San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, offensive line/run game coordinator Chris Foerster, and quarterback Brock Purdy spoke to reporters after Thursday's practice as the team prepares for its Week 2 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. Here's everything they shared.
Transcripts provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Defensive Coordinator Nick Sorensen
How did you think Monday night went as far as just the communication and the process?
"I think I thought the process and the communication was really good. It was fun going through it with everyone, with the guys upstairs, my coaches on the sideline, and also the players. Just being able to talk through everything and go from group to group, depending on what was needed to be talked about. I thought it was really smooth. The guys being open and just kind of just talking through our next series, what happened on that series, just like you do all the time. It was just cool to be able to bounce from group to group doing the same thing."
LB Fred Warner described you calling the game as flawless and then just the combination of you guys talking. It seemed like he really anticipated and knew exactly where you were coming from on every play call. Is that kind of the plan?
"Well, I don't think anyone's flawless. I would say it was good communication throughout the game and with him as well. I do, I try and talk to the guys during the week with what I'm thinking and why we're doing what we're doing, the reasons behind it, backed up with tape and the plan and they executed."
This preseason, coach Kyle Shanahan let offensive passing game specialist Klay Kubiak call offensive plays. Was that in part so that he could kind of listen in with you? Did you get extra help from him or at least just input in getting that part of things down at all?
"Kyle's been great with me this whole time and like I've said before, it's been really fun in this position to be able to talk a lot with the offensive guys too. And when doing scripts and you're scripting with the offense during training camp, you have to be more connected with them. So, I was really talking a lot with Kub and some with [senior offensive assistant Mick] Lombardi and Kyle. But regardless, I think that communication was there. Why he did what he did, I don't know. You could ask him. But I think a lot of it was, Kub's done a great job too. I've enjoyed learning a lot, just being more connected, like I said, with Kub and with Kyle. He's always trying to teach you and challenge you. That's what's been really awesome, just being here period like as a Niner the last three years, not just in the last six months."
What are the hallmarks of a Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell's offense?
"It's very similar to a lot of the things that they did with the Rams. It's been around for a while and it's been really successful. I think with [Minnesota Vikings QB] Sam [Darnold] he's a good quarterback and we've seen that. I think he brings a lot of those qualities, obviously with the pieces he has with [Minnesota Vikings RB] Aaron Jones and with [Minnesota Vikings WR] Justin Jefferson. He has a lot of those things that make that offense special. We've got to be really detailed in what we do."
How much communication do you have with Kyle in game like on Monday night? How much are you going back and forth?
"Oh, in game? No, he's busy in game. Yeah, that's totally different. Even now he is really busy. It's just when we can catch moments to talk about stuff, we try to."
In the preseason games, did you communicate?
"During the game? A little bit. I don't remember it being like a ton."
There was an assumption that after the Jets touchdown drive that you guys made big adjustments or some adjustments after that. Is that the case or was it more just better execution of what you were doing?
"I think it's always a combination of things. There's always something that goes wrong, when people are sustaining drives, whether it's execution or just communication. The league is so detailed, there's always such little things that happen that you might not be able to see, when you're just watching it. But for whatever reason it wasn't ever one thing, just like it never is. And yeah, we're always correcting them on the sideline. The guys did a really good job of responding. I think the best thing about it in this game was how our guys played as a group. I think they felt confident. They played fast. We always hope that that shows up on tape is how hard our guys play and how fast."
I don't know how familiar you are with Sam Darnold with the Jets. I realize he wasn't in a wonderful situation there, but if you can speak to that and how he looked say last week? Do you see like wow he's done this so much better, he is a much better quarterback? Did you kind of see stuff like he had that potential with the Jets, but he wasn't in a great situation?
"I don't know a ton about the situation, but I do know, which is why he was drafted so high is how much talent he has. He is a really good athlete. If you watch him throw, he can throw. I think there's always a lot of things that go into having success. There's so many guys on the team, it's not ever one person. That's why you need all these different pieces. You need guys that can click. You need guys that work together. He definitely has a talent. He's got the arm strength. He can see things. I think he probably learned a lot too when he came here, as you would in any year, you keep growing. You could see it on the practice field. I was like, 'man, he can really throw it' and he would give us good looks in practice and stuff going against him. You could see the talent; you can see how he moves. He's a good athlete as well."
You guys had a run heavy game plan Monday night and had a lot of success and dominated the time of possession. As a result, your D-line, I think average your first team was like 30 snaps. Was that part of the master plan to kind of play complimentary football trying to protect your D-line early in the year?
"I think everyone would love to do that every single week to play less snaps on defense because you're running the ball like that. I think that's why it's teams always talk about the whole cliche of an offense going to say we want to run the ball and defense is going to say we want to stop the run because it opens up so many things and you can control the game. And yeah, I think anyone would like to say that they could run it and play 50- something snaps on defense. That was how it worked out and it was great."
You talked about needing to correct some things in the run game in training camp and the Jets clearly went after you guys in that regard and it wasn't that successful for them. What did you think of especially of your front with DL Maliek Collins and DL Javon Hargrave?
"Really pleased with those guys. They've been practicing awesome. You saw how explosive and how strong and powerful they were, that was on full display. The stuff that we've been talking about these guys. Our offense is tough. That's why a lot of times I said I would come out of practice and not feel so great about it, but our offense is really good too. So we grew a lot by going against a really good offense every day for the entirety of training camp. And sometimes that could be humbling, but it's good. I used to like those days when we got our butts kicked. One time you guys said that we had such a big day and it was like however many picks and I was like, it didn't feel like it out there because they had success too. Well, that's the truth and that's how you grow. I kind of like it when it had some back and forth because if they didn't make it hard for us, how are we going to get better? I don't feel good when I beat my sons in ping pong when they were five years old, 21-3. Some people might, I don't. I want to play someone that's a challenge. I'm not going to get any better and that's the truth. I used to crush them. I still do."
With Jefferson, what's kind of been the focal point of practice this week in trying to prepare the defense to go up against the Vikings on the road?
"Yeah, those are the guys we have to stop along with Aaron Jones. He's a heck of a runner. We had trouble with him last year. He's had a lot of success. He's a tough runner. He can move. He's slippery. I think the thing about him is how he can slash but I have a ton of respect with how he runs the ball. He's not a big guy, but he runs big and he finishes runs and he's tough. And it's a big challenge for us. It's not just Justin Jefferson because he's an excellent receiver too, who plays tough as well. I think they have a lot of pieces that do to fit this offensive scheme. A lot of respect for how they play their game and this offense that they're well-coached."
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles has been a guy who's a lot of LB Fred Warner and LB Dre Greenlaw over the last couple years. He's stepping into a more prominent role with Dre out. How did you think he did and what does he bring to the table for you?
"Flann's done awesome. He's progressed so much over the years. The cool thing about Flann is, like you said, he's had great examples even when [Houston Texans LB] Azeez [Al-Shaair] was here, but with Dre and with Fred, these guys are two of the best in the game. And with them, it's not just so much how good they are, it's that they make themselves good by doing it really well and working really hard every single day. So when you get in that room, it's always been a really good room, along with [linebackers coach] Johnny Holland coaching them. And over these years, you can't not get better. And when you're in it for a few years, like Flann and like [LB] Curtis [Robinson] has been, you just continue to get better and like how you saw [LB] Dee Winters improve as well. But really proud of Flann. We're glad he is on our team. It was cool to see him get a pick like that. But he's continually gotten better over these years."
How do you see the pros and cons of having somebody like CB Charvarius Ward travel with Justin Jefferson on every play?
"There's pros and cons to everything. We feel great about all our corners. I love Mooney. I think Mooney's top notch. He's one of the top tier corners in the game."
Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Chris Foerster
What were your impressions of how OL Dominick Puni fared in his first start?
"He was solid. Solid performance. All of them were. It was a productive game. [RB Jordan Mason] JP had a good game. We win, which was great. Everybody's got a lot of work to do. His first game of the year, Puni's. For the first time, I had to get kind of upset with him during the game. We made an adjustment in the first quarter and then we're in the third quarter and he's talking about the adjustment we made in the first quarter. And I said, 'I know we talked about it for six days that this is how we're going to do it, but in the first quarter we decided we weren't going to do it anymore.' And so, I said that was, it gave me a reason to get fired up in the second half, which was good."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan mentioned T Trent Williams kind of getting winded down the stretch, of course after missing preseason. What do you think about his conditioning now going into this game?
"Trent is in better, a lot better shape. It's really interesting to watch. To think that he went in with an IV, to think he played all the plays he played is pretty amazing. Now, Trent is smart. Trent knows when to go hard and when not to go hard. Trent knows when he can take a little bit off and when he can't. There was some rustiness. There was some rust he needed to get knocked off. So to watch him go through all the plays he went through, to just have just IV up, which was, and then he really only missed two plays and I didn't think he was going to go back in. And then he's running back out there like a kid. 'I'm going back in, right?' I'm saying, 'Well, wait, I didn't even think you were going back in, just stand next to me and let [OL] Jaylon [Moore] finish off the game. But he went back in for a few more plays. And this week, it seems the first, yesterday we didn't do as much, and then today we're at a lot more. He seems like right back where he should be. Last year, we mentioned it, I think last week, [DL] Nick [Bosa] took 35 snaps. I think he came back on Friday before the first game, took 35 snaps. The next week he played 60 something. So I think the conditioning is there, it's just he needed to start playing football again."
Was there rust technique-wise at all with Trent?
"It's every, yeah, it's just the timing. There's just, like we we've said in here, there's nothing like the real rep of a game that full-speed, that push, all that shoving and stuff. It's just that he didn't get that, that timing, no matter how hard he drills himself or practices against error bags or whatever he does, it's not the same. So it's just timing."
For obvious reasons, you've had a lot of success rushing to the left over the years. The other night you went to the right more frequently and had a lot of success doing it. What kind of goes into that, in terms of when you're putting the run game plan together and then why you think you were so successful doing it?
"There are times where we say – it has to be a pretty drastic reason for us to say we're not going run left or not going to run right. And there might be a player or two that we lean on because of, [New York Jets DL Quinnen Williams] 95, for example, last week we might have said we went a little more right than left, but I don't think it weighed in the plan. It did, but I won't say it was that major. When everybody brings up that stat, okay. It's not like we do it on purpose or we're running behind Trent. 'Oh, we're going to do,' no. We have so many shifts and motions in the way our game plan is set up, it's really hard for us. We can predict at times and say, 'Okay, hey, but if we want this play and we're on the right hash and it goes through, it's going to the right.' And it's not like, 'Oh, we're not going to run it because we just want to run left.' There's a handful of plays where that comes up. It's more of just, it's been, I don't want to say it's because when we run left, it's better. I can't say that. So it wasn't by plan by any stretch of the, a little bit, because of 95 from the Jets."
Did you consider even for a moment going back to, I think it was 2022, where you put Trent in motion and then he had to come out for a play to get a breather.
"No, no. He was so winded after that. We put him in the backfield and had him go, he was dead. Dude was like, he said that 'Man, that's hard.' So no, there was no thought of doing that. Wish you would've told me last week. I might've thought of it."
Jordan Mason's touchdown-run, the design of that play was really interesting. You had the double-team on the left side, but it looked like Puni and OL Colton McKivitz were at pass sets. Then you had WR Deebo Samuel Sr. and TE George Kittle coming across crazy in that cutback lane.
"Yeah. The one that got, not the one that got called back, the other one. It's different. We don't run the scheme very much. A lot of teams do it. It's a one, it's an every now and then concept for us. And the block that I didn't personally, I was like, I looked at the guy next to said, 'Ah, this play is not going to work' and it goes for a touchdown. But my question was if Deebo could make his block. The other part of it with the pass to get him up the field was a good thought. Our defense, they jet up double-team the front side. He creates a nice cutback lane. It creates more space than some of the normal plays we run down there. But that block that Deebo had to make was a tough one. Our guys do such, I can't say enough about our receivers. [WR Jauan Jennings] JJ, Deebo, [WR Brandon] Aiyuk, all of them, they're just, [WR] Chris [Conley]. They all get in there, they get dirty, they don't mind doing the hard work. They block linebackers, they've done safeties. They don't say no, they keep going, they keep trying. And he did such a good job. That's why I said to [tight ends coach Brian] Fleury and Kyle 'Not my favorite play down there.' Kyle called it, but that's not the first time that we've called a play. And it goes for 50 yards. I'd say, this play sucks and it's 50 yards down the field. So, I don't know."
What do you call it?
"See, I couldn't let you out of this room if I told you. Sorry."
When you watch Vikings film, how does Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores utilize S Jordan Metellus and how much a part of the rush plan is he?
"He just, they do everything, and they do everything well. I'm not, this is not a pre-game pep talk for the Vikings, oh they're the greatest team in football. This guy does a good job. What they do, they do very well. They're fundamentally sound. They're one of the few teams that fundamentally, they challenge you, that they might be better fundamentally than we are. They play with their hands well. They do everything. They rush well, they have a plan. There's a thought behind everything that they do. It's very well-thought out, very meticulous, very detailed. And the guys play really hard. You can tell that he's a tough, he's tough on them. And you can tell those guys are, there's a lot demanded of them and they play all play hard. So whatever the plan is, they use it very well. It's well-thought out. He does an excellent job."
I know there's a lot on the center's shoulders with pre-snap center protections, but what did you think of OL Jake Brendel's performance?
"Jake is with the rest of them. I think we were all a step below where I think any of them would want to play. There were some good things in the game, obviously, but it just wasn't as sharp as we needed it to be. And there's a lot to work on, which is good. I said, 'This is good.' The good thing is, we won. And the great thing is, we've got 16 more weeks to see if we can get better and we do have something to, we have a reason to come to practice this week. So it was good."
Dominick Puni said that he felt like the Jets were stunting things directly towards him as the young guy on the offensive line. I know that he has some stuff to work on, but how did he handle it emotionally, mentally, on the field?
"I don't, he doesn't get rattled very much. If he was rattled I didn't notice it. I got on him a little bit. But he didn't, he doesn't get rattled. So, I didn't notice that. And it's probably how he did feel, first game on Monday Night Football. I don't think they were doing a lot towards him, but he felt it. It's a big game. The first game. It's hard. And he did a really, like I said, he did a really nice job. But they all could have been, we all could have been better."
What did you see from the Vikings defense? They gave you some trouble last year.
"They're well prepared, they're well coached, they play hard. The crowd noise, Skol, all the stuff that they say, it's just, it's crazy. Was it Monday or Sunday night game last year? Last year was Monday. Yeah, it was loud and crazy and all that stuff. I used to coach there and back in the day it was in the Metrodome, there used to be a building called the Metrodome where they played football there. But anyway, the Metrodome, at 12 o'clock kickoffs, if you got up on Vikings early, they weren't always in the stadium at noon. Now they may be there, but those 12 o'clock kickoffs you get up on a team early, Minnesota, it can be quieter. But you give them all day to get revved up for that game, and it was loud. And this week will be the same thing. It's their first home game. Shoot, I remember we went out there, San Francisco, [former NFL QB] Brett Favre's first game as a Viking and [former NFL head coach Mike] Singletary was the head coach. I was here and they threw that touchdown at the end of the game to beat us. And that place was, it was quiet early because we had the lead, but then they got rolling in the second half and it was rocking, man, holy cow. That was a loud place to play. And I think that's what there is, that's the challenge. That the defense is good. The defense has a lot going on, so there's a lot of communication. And then you take that crowd noise on top of it and it's just a challenge. The good thing, is our guys have done, we've done it. We have to keep doing it. But we've at least, Puni will be the first time for him in that environment. And he's the guy that looked back with the tap and he has to do all that stuff. So there's a lot going on for him."
When you say Trent knows when to go hard and knows when to take it a little easier, is that like a Trent thing? Like a former NFL OL Jonathan Ogden thing?
"It could be anybody. Yeah, any of them."
Are there any plays that he could kind of take off during the game?
"Well take the play, the touchdown play I talked about. Colton's job on that play, the front side has to drive and work and push and shove and get, they have to get things going over there. The backside tackle just passes so that guy goes up the field, he just kind of puts his hands and that's it, play over. You don't have to blood and guts that play. You get him up the field, you put your hand in and it's done, a touchdown. And I go congratulate and slam the ball like I did something. That's a play that isn't your play. And you know those plays. I'm not saying you take the play off, but there are plays that mentally you know, and Trent's learned through the years that I just have to turn out and get this guy, if I just get this guy to do this, the play is over. I don't have to keep running down the field another 25 yards and I can't, because I'm an older player. So it's not that he's taking plays off necessarily, it's just that understanding the concept of the play, understanding my defender, what the defense is, what I think is going to happen on this play. You can't determine that too much because shoot, the ball comes back to you at some point and you've got a problem. But there's times, a three-step drop, you know if I set right, the ball's coming out quickly, I get my hands on him, boom, I run, done. I'm going to be good most times. So there's that pacing of a game that Trent will learn. The problem was with that game, as we talked about, we talked about last week, we said, 'Shoot, there's going to be these 11-play drives that we had, he had in the Rams game of the COVID year. Eight plays, six plays, 11 plays, 10 plays. And there was just one after the other, after the other. I was shocked he didn't come out, but he did a heck of a job. Once again, here's a shocker, Trent surprises you that he's awesome, right? He's pretty awesome."
JP had like 94 yards before contact. What did you think of the kind of the pop that your offensive line had in the run game?
"You know me guys, we did okay. We got a lot of improvement to do. I give a lot of credit to Brian Fleury, Kyle, the way our run game is built, the formations, the movements, the things that we do, we try to create places where there's going to be space, to get the guy that space. Obviously, we got to do our part and do the blocking. I get that, the guys did a good job of that. We got to do better. But it is so much of the creativity that goes into this thing with the other guys. I'm down there yelling in the dirt down there trying to get them to come off the ball, work harder, those guys are creating these schemes where all of a sudden we have openings and we're getting the guy to the contact before that point. So yeah, we've got to do our part. And the guys did a good job with that. And I'm proud of the guys that, you know, we did run the ball fairly effectively for a first game, but that credit goes to a lot of other guys. Our guys are good, but it's spread around."
What was it like for you seeing, you've been with Jordan this whole time he's been here, just to see Jordan have kind of a big night?
"That's great because we've talked about it, you guys have consistently asked through the last couple years when I've been up here anyway about the guy and how's he doing? And I keep saying, this guy just keeps getting better and better and better. And the connection he has with [running backs coach] Bobby Turner is special. I mean, nothing against [Washington Commanders run game coordinator/running backs coach Anthony Lynn] A-Lynn when he was here, A-Lynn is a great man, a great coach. Just when Bobby got in here and the connection they had has just been outstanding and he has taken to it. And I think the other thing is all of us have a, 'well Foerster, you know, he yells at a lot, he gets, whatever it is, right?' Or 'Bobby's hard on us and dah, dah, dah.' But then when you watch [RB] Christian McCaffrey, just take to the coaching and hang on every word Bobby says and write every note. Well, when you're JP you start doing it too and you start listening, you start doing the things. Bobby knows how to get a back ready to play. And so that's for me, it's Trent. Whatever I say, Trent's got my back with these guys, or Colton or these guys as you coach them through the years, it helps, it gives you, as a coach, validity that, yeah, the old man's going to lose his mind sometimes. Bobby's going to seem crazy sometimes, but at the end of the day, he has your best interest at heart. He cares about you. And when he's telling you he is going to make you a good player, JP always worked hard, but there was always that little bit of a trust factor there. Now he's all in with Bobby. He's all in with the offense and he has just flourished. He's a tough, hard running guy. I was really happy for him to be able to go in and do that."
QB Brock Purdy
Obviously, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores does a lot of blitzing and different looks they like to throw at you. What do you remember about last year and how can that kind of help you this week?
"I don't know, he does a lot of different looks and different things and makes you think that it's going to be one thing and it can be that or go to something completely different. And so, he does a good job with that. I think one of the best in the league with just disguises in general. And so, last year we had obviously a whole game against him and got some really good looks from him and some tough situations that he puts you in, especially as a quarterback trying to make a decision and stuff. It was a good experience last year and there's some things that I had to learn from. I had a year of film and stuff and this week of practice so we're excited for it."
What about the atmosphere last year? How does that stadium stack up with Seattle and some other loud buildings that you've been in?
"At the end especially, it was a tight game and everything and that place was rocking. For the most part, the whole game, they were like that. Some loyal fans that they've got in Minnesota. It's a dome, so it just gets loud in there and they bring it. It's an environment where you want to go in and try to obviously do your thing to put up points and score to create momentum and keep them away from being so loud. But, it's a great environment to play in."
How does not having RB Christian McCaffrey out there on the field change the way opposing teams defend you guys?
"I think just with Christian, especially there's certain plays, third-down where we like to get him out and throw to him and stuff like that. And so there's a lot of teams that can either double team him and then open up some other guys within our offense. And so that's something that we sort of have to remember. That's a huge aspect, teams always have to account for him and have a whole plan for Christian. He's the best in the league at it. And so when he is not out there, I think it sort of not necessarily simplifies things for defenses, but that's a component that they don't have to really handle and then they can focus on [TE] George [Kittle] and [WR Brandon Aiyuk] B.A. and [WR] Deebo [Samuel]. So that's something that for us that we have to understand. And as a quarterback, I always like having that because I think it does open up other guys."
What stood out for you as far as things you need to clean up specifically coming off of Monday night going forward?
"Yeah, I think there's certain movements in the pocket and stuff that I saw like early on in the game where I feel like I could have been better. It sort of threw me off some reads and that live action and feeling of a real pass rush and having to make smaller movements within the pocket and then deliver the ball on time. I feel like there were some reps in the game early on where I was pretty hard on myself, and I need to be better at. So that's something that I'm sort of honing in on and hopefully I can be better at this week."
Last time you went to Minnesota, you didn't have Deebo, but you also didn't have T Trent Williams at left tackle. How much nicer is it going back there and how necessary is it when that line has to do silent counts and stuff?
"Yeah, it's tough for the offensive line just being on a silent count. They're waiting for the guy next to them to move and that's when they're in their pass set or run blocking and all that kind of stuff. So it's tough. And so for them in general, that's a whole challenge in itself. Not having Trent and Deebo, like that was a whole component to the game and our game plan with the things that we can do with Deebo and having that out of the equation last year was tough. And then obviously Trent and his experience at left tackle, not having him within the run game and pass game and stuff. But I think [OL] Jaylon Moore jumped in and did a great job. So I'm not taking any credit away from him. He did a great job. But having Trent back in and just his dominance and force, you feel it. So to have him back will be great, Deebo as well. Having him going like full-speed and being able to do everything that he does, I'm really excited for. So I feel like for the most part everybody's healthy, it feels good, and we're excited to take on the challenge."
With K Jake Moody going into his second year, his rookie year he was replacing kind of a legend around here. He was a third-round Draft pick. Do you see a change in him and more confidence in him? Do you have more confidence in him now?
"Yeah, 100-percent. I think last year he went through a lot of different kinds of situations where things were on the line and there were a lot of meaningful kicks in situations that he got put into, as a rookie it's not easy. And then especially being a third-round pick, it's like you have all this extra pressure and expectations and stuff. But I think just the more experience that he got just the more confident he got. And then obviously this year, in camp and stuff, he's been lockdown and just locked in on his job and he has been great. So obviously the first game he had a great performance. Just who he is around the building, just talking to him and stuff more and seeing him sort of come out of his shell and talking to guys, you could just feel it. So we've all got his back. We love going to war with him."
Teams run a version of your defensive scheme. Is what they're running in Minnesota like really unique? Is it tough to prepare for because you don't really see it very much?
"I would say so. Yeah, like you get into some teams throughout the league where you know what they're running, they're in quarters, three-deep, man, like you know what they're running. With Minnesota, it's sort of an illusion fest. They want to make it seem like they're doing this and then post snap they're dropping eight into every which way. So, they do a lot. It's hard for us to just grasp exactly what they're doing. So, I think a lot of it is dropping back and post-snap seeing the shell, the safeties, who's coming, who's not and where I need to go with the ball from there. But it's definitely one of those outliers of a scheme that you have to get ready for."
Is part of what makes it effective in Minnesota the fact that it's so loud and it's hard to communicate?
"Yeah, for sure. I think that's definitely a component of the game. Being in the huddle, screaming the play, breaking, and then you're not being able to hear guys and yell and make audibles. It's all signals and like I said, we're on silent cadence, which is a whole other dynamic from playing at home. And so, it's totally different. But there's some good things that can come from it just in terms of the preparation and being ready for those moments and executing. Sometimes the best executed games are on the road with crazy environments because you have to be more in tune to the little things. So there's pros and cons to it. But Minnesota's one of those places where you have to be on top of your stuff or else you can get exposed."
In terms of your memories of playing in Minnesota, do you flash back to last year's game and the finish or do you go back to maybe your first ever preseason game when after you've done the joint practices and you get your first taste of NFL football?
"It's more so of last year, just like that's a real game and regular season and going in on Monday Night Football trying to get a win. The preseason game was every once in a while, think about it and laugh about it. But just being my rookie year and me trying to go through reads and stuff is pretty funny to go back and watch. But last year, those are the memories that when I think of Minnesota, I think of last year's game and how every possession matters, taking care of the ball matters, executing in certain moments to try to create momentum on a place like that in the road. It's not easy to win there. That's what I think of most is last year."
This is kind of a crazy game. A few months ago, you shared a quarterback room with Minnesota Vikings QB Sam Darnold and now you're going up against him.
"Sam's the man. I've told everybody that. I absolutely love Sam and who he is as a person, what he has done for this team in the quarterback room last year for [QB] Brandon [Allen] and I. He came in and helped me prepare and gave me everything that he had with his role as a backup to help me be successful on Sundays. And so I'll always be grateful for that. I love Sam. He's very talented. He's in a great situation, great offense, great players around him. Sam is so talented with his arm strength, his legs, like Sam can move. And so, to be able to go out and compete against him, it's going to be fun. That's who he is. He's a competitor. I know he's going to want this one too. And so for all of us, it's going to be a fun game."
Do you think that George's punishment for the Iowa State-Iowa game was equal to your punishment last year for that same game?
"We agreed to the terms of what was going to happen after this year. I had to walk up here with a mascot helmet, so that's a little different. But it did feel good though, just seeing him in an Iowa State helmet like what could have been. He could have been a cyclone. George Kittle as a cyclone? That would've been pretty sweet."
How'd he look?
"I thought he looked good. That helmet looked so good, and then with George's hair coming out, I was like, 'alright.'"
Do you have a mascot head somewhere?
"I don't. I could ask my equipment guys back at Iowa State to send me one. And to tell you the truth, my rookie year, that was the deal too and Iowa State won. I had the stuff sent out and it got lost in the mail. So George was like, 'you're a rookie, you have three days to do it,' and it didn't show up. And he goes, 'that's too bad.' I was like, 'bro.' So, then last year, of course they win and then this year got him. So, I don't know, maybe there'll be a mascot head thing again. So yeah, go Cyclones."
