Buffalo Bills general manager Brandon Beane speaks at his end-of-season press conference after his teams season came to an end Sunday in the AFC Championship Game against the Kansas City Chiefs. (Courtesy of the Buffalo Bills)
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00:00:00Before I know you guys got lots of questions. I just want to thank some people, you know
00:00:04I don't get in front of you guys a lot during the season
00:00:06And so obviously I want to start with our players and coaches
00:00:11You know a heck of a job heck of a run. I wish this wasn't my end of season presser right now
00:00:17You know as they do
00:00:20but they did a heck of a job and
00:00:23It's painful to come up short as you know, and we'll get into that
00:00:26I also want to thank our support staff, you know, or all of our downstairs people that trainers equipment guys strength staff
00:00:36Performance all the people
00:00:39player engagement all those people that put their arms around our staff and our players as they
00:00:44navigate the season and the offseason and and all our front office people that help me keep me sane and keep me
00:00:53Going in the right direction, you know, and then some people that don't get you know, notoriety a lot
00:00:58No, no, hopefully I think Sean thanks some of those guys after some of those home playoff games
00:01:03But with the weather here the snow all that stuff Andy major and his crew
00:01:08Aaron Romella and our grounds crew just getting those those fields ready to play not easy as you guys all know
00:01:15Just getting here and having those games at home. We love having home playoff games in January
00:01:21Obviously, we'd love to get the AFC championship game here
00:01:23We we're always close but haven't been able to get that yet
00:01:27So we'll keep swinging swinging the sword for that. But with that you guys can fire away
00:01:34Frequently said that your final game provides a window into what your team maybe needs moving forward
00:01:41So with that in mind, what do you take away from this loss in terms of what this team needs to maybe build on?
00:01:47Yeah, good question Jay. You're right
00:01:50The further you go as you face the the better competition teams are gonna try and you know
00:01:56as we do we try and attack teams weaknesses with our strengths and they do that and
00:02:03You're never gonna be with the cap. You're never gonna be strong in all spots. But yeah, I think there's some areas that
00:02:10You know, maybe
00:02:12Some of it in that game was we didn't play as well
00:02:16In a certain spot or maybe they found something I don't think it's I don't think it was always
00:02:23The same thing. It wasn't a common theme some years. You're like, hey, man
00:02:27We just couldn't stop the run all season, you know, our defense, you know had a few injuries early in the year kind of battled
00:02:35We hit that stretch where we played the Rams and Detroit some shootouts
00:02:40But I really thought you know as we got down the stretch they were really coming together
00:02:45Milano got some more play time Terrell Bernard got a little healthier
00:02:49We did have a you know, we lost Benford there, unfortunately
00:02:54early in the in the AFC championship game
00:02:56But you know overall as they were getting healthier and it's more than just being on the field
00:03:01It's that continuity of the unit playing as a group of 11
00:03:07But yeah, there's definitely some areas. I don't want to go into specifics or anything right now Jay
00:03:14It's so fresh and so there is an evaluation now
00:03:20But you don't want to just cut it off. You want to think?
00:03:23holistically and not make a
00:03:26Because this player or this position group
00:03:29Didn't play to the level. They they would normally player that they would like to
00:03:35To just throw it all out and say it wasn't good. So we're gonna continue to do that in the coming weeks. I
00:03:42Could probably more clearly fairly answer that in a few weeks
00:03:49As much success as you've had
00:03:53What do you make of that narrative out there that this team is incapable of winning the big game yet
00:04:00And I know it's only it's eight years in and you've had despite all your successes. Yeah
00:04:06Listen until you do it. You're always gonna get questioned, right? It is what it is
00:04:11We know that we're aware of that
00:04:14I
00:04:16Don't think it takes away from the success though. I think you have to
00:04:20again
00:04:21Not just look at it in a vacuum
00:04:24You know you look around you could be a team that's not made the playoffs the next number of years
00:04:29We know this team went 17 seasons
00:04:31so
00:04:32ultimately
00:04:34The further you go, but the worse it stings and there's more eyes on you
00:04:39There's more people watching each playoff game each season and
00:04:43Yes, we've now been to the AFC Championship twice, you know, we've had some years where we fell short in the divisional round
00:04:51You know
00:04:52We're right there though, you know, and it's we're not getting blown out
00:04:57I would say even just look at our two championship games John
00:05:02in 2020
00:05:04We were excited to be there for the opportunity
00:05:08But I don't think that game was this club, I don't remember the score I don't think that game
00:05:13You know, I could feel as the game was going on especially in the by the third quarter starting to slip away
00:05:20If you tell me
00:05:23Next year. I'll sign up for it to
00:05:26Be in the AFC Championship game down three with three whatever to go in the game and we got number 17
00:05:34I'll sign up for that again and take our chances
00:05:38You got to do a lot of things very well
00:05:41to be in that position and
00:05:44Let's also give credit to the Chiefs
00:05:48Avert, you know, they're going for an historic
00:05:51three in a row
00:05:52You know, we're not
00:05:54Losing to different teams every year and it's just us coming up short like it's a very good team
00:05:59They've taken down a lot of teams last year that team
00:06:02We actually had them here and the game came down, you know, we miss a kick that's it's a play here a play there
00:06:10So you have to be careful not to just say they can't win the big game. We do have to do that and
00:06:17We're gonna continue I can promise you we we haven't slept a lot since that game and
00:06:24We hurt and we feel bad for the fans that hurt, you know and
00:06:30Everyone just all of our staff support staff
00:06:33it's it's hard to come up short and so we're gonna continue to turn over every rock every stone, but
00:06:40again
00:06:42the last five years
00:06:44This team counting playoffs has averaged 13 to 14 wins
00:06:51So I do want to make sure we we balance the scale here even though we have not
00:06:56Got to the big game yet
00:06:58We're gonna keep fighting and I'm determined we'll get there
00:07:02A chance to win that game. He mentioned sustaining
00:07:06Something with his hand during that game. How much do you think that impacted him?
00:07:11During the course of that game and do you know the extent of that potential injury?
00:07:17You know, I don't you'd have to ask Josh how much it affected him that would be unfair for me to say
00:07:25My exit conversation with him
00:07:28That didn't come up
00:07:37Receiver and when you look at the production, I understand that did you have the injury but the production
00:07:43Really wasn't there even when he returned and it seemed like he was healthy. What what do you why did that not turn out?
00:07:50Maybe the way you thought it would turn out for you. Yes, Al good question
00:07:53I think you have to look at that in a lot of from a lot of different angles
00:07:59first off
00:08:00I've said this before when you
00:08:02You know people always talking that you get to the trade deadline trade for this player trade for that, you know
00:08:10You're talking about a player has never been in this offensive system and
00:08:13So we talked about that. We did some research Nona Murray like he's got to learn the playbook
00:08:19he's never thrown with Josh Allen you have to
00:08:22You know acclimate with your team learn an offense
00:08:25The key to take the games keep going and so
00:08:30Honestly, I think he did a great job of learning our offense in fairness to him in due time
00:08:35He suffered the wrist injury obviously banged his back game missed some games
00:08:41Fault through it played, you know
00:08:44honestly, his wrist could have required surgery and
00:08:47I feel sure that at least one of the doctors recommended it, but he wanted to keep playing
00:08:53The other part of that that
00:08:57The production numbers his numbers yards
00:09:01Touchdowns catches whatever stats you're comparing from a production standpoint
00:09:06Sometimes when you add a piece, it's what does it do for the the the group the offensive group?
00:09:14read a stat or it was sent to me, but
00:09:18Basically where the games that Amari played in our offense averaged
00:09:23Seven point something more points a game and so I do think Amari helped our offense
00:09:31Did he put up all pro numbers in the games? He was here
00:09:35No, I think that's for various reasons again our offense improved. We averaged over 30 points
00:09:41I think we were second in the league in total scoring and
00:09:45You guys kind of know the mantra that was established this year by Josh and Joe Brady of everybody eats
00:09:53Adding him was not going to get away from that. But does that take a little pressure off of you know?
00:10:00Shakir
00:10:01Knox Kincaid the run game all that so I do I do not regret the move. I think it did help us
00:10:10Despite what his
00:10:12his personal numbers were
00:10:14Brandon when you talk about the
00:10:17Chiefs and their success
00:10:19How top of mind is it for you in in what you do in the offseason?
00:10:23To be thinking about beating the Chiefs because they've become like a division team and they've taken you out the last three years
00:10:30Is that?
00:10:32There when you're looking at players whether it's trades drafts, whatever it is that it's how does this guy help us beat the Chiefs?
00:10:39I
00:10:40Get the question Mike it always for me. It always starts in your division
00:10:45Because that's your ticket to the postseason and that if you don't take care of business in your division
00:10:52then
00:10:53You don't get the opportunity maybe to play the Chiefs
00:10:56So we'll always pay attention to the Jets the Patriots and the Dolphins. How do we match up?
00:11:02Where where are we stronger than them? Where are they stronger than us? How will we have to win those games?
00:11:10It starts there when you get past that. Yes, who are the
00:11:15Perennial contenders and of course the Chiefs are right there every single year seven straight AFC championship games
00:11:24Three straight Super Bowl opportunities here. I don't know how many they total Super Bowls they've been into but they're heading for their third straight
00:11:33opportunity to win so
00:11:35Yes, they are one of the teams in the AFC
00:11:38Once you get past those division teams that how do we stack up against them?
00:11:43And you're also looking at because we play them every year. We win the division when they win the division
00:11:48The way the scheduling works. You're gonna play them
00:11:53Balance being so close and with such great success overall
00:11:58With also facing a reality that still hasn't been good enough and maybe feeling
00:12:02You have to do a little bit more than what you've been doing
00:12:06Leading up to this point. Yeah
00:12:09John you're always trying to what you know, it's but it's you're never one player away
00:12:14Okay, that's a dangerous mindset to get into I learned that when I was a younger person in this league
00:12:21You know and you see it teams. I'm gonna chase this player. I'm gonna chase this position. You're never one player away. It's
00:12:29again
00:12:31this team
00:12:33Had a championship ability. I do believe that I don't you know
00:12:36Sometimes you leave the season and you say man, I don't know if we if we gave ourselves a chance
00:12:42but ultimately like we talked about earlier, it's down to a few plays and
00:12:47Even if you go back to the Chiefs our regular season game against them
00:12:52Down to a few plays. We're up two points. It's fourth down
00:12:56We go for it. We make the play. Okay
00:13:00The other night you can go through a play here when you go back through the film
00:13:06You just say gosh if we had gotten executed that play right there. It continues the drive
00:13:12We're not punting or or we're not whatever. We're not turning the ball over on downs
00:13:18One to two plays can change the outcome of a game which ultimately changes the outcome of a season and we wouldn't be sitting here
00:13:25so
00:13:27It sucks it hurts
00:13:29But I don't think I'm not in the mood of
00:13:33Thinking you have to blow it all up. I don't think that's rational
00:13:37Year after year you guys have fallen and not been on the right side of just a few of those plays
00:13:43Because what I said, you also have to give credit to the team
00:13:48The Kansas City Chiefs give them credit
00:13:51The entire league is is chasing them. Okay, and we're right there
00:13:57If I don't know what else you expect to do
00:14:00I mean other than if you think we should blow the roster up or strip it down
00:14:05That is not how I see this
00:14:07This is not a team that's got a bunch of 33 year olds to 34 year olds that you just need to reset
00:14:13maybe some areas or maybe a position or maybe a player here or there but
00:14:19like this team did a lot of really good things this season and
00:14:23When you look holistically at what we've done year after year after year, I
00:14:29Think a lot of people would sign up for that. Is it what we want the final result? No, but
00:14:35I've heard it told to me by multiple people that have been in this league longer than I have
00:14:39Keep kicking the door keep kicking the door and you're gonna knock it down and that is my mentality
00:14:46That is our mentality. We are not giving in
00:14:49We're not we're we're frustrated we want to win all that's doing is making our chip bigger like we're
00:14:58We'll reset we'll recalibrate
00:15:01Not make any rash decisions and over the next, you know a few weeks in a couple months
00:15:07Shape what the next team will look like and again, it'll be a new team
00:15:11So it doesn't you know, what hurts is there's no guarantee you get back to the championship game
00:15:16You got to build a whole new team
00:15:18There will be some some of the same returners
00:15:21But as we know
00:15:23You know, the league keeps moving you lose some players players retire whatever happens. So I hope that answers your question
00:15:32Looking back last year the changes you did make
00:15:35Are you in a better position both salary cap wise and roster wise to where you might have been a year ago today having this
00:15:41Press conference. Yeah, I mean last year. We definitely were staring at a larger crater
00:15:48With the cap of what we were gonna have to do now. Unfortunately, you still sit here today
00:15:54We don't know what the cap is gonna be. It's it's one of the nuances of the league
00:15:58I wish I wish I could change I wish I knew right now. It's gonna be you know this year. It's 255
00:16:04Tell me today. Is it gonna be 270? Is it gonna be 280? Like what is it? So
00:16:09We work off of estimates the best we can but we got that number like the Friday before the combine last year
00:16:16so you still have to save some decisions until you get that that final number, but
00:16:21We won't be in as deep of a cap hole. Now. We also had some
00:16:27Some numbers that were easier to move off of last year, you know, you didn't necessarily want to lose the player, but
00:16:34You could instantly
00:16:35Removing this player this player and this player get 23 million back just like that or 25, you know
00:16:41I don't know the number. I don't think we have as many of those options
00:16:46but
00:16:48We're okay. We also have to remember
00:16:51You know, we've got guys that are coming up on extensions and things like that
00:16:55So I don't I don't expect us to be as I said here a year ago
00:17:01big spenders in free agency or anything like that, we still have to manage this cap because
00:17:06We're not gonna again
00:17:08Try and set this thing up to go into a year where we got to strip it all down
00:17:12While we got number 17, we want to give him every chance every single year to see if that team in
00:17:1925 26 27 and and as many years as he can play can contend for a title
00:17:27Plays needed to win games and the phrase scheme of inches comes to mind there were a few plays in that game
00:17:35this past year where you may not have gotten the benefit of some close calls and
00:17:40There's been a prevailing thought amongst the fan base that maybe you got the short end of the stick in those calls
00:17:45and I'm not trying to get you in trouble here, but
00:17:48What's your perspective on that? And do you understand why the fans may have felt that way this past weekend? Yeah, it's frustrating
00:17:56You know, there's only so much I can say
00:17:59You know, I don't
00:18:01You know, we work with the league to try to get clarity and and I'll give them credit they've they've taken our calls
00:18:07They've sent video and things like that. I
00:18:10Just you know, I wish
00:18:13You know if you're talking about like the fourth downplay that was you know, I'm I
00:18:21Feel like he you know, he got that and I still feel like he got that
00:18:24I felt that in the moment and I know nothing has changed
00:18:28Changed my mind on that, you know and and
00:18:35You know the the play that we challenged I thought was a good challenge I think I'm not sure either player had possession
00:18:43On the Bishop worthy play when the ball touched the ground you have to you have to have possession it's like
00:18:49what is possession and
00:18:52What Matt says is possession
00:18:55Might not be what Elena says is possession, you know, I mean it's a little bit but when the ball touches the ground
00:19:01someone has to have established possession and
00:19:05You know again, they've given how they see it and that's their job and and
00:19:11But it is what it is, I mean that's
00:19:13Those are just like plays we didn't make in a game to that
00:19:17So by no means are we saying that's why we lost the game
00:19:22Something needs to change in the way that the league measures down and distance. There's been a lot of discussion
00:19:29Especially in recent years changes in technology. Do you feel there needs to be a change in that regard?
00:19:35He mentioned the change and the nuances in the league. Is that one of them that you think may need an adjustment?
00:19:40I think the league I'll give them credit. I do think they're always looking for, you know, they've added
00:19:46pylon cams and
00:19:48You know stuff like that. I do think they're constantly looking at it
00:19:51I just like anything some of those technologies come with things that are not necessarily proven or have not been tested out. I
00:19:59Think we're our league
00:20:01Struggle sometimes is we don't have a minor league like the pitch clock in baseball. They tried that in minor league
00:20:07before they ever brought it to the to the major league and
00:20:10If you had a minor league, our minor league is mainly college football, which has some different rules
00:20:17But I think that's probably where the NFL could would be would be better even
00:20:22Having officials to be able to officiate officiate. I mean, that's how
00:20:26major League of Umpires
00:20:29You know get up there is they don't just start in the majors or start in college. They work their way up. So that's
00:20:36That's an impediment that the NFL faces. I don't have a clear solution. So I'm not griping about it. I'm just answering it
00:20:43Brandon receiver, what's your level of confidence that Coleman can take a big step?
00:20:47And also you guys can maybe unlock some stuff for current Samuel earlier in the season. Yeah
00:20:52You know, I thought Keon
00:20:55you know did some good things and I really felt like
00:21:00he and Josh and the offense were
00:21:03doing this and then he had the injury and
00:21:07You know, I would say probably was a little disappointed in the return from the injury
00:21:12I did not see the same player down the stretch
00:21:17you know from a
00:21:19Physicality some of the things that he needs to use his size
00:21:22Some of that is youth, you know, some of that is you know, I'm not sure how many injuries
00:21:28He's had to overcome in season and come back that takes a certain
00:21:32You know experience level maybe how to deal with an injury how to return like how do you work your way back into the lineup?
00:21:38Because we keep playing games
00:21:41Whether you're out four weeks five weeks, whatever it was for him, but
00:21:45You know, that would be my only thing. I would say I wish he had finished the season stronger
00:21:50But we had honest direct conversations with Keon. He's a young player. You know, we got a member. He's 21 years old and
00:21:58Some of the guys that get drafted in the first round or 24 25 things like that. So let's give him a little grace here
00:22:07You know his career
00:22:09Will not be defined by one season and he did some good things
00:22:12He has a skill set that we think will play well in this offense and but it's up to him
00:22:18He's gonna have to work very hard this offseason him and Josh continue to work on that rapport together
00:22:24but I'm optimistic that he'll do those things and
00:22:27And that we'll see him
00:22:29Continue to improve going into year two
00:22:32Oh and Sam, sorry and Samuel, yes
00:22:35Kurt battled some things this year first year playing with a new quarterback
00:22:40New new system a little bit. I know he had been with Joe, but this was not the exact same system
00:22:45Joe used with him before
00:22:47Learning the terminology things like that. Yes, you would have loved for him to get off to a faster start
00:22:54It was nice to see once he got healthy down the stretch that we started utilizing him and his speed and and I think
00:23:01Him and 17 really started to form a bond. Sometimes that takes a little time
00:23:05It's you'd love to when you roll the ball out September the 1st that they're ready to roll, but it doesn't always happen that way
00:23:21How do you adapt your thinking going forward when it comes to that position knowing that you're gonna have some holes of bill
00:23:28I
00:23:33Commend
00:23:34This this group and I want to say this group more than just receivers the entire offense
00:23:39I mean, I thought the backs all had their moments and they're competitive. They all want the ball just like these receivers
00:23:45They're running routes. You have to when you leave that line of scrimmage
00:23:49You have to be thinking you're getting the ball if you don't
00:23:52you know, you're probably gonna drop it or something something good's not gonna happen, but I
00:23:57Commend the selflessness of this group as selfless of a group as as you could ask for and so that is a
00:24:06I
00:24:07Think that was a plus, you know for them and they all cheered each other success
00:24:12and I think
00:24:14From an a game plan standpoint. You didn't know week to week
00:24:18Where the backs gonna get the ball in the run game or the Detroit game?
00:24:23Ty Johnson's gonna get it in the pass game where the tight ends gonna get get more involved this week is
00:24:28Khalil, is this a Khalil Shakir game?
00:24:31Mac Collins, you know with some plays obviously we talked about Curtis, you know made some big plays down the stretch the Denver game and
00:24:40You know, I think it's nice to have that balance where on third down
00:24:45The defense really doesn't know where the ball is going
00:24:49So we'll continue that we're gonna look for the best players we can get it doesn't mean
00:24:54Okay, we didn't have a true number one. So we don't want that. No, we still want good players
00:25:00But we'll we'll always want it to be as selfless of a group as you know as possible
00:25:12Yeah, I mean Dalton I would say
00:25:15Dalton didn't have the year that he expected or we expected nothing
00:25:20for any particular reason that I can say other than
00:25:23Some durability things he got nicked up during the season Dalton's tough. He's a you know
00:25:29He's gonna continue to work on his play strength. He he's not as
00:25:34Built and muscular as let's just say Dawson is and so that's one of the
00:25:40nuances of this game is as you're a young player is
00:25:43You know in college you don't play 17 games plus playoffs so
00:25:49building your body up to withstand what it takes and and so
00:25:54unfortunately, I think that was the Colts game banged his knee got got the
00:25:59PCL I believe it was and
00:26:01I think that set him back. I don't know that he
00:26:04Returned from that right away. I think that's one of those things. It's not a surgery. I think it's just time and healing
00:26:10When you you know, you open a wound and it scabs over but you don't let it completely and you keep just kind of
00:26:18Like now he will be able to rest and let it calm down
00:26:20I think when he comes back, it'll it'll be better. But you know, we believe in Dalton and
00:26:25He Dalton is a big part of our plans going forward
00:26:30no one in here has lost confidence in him and and you know, I'm aware that
00:26:35You know the last play he would have loved to have made that and I'll give him that
00:26:39you know, I'm sure Josh would throw in that ball ten more times out of ten and he's probably gonna come up with it, but
00:26:45It happens. I mean you saw it the week before with
00:26:48the Baltimore tight end, you know, who's
00:26:52an all pro pro bowler player
00:26:56Dalton should not feel bad about that. That's not the reason we lost the game
00:26:59He's been a big part of our success people game plan for him. He's part of the everybody eats so
00:27:06A good chance for him to get away get his body healed up and we'll be excited to get him back in the spring
00:27:12Among those lines though the last three years you move up for you. Let me move up for Dalton
00:27:18Coleman is your first pick of the top of the second round this past year
00:27:21I don't know if you can objectively look at those guys based on based on where they're drafted
00:27:25Those guys are drafted to be different difference makers
00:27:28I don't know if you can objectively look at this game and say they were difference makers and in a positive fashion
00:27:33Now I know you're not evaluating them solely on just this game, but
00:27:38Holistically, what do you have to do to get more from those really early first-round picks or borderline first-round pick in Coleman's case?
00:27:44Yeah
00:27:46Well, I would go back to the you know
00:27:49Keon's as I said
00:27:51Not sure. He he got back to where he was trending pre-injury
00:27:56So we got a that's something we got to work on and hopefully and he's got to work on
00:28:00Hopefully that would be better a lot of confidence in Keon where he's gonna go again 21 year old player
00:28:07We all would love every player to come out and I mean, I think at the end of year one of Josh Allen
00:28:14You know, I don't think you guys came in here and said man you guys got a franchise all pro
00:28:20MVP type quarterback, right? So I think we need to be fair
00:28:25There's many many players you look at look at Chris Jones
00:28:29Okay
00:28:31Hall of Fame game wrecker hell of a player
00:28:36Go back and watch his first year Jay like he wasn't dominant at that point
00:28:41It was the second half of his second season and his third season lights out
00:28:47it the light bulb comes on at different times for different people and so
00:28:52It's our job here to continue to develop and grow these guys
00:28:56And so as we were just talking about Dalton, I'm confident
00:29:01But Dalton has to do he'll have to continue to get stronger and be able to endure
00:29:0617 game season again. The the knee thing was kind of a freak deal, but that's
00:29:12that's real like trying to play with that injury is not is not easy and
00:29:18You see other guys around the league deal with that injury, you know, I don't know what
00:29:23Zay Flowers had at the end of the year with Baltimore, but that set him out for a couple weeks
00:29:27That was a key player that they were missing in our game. It's it's the unfortunate part of it
00:29:33You know that Keon got hurt Dalton got hurt, but they'll be back healthy
00:29:37neither one needs a surgery or anything like that, which is good and
00:29:43I'm sorry, and we'll
00:29:45but I'm
00:29:47zero less confident in those guys and
00:29:50It's up to us to continue to get these guys better and count on them in these big games going forward
00:29:57When he came back from injury where he is also is just status going forward his age
00:30:01I guess directly would you anticipate him still be in the starting the linebacker for this team?
00:30:06Yeah, I love love Matt thought he
00:30:09tough break to start camp, you know, he fought through that leg injury and
00:30:13Rehabbed all season that's hard when you got to rehab the whole offseason and come back couldn't do OTAs and all that. And so he missed
00:30:23And then he you know gets injured camp and so by the time we got him on the field in December
00:30:28You know, that's I
00:30:30Don't know what it was 14 months. Maybe since he had played. I
00:30:34Don't care what you're doing riding a bike. I don't care what you're doing
00:30:37I don't care what you're doing. I don't care what you're doing
00:30:40I don't care what you're doing riding a bike
00:30:44Swimming whatever it is if you hadn't done it for 14 months
00:30:47You're not just gonna hop in there and start and this is the NFL the best of the best
00:30:51so I thought Matt was continuing to get better and better fortunately that hammy got tight on him and
00:30:59You know, he fought to play in that game if that's a regular season game
00:31:02Maybe maybe we protect him and hold him out to make sure you can make a run
00:31:07But he wasn't missing this game and he was he was fighting through it
00:31:11but I'm proud of him and will it'll be nice for him sound to not have a
00:31:17surgery to rehab from just what I was talking about with these other guys this offseason and so
00:31:23You know, we'll that'll be probably as much physically mentally refreshing for him
00:31:30Do I worry that Matt's breaking down
00:31:34Yeah, I mean that's
00:31:36I wouldn't say that. I'm worried about him breaking down. I think it's something that we're aware of with age and
00:31:43Sometimes one injury can lead to another injury. That's a that's a proven thing as far as
00:31:49statistically more likely to get another injury, you know the same or the opposite side, but
00:31:55You know, we'll continue to look at how to armor him like we do every player
00:31:59We'll have a an individualized plan for him when he comes back
00:32:04Luckily, he's not rehabbing. He'll be he'll be healthy and and so
00:32:10Again with all these guys that that have had some types of whether it's soft tissues or you know
00:32:16Whatever their injury was we'll have a plan for them. What you know when they return
00:32:22I know that you said everything is a couple plays away your offense had involved a chance to take the lead
00:32:27But a trend has been in some of these elimination games. Your defense has given up more points than they do
00:32:33Regularly, how do you evaluate that?
00:32:35Yeah, I mean you it's there's not a there's not a quick answer. I can give you here Matt
00:32:40I mean, we'll you look at everything, you know, I start with myself and say, you know
00:32:46Did did we give the coaches?
00:32:49the right talent the pool
00:32:52How healthy were we in in each of those games where we were we missing a guy where a couple guys nicked up
00:32:58Who did we play how did we get beat were we getting run on where we just was it all passed up whatever the case
00:33:05may be so
00:33:06There's not a short brief answer. It's something, you know
00:33:10We'll look at we have looked at we'll continue to look at and see, you know that we can find solutions
00:33:17You know to continue to improve there, you know in the big games that you're talking about along those lines
00:33:21Do you need to be better in man coverage to get past the Chiefs?
00:33:26I think you need to be better at everything. I mean, you know, it's listen. They're they're very good team if you lock them down in man
00:33:35They'll come up with some others. They'll come up with rub routes and things like that like you I
00:33:40Don't think it's one thing. I think you need to be able to
00:33:44to
00:33:45You know and you can't just build your team for one team
00:33:49Like that's that's that's that's dangerous mark because if if you do that
00:33:55and you don't get there or
00:33:58They happen to fall and another team is in your way and you don't match up well with them now
00:34:03well, we were prepared just for the Chiefs and
00:34:07We met the Cincinnati Bengals and I'm not that's not gonna fly with you guys when I come down here and say well
00:34:13We we thought we were gonna play the Chiefs. We built this team to beat them
00:34:16Damn, they lost we were pulling for him. You know what I'm saying? Like you want to be able to play
00:34:23Indoors
00:34:24When it's 70 degrees, there's no win
00:34:26You want to be able to play when there's 30 mile an hour wind you want to be able to play this the San Francisco?
00:34:31Game when it's snowing you want to be able to play press man
00:34:35You want to be able to play off eyes on the quarterback? You want to be able to spy when you need to spy?
00:34:40You got I mean the week before you got to play zone read with Lamar
00:34:45Who's maybe the most dangerous quarterback at least since Michael Vick?
00:34:50With the ball in his hand and then Derrick Henry a generational talent there like
00:34:55You can't just build it for one team and I understand the question, but I think that's very dangerous
00:35:03Defense the defensive line in particular. We know that you've invested a lot of high round picks. Yep
00:35:09It's not money on Bob Miller
00:35:11I think the fan base is generally underwhelmed by the pass rush and especially in these
00:35:18Elimination games the last five years. What what do you have to do to find a better pass rush? I mean we're
00:35:25Listen, we always want to be strong up front Sal we do
00:35:29Again, yeah
00:35:30The other teams are good too. They do things they they they scheme you
00:35:34They're aware of where your strengths are where you're where your weaknesses are, you know Vaughn, you know
00:35:41Signing him. Yes, you're when we signed him a few years ago
00:35:45We were trying to get a guy we we could not get to my homes in the 13th second game and
00:35:52Vaughn had a heck of a run with the Rams to help them seal some games including the Super Bowl
00:35:58And so yes, and I thought Vaughn started that year very well
00:36:02I think he had eight sacks and nine or ten games like he was playing like a top ten defensive end
00:36:09unfortunately
00:36:11You know, you can't predict those injuries and people say well
00:36:14Why would you pay a 30-something year old? Well, like we paid Tredavis white
00:36:19Unfortunately, he tore his ACL like you can tear your ACL in high school college a 20 year old a 30 year old whatever it is
00:36:25What it is
00:36:27Unfortunately, it's as late as Vaughn did it similar to Tredavis?
00:36:31We kind of lost him for the next year. And so I thought this year you started to see Vaughn
00:36:37Return to form made some plays made some sacks looked more like himself. You know, I'm sure he would
00:36:44Like some opportunities back the other night to get my homes down, you know, those guys did a nice job
00:36:49They made the plays they had to make
00:36:52again
00:36:53It's not just one thing but we always want to be strong up front. We want to stop the run
00:36:58see if we can get you into a drop back pass game and then get after you and
00:37:04Those words I know sometimes can ring hollow if you don't get the final result
00:37:08But I don't think you want to throw out the success that some of the guys had up front, you know, Greg AJ Ed
00:37:17Vaughn at times of some of those guys
00:37:18So what could we'll always you know, just like our o-line will we'll look at that
00:37:22And if there's areas that we can get better there, we will try to address that
00:37:27Quick follow on that you mentioned Chris Jones a few minutes ago
00:37:30He's a guy that like in these big moments seems to always be a game wrecker in any game
00:37:35I feel like on the offensive side of the ball. You have that in Josh Allen these games. He becomes he reaches that level
00:37:41Yeah, do you need to find that one game-changing force on defense to be able to get past this luck this round?
00:37:48Yeah, I mean
00:37:50There's not a lot of Chris Jones is floating out there. I get the question. Yes
00:37:55But where do you where do you land that?
00:37:59You know, I don't know many teams are gonna hand you a Chris Jones or a game wrecker
00:38:05They're probably they're probably sewed up. You know what? I mean? Like you look around there's not a lot of players that make
00:38:1328 to 30 some million dollars a year, which I think is kind of what those high-end defensive players are making
00:38:20We're not ever picking in the top
00:38:23Five ten like you're not to say you can never get those guys
00:38:27Chris Jones actually fell to the second round
00:38:30and
00:38:32We'll turn over every stone we can to find them. But
00:38:36Would I love to add one of those guys? Heck? Yeah, I would
00:38:40But we have a cap we pick where we pick you kind of you got to make the best, you know of what you got
00:38:47and
00:38:48Again, well, we would love to do that if that players out there
00:38:54Especially earlier in their career on one season
00:38:58On the negative side probably the same on the positive side, but
00:39:04When it comes to Xavier worthy and what you saw from him this season, particularly
00:39:09Recency bias with this past Sunday. Is there any sellers remorse there with Xavier worthy?
00:39:15When you say sellers or more with an opportunity you had the opportunity to do that to him you bypass that opportunity
00:39:22With the trade. Is there any remorse there?
00:39:24That maybe you would have wanted to draft the player seeing how it played out this season
00:39:29Listen, you look at every I mean, there's there's players every year. Look at every draft that you decide again
00:39:35I'll go back to my statement about Keon
00:39:38No one's gonna make the Hall of Fame after year one and no one's gonna get thrown out of the league
00:39:43You know
00:39:45Both players can be good for both teams years to come
00:39:50we'll look back in four five six years and
00:39:54Decide what players that we drafted worked out for us and and other teams as well
00:40:01And and and so I don't think today
00:40:05You and I can can draw a statement of how either one of these careers will go. I understand the question, but
00:40:12We're always gonna make moves about the Buffalo Bills just like they're always gonna make moves about the Kansas City Chiefs
00:40:19So you when you make a decision to trade with them or trade with someone else?
00:40:25It's about what's best for the Buffalo Bills and again
00:40:28I'm sure they made that move to what they thought was in the best interest of the Chiefs
00:40:40Yeah, I mean we'll we'll have conversations with with a lot of our guys I don't want to get into
00:40:47individual cases but
00:40:49Some of the guys that you mentioned potentially other guys that are already gonna be free agents, you know before March sometimes
00:40:57Those guys that you want back that are gonna be UFAs. Sometimes you got to attack those first
00:41:03because
00:41:05As we know once you get to the combine you start hearing rumors of guys hitting free agency, even though it's
00:41:13Technically not legal at that point
00:41:15So, you know, that's that's part of where we're at here Ryan is when you play this late in the season, it's almost February
00:41:24It condenses the time to get to all these decisions
00:41:27I mean we got college scouts coming in next week to start preparing for the combine and and so
00:41:33We'll look at everything
00:41:34I don't want to go into each individual who we would try and extend now and you guys know we do a lot of
00:41:42extensions like that
00:41:43later in the year as well, so I
00:41:47think once we get through
00:41:49the next few weeks and
00:41:51And even closer to the draft that stuff will kind of start to come to fruition
00:41:56How our cap dollars are spent and how we can shape contracts for guys that we would want to extend
00:42:03Allen be included in that the quarterback market has sort of been reset since you signed him and
00:42:07That would be one potential avenue of opening up some cap space for an extension for Josh. Is that something that's on the table?
00:42:14Yeah, Jamie
00:42:16Love Josh and so proud of what he's done. And so
00:42:21You know, I could be here all day talking about
00:42:24You know how great he is and what he's done for our team and where he belongs in the pecking order
00:42:31Of all that stuff. It's one of those things. He and I have a great relationship
00:42:35We talk a lot
00:42:38When the dust settles, you know
00:42:41before we're ever really talking to his agent or he's or his agents calling me like Josh and I will have those conversations about
00:42:49holistically about the team things like that and
00:42:53I'm not saying it will happen. I'm not saying it won't happen
00:42:56You know, I don't really want to go into that and I really can't tell you at this point
00:43:00We haven't we haven't even approached that it's just this
00:43:04Season-ending loss. He doesn't even want to talk about it
00:43:06He's you know, you I don't know if you guys talked to him after I mean Monday, but he was dejected
00:43:12like all of us and so there will be a time and place and
00:43:16Not saying we will but not ruling it out either
00:43:27Oh, man
00:43:28The Mars got one of the greatest stories ever. I mean, I think we can all agree that right?
00:43:34I'm
00:43:36For him, you know, we we signed a couple of guys in the offseason. We draft Cole Bishop
00:43:44You know, we lose Mike and Jordan but
00:43:48DeMar coming off of without rehashing his whole story, you know to come in here. I think when
00:43:55In the spring as we signed people people were wondering is DeMar gonna make the team is what's his role is, you know?
00:44:01And then he goes out and earns starting job
00:44:04He not only earned it to start the season, but he kept it all year long when healthy. And so
00:44:10I think he really
00:44:13I
00:44:14Think him even impressed himself like what he did
00:44:17I mean when you just sit back and think of what he did but so proud of him like what he's been through to
00:44:24How he helped our team and our defense this season and so yeah
00:44:29You hate the business part of it that you're already up on
00:44:33Him being a UFA. It you know, it seems like yesterday. We were going through his medical stuff, but
00:44:39Yeah, the business part will handle that but I would just say I'm super proud of him
00:44:45There's no bigger fan than me of DeMar Hamlin
00:44:48When it comes to Vaughn Miller's numbers and just where he fits on the cap and what his use is
00:44:56now
00:44:57How do you see that working out? He wants to be back, but I'm not sure
00:45:03Yeah, I mean we're gonna have to look at you know, like a lot of guys not just Vaughn but we're gonna have to look
00:45:08at
00:45:10again
00:45:11Can you tell me what the caps gonna be? And and then you know, I think
00:45:16You know, I want to give Vaughn credit for what he did last season he did
00:45:21An uncharacteristic thing a
00:45:24Selfless thing to be about the team. I mean he took less money than what he was guaranteed
00:45:32How many people that you guys know you cover this business that's willing to do that
00:45:36that's that's the sacrifice this guy wanted to be a part of this team wanted to stay here and help this team win a
00:45:42championship and
00:45:44that says everything, you know, you need to know about Vaughn Miller and
00:45:49So again, I don't I don't have anything I can give you any clarity on today
00:45:55About him. We got a lot of things to look at but I'm appreciative of Vaughn. I know
00:46:01You know, we didn't get three full years of healthy Vaughn
00:46:04But I do want to say to as well Vaughn did he brought things a championship mentality?
00:46:10You always want guys around that have know what it looks like to tell guys what
00:46:15championship teams look like felt like the things they did and so
00:46:21beyond his
00:46:22production on the field
00:46:25He did a lot of things in our locker room behind the scenes one-on-one with young guys
00:46:31like Javon Solomon and guys like that, so
00:46:35Very appreciative of what he did to this point and then we'll handle the business side if if we think
00:46:43You know, there's a way to get him back for year four
00:46:46Here to come in you mentioned not having Benford in that game
00:46:50But for Elam and as a whole this season to be inactive for the chunk of the season that he was
00:46:55Like where do you think stand with him?
00:46:57And and how do you view him?
00:46:59Moving into moving into this offseason as a former first-round pick that most weeks just wasn't available for you guys
00:47:04Yeah, I mean the the special teams piece hurts, you know from that standpoint
00:47:09I think you know, I would say Jim Marcus was a more valuable asset on on special teams
00:47:14So when you get numbers once you had once you decided that your starters were Christian and Rasul
00:47:22You know Jim Marcus was playing a lot of roles was playing a
00:47:26Backup nickel role at times with Cam Lewis
00:47:28So you only can put up so many guys and and I know that was frustrating for Kaier, you know
00:47:33I think there's been a lot of you know frustration there, you know for him and he's been a pro he's handled it. Well
00:47:40It's definitely not how he envisioned it the day we drafted him or we envisioned it
00:47:46You know things happen life happens
00:47:49These are people you draft and and I think he could have handled things a lot worse
00:47:55He's such a team you guys talk to him. He he keeps his head up the best he can
00:48:01You know tough spot to go in when you haven't played as much, you know
00:48:05You you always wonder where was their confidence level, you know
00:48:08Cuz like anything you stand over a golf ball and hasn't gone. Well, you haven't played you haven't had good shots
00:48:14What's your confidence level? And so I you know, I use the golf analogies like
00:48:19But I can tell you the guy prepares
00:48:22like he's starting every single week, even when he knows he's gonna be inactive and that's that's hard and that's a testament to
00:48:29you know what a pro he is, but
00:48:31Finished year three. I'm sure he's gonna recharge and and
00:48:36You know prepare himself for year four
00:48:45This team was
00:48:48Listen we've had a lot of close units
00:48:50And you know, we've had a lot of really good teams strong teams
00:48:56This team was as close as you could ask for
00:49:00It it did remind me a little bit of some of the really strong teams. We had in Carolina like that you just guys
00:49:09Wanting to hang out here and play chess or whatever in the locker room or whatever games they would play or
00:49:17Now the quarterbacks playing Catan and then guys
00:49:20Going over to whether it's Josh's house or somebody else's house to hang out or you know guys showing up at other guys
00:49:27community community events, I don't really
00:49:30recall that every year maybe it happened some but
00:49:34You know, that's the hard part when you when you walk in the locker room
00:49:38It's that abrupt end and you see tears on guys eyes that you you had no idea
00:49:46That it meant that much to him. And so I
00:49:49Would say this group. I'm not sure
00:49:53I'm not sure. We've had a tighter group than this group maybe as tight but
00:49:59that's what makes it so painful is there's no easy ending unless you're holding that trophy up Maddie and and
00:50:07It's just a it's a kick in the face when it ends like that
00:50:11Ever
00:50:12Thought that Micah was gonna play
00:50:15I mean, I know he's saying like he's done and he was gonna be done this year and how that worked out
00:50:21Yeah, we
00:50:23Listen when we brought Micah back, I mean
00:50:27Who better than Micah Hyde to have in your building? I mean you want to talk about the most positive guy team first selfless
00:50:35And so I knew the question was coming, you know, you guys even asked it and maybe a camp
00:50:40When there was uncertainty at safety, we had the injuries
00:50:43the Cole and Mike Edwards and I was like, all right, it's a time to
00:50:47Pull the Micah switch and get him back
00:50:50But we wanted to let it play out see what we had and then we got into a rhythm
00:50:57but Micah was always kind of like just sitting right here like
00:51:01And so I didn't want to be calling him him calling me because I didn't really have a clear answer
00:51:06But as we were approaching the by, you know
00:51:09I just called him and asked him what he was doing and we laughed and talked for a minute and you know
00:51:14He's like, I'm watching TV screaming at TV every week. Like those boys are doing it, you know, just and so
00:51:20I said, you know, obviously Sean I talked a little bit about what it could be. But I just said Micah
00:51:25what about you just coming in here being on practice squad and
00:51:30Just pour into the group
00:51:33Everything be, you know, you know what we expect, you know what our locker room is
00:51:39Everyone would welcome him with open arms
00:51:40I mean
00:51:41it was to see the smiles on the faces when when he came back in here and
00:51:46When you you know
00:51:47The other part of that when you draft a guy like Cole Bishop who had the injury
00:51:51the Houston game got beat on the deep ball and like
00:51:56Just how do we help him grow him give him a different perspective?
00:52:00Obviously, you know coach Dana and those guys and Bobby Babich are working with him
00:52:06But there is a perspective of a guy who's done it on the field playing at the level that Mike has done it
00:52:12so to give you know pour into Cole what he sees and so
00:52:17Like I talked about with Vaughn even though Vaughn was playing
00:52:21Micah was all-in like pouring into Cole and Demar too and those other guys that era had relationships with but
00:52:27I'm hopeful that we'll see that that benefit
00:52:30You know with Cole going forward
00:52:33Did we ever say he would 100% not play?
00:52:36No, but it was kind of never our plan to do that unless we just ran out of people
00:52:50Yeah, I mean we'll we definitely that's one of the positions we'll we'll look at and
00:52:56And evaluate, you know as we talked about areas on defense that we need to look at so
00:53:02yes, we'll evaluate that and we got a lot of work to do of
00:53:08Where we need to allocate resources
00:53:11Whether it's extending guys
00:53:15Signing a free agent or
00:53:17Draft allocation and and that is one of the areas we would you know, we would look at
00:53:22On the offensive lines performance this year and how that pertains going into this offseason
00:53:30Yeah, I mean the o-line was you know those guys what chrome and
00:53:39Austin gunned and and that group did was was impressive, you know, I was
00:53:46You always hope you know, first off that the group's gonna stay healthy because that
00:53:51that unit they need that continuity that communication piece Tim and
00:53:57Those guys played well, I mean I
00:54:00Think we were the first team that rushed for 30 touchdowns or over 30 and through for it
00:54:06That starts with those guys up front and to be able
00:54:10You know, you look around the league and you see as you evaluate Oh lines and players
00:54:15This guy's really good and pass pro
00:54:18Not a great run blocker or vice versa or this unit this unit man
00:54:23They give up some sacks, but if you if they get ahead of you, they can road grade you
00:54:29The thing this old line had and and and should have going forward
00:54:34is
00:54:36They showed they could run run the ball when they needed to four minute offense
00:54:40Games that we needed to keep the you know
00:54:43Control the ball keep the other quarterback off the field or if we got down
00:54:47It's a track meet the Detroit game the Rams game some of these games where we got to air it out
00:54:52And those defenses were pinning their ears back those guys held up
00:54:58really well, so
00:55:00I was very impressed with that group, you know, I was proud that
00:55:05Dion got acknowledged for the Pro Bowl, you know, I felt like we got some snubs
00:55:10I'm glad Conor gets to go as an alternate, but I felt that group as a whole. I
00:55:15Thought they'd get some more recognition than they did
00:55:20Philosophy, but yeah, you're gonna walk out of that room and that's gonna be your 24-7 for the next year in months
00:55:25Whatever. Can you describe that the unique challenge of being in that seat?
00:55:29And attempting that when the door went under being the best dynasty in the history of the sport
00:55:35All right, rephrase that so I know I'm answering it, right?
00:55:42For you though, you're in the seat you're living that every day. Yeah, what is that unique challenge like?
00:55:47This is not a normal GM assignment
00:55:49You know, this is you don't get this close a lot with the type of team that is in the way
00:55:54What is it like for you day to day to have to live and work through this?
00:55:57Yeah
00:55:59You know you
00:56:01That I'm wired I just I fuss at myself for areas that I think I I could have done better and
00:56:11Always evaluating, you know
00:56:15gosh, if we had just maybe we should have looked there, maybe we should have done that and
00:56:21Some of it you don't know all the answers till it plays out
00:56:24You know, maybe you you were trying to get a player and it was down to you and another team and they chose another team
00:56:30You're like man that might have been that might have been a move. So
00:56:35That's where I'm that's where I'm at. You know, I just look at its again. I'll go back to the golf analogy
00:56:41I don't think about the birdies. I think about the stupid double bogeys I made to cost me from
00:56:46shooting a good round and so
00:56:49I'm gonna focus on
00:56:52You know and that's that's just the way I'm wired like
00:56:56Where can I be better? Where can we be be better as a staff?
00:56:59Where can we be better as an organization and it it's not one thing. It's not one area, but you just trying to
00:57:07incrementally
00:57:09Do things just a little bit better every year because as we said earlier comes down to sometimes one play two plays three plays
00:57:16We're not missing from a wide gap
00:57:19but
00:57:20We do know we do
00:57:22Still need to find a way to make that play. And so what can I do to do that?
00:57:28I'm not looking anywhere else, but the man in the mirror
00:57:38Yeah, I mean I thought
00:57:40Ed probably started a little slower than he you know, he last year
00:57:45Got some good production numbers did a good job
00:57:48Once he got into a rhythm, I thought he played really well and played well down the stretch
00:57:53I just think it took him a little time to his stride
00:57:58As a group we changed some parts in and out of there. We brought some vets in late
00:58:04Daquan's been here now three years and I think as a group it was it was it was good
00:58:12At times really good
00:58:14Sometimes you probably would like like better
00:58:17I mean another guy that it was the year of the wrist another guy that suffered an injury was Dwayne Carter and
00:58:25He was really doing some good things before that injury had a big fourth down stop against the Titans
00:58:30when that game was still in the balance and he was really starting to
00:58:35you know ascend as that guy right behind Ed and DQ and
00:58:41Never really got him back on track, but I know he's he's determined, you know, like Keon to come back strong. So
00:58:48We went with a lot of different parts a Q Jefferson came in late trying to have a guy that you know as a rush
00:58:54guy Jordan Phillips
00:58:57You know, we all know Jordan's story
00:58:59When he puts that Bills helmet on we get the best out of him. It's fun to see him
00:59:04He's that guy's grown so much and again another guy that poured into the group
00:59:09and then
00:59:10We needed a big stop there and he made a big play for us to hold them to three
00:59:16So I like anything Joe, I think there was some good things
00:59:20And then some things that you say man, I wish that was a little bit better
00:59:26This season Josh had specifically in terms of taking care of the football and
00:59:30Even relative to the turnover issues. He had as recently as last year
00:59:35Evolution
00:59:39Yeah, I mean Sean's biggest message every week one is taught me is to protect the ball, you know
00:59:45It's probably a lot of teams, but I thought Josh went above and beyond
00:59:52Being overly intentional with protecting the ball without like playing scared or playing overly safe
00:59:59you know, he's still he still played like an MVP and
01:00:04a
01:00:05credit to him of
01:00:07I'm gonna really be very mindful and he's still gonna make some some throws here or there. That's that's Josh
01:00:14you're not gonna take that out of him, but
01:00:16Even you know the fumbles and I don't know what where those numbers ended up compared to years, but I'm gonna guess they were down
01:00:23But to have eight turnovers as a team and and I think he was the only guy that had a turnover
01:00:29I don't think anyone else lost a ball which is
01:00:32Unique as well
01:00:35I'm not sure you can count on that every year to have
01:00:38single-digit turnovers and and wherever we our margin was like plus 27 maybe but
01:00:43I
01:00:44thought that was part of
01:00:46The thing that was when people were you know, who's the MVP?
01:00:51yeah, yeah, and you know, we'll find out next week, but
01:00:55people were not talking about that enough of
01:00:58How much he took care of the ball yet our offense was still we still scored over 30 points
01:01:05He didn't take care of the ball and we turned into a run team throw the ball
01:01:09You know 15 times a game like we're still scoring points
01:01:16Yeah, I think
01:01:17You one of you guys asked me like is at one point like is Sean more relaxed to see that like I I do
01:01:24Think you know, he he found a groove with
01:01:29you know, he has a leadership council of kind of pouring into those guys what he needs and
01:01:35You know letting some of those guys lead in their own way where maybe he didn't have to feel like I've got to be here
01:01:41Here here and there and I do think you know
01:01:45You know the year before he had took over the defense
01:01:48So hard to do all that and and where the head coach hat
01:01:53I think it allowed him to to stretch himself, but
01:01:57No, I think I think he
01:02:01You know a lot of it it is about X's and O's right it is but it's also how do you
01:02:06How do you free your team so these guys can play loose fast?
01:02:13Yet protect the ball
01:02:15and make the other team turn the ball over and and
01:02:18I thought
01:02:19You know, you saw the vibe with him and our team and like I said
01:02:24I think our team was very close this year and I think he helped create that
01:02:30Segment despite all the success and you spoke to it earlier in the press conference
01:02:34Like I think a lot of people would take the success that you guys have had as a regime
01:02:38There's been some national noise about well Sean can never get over the hump. So maybe the bill should just move on
01:02:43How do you view that as one of the leaders in the organization and the job that Sean's done overall but then in this season?
01:02:49Yeah, I mean I would say it's unfair to pin that on one person a lot of people say Josh Allen
01:02:57can't beat Patrick Mahomes and you know, and I can give you reasons why he did like it's
01:03:02I think it's unfair to pin that on Sean McDermott. It's unfair fair to pin that on just Josh Allen
01:03:09the Buffalo Bills
01:03:12Lost, you know this year to the Kansas City Chiefs the last year the year before to the Bengals whatever, you know
01:03:19Whatever those were and so we as an organization
01:03:23Again
01:03:25Blame me like there's things I could have done better
01:03:29to help Josh Allen more or to help Sean McDermott more and I
01:03:36Just I don't know how to explain any further Matt like, you know, we won
01:03:43Their 14 getting or 13 games we could have won 14 we said our people the last game like and I said
01:03:49Since 2020 we've won a lot of games. I
01:03:54Don't think there's like magic pixie dust
01:03:57You're gonna pour on a coach and he's just gonna walk in here and change that
01:04:02You know, I think as as a group as an organization again, I'll start with myself
01:04:08There's things I could have done that would maybe maybe there's things if I did better
01:04:14That would have made the play, you know, maybe if I would have
01:04:18Signed a different person draft a different person
01:04:23Traded a different like there's so many different things that I go through. I
01:04:27Think you just got to ignore that noise. There's always gonna be noise if you don't if you don't hold the trophy up
01:04:33You know if we'd have lost to the Ravens if whatever happens Mark Andrews catches that ball and
01:04:40Somehow it gets to overtime and and they win the game
01:04:44That would be the narrative like we got out coached in that game
01:04:46You know what I'm saying?
01:04:47Like if you don't win the game, they're gonna say they out executed you and out coached you
01:04:52But no one said last week because we won by two points. No one was saying
01:04:58We got out anything and I didn't read their narrative
01:05:01But if you don't win the championship if you come up short like we did and like we have
01:05:09That's what people are gonna say. Can you guys win the big one?
01:05:12We just have to keep kicking the door down
01:05:16And understanding that noise how difficult is it or does it just take time to remove yourself from those emotions to objectively
01:05:25Evaluate your team for the next season. Is it just time or is it just
01:05:31Process that that emotion. Yeah
01:05:34You know, I can tell you right now. I still have emotion. You can hear it my voice a little bit
01:05:40so it'd be unfair for me to make any
01:05:45big time decisions right now and that's why as you guys have asked about players or
01:05:51You know, they're coming back or free agents like it's still too raw it's still too emotional
01:05:57I'm gonna work through the things with our staff that we need to work through areas with that will lead to decisions
01:06:05but I
01:06:07Don't think it would be responsible for me right now this week to do that, but they're coming
01:06:13we know we have we have a window of time and
01:06:17We'll get there I just I got to get through the emotion of it I
01:06:23Don't know how to play
01:06:29Benford is
01:06:30You know, he's in the protocol so I can't say too much but he came up to my office yesterday smile on his face
01:06:39So all good, but he's still in protocol
01:06:42Did Josh break his break his hand, no
01:06:51So throw up to mention Kincaid, but what about the Titans in general and also
01:07:02I thought the tight ends
01:07:04You know, I thought Dawson. I don't know what Dawson statistics were might not have been
01:07:09Statistically like we were talking about Amari's his individual stats, but as a complete tight end
01:07:15I thought Dawson had his most consistent year and when we talk about selfless
01:07:22I'm not sure. There's a more selfless guy than Dawson Knox you draft Dalton Kincaid
01:07:27There's all this hype that Dalton's gonna do this and what's your role?
01:07:32That guy comes in here every day. He puts his arm around Dalton roots for him like
01:07:39pros pro as
01:07:41selfless as you can get
01:07:43You need as many guys like Dawson Knox as you can to win a championship
01:07:48Those are the types of players even if their stats aren't what Kelsey's and some of these, you know guys are
01:07:56He does so much for our team
01:07:59That you guys don't even see
01:08:01The man he is the leader he is so
01:08:04we are lucky just
01:08:07He is not gonna give a speech to the whole team, but he's gonna pull guys to the side he's
01:08:14He's never if we lose a game or it's emotionally like he is like this. He is a rock
01:08:22people go to Dawson Knox people believe in Dawson Knox and
01:08:26He is what is good the many good things about the Buffalo Bills
01:08:30What was your other question Tyler bass?
01:08:33T bass
01:08:34Yeah, I know a lot of calls for changes there and things like that
01:08:39major credit to Tyler
01:08:43For battling through that you're kind of on an island as a kicker, you know
01:08:48If you're a tight end, you got a room guys to rely on
01:08:51he's out there on an island everyone's watching him in the stadium or on the TV and
01:08:57What were his numbers in the postseason I know it was perfect
01:09:00To 13 for 13
01:09:04You know, no one's talking about him because he didn't miss now
01:09:07We know if he'd have missed that would have been you know a year ago at this time
01:09:11you know people were donating to his foundation because people were so mad at him and
01:09:17so I give him a lot of credit that's not easy to do and
01:09:21I'm happy for where he's headed
01:09:23As good risk wise you mentioned earlier that don't make me I wouldn't need surgery
01:09:28Is there anyone who does need offseason procedures that you need medically? There are some guys that are getting things
01:09:33Looked at I wouldn't want to say yet
01:09:36Who's definitely doing it? We met with?
01:09:40Nate bretsky and his staff yesterday and kind of as we were going through some of the personnel of
01:09:45What guys are doing so guys are getting scans or getting things sent off for second opinions
01:09:49I do think we're gonna have you know
01:09:52You know a handful or whatever, but we'll rehab them nothing
01:09:56Nothing as I sit here today that I think would impact training camp, which is the most poor
01:10:00But you may have some guys in red jerseys in the spring
01:10:04You know wherever their participation level would be allowed in there in the rehab process
01:10:14I thought Joe did a really good job
01:10:17and I again
01:10:19He he's got that hat on his desk that says everybody eats you see when you walk in there
01:10:23I think he really he and Josh really spread that motto and I think it was contagious. I think it
01:10:30Guys still want the ball. I mean, there's still conversations guys make man. I can do more coach
01:10:34It's natural and you want that you don't want guys that are like, you know
01:10:39I'm fine. Just running around or not getting the ball
01:10:43but again, I'll go back to
01:10:46We average over 30 points a game
01:10:49that stat about
01:10:50Rushing for 30 and I mean the balance and we won games in different ways
01:10:57I think that shows the strength of a unit of how you win in different ways
01:11:03And and I think I think Joe really
01:11:07Embraced hey this week. We just need to run the ball
01:11:11Hey this week
01:11:13We're gonna let Josh air it out
01:11:15Hey this week we're gonna get a matchup of gets Detroit against Ty Johnson in some big moments and
01:11:21We're gonna exploit it. So I think that's
01:11:24you know, he never went in trying to force feed the ball him or Josh to a certain place or
01:11:30Only run the ball only throw the ball. I loved our balance and a credit to him and his staff
01:11:34Or is it talent's talent we got a Super Bowl window
01:11:38Let's give this player whether it's free agency a trade
01:11:42Yeah, Tyler. We've always
01:11:44Tried to really pay attention to the character. The talent is the talent and you know, the Senior Bowl is going on right now
01:11:50I would usually be there. It's a good problem to have but
01:11:54Not being there, but I do miss that and I do miss being on the field
01:11:58I do miss being on the field and I do miss being on the field and I do miss being on the field
01:12:03Not being there, but I do miss that because I really it's the first time I can start talking to these guys
01:12:10We're always gonna dig into that because every team you build I truly believe it's a it's a chemistry experiment and
01:12:19if
01:12:20It's not always the most talented team. It's not it's the best team and that comes with unity and tightness and
01:12:28Trust and communication and love for one another and this team had that and so
01:12:34We want as many talented players as we can have but not at the expense of taking away from the team
01:12:42Once again, Brian Gaten Terrence Craig we interviewed for jobs every year this comes up
01:12:46I know they're great for your organization as a guy who's been through all that
01:12:49Yeah, what is it like for you to have those conversations with them? They have a career, but they also have a great situation here
01:12:56How do you go about it with your conversations with them? Yeah, I mean we talked about each situation, you know
01:13:00These guys both we talked about where they're interviewing and we do this with other other people in in different departments in Irving
01:13:07but what
01:13:09What are the pros of it? What are the negatives of it?
01:13:13and then
01:13:15who they're gonna be interviewing with we just talked about the whole thing and
01:13:19Kind of you know, what what's their approach gonna be?
01:13:22And you know, these guys will usually bounce some ideas off off of me. I'll give them my two cents and
01:13:28Tell them to you know, tell anyone there like give me a call
01:13:32I'll be glad to you know, and usually I do get a call here there
01:13:36But no you you never want to lose talented people like that just like players or coaches, whatever
01:13:42But these are also friends of mine through that you become you work together that you become friends
01:13:47you spend more time with them than you do your family sometimes and so
01:13:51Just you know
01:13:53most people at their level want to sit in this seat that I'm sitting in and have that opportunity and so
01:14:00You want that for them at the same time, you know, I hated you know to lose Dan Morgan and Joe Shane
01:14:06Those are still very good friends and you miss them on a daily basis, but you root for their success
01:14:13except when we play them so
01:14:16Yes, but it's hard to when you when you go interview for those jobs
01:14:20And you don't get them like, you know, hey, it's alright, man
01:14:24Like you're gonna get another chance like people forget about that. That's when you're in
01:14:29I I interviewed for a job in San Francisco. I didn't get it. You kind of have to
01:14:33Man, that sucks and then recalibrate. Alright, I'm back working for the Carolina Panthers and in their case
01:14:39they're back working for the Buffalo Bills, so
01:14:42you know excited when they get the opportunity, but
01:14:45Selfishly to I'm still glad we got them. They'll help us