1 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:15,560 Speaker 1: All right, Avery, just explain what it has been like 2 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: coming here to Pittsburgh. You know, it's been a few 3 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: weeks now since you joined your new team, but it 4 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:22,520 Speaker 1: has to be something that you're still learning new things 5 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 1: or different things about the team every day. Yeah, definitely, Um, 6 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 1: just just kind of you know, picking it up as 7 00:00:27,880 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 1: it goes along. Um, it's it definitely was. It was 8 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: a lot more hectic the first couple of weeks, but 9 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: it's starting to it's definitely slowed down a lot now, 10 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,640 Speaker 1: but adjusting well and you know, just trying to, you know, 11 00:00:39,840 --> 00:00:41,880 Speaker 1: just pick up on everything, you know, as it comes 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:47,239 Speaker 1: so many injuries at the inside linebacker position. When the 13 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 1: Steelers traded for you, coached Tomlin said, you know he 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 1: is depth, We're gonna maybe need him at some point. 15 00:00:52,479 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: And it seemed like it was perfect where you had 16 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: a few weeks in the books to be comfortable. You 17 00:00:57,640 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: wore the green dot in Buffalo. What was that process, 18 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: just like going in knowing that you were the guy? Uh, yeah, 19 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: it was. I was a little nervous you know at first. Uh, 20 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 1: you know, especially when when Vince went down and you know, 21 00:01:09,560 --> 00:01:13,400 Speaker 1: I just didn't you know, I wasn't expecting that, so um, 22 00:01:13,440 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 1: but I mean I just made sure I was, you know, 23 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:17,399 Speaker 1: prepared as well as I could, know the calls and 24 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 1: just make sure I could get the defense set up 25 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 1: well and just try to go out there and play 26 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:23,560 Speaker 1: as fast as possible. But I mean, I feel like 27 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:26,119 Speaker 1: I did did a pretty solid job for the most part. 28 00:01:26,160 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: You know, definitely wasn't perfect, but uh, just just gonna 29 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: try to go out there and improve uh that this 30 00:01:32,319 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 1: this upcoming week. But um, you know it just this 31 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:37,840 Speaker 1: is uh part of this game. You know, you never 32 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,280 Speaker 1: know what to expect injuries, uh, and then with COVID 33 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:43,760 Speaker 1: this year, just never you know, I never can really 34 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: predict you know, what's gonna happen week the week. I 35 00:01:46,160 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: know you guys use hand signals as well, but wearing 36 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: the green dot, what's the key to being a good communicator, 37 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 1: especially you guys were on the road. I know there 38 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:56,919 Speaker 1: weren't fans, but you still weren't in the comforts of Pinesfield. 39 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,680 Speaker 1: I could say the main the main thing, you know, 40 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 1: for me, he's just uh, if you were in a 41 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: green dog, just making sure that you know you're keeping 42 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:09,239 Speaker 1: a cool especially when you know guys are like, what's 43 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: the call um or if we get a call in late, 44 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 1: it's to make sure that you don't panic. Um, just 45 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:18,240 Speaker 1: making sure that you're you know, you're communicating clear. It's 46 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: possible to be allowed. Who is the guy on the 47 00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: defense that you kind of go to when you have 48 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 1: a question about something that you're still trying to learn 49 00:02:25,680 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: or need a little clarification on Rob, Rob, he's been 50 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:32,960 Speaker 1: a huge help for me. He's he's definitely, Uh, he's 51 00:02:33,000 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: done a good job. You know, since I got here, 52 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: he was he was she would one of the first 53 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: ones to reach out to me and you know, to 54 00:02:41,400 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: try to help me out with defense. So I definitely 55 00:02:44,320 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: go to him a five a question. He's he knows 56 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: the defense well and he's been a huge asset for 57 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: me since I've been here. A lot of us have 58 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:55,720 Speaker 1: asked t J about missing Budgetupree now that he is 59 00:02:55,760 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: out for the season. You guys have a history, of course, Uh, 60 00:02:59,200 --> 00:03:00,920 Speaker 1: and you knew him was kind of like your friend 61 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:03,280 Speaker 1: you had in Pittsburgh when you came to the Steelers. 62 00:03:03,639 --> 00:03:05,440 Speaker 1: What has it been like not having him out on 63 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,200 Speaker 1: the field and do you still keep you know, in 64 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,600 Speaker 1: communication with him and that kind of thing. Yeah, Yeah, 65 00:03:12,600 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: man definitely sucks, you know, to to not have him 66 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:18,600 Speaker 1: out there. I mean from a from you know, friendship 67 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,639 Speaker 1: standpoint and a player standpoint, you know, he was doing 68 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:24,079 Speaker 1: a great job, having a great year, and I mean 69 00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: he's he's a huge and huge addition to this defense. 70 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: So um, yeah, he's definitely definitely missed, and but he's 71 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: definitely doing good standing. I'm staying in communication with him, 72 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 1: and uh, he's you know, he's in the building, you know, 73 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: you can, rehabing stuff. So it's good just to see 74 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,160 Speaker 1: him around and uh, just to see him in good spirits. 75 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: You guys finally have a normal week, actually an extra 76 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: day since to play on Monday night in Cincinnati. What 77 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 1: has this week been like in terms of trying to 78 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: refocus and get out of this rut with two losses 79 00:03:54,800 --> 00:03:58,080 Speaker 1: in a row. Yeah, I mean it's definitely good that 80 00:03:58,160 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: we know we finally got a normal week. You know, 81 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,760 Speaker 1: It's it's definitely been pretty hectic, you know, with with 82 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: just the rescheduling of the games and just kind of 83 00:04:08,600 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: you know, it's just been a little bit crazy. So 84 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:14,440 Speaker 1: it's kind of just like a uh side release to 85 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:17,240 Speaker 1: you know, have an extra day or two. You know 86 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,160 Speaker 1: what I'm saying, just the it's the rest. So it's 87 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 1: definitely been good, but I feel like, you know, everybody's definitely, 88 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: um need the rest, and we're just gonna, you know, 89 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: make sure that we're resetting in practice, you know, make 90 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:32,880 Speaker 1: sure that we're trying to correct any mistakes that we 91 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:36,040 Speaker 1: have and just so we can get ready to get 92 00:04:36,040 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: to win against Cincinnati. Cam Hayward told the media this week, 93 00:04:40,240 --> 00:04:42,680 Speaker 1: pump the brakes on the playoffs. We have three games 94 00:04:42,760 --> 00:04:44,800 Speaker 1: left in the regular season. Need to get back on 95 00:04:44,800 --> 00:04:47,119 Speaker 1: the winning side. Is that kind of the overall tone 96 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 1: and message that you're hearing from coaches and leaders like Cam? Yeah, 97 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: I mean this is a this is a big game, 98 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 1: I mean for us because I mean, not only do 99 00:04:55,120 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: we need to win, but this with you know, the win, 100 00:04:57,160 --> 00:04:59,839 Speaker 1: the win the a f C. So this would be 101 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: the huge and uh yeah, we don't wanna, we don't 102 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: wanna start thinking about the playoffs yet. You know, we 103 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 1: still got we still got uh you know, three games left, 104 00:05:08,920 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: and you know we need to make sure that we're 105 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 1: uh doing good in those games. You know, just set 106 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,200 Speaker 1: us on track, you know, um, get us back on 107 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,320 Speaker 1: track and to get us ready for the playoffs. But 108 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 1: we gotta focus on one game at a time, and 109 00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:25,920 Speaker 1: that Cincinnati right now. All right, Avery, thanks for your time. 110 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:28,279 Speaker 1: I really appreciate that. Thank you.