, not playing well, coming out of a game. He said it was a quick conversation. Have you had an extended conversation with him about that and about how it is for you moving forward?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I talk to all the players. Again, those are private conversations, but I'm not going to relive last week. Eleven minutes left, down 28-3. We're going to get ready to go play Pittsburgh and have a good week of practice.

Q: I'm talking more about moving forward, not last week. Is it important for you to provide him reassurance that, ‘hey, we're not just going to pull you if you struggle for a quarter or two’?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, I understand the question. Yeah, I would say the most important thing is having a good week of practice and playing well, and that's where our focus is.

Q: His numbers, the team's numbers, but his especially, are incredibly stark between home and away. Is there any theory you have behind that?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, we've just all got to do a better job.

Q: You don't feel the need to give him reassurance that he's your starter?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would say we've had conversations. Those would be private conversations, and our focus is on getting ready to play Pittsburgh.

Q: Does a team need something different on the road, just in general? You talked about the atmosphere in Pittsburgh. That's not the only tough atmosphere. Is there something to it? Because your team has been better this year on the road.

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I would just say we've got to play and coach well, regardless of where the venue is. We've got to do our job the best we can do it and get prepared like we normally do. Again, it takes everybody to do that. That's what we do every week. That's what we'll do this week. But it's the opponent, it's your performance. Each week is different.

Q: The struggles you've had on offense the last couple of weeks, is it execution? Is it something about approach that you need to change? Is there anything you can put your finger on?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I'd say it's all encompassing when you're only scoring the points that we’ve scored. We can all do a better job.

Q: Do you need to do anything differently on the back end to compensate for some of the guys that are down right now at corner?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, we'll go through practice here with the guys we have. There will be some moving pieces here. We'll see where that goes. And then we'll see where these guys are at relative to Friday and Saturday.

Q: Is (cornerback) Dru (Phillips) an option on the outside, or is he pretty much inside?

BRIAN DABOLL: No, I'd say we'll take a look at some things here today based on who's down for practice. And again, we'll evaluate that as we go.

Q: Is Flott a long-term injury?

BRIAN DABOLL: I wouldn't be able to say week to week. We'll see where he is tomorrow. Probably, I don't know if he'd be able to make it this week, but I'm not going to rule him out because he hasn't been ruled out to me.

Q: How big a challenge is T.J. Watt? You mentioned before last week about the possibility of (tackle) Jermaine (Eluemunor) going to the left side. Does that become less likely because Watt does play on the right side the majority of the time?

BRIAN DABOLL: Yeah, I mean, we could stay here for a long time talking about J.T. Watt. I'd say he's unbelievable. T.J., you got me all flustered with the guy. You watch his tape and all the turnovers that he has and the style that he plays with. I mean, he's one of the best players in the league. He creates issues in the run game. He creates issues in the pass game. He bats balls down. He jumps up and intercepts balls that you'd never think you could be intercepted. He's got hustle, chase. He's a dynamic football player. He's one of the better defensive players in the league. He's a problem. (Steelers linebacker Alex) Highsmith's a problem on the other side. (Cam) Heyward inside, when you add all those pieces together, that's why they are where they're at defensively. You can't say enough good things about him. When you watch him on tape, he's impressive and he's been that way since he's played. As is Heyward. They're a dynamic front. (Steelers Defensive Line Coach) Karl Dunbar does a great job with them over at Pittsburgh, defensive line. They're hard to block. You put a third-down tape on, you better be able to throw with rhythm and timing because they're pretty quick.