1 00:00:01,880 --> 00:00:02,040 Speaker 1: Out. 2 00:00:05,559 --> 00:00:09,280 Speaker 2: Wow, a lot of people here excited. 3 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 3: I didn't know Foxborough had that kind of draw beautifo 4 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 3: Downtown Foxborough. Well, welcome and good afternoon everyone. It's been 5 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:32,760 Speaker 3: nearly a quarter of a century since we announced a 6 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:37,279 Speaker 3: new head coach, and today I'm happy to welcome you 7 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:43,040 Speaker 3: all here as we introduced the fifteenth head coach of 8 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 3: the New England Patriots, Gerard Mayo. It's an honor to 9 00:00:57,840 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 3: share this announcement with it's family, Sean Tell and they're 10 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 3: beautiful children, Shaia, Gerard Junior, Cheyenne and Shi Low I 11 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:19,399 Speaker 3: get right, jee, Rodd's wonderful mom Denise and stepfather Wilson, 12 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 3: his brother's Doron Derek and Sherman Shaman. 13 00:01:28,360 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 2: I'll get it right. I'll get it right. 14 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,800 Speaker 1: Get right. Well, we'll have to know that all right. 15 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 2: That's one of those black names. I hope you with that. 16 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:45,720 Speaker 3: Stacy told me he he goes right by the book 17 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 3: here and his highly respected grandparents Walter and Rosa. 18 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: I've heard great things about it. 19 00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 3: So I've been running businesses for more than fifty years, 20 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:09,400 Speaker 3: and in my experience, the most successful leadership transitions happen 21 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 3: when we're privileged to develop talent from within, and that 22 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 3: allows us to create a succession plan that allows the 23 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 3: candidate to better prepare for the opportunity when he arrives. 24 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:31,440 Speaker 3: I first met Jarad in two thousand and eight after 25 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 3: we drafted him tenth overall out of the University of Tennessee. 26 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,839 Speaker 3: On that day, we introduce him to the media, and 27 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 3: I remember him immediately coming out to me and saying, 28 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:53,079 Speaker 3: craft and mail they go together pretty well. So sixteen 29 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,079 Speaker 3: years later, sixteen years later, here we are. 30 00:02:58,560 --> 00:02:59,960 Speaker 1: As a rookie linebacker. 31 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 3: He made quite an impact not just on me but 32 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:10,079 Speaker 3: an enemy ball carriers. That year, he started every game 33 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 3: for US with one hundred and thirty nine tackles and 34 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 3: helped us to an eleven to five record and was 35 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:24,760 Speaker 3: named Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year. Now despite 36 00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 3: joining a veteran laden team, he immediately stepped into a 37 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 3: leadership role and was voted a team captain in just 38 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:40,600 Speaker 3: his second year, and that leadership position as captain continued 39 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 3: for the rest of his playing career. 40 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: During his playing days, he. 41 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:49,040 Speaker 3: Was a student of the game who loved to watch 42 00:03:49,120 --> 00:03:54,480 Speaker 3: film and was often described by his coaches and teammates 43 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 3: as another coach. 44 00:03:55,960 --> 00:03:57,120 Speaker 1: On the field. 45 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:02,600 Speaker 3: After he retired during in the twenty fifteen season. He 46 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 3: left football to pursue a successful career in business with 47 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 3: optim and it was no surprise to see him return 48 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,920 Speaker 3: to the Patriots on the coaching staff in twenty nineteen. 49 00:04:19,040 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 3: Football is Girod's true passion, and I believe coaching was 50 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 3: always his destiny. His credentials gone in respect and he 51 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:35,599 Speaker 3: relates beautifully to the players. He has been on the 52 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 3: coaching staff now for five seasons, and each year his 53 00:04:40,839 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 3: role has grown on the defense, which has now been 54 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 3: ranked in the top ten in the league in the 55 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 3: four seasons he has coached them. His dedication, strategic acumen 56 00:04:56,200 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 3: and ability to inspire players have been evident on the field. 57 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:06,039 Speaker 3: Gerard's a man of faith, is a good heart, and 58 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 3: he's often described as a leader of men, something I 59 00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 3: have been proud to witness firsthand. And while I've known 60 00:05:16,080 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 3: Gerard for nearly sixteen years, the week we spent together 61 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 3: in the Holy Land in twenty nineteen really helped strengthen 62 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 3: my convictions about how special Gerard is as a person 63 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:35,480 Speaker 3: and how capable I thought he would be as a 64 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 3: head coach in this league. There have been many moments 65 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 3: in my life that other people couldn't understand, but it 66 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 3: was the right decision for me. I did that when 67 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,960 Speaker 3: I first met Myra. I did that when I first 68 00:05:52,080 --> 00:05:57,400 Speaker 3: met Dana. I had that same conviction when I hired 69 00:05:57,440 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 3: Bill Belitschek, a decision that many question at the time 70 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:09,320 Speaker 3: and told me I was making a major error. I 71 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 3: have done that with business decisions throughout my career and 72 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:23,760 Speaker 3: with Girard. I knew while observing him in Israel he 73 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:27,560 Speaker 3: was the right person to be the net head coach 74 00:06:27,600 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 3: of the New England Patriots, and that decision has only 75 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,640 Speaker 3: strengthened as I've observed him over the last five years. 76 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 3: I've learned to trust my instincts throughout my career, and 77 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 3: I trust that Gerard is the right person to lead 78 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 3: the Patriots back to the championship level contention and long 79 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 3: term success. So is with great excitement and pleasure to 80 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 3: introduce the next Patriots head coach, Gerrod Mayl. 81 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: I appreciate you, Thunder. I call him young Thundercat, you 82 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,920 Speaker 2: know has a young heart. One thing I did learn 83 00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 2: from you today, you know I also have a prepared statement. 84 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,320 Speaker 2: Yours is in like thirty Farm Times, New Roman and 85 00:07:24,360 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 2: I'm in tent, so hey, I'll take that note. I'll 86 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 2: take that note. It's what I think my family first 87 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 2: and foremost. You know, I see a lot of you 88 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 2: guys on the front row, first two rows, and this 89 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 2: has definitely been a dream of mine. 90 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 1: I know. 91 00:07:38,560 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 2: One thing that Thunder talked about was I had always 92 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 2: been a coach in his mind. I would say, I'm 93 00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 2: a huge believer in just developing people, whether it's on 94 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 2: the football field, whether it's off the football field, in 95 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 2: the media world, in business. My calling is to be 96 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 2: a teacher and to develop people and help them see 97 00:07:59,680 --> 00:08:02,440 Speaker 2: pretty much what they don't want to see but they 98 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:06,160 Speaker 2: need to see. So my job has always been that 99 00:08:06,520 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 2: is my calling. Becoming a Patriot, it's never really felt 100 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 2: like a job. When I first got here in two 101 00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 2: thousand and eight, I was the first round draft pick 102 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 2: two thousand and seven. You know, you know the season 103 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,560 Speaker 2: two thousand and seven. Don't worry about that one. But 104 00:08:20,600 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 2: I come into an organization where the culture was established, 105 00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,720 Speaker 2: the people, not only the players, but the people that 106 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:30,360 Speaker 2: worked around the building, and I was like, man, maybe 107 00:08:30,360 --> 00:08:33,480 Speaker 2: I'm the missing piece, right, So maybe I'm the missing piece. 108 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,960 Speaker 2: So I was drafted in two thousand and eight, and 109 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:39,319 Speaker 2: then the first game of the season, first game of 110 00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:42,080 Speaker 2: the season, Tom Brady gets hurt. He's out for the year. 111 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 2: Most people wrote us off that season, but that's when 112 00:08:45,559 --> 00:08:49,320 Speaker 2: I really had an opportunity to see the culture at work. 113 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:54,959 Speaker 2: Many people they look at culture as a retrospective way 114 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:59,440 Speaker 2: of either validating success or you know, validating a losing season. 115 00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:03,040 Speaker 2: I would say here, the culture starts at the top, 116 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 2: mister Kraft in the family starts at the top, but 117 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 2: it also has to permeate throughout the organization. And I've 118 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,560 Speaker 2: always tried to carry that flag for the Craft family. 119 00:09:15,000 --> 00:09:17,200 Speaker 2: As He's told you. Look, these guys went at a lot. 120 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 2: They went at a lot, and I love being here. 121 00:09:21,600 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: I took a break. I went to Optum. I needed 122 00:09:23,640 --> 00:09:25,840 Speaker 2: a break from Bill. I went to opt them for 123 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:30,080 Speaker 2: about four years, and I came back and one thing 124 00:09:30,120 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 2: I came back with I learned a lot at optim 125 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 2: Larry Renfro, Mike Matteo, those guys. I learned a lot 126 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 2: at Optum about diversity, right, about diversity and inclusion. And 127 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:44,520 Speaker 2: you better believe it. Being the first black coach here 128 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:48,640 Speaker 2: in New England means a lot to me. But those 129 00:09:48,640 --> 00:09:53,880 Speaker 2: guys taught me you have to take ideas from other people. Black, white, green, yellow, 130 00:09:54,000 --> 00:09:57,880 Speaker 2: really doesn't matter old young. One thing you'll notice about 131 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:00,040 Speaker 2: me in our interaction as we continue to go so 132 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,480 Speaker 2: is I don't like echo chambers. I want people around 133 00:10:04,480 --> 00:10:08,280 Speaker 2: me that are going to question my ideas or question 134 00:10:08,400 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: the way we have done things in the past, because realistically, 135 00:10:11,800 --> 00:10:14,439 Speaker 2: this game is a lot different than when I was 136 00:10:14,520 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 2: drafted in two thousand and eight. At the same time, 137 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:18,839 Speaker 2: that's why I try to spend so much time in 138 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 2: developing young men and young women so they know I 139 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 2: don't want to teach them, you know, what to think. 140 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 2: I want to teach them how to think. And once 141 00:10:27,120 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 2: we get to that point, I think we can get 142 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:31,560 Speaker 2: back to where we need to be at the time. 143 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:35,440 Speaker 2: And I'm an open book. I'm honored, I'm ready to go, 144 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 2: and I'm excited to be the next head coach of 145 00:10:39,480 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 2: the Patriots. 146 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: We'll start with UH with Mike Greece here. 147 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:49,440 Speaker 2: In the front row. 148 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,720 Speaker 4: This question is for Robert. There's going to come a 149 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 4: time when you have to turn into draft card and 150 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 4: make a pick official or make a signing official who 151 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,679 Speaker 4: will have the final say on those decisions. 152 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, this is his day. We want to celebrate 153 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 3: Jerrod taking this position. What we know, we have a 154 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,439 Speaker 3: lot of people internally who have had a chance to 155 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 3: train and learn under the greatest coach of all time 156 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:37,600 Speaker 3: and a man whose football intellect is very special. 157 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: So in the. 158 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:46,040 Speaker 3: Short term, we're looking for collaboration as our team has 159 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:51,800 Speaker 3: a tremendous opportunity to position itself right given our salary 160 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 3: cap space. And you know, we've never drafted in my 161 00:11:57,280 --> 00:12:01,600 Speaker 3: thirty years of ownership, We've never been drafting as low 162 00:12:02,160 --> 00:12:07,280 Speaker 3: as we're drafting, So we're counting on our internal people 163 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:15,760 Speaker 3: whom we're still learning and evaluating. So we're going to 164 00:12:15,920 --> 00:12:20,239 Speaker 3: let that evolve and develop, and before the key decisions 165 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 3: have to be made, we will appoint someone and at 166 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:30,720 Speaker 3: the same time we'll probably start doing interviews and looking 167 00:12:30,760 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 3: at people from the outside. But my bias has always 168 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:39,720 Speaker 3: been in all our family companies to try to develop 169 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:44,360 Speaker 3: a culture from within where we understand. 170 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:51,960 Speaker 1: One another. I'll just give you a little factoid. In 171 00:12:52,040 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 1: the thirty. 172 00:12:52,679 --> 00:12:58,960 Speaker 3: Years that we've owned the team today, so it's really 173 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 3: thirty one, this is the third coach that our family 174 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 3: has hired in that period. 175 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:08,920 Speaker 1: There have been two hundred. 176 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:14,280 Speaker 3: And forty four coaches hired in the NFL, which means 177 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 3: an average of roughly eight coaches per team, which means 178 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,079 Speaker 3: there's a turnover every three and a half years. 179 00:13:24,640 --> 00:13:25,280 Speaker 1: And the teams. 180 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,320 Speaker 3: We like to get continuity in our company, get the 181 00:13:29,360 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 3: most competent people, and then try to build stability. And 182 00:13:35,200 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 3: so before we just rush and hire people, we want 183 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 3: to understand what we have internally. It's a long answer, 184 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 3: but an important question. 185 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 5: The questions for Drid congratulations. It has been reported in 186 00:13:52,520 --> 00:13:55,079 Speaker 5: recent days you set up interviews for a defensive coordinator 187 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:58,400 Speaker 5: position and special teams coordinator position. I'm curious if you'll 188 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 5: open a search for an offen to coordinator and if so, 189 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:03,840 Speaker 5: what traits and experience will you prioritize. 190 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 2: That's a great question. I would say, just like Thunder 191 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:12,720 Speaker 2: alluded to, everything is still under consideration. Obviously, the staff 192 00:14:12,720 --> 00:14:15,160 Speaker 2: that I've been working with isn't the staff that I 193 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 2: have chosen, but everything's under evaluation. One thing I would say, 194 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 2: with all of my coaches, the number one thing is 195 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 2: developing people. And with this generation, I mean back when 196 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 2: I first started playing. Most of the time, guys, you know, 197 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,040 Speaker 2: coach would say something and guys would do it. I 198 00:14:32,080 --> 00:14:35,240 Speaker 2: think with this generation it's about you have to show 199 00:14:35,240 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 2: them that you care about them before you get into 200 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:41,200 Speaker 2: you know, competency as far as x's and no's are concerned. 201 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 2: And that's one thing I feel like with all my coaches, 202 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 2: they should know the players. They should know their room 203 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 2: better than I do. They're closer, they're closer to those 204 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,640 Speaker 2: guys and they have that day to day interaction. But 205 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 2: to me, whether we're talking offensive coordinator, defensive corderors, special 206 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:02,720 Speaker 2: teams coordinat all, that stuff is under eval and my 207 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 2: number one thing is I want to bring in developers. 208 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:14,080 Speaker 6: Hi Gerada, congratulations on the job. Just a thought on 209 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:16,640 Speaker 6: kind of following that up. Do you plan to officially 210 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:20,520 Speaker 6: name an offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, special teams member and 211 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 6: what's your vision of what you want from this team 212 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:26,760 Speaker 6: both offensively and what we've seen from you defensively? And 213 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:28,920 Speaker 6: will the Belichicks remain on the staff. 214 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:31,960 Speaker 2: That's like four questions and sorry. 215 00:15:31,360 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 6: Only had one chance. 216 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:36,400 Speaker 2: That's about four questions in one. The first one was 217 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 2: what what's the first question? 218 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: Again? 219 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:44,360 Speaker 2: Break it down, coordinators. I think it's important. I think 220 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 2: titles are important, And I know, no knock to coach Belichick, 221 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: who has been a huge mentor to me over the 222 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:54,040 Speaker 2: years as a player and as a colleague. What I 223 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 2: would say is, I believe titles are important outward looking, 224 00:15:59,480 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 2: but as far whereas in the building, I don't care 225 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 2: what your title is. It's what's your job? What value 226 00:16:05,640 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 2: do you bring to the organization? And I think that's 227 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 2: the most important thing. And sometimes I think in business 228 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 2: and sports people get caught up in titles. But I 229 00:16:14,640 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 2: also understand the other side. If you want to get 230 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 2: if you want to continue to get promoted, people have 231 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,960 Speaker 2: to know exactly what you do. But like I said earlier, inside, 232 00:16:24,360 --> 00:16:27,440 Speaker 2: it's all about collaboration. That's what Thunder talked about and 233 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 2: that's what I'm about as well. 234 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:37,920 Speaker 7: Hey, Rod, what's the difficulty of replacing the greatest coach 235 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:40,840 Speaker 7: of all time and filling those shoes and you know, 236 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,800 Speaker 7: honoring and keeping the DNA that he infused in altering 237 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 7: it in the ways that you see fit. 238 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. 239 00:16:48,360 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 2: You know, this organization has had a lot of success 240 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,280 Speaker 2: over the years for a long time, and there have 241 00:16:53,320 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 2: been many teams that you know, they have one good 242 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,880 Speaker 2: year and then they're out for three years. One thing 243 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:02,840 Speaker 2: I learned from coaches and from Thunder, it's about just 244 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:06,560 Speaker 2: surrounding yourself with good people, right, surrounding yourself with good people. Now, 245 00:17:06,560 --> 00:17:11,000 Speaker 2: as far as our staff and things like that, we're 246 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 2: gonna be good. We're gonna be a lot better now. 247 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:17,360 Speaker 2: Bill always says this managing expectations for me. I'm not 248 00:17:17,400 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 2: trying to be built. I'm not trying to be built. 249 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 2: I think that Bill is his own man. If you 250 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 2: can't tell by now, I'm a little bit different even 251 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:30,159 Speaker 2: up here. But what I will say is, you know, 252 00:17:30,320 --> 00:17:33,200 Speaker 2: the more I think about, the more I think about, 253 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 2: like the lessons that I've taken from Bill, hard work works, right, 254 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 2: hard work works, and that's what we're all about. Hey, girod, 255 00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,040 Speaker 2: good to see you here over here, Oh Devin, good 256 00:17:48,080 --> 00:17:48,399 Speaker 2: to see you. 257 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 1: Have you taken the time? 258 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 8: I know obviously a huge opportunity and everyone wants to say, 259 00:17:54,280 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 8: you know, who's the coordinators, who's this ex's and those? 260 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 8: But have you had the opportunity just to celebrate with 261 00:17:59,400 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 8: your family and really soak in the opportunity being a 262 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,399 Speaker 8: first black coach, all of the lessons you've. 263 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: Learned being here. 264 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 8: Have you got opportunity to just take whether it's a 265 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 8: night ten minutes, to really kind of enjoy and take 266 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:14,160 Speaker 8: on what you're about to do next. 267 00:18:14,800 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 2: I haven't had that opportunity, but we're turning up tonight. 268 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:18,359 Speaker 2: Back to work tomorrow. 269 00:18:18,359 --> 00:18:23,639 Speaker 1: I hang out with Drodd. 270 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:27,159 Speaker 9: You've had the chance to You've had the chance to 271 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,480 Speaker 9: play for a number of different head coaches over the 272 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,480 Speaker 9: course of your playing career, including Bill. You reference Bill. 273 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,159 Speaker 9: I'm curious, do you have another couple of coaches that 274 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:38,879 Speaker 9: you're gonna kind of take their philosophy and kind of 275 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:41,480 Speaker 9: apply it here and applied here. What have you learned 276 00:18:41,480 --> 00:18:43,120 Speaker 9: from those guys over the course of your playing career. 277 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: Yeah. 278 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:46,760 Speaker 2: The one thing I will say is philosophy is interesting, 279 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 2: especially if you're talking about exit and os. We've always 280 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:52,719 Speaker 2: been a game plan team, whether offense, defense or special teams. 281 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 2: Our philosophy has to be flexible. Well, one thing I 282 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 2: will say, like, you know, we're talking about on the 283 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:02,080 Speaker 2: field philosophy, philosophy, but there's also a philosophy in the building, 284 00:19:02,359 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: right in the building, like what you want out of 285 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,240 Speaker 2: the people who are really leading the team. One thing 286 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,960 Speaker 2: I believe in when I talk about leadership, most people 287 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 2: think it's like a chessboard and a guy moving pieces 288 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:20,879 Speaker 2: on the board. I really don't believe that to be correct. 289 00:19:20,920 --> 00:19:22,880 Speaker 2: As far as developing leaders I think of it more 290 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:27,440 Speaker 2: as gardening, right. Gardeners really don't. They don't grow anything. 291 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:30,720 Speaker 2: They just make sure the soil is right. They grab 292 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 2: the weeds out there, they water it every day, and 293 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,960 Speaker 2: whatever grows grows. And that's how I approach leadership. I 294 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,119 Speaker 2: don't want to be and we've talked about it before, 295 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:43,240 Speaker 2: but collaboration is huge. I want to just water seeds, 296 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 2: and right now we're in the evaluation process where we 297 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 2: are planting seeds. Right we are planting seeds and hopefully 298 00:19:49,880 --> 00:19:52,119 Speaker 2: that will lead to the next dynasty here with the 299 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:52,800 Speaker 2: Craft family. 300 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 10: Hey, Grod, you just mentioned the word collaboration. I'm curious, 301 00:20:01,200 --> 00:20:04,120 Speaker 10: and I know Roberts just mentioned some of the plans 302 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 10: short term at least for personnel, but how do you 303 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,880 Speaker 10: view your role moving forward when it comes to building 304 00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 10: the team. How much say do you plan on having 305 00:20:13,560 --> 00:20:15,960 Speaker 10: when it comes to how this roster gets constructed. 306 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:21,760 Speaker 2: That's a great question, Phil. You know one thing with collaboration. Also, 307 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:26,000 Speaker 2: they're experts, and I believe in leaning on experts in 308 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 2: their field. Now what we always do with that expert, 309 00:20:28,920 --> 00:20:32,280 Speaker 2: you know, advises us to do no, absolutely not. But 310 00:20:32,359 --> 00:20:33,919 Speaker 2: at the same time, I'm going to go into this 311 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:37,159 Speaker 2: thing with my with no expectations. And I said this 312 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 2: as a rookie. I wanted to be a sponge and 313 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:40,760 Speaker 2: learn as much as I can. And we have a 314 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:43,240 Speaker 2: lot of people in this building that I can learn 315 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:45,359 Speaker 2: from that in those regards. 316 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,520 Speaker 8: When it comes to your offense, what's your vision for 317 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:53,880 Speaker 8: getting that group back on track? 318 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, well, first of all, I would say 319 00:20:57,760 --> 00:21:01,439 Speaker 2: just the energy right, the passion and the leaders on 320 00:21:01,480 --> 00:21:03,720 Speaker 2: the offensive side of the ball. I think you have 321 00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,520 Speaker 2: to get that stuff in place. And honestly, you know, 322 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:09,640 Speaker 2: as the season starts to roll, well this season, when 323 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 2: it ends, we start in the weight room. I think 324 00:21:12,880 --> 00:21:16,000 Speaker 2: the weight room is one of the most important areas 325 00:21:16,040 --> 00:21:18,359 Speaker 2: in the building to really evaluate the people you have 326 00:21:18,400 --> 00:21:21,040 Speaker 2: on your team. And one thing we don't want to 327 00:21:21,040 --> 00:21:24,560 Speaker 2: do is have people who are complainers or finger pointing 328 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:27,600 Speaker 2: or things like that. Things like that, and the best 329 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 2: teams I've really been a part of have been teams 330 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,600 Speaker 2: that whether I'm talking about high school, college or the 331 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:37,040 Speaker 2: NFL teams that are not led by the players, but 332 00:21:37,080 --> 00:21:40,119 Speaker 2: things are enforced by the players. It's like almost getting 333 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,000 Speaker 2: something your mom or dad telling you something versus your brother. 334 00:21:43,040 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 2: It just hits a little bit differently. And I don't 335 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:47,560 Speaker 2: want to just talk about offense, but that's across the 336 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 2: board special teams, defense and offense. You want your players 337 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 2: to have a sense of accountability. You want your players 338 00:21:55,880 --> 00:21:58,720 Speaker 2: to have a sense of commitment. You want your players 339 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,399 Speaker 2: to when they walk out the door, you're not worried 340 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 2: about the decisions that they're gonna make outside of this building. 341 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:07,239 Speaker 2: Once again, I think we have a lot of We 342 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,399 Speaker 2: have a we have a good foundation. We have a 343 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:12,840 Speaker 2: good foundation, and my thing here over the next few 344 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 2: weeks is to rebuild some relationships, not down silos, and collaborate. 345 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:19,679 Speaker 2: That's what I'm focused on. 346 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, hey, Robert, you in your thirty. 347 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:27,080 Speaker 7: One years, you haven't had a general manager by title? 348 00:22:27,600 --> 00:22:30,080 Speaker 2: Do you intend to appoint a general manager? 349 00:22:33,400 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 3: We're we're as I said, this is the first time 350 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 3: in a quarter of a century we had to make 351 00:22:41,119 --> 00:22:46,320 Speaker 3: major changes, and we wanna see what we have in 352 00:22:46,359 --> 00:22:49,879 Speaker 3: the house, look what's out there in the marketplace, and 353 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 3: then do do what we think is right. I know 354 00:22:55,040 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 3: people have ideas, but I can just assure you any 355 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 3: decision we make at this time would be to try 356 00:23:03,800 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 3: to give the support to Gerard and put the organization 357 00:23:08,440 --> 00:23:12,040 Speaker 3: in the best place that can to win games. So 358 00:23:12,680 --> 00:23:17,200 Speaker 3: we don't have a fixed formula we're gonna do. We 359 00:23:17,680 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 3: know what's worked for us in the past and that's 360 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 3: what we're gonna do here in the future. 361 00:23:29,640 --> 00:23:31,440 Speaker 1: Congratulations, Uh. 362 00:23:32,400 --> 00:23:36,959 Speaker 11: Question first with Robert Drouard said that being the first 363 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 11: black coach was important to him. Curious, what does it 364 00:23:40,480 --> 00:23:43,399 Speaker 11: mean to you? If I could ask you, Geart, have 365 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:46,199 Speaker 11: you reached out to any of the folks like you 366 00:23:46,240 --> 00:23:49,679 Speaker 11: know Tony and you know Tomlin, just to get their 367 00:23:49,760 --> 00:23:55,119 Speaker 11: sense of what it what it means to them. 368 00:23:56,760 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, let me say this to you. 369 00:24:03,280 --> 00:24:08,320 Speaker 3: I'm really colorblind in terms of I know what I 370 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:14,000 Speaker 3: feel like on Sunday when we lose, and I can 371 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 3: just tell you that there's nothing after my family. My 372 00:24:18,560 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 3: passion is with the New England Patriots, and there's something 373 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 3: else very close second, but winning at the Patriots is 374 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:31,600 Speaker 3: my passion. So I want to get the best people 375 00:24:32,160 --> 00:24:37,800 Speaker 3: I can get. I chose the best head coach for 376 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:42,000 Speaker 3: this organization. He happens to be a man of color, 377 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:46,240 Speaker 3: but I chose him because I believe he's best to 378 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:47,160 Speaker 3: do the job. 379 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you know, Mike t he reached out. He's 380 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 2: actually from our hometown back in Virginia as well. So 381 00:24:56,760 --> 00:25:00,520 Speaker 2: we haven't really talked about the challenges. I appreciate, you know, 382 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:03,400 Speaker 2: Thunder and the organization selecting me to be a black 383 00:25:03,400 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 2: head coach. I would say, what Thunder just talked about 384 00:25:07,040 --> 00:25:09,080 Speaker 2: that was in the locker room. You want your locker 385 00:25:09,160 --> 00:25:11,600 Speaker 2: room to be pretty diverse, and you will want the 386 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,320 Speaker 2: world to look like that. What I will say, though, 387 00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:17,399 Speaker 2: is I do see color, because I believe if you 388 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 2: don't see color, you can't see racism and whatever happens black, white, 389 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 2: disabled person. I've always even someone with disabilities, I always, 390 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 2: you know, for the most part, people are like, you know, 391 00:25:30,119 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 2: don't you know when they're young, they kind of make 392 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,320 Speaker 2: the spot hot. Younger people know what that means. But 393 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,159 Speaker 2: what I would say is like, no, I want you 394 00:25:38,200 --> 00:25:39,639 Speaker 2: to be able to go up to those people and 395 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:43,159 Speaker 2: really understand those people. So it goes back to whatever 396 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:46,959 Speaker 2: it is, black, white, yellow, it really doesn't matter, but 397 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 2: it does matter. So we can try to fix the 398 00:25:48,680 --> 00:25:49,880 Speaker 2: problem that we all know. 399 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: We have. 400 00:25:53,480 --> 00:25:56,399 Speaker 12: Hey guys too, right Drug congratulations, Thank you, Robert. A 401 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 12: quick question for you, just curious where is Jonathan in 402 00:25:59,600 --> 00:26:02,680 Speaker 12: all this? Why wasn't he present in participating last week 403 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 12: and now today? And how would you describe Jonathan's role 404 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 12: in the football operation moving forward? 405 00:26:07,720 --> 00:26:10,560 Speaker 1: Say, I couldn't hear you clearly at the end. 406 00:26:11,680 --> 00:26:14,520 Speaker 12: Where is Jonathan and how would you describe his role 407 00:26:14,640 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 12: in the football operation moving forward? 408 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:23,800 Speaker 3: Well, I know Jonathan had planned to be here today. 409 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:29,399 Speaker 3: He really is running all of the Craft Group companies 410 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 3: and something has come up today that was really important. 411 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:40,880 Speaker 3: But he really serves as he's like an equal partner 412 00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 3: to me in the running of the operations strategically. He's 413 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:51,400 Speaker 3: not involved in the day to day operations. He's helping 414 00:26:51,440 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 3: me on an overall basis in the ownership position and 415 00:26:58,400 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 3: would have been here, but one of the other companies 416 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 3: had an issue that was critical and he's dealing with that. 417 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,920 Speaker 13: Gerd congratulations over here to the left. A football question 418 00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:13,680 Speaker 13: and a family question if you don't mind. First on 419 00:27:13,720 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 13: the football front, in terms of the path back to 420 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,919 Speaker 13: the playoffs, what sort of timeline do you envision for 421 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,680 Speaker 13: the Patriots? And then as far as the family. You've 422 00:27:22,680 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 13: talked a lot about family. What role have they played 423 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:26,560 Speaker 13: in your football life. 424 00:27:27,520 --> 00:27:30,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'll be honest, it's too early to really talk 425 00:27:30,320 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 2: about timelines and changing things. It was too early for that. 426 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:36,720 Speaker 2: One thing I could spend all day up here is 427 00:27:36,760 --> 00:27:40,960 Speaker 2: talking about my family. Obviously, you know, starts right here 428 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:43,920 Speaker 2: with my grandfather and my grandmother. They've been very instrumental 429 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:47,520 Speaker 2: in my life, as well as my mom and stepdad, brothers, 430 00:27:49,640 --> 00:27:53,040 Speaker 2: you know, my wife, everybody, like, they've all been very instrumental. 431 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,120 Speaker 2: What I will say is one thing about my grandfather. 432 00:27:57,280 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 2: He was a chief master sergeant in the Air Force, 433 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 2: and when he retired, like he really there was a 434 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 2: gap there between Wilson, my stepdad really joined the family. 435 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 2: My mom was a single parent for a while. But 436 00:28:11,480 --> 00:28:15,280 Speaker 2: my grandfather, my grandfather, he really filled a lot of 437 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 2: gaps as well as my grandmother. I still remember going 438 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 2: to a house eating spaghetti. It's best spaghetti in the world, 439 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,280 Speaker 2: I do. I remember my grandfather making us, you know, 440 00:28:24,440 --> 00:28:27,880 Speaker 2: jumping trash cans to push the trash down or go 441 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,600 Speaker 2: with he had rental properties. He would wake us up 442 00:28:30,600 --> 00:28:33,800 Speaker 2: at five in the morning, you know, as a twelve 443 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 2: thirteen year old boy, and no one wants to wake 444 00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 2: up at five in the morning and go paint houses 445 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 2: and things like that. At the time, it was crazy. 446 00:28:42,440 --> 00:28:44,200 Speaker 2: At the time, it was like, man, it was torture. 447 00:28:44,560 --> 00:28:46,400 Speaker 2: It was torture at the time. But when I look 448 00:28:46,480 --> 00:28:50,040 Speaker 2: back on those things, and I look back on those 449 00:28:50,040 --> 00:28:54,120 Speaker 2: things often, I really appreciate all the lessons that you 450 00:28:54,160 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 2: guys have bestowed upon us. And I still use some 451 00:28:57,000 --> 00:28:59,960 Speaker 2: of those lessons today with the players and also my kid, 452 00:29:01,560 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 2: my mom Wilson, looking they put up with a lot 453 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:08,520 Speaker 2: as well. Right, four boys in the house. I'll tell you, guys, 454 00:29:08,680 --> 00:29:13,440 Speaker 2: four boys in the house, it's always tough. And one, 455 00:29:13,520 --> 00:29:15,080 Speaker 2: you know, some people that don't get a lot of 456 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 2: love are step parents. And what I would say about Wilson, 457 00:29:20,200 --> 00:29:23,160 Speaker 2: like you think about this, he married my mom. My 458 00:29:23,240 --> 00:29:27,600 Speaker 2: mom already had four kids, four boys, And I hope 459 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:29,640 Speaker 2: I'm not out of pocket for talking about it, but 460 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 2: I think it's important. I think, especially with men like 461 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 2: we at this time. If you think about football and 462 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:41,840 Speaker 2: how it's changed, we have kids getting drafted with kids, 463 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,840 Speaker 2: and so that leads to kids raising kids. And so 464 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 2: when I talk about developing, when I talk about developing people, 465 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:51,360 Speaker 2: I think that's a huge part of what we're gonna 466 00:29:51,400 --> 00:29:54,840 Speaker 2: do here. As an organization developed these men and the 467 00:29:54,880 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 2: rest will take care of itself. 468 00:29:59,560 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 9: Congrat relations to you and your family. 469 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:03,160 Speaker 7: Back here, I'll be back here. 470 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:03,960 Speaker 3: Congratulations. 471 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 7: In your estimation, how far do you think that this 472 00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:08,240 Speaker 7: team is from. 473 00:30:08,240 --> 00:30:11,560 Speaker 2: Getting back to the level of competing for championships? Yeah, 474 00:30:11,680 --> 00:30:13,840 Speaker 2: I kind of answered that one just a little while ago. 475 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 2: I think it's too row to tell. We're still in 476 00:30:16,280 --> 00:30:18,520 Speaker 2: the evaluation process, so we'll see. 477 00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:25,840 Speaker 14: Robert grod Congratulations Robert. This is a question for you, 478 00:30:26,040 --> 00:30:27,760 Speaker 14: As you said, this is the first time in twenty 479 00:30:27,800 --> 00:30:31,680 Speaker 14: five years that you've had to revamp your football operations. 480 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:34,880 Speaker 14: Why did you decide not to do a head coaching 481 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 14: search talk to other people? What was it about Gerard 482 00:30:37,800 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 14: that made you convicted just to name him head coach? 483 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's a good question. 484 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 3: You know, in all our companies, early on when we 485 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:56,400 Speaker 3: started doing well, people try to get us to go 486 00:30:56,520 --> 00:30:59,960 Speaker 3: public and bring him partner. We can make all kinds 487 00:30:59,920 --> 00:31:02,760 Speaker 3: of money and everything. 488 00:31:02,360 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 1: And I made a decision. 489 00:31:05,400 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 3: I always wanted to stay private and didn't want partners 490 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:15,720 Speaker 3: who would weigh in because our family, it's a family 491 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:22,360 Speaker 3: group of business, and we like to think strategically what's 492 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 3: best for the long term, not have to do things 493 00:31:26,520 --> 00:31:31,560 Speaker 3: that are going to require quick decisions. And we're willing 494 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:37,320 Speaker 3: to do things that are unorthodox, and you know, it's 495 00:31:37,360 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 3: worked out pretty well for us over the last fifty years. 496 00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 3: And so here, you know, I've learned. You know, when 497 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:52,120 Speaker 3: I went with my instincts. The two women in my 498 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:55,920 Speaker 3: life that I lucked out is one day connection and 499 00:31:56,040 --> 00:31:58,959 Speaker 3: I just went with my instinct. 500 00:31:59,160 --> 00:32:00,880 Speaker 1: And the only time I. 501 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:07,959 Speaker 3: Didn't was Bill Belichick in ninety six. After I saw 502 00:32:09,920 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 3: what went on, I didn't hire him. I made another 503 00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:16,800 Speaker 3: hire and I didn't hire him. My instinct was to 504 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:21,480 Speaker 3: do it, but because of his loyalty to a man 505 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,320 Speaker 3: we had such difficulty with who did a great job 506 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:28,680 Speaker 3: for it. But he took another job when we were 507 00:32:28,720 --> 00:32:31,440 Speaker 3: going to the Super Bowl, and you know, I just 508 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 3: couldn't bring someone in that because trust is so important. 509 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 3: But as I watched what happened, you know, when he 510 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:46,480 Speaker 3: was with his next team, I realized I made a mistake. 511 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,920 Speaker 3: I should have gone with my instincts in ninety six 512 00:32:50,000 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 3: and I hired Bill and that worked out pretty well well. 513 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 3: I have the same feeling now having watched Girod for 514 00:33:01,720 --> 00:33:07,840 Speaker 3: sixteen years in a lot of different situations, and you know, 515 00:33:07,880 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 3: we just I think sometimes we think a little differently 516 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 3: than our competitors, and we try to do what's right 517 00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 3: for our system. And I think I think we got 518 00:33:21,200 --> 00:33:28,800 Speaker 3: someone very special who understands how to manage young people today. 519 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,840 Speaker 3: I mean, the world is different than twenty years ago, 520 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 3: even ten years ago. And you know, in all our businesses, 521 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:40,720 Speaker 3: we try to create a culture that people want to 522 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:44,840 Speaker 3: stay with and be there long term. And I think 523 00:33:45,360 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 3: that Girrod has the makeup and chemistry and it's genuine. 524 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 3: What he has is genuine. 525 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:55,920 Speaker 1: And just think. 526 00:33:55,760 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 3: About how he got elected captain in his second year 527 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 3: US and we had tremendous veterans, and I think when 528 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 3: for seven years you were he was captain in a 529 00:34:07,720 --> 00:34:12,360 Speaker 3: tremendous period and then he went out on his own 530 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:15,319 Speaker 3: in business to get a change, and then it's just. 531 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:18,319 Speaker 1: I think we're ready to kick. 532 00:34:18,400 --> 00:34:28,080 Speaker 15: But Hi, Robert Frist Gerard, congratulations on this well deserved honor. 533 00:34:28,640 --> 00:34:31,160 Speaker 15: I was just curious I see a few of the 534 00:34:30,440 --> 00:34:33,759 Speaker 15: players in the kind of here today, just what has 535 00:34:33,800 --> 00:34:36,760 Speaker 15: the response been like from them since this announcement was official, 536 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:37,400 Speaker 15: made official. 537 00:34:38,280 --> 00:34:41,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, when it was made official, my phone was buzzing 538 00:34:41,640 --> 00:34:43,719 Speaker 2: off the hook. So if I didn't text some of 539 00:34:43,719 --> 00:34:46,080 Speaker 2: the guys back, I apologize. I'll get to it here, 540 00:34:46,120 --> 00:34:48,959 Speaker 2: hopefully soon. But the guys have been great. The guys 541 00:34:48,960 --> 00:34:52,640 Speaker 2: have been great, and once again, it's all about the players. 542 00:34:52,680 --> 00:34:54,440 Speaker 2: One thing I took from coach Well, another thing I 543 00:34:54,640 --> 00:34:58,000 Speaker 2: took from Coach Belichick. He would always say that players 544 00:34:58,000 --> 00:35:01,439 Speaker 2: win games and coaches lose games, and it's our job 545 00:35:01,560 --> 00:35:04,279 Speaker 2: as coaches to put the players in the position to 546 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:05,760 Speaker 2: go out there and play to the struants. 547 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:12,880 Speaker 16: Congratulations to Gerard, Thanks care, good to see. I was 548 00:35:12,920 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 16: just wondering as a as a first year head coach 549 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:22,360 Speaker 16: jumping into a four win team, what do you consider 550 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:25,279 Speaker 16: you're the greatest challenge? 551 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:25,719 Speaker 1: Is it? 552 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 16: Is it developing or establishing buy in? 553 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:30,120 Speaker 7: Is it. 554 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:34,080 Speaker 1: Having making sure to have the right personnel? 555 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 16: Is it having the right quarterback? 556 00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:38,120 Speaker 1: How do you how do you view that? 557 00:35:38,719 --> 00:35:42,319 Speaker 2: Yeah, I appreciate the question. Kind of what I told 558 00:35:42,360 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 2: you earlier. We're still evaluating everything right as far as 559 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:48,480 Speaker 2: the players, as far as the schemes, as far as 560 00:35:48,520 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 2: the coaching staff, and I will probably be better equipped 561 00:35:51,960 --> 00:35:54,200 Speaker 2: to answer this question a little bit down the line. 562 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 2: But at the same time, as long as the coaches 563 00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,359 Speaker 2: and as long as some of the leaders on your team, 564 00:35:59,440 --> 00:36:02,040 Speaker 2: I'm talking to guys on a contract really believe in 565 00:36:02,080 --> 00:36:05,040 Speaker 2: the mission. Now it's their job or the mission of 566 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:07,480 Speaker 2: the vision. Now it's their job to go disseminate that 567 00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:10,600 Speaker 2: amongst their peers. Now look once again, going back to 568 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:13,279 Speaker 2: the analogy of your mom or dad telling you something 569 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:16,160 Speaker 2: versus your brother telling you something. I think we have 570 00:36:16,440 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 2: great leadership on this team already, and I'm really not 571 00:36:19,200 --> 00:36:21,680 Speaker 2: concerned that we can't get it done. 572 00:36:22,280 --> 00:36:23,960 Speaker 9: Thank you, Thanks man. 573 00:36:26,560 --> 00:36:28,239 Speaker 1: Hey Robert for you. 574 00:36:28,239 --> 00:36:33,399 Speaker 7: You talked about your passion for the football team. How 575 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:39,280 Speaker 7: involved would you and ownership be in football decision. 576 00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 2: Making and operations? 577 00:36:40,080 --> 00:36:41,960 Speaker 7: Say you want a quarterback at three and they say, no, 578 00:36:42,719 --> 00:36:45,520 Speaker 7: we're not doing that. With trade and down, what role 579 00:36:45,560 --> 00:36:51,880 Speaker 7: would you guys have in making your preferences known and 580 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:52,520 Speaker 7: acted upon? 581 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:58,560 Speaker 3: Well, would be the same import that we've had for 582 00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:03,680 Speaker 3: the last three decades. We try we try to hire 583 00:37:03,719 --> 00:37:07,400 Speaker 3: the best people we can find and let them do 584 00:37:07,560 --> 00:37:12,560 Speaker 3: their job and hold them accountable. And if you get 585 00:37:12,600 --> 00:37:17,400 Speaker 3: involved in tell them what to do or try to 586 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:22,759 Speaker 3: influence and you can't hold them responsible and have them accountable. 587 00:37:23,360 --> 00:37:28,319 Speaker 3: So it'll be within the people's discretion. Who are the 588 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:32,520 Speaker 3: decision makers to do it, And if we've hired the 589 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:35,040 Speaker 3: wrong people, then we'll have to make a change. But 590 00:37:35,719 --> 00:37:39,239 Speaker 3: we're going to try to enjoy it as fans. The 591 00:37:39,480 --> 00:37:43,839 Speaker 3: only area that we have really weighed in is when 592 00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:48,359 Speaker 3: it comes to bringing in people that we might think 593 00:37:48,520 --> 00:37:52,719 Speaker 3: are not the right character to be here and they 594 00:37:52,719 --> 00:37:57,200 Speaker 3: have done things in their past. That's the only time 595 00:37:57,320 --> 00:37:58,520 Speaker 3: we've really weighed in. 596 00:38:03,239 --> 00:38:05,240 Speaker 2: Congratulations Geran, Hello Robert. 597 00:38:06,280 --> 00:38:07,960 Speaker 17: You both can take a shot at this, but I'll 598 00:38:08,000 --> 00:38:10,560 Speaker 17: start with you Gerard, because you had the phrasing of 599 00:38:11,040 --> 00:38:14,759 Speaker 17: knocking down some walls and rebuilding some relationships, you know, 600 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:18,680 Speaker 17: getting out of these silos. What walls need to be 601 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,920 Speaker 17: knocked down in your opinion, what relationships need to be rebuilt? 602 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:24,480 Speaker 2: And Robert you can take it as well. Yeah, as 603 00:38:24,520 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 2: we evaluate the players, the scheme and things like that, 604 00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:30,200 Speaker 2: I think you have to evaluate the culture and evaluate 605 00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:34,160 Speaker 2: how the pieces fit. I will say this, like my philosophy, 606 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:36,000 Speaker 2: I don't want to be in an echo chamber. I 607 00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:38,320 Speaker 2: just don't. I want people who are gonna be honest 608 00:38:38,360 --> 00:38:41,840 Speaker 2: and open and then hopefully come together and make a 609 00:38:41,920 --> 00:38:45,239 Speaker 2: sound decision. Now, what's an expert. An expert has to 610 00:38:45,280 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 2: be someone really validated by their peers, right, So I'm 611 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:50,279 Speaker 2: not gonna sit here and try to say, you know, 612 00:38:50,960 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 2: this guy should be squatting this much. I don't know 613 00:38:52,719 --> 00:38:54,719 Speaker 2: that much about squatting. So I'm going I'm going to this, 614 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,319 Speaker 2: especially early on, I think you have to lean on 615 00:38:57,760 --> 00:39:03,720 Speaker 2: the experts in their space. Uh thunder beautifully answer. Thanks, 616 00:39:05,280 --> 00:39:08,080 Speaker 2: thank you very Uh. We'll do a quick reset here 617 00:39:08,239 --> 00:39:08,600 Speaker 2: and then. 618 00:39:08,520 --> 00:39:13,760 Speaker 1: Do a photo on. Thanks guys, thank you all for coming. 619 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:14,719 Speaker 2: Appreciate it.