1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:04,160 Speaker 1: Joining me now is Zack Banner, and congratulations on the 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: new deal. Zach Uh. First of all, just take me 3 00:00:06,880 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: through with the free agency process was like for you 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: and how easy or heart of a decision it was 5 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: to stay with the Steelers. Yeah, thank you guys so much. UM. 6 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,119 Speaker 1: It was. It was definitely one of those things that 7 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: I was very excited to talk about, the possible comeback 8 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,760 Speaker 1: of coming back to the Steelers and the timing of 9 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:28,960 Speaker 1: not only my rehab from my injury and stuff like that. 10 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,920 Speaker 1: I actually had a couple of weeks before signing and 11 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: a couple of weeks before free agency started. I had 12 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 1: spent like three weeks out in l a Um one 13 00:00:38,440 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: to get a second opinion for my knee, UM, which 14 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: is going fantastic UM, and to just to kind of 15 00:00:44,760 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: just because I've been here this entire time, UM, even 16 00:00:48,040 --> 00:00:50,120 Speaker 1: through quarantine. The last time I was on the plane 17 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: was actually coming back from l a um last February. 18 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,720 Speaker 1: So it was it felt very good to get back 19 00:00:56,760 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: to the West coast and things like that. Would also 20 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 1: be around family and friends, but also quiet the noise, 21 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:05,959 Speaker 1: because um, it's a blessing in disguise to have other 22 00:01:06,040 --> 00:01:11,080 Speaker 1: teams reach out and and you know, basically want to 23 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: sign me. But at the same time, it was there 24 00:01:14,319 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: was a lot of mental pressure on me in terms 25 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:19,920 Speaker 1: of man like this might be real, Like I might 26 00:01:19,959 --> 00:01:22,479 Speaker 1: be living leaving Pittsburgh and that's not something I wanted 27 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:24,840 Speaker 1: to do. And I was just grateful that we got 28 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: it done. Um Colburton coach Thomlin told me to fly 29 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:31,840 Speaker 1: back and um to get this done and we did so. 30 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: In all it was, it was a blessing. But I'm 31 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 1: glad it's over and I just want to kind of 32 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,720 Speaker 1: move on from that. Alright, so the deal is done, 33 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: you can kind of focus on the rehabbing. Like you said, 34 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: can you tell us it looks like you're in a 35 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 1: hotel room right now where you are, what you're up to, 36 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: and just how the body's feeling and the rehab is going. Yeah, 37 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: I am actually in a hotel room. This is actually 38 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,920 Speaker 1: just a kind of a little vacation trip getting some 39 00:01:55,960 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: tattoos done to um out here, some ink, some new 40 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: ink consult Lake. But um, I plan on being back 41 00:02:02,680 --> 00:02:05,200 Speaker 1: in Pittsburgh for the rest of this entire offseason until 42 00:02:05,200 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: we get going to Camp UM to kind of finish 43 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 1: out these last couple of months in my rehab. Everything 44 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: is above and beyond that second opinion on the West Coast, 45 00:02:14,160 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: Um had said, you know, when he felt my knee, 46 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:18,720 Speaker 1: he said, dude, this doesn't feel like a six monthly. 47 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,200 Speaker 1: This feels like a nine monthly. And that's great and all. 48 00:02:22,520 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: But at the same time, UM, you know, coach and 49 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,360 Speaker 1: Mr Colbert and Mr Ruining, everybody and Wig, they just 50 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:31,960 Speaker 1: want me to make sure I'm doing the right things 51 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,560 Speaker 1: and put a little bit more time into it, let 52 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,520 Speaker 1: the let the knee mature a little bit more. But um, 53 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: rehabs gone great. Um. I started running about a month ago. Uh. 54 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: And to be able to do everything in the house 55 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: and work with the same people that I've been able to, 56 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: you know, make this rehab go spectacular. Um, it's very 57 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 1: very exciting. Does it feel like this process from the 58 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:56,840 Speaker 1: injury to this point has taken forever or has it 59 00:02:56,960 --> 00:03:00,360 Speaker 1: gone maybe a little bit faster than you anticipated it 60 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,120 Speaker 1: did during the season. For sure, it took forever during 61 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,320 Speaker 1: the season. Um, as you guys know, you know, Mondays 62 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 1: after a game looks like one thing. Tuesdays after a 63 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: game are usually are off day. But we're in the 64 00:03:12,639 --> 00:03:17,959 Speaker 1: facility Wednesday and so on. Um, every day. I'm used 65 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: to doing stuff with the team at a different schedule. 66 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 1: It wasn't like that. I was driving to rehab in 67 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 1: the morning, you know, kick and tail for a couple 68 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 1: of hours and going home and I see my leg 69 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,720 Speaker 1: like I am now, Um, And that was just dreadful. 70 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: And on top of that, I wasn't able to be 71 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,560 Speaker 1: at the games because I was on I R. And 72 00:03:35,600 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: I know not only Bud and not only Bush, but 73 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,120 Speaker 1: all three of us were you know, just miserable. But 74 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:43,520 Speaker 1: now that we're in the off season, and especially since 75 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: you know I'm six months plus out, um, it's actually 76 00:03:47,080 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: moving a lot faster. And and now that I'm able 77 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: to run and do more things, it's very exciting. Um. 78 00:03:52,360 --> 00:03:55,040 Speaker 1: I love to work. If you know anybody around me, UM, 79 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,400 Speaker 1: they'll tell you like I'm at the facility all the time. 80 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 1: And that's just the kind of guy that I am. 81 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,280 Speaker 1: I like to be able to get my cardio, my running, 82 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: my lifting, UM, my recovery after everything I need to do, 83 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: um to be able to succeed. So I'm just I'm 84 00:04:08,560 --> 00:04:11,480 Speaker 1: happy to be back. You mentioned being able to run 85 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,200 Speaker 1: a little bit. What's the next milestone, the next hurdle 86 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:16,839 Speaker 1: that you want to cross in your rehab process. Yeah, 87 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: a lot of stuff right now is straight ahead UM 88 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: to protect the m C L because I had an 89 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: A c L and an m c L UM. So 90 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,360 Speaker 1: that at a certain point in the near future a week, 91 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 1: couple of weeks. I'll find out when I get back 92 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:33,800 Speaker 1: this weekend. But we're gonna start doing cutting and lateral 93 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 1: movements and position work and things like that and really 94 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: really pick up the heavy running UM the straight ahead running. 95 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,000 Speaker 1: And so that's gonna not only help me get in 96 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,120 Speaker 1: back and conditioning for the season, but like I said, 97 00:04:46,160 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: it's it's it's a mental release for me, like when 98 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: I'm not able to do certain things, and I know 99 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: that's how everybody's routine is, you know, like whatever is 100 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:57,240 Speaker 1: part of your routine, when that's altered because of an injury, UM, 101 00:04:57,240 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 1: and you're miserable. So just my sp are being picked 102 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,039 Speaker 1: up more and more each day. So just so I 103 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:06,680 Speaker 1: understand correctly, you feel like by training camp full go, 104 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 1: you're you're all in all right. What were the conversations 105 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 1: like with coach toml and Kevin Colbert Arn't Rooney in 106 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,120 Speaker 1: terms of what they're anticipating from you and expecting from 107 00:05:18,120 --> 00:05:21,839 Speaker 1: you this upcoming season. I'm one of sixty four tackles 108 00:05:21,839 --> 00:05:24,080 Speaker 1: in the league, and that's one of sixty four starting 109 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: tackles in the league. UM, that's exciting. That's obviously not 110 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:31,600 Speaker 1: only in person conversation, but it's on paper, and it's 111 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:34,160 Speaker 1: an opportunity of in a lifetime that that not only 112 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: have I been working for my entire career, but my 113 00:05:36,480 --> 00:05:40,120 Speaker 1: entire life. UM. It's also a lot of mental pressure 114 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 1: if you take it that way, but if you also 115 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:45,159 Speaker 1: just treat it like every other offseason that I've had 116 00:05:45,160 --> 00:05:47,760 Speaker 1: so far, and make progress and focus on what you 117 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: can focus on day by day, set those little mini 118 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,000 Speaker 1: goals like you said, and step up and play you 119 00:05:54,040 --> 00:05:58,200 Speaker 1: know what I mean? Left or right? I can't talk 120 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: about the depth chart, you know that, right? All right, 121 00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: let's just talk about the transformation of this offensive line. 122 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: Of course, Marquees Pouncy retired, UM doing new things in 123 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 1: his next chapter in life? What is it like not 124 00:06:14,240 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 1: knowing exactly who your unit is going to be? At 125 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,680 Speaker 1: this point? I think the best thing we can do 126 00:06:19,880 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 1: is focused while we're away um from each other right now, 127 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 1: until we get into o t as focus on each 128 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,240 Speaker 1: other's conditioning, our individual's conditioning. UM, you know, work in 129 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:31,920 Speaker 1: our tail off like that. That can't change, and that 130 00:06:31,960 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: won't change. UM. I remember not only you know, when 131 00:06:35,720 --> 00:06:37,880 Speaker 1: when when one pounds had left, you know, he kept 132 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 1: he said the thing that we always here at the 133 00:06:39,760 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: facility to keep the standard of the standard, you know. 134 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 1: And that's something that we have to do, not only 135 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: myself as a midyear vet, but also other guys with 136 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,480 Speaker 1: experience on the offensive line. This is a unit thing. 137 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:53,680 Speaker 1: This is never an individual thing. So how do we 138 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: do that. We take care of the individual part right now, 139 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 1: and when we get together, we really have to attack it, 140 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,479 Speaker 1: whether it's virtual lower in person, but attack it better 141 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: than ever. And and we have to realize that we 142 00:07:04,640 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: have to step up from what we did last year. 143 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,400 Speaker 1: Obviously how we finish is not what we wanted, but 144 00:07:09,520 --> 00:07:12,120 Speaker 1: how we performed as an offensive unit, UM in an 145 00:07:12,120 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: offensive line, UM is not where we wanted at all. 146 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:17,760 Speaker 1: So we need to pick that up. And I'm more 147 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 1: excited to get back working with Clem, Chris and everybody. 148 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:23,160 Speaker 1: When we get back. I was gonna say, you know, 149 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:26,680 Speaker 1: Coach Clem, obviously he was promoted. What has he done 150 00:07:26,720 --> 00:07:29,240 Speaker 1: for young guys or even someone like yourself who want 151 00:07:29,280 --> 00:07:33,840 Speaker 1: a starting job last year, Yeah, my personal development. Um obviously, 152 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: you know a lot of people tell me, you know 153 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: what you have to take personal credit, but my personal 154 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:42,320 Speaker 1: development when it comes during the time during practice because 155 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,840 Speaker 1: he is the assistant. People don't understand that the head 156 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 1: offensive line coach has a lot of scheme and a 157 00:07:47,120 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 1: lot of film and a lot of things that break 158 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: down during the week the x as and os and 159 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: then controls the entire unit right and how we operate 160 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:56,600 Speaker 1: during practice. But that assistant job is very very good 161 00:07:56,600 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: in the developmental role, especially how Clem does it, not 162 00:08:00,400 --> 00:08:03,880 Speaker 1: only myself, but Choos, Kevin Dotson, UM and a lot 163 00:08:03,920 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 1: of the younger guys to um Ore and also too, 164 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: he was developing a lot of the older guys to 165 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: um And in their later parts of their careers. And 166 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: he's just a great coach. There's a reason why he 167 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 1: got hired. So he likes to focus on the finishing 168 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 1: and the technique and just being nasty, you know, not 169 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: to the point where we're getting people hurt or anything 170 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:26,320 Speaker 1: like that, but like you know that Pittsburgh mentality is offensive. 171 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: Lineman that's been here for years and years and years. 172 00:08:29,560 --> 00:08:32,920 Speaker 1: How do we get back to doing that? All right? Lastly, Zach, 173 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: what's one goal you're setting for yourself for two thousand 174 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: and twenty one? Mm hmm To play at a high 175 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:42,199 Speaker 1: level and to be healthy the entire season. If I 176 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: do that, then not only the team will benefit, but 177 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: I will individually anything that comes along the way as 178 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 1: a blessing. All right, I love that. Thanks so much 179 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: for your time. We really appreciate it.