The Season with Peter Schrager: Falcons OC Zac Robinson

Watch live local and primetime games, NFL RedZone, and NFL Network on Plus.NFL.com

Check out our other channels:
NFL Tuesday Night Gaming https://www.youtube.com/c/NFLTNG
NFL Mundo https://www.youtube.com/mundonfl
NFL Brasil https://www.youtube.com/c/NFLBrasilOficial
NFL UK https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVe0dAja_vZCmvfHXjtdRQA
NFL Fantasy Football https://www.youtube.com/nflfantasyfootball
NFL Play Football https://www.youtube.com/playfootball
NFL Throwback http://www.youtube.com/nflvault
NFL Films http://www.youtube.com/nflfilms
NFL Network http://www.youtube.com/nflnetwork

#NFL #Football #AmericanFootball

Our Guest today is one of my favorite young minds in football uh an offensive coach but is someone who played the game and has coached the game on many different levels and is now in a brand new home he is the offensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons Mr Zack Robinson how are you man Gregs great to see you my man how’s the summer oh Summer’s been wonderful Summer’s been great uh I don’t know about you like it’s not negative it’s not that I dread it but there’s like you see the the the the sands of time The Hourglass and like I feel it now we after July 4th it’s like all right it’s football time and everyone’s kind of getting that do you feel that as a coach like or can you still be yeah you’re not in chill mode right 100% like once once the Fourth of July hits like after that like I was on the golf course yesterday and I couldn’t stop thinking about first day of training camp and like what we’re going to do and the install so I’m with you those first like couple weeks you feel like you got forever and then once Fourth of July hits man you are football mode but it’s it’s a good it’s a good thing you’re always excited to go back but you definitely feel the anxiousness of uh of getting started you were in La as a coach since 2019 all the way up to last year uh family still in La I always find this interesting like when the transition is or when the school year ends do you guys move to Atlant like where are you guys now so we got out here entirely too fast if we were to do it all over over again so you know the story about uh you know sure we’ll probably talk about it but uh my wife came out like 3 weeks after I got here so I got here the first uh right before the Super Bowl and then she was out at the end of February so I mean it happened fast we’ve been in airbnbs uh you know doing that whole deal with like two kids under two which was an absolute nightmare as you can imagine but uh we made it through we got into our house uh finally a couple months ago so we’re all all settled in yeah we we we were looking back at it it’s like okay if we were to do this transition again uh probably waiting a little bit to get the house figured out before you just send the whole crew out but made it work thank God I got a good wife uh that could put up with all of it because it was you know it was a big change well I think you guys had a big week when you got the offensive coordinator gig in Atlanta we’ll go through your career and all that but can you just take everyone through the personal and the career of that that wild few days uh in Zack Robinson’s life it was uh yeah you were on it you you knew about it right away uh but yeah B I’ll try to get the shortened version of it but uh so my wife was very pregnant due date was coming up Raheem was going through all the interview process you know he was interviewing with everybody uh he hadn’t had a you know he wasn’t solidified he was going to Atlanta yet so my wife’s this is like say Sunday uh like January 21st like right around there and so you know I was fortunate enough to get a a few other you know looks and and some interviews and those things and I was supposed to fly out to some places and I had to kind of you know say hey guys like wies do any day um have to put those on hold and so fast forward to Thursday Raheem gets the job um in Atlanta you know the all the Hoops that you still got to jump through to you know make that stuff official and and all stuff it was you know had a good good idea I was going to go with Raheem and we had talked about it for a long time and so um so fast forward to Saturday I’m actually on the phone with Sean um at our house and won’t get into too much detail but basically get off the phone with Sean my wife comes out and I’m like I’m like you look like we gotta go like we you can tell I that look we got we got to roll you have that birth look in your eyes yeah I don’t know what it is but I don’t I don’t think I think we got to keep it moving CU I don’t know what to do uh so we got to the hospital fast forward you know two hours later and really my my agent Kyle McCarthy it’s funny to say my agent he’s like my best buddy um so he’s I’m texting him I’m like hey going to the going to the hospital you know let me know what’s going on with all this and so he’s like hey don’t worry about it like I won’t bother you uh just take care of the business whatever and we’ll figure it out later so of course Kyle’s Tex me like all throughout like when we’re at the hospital I’m like cont questions yeah so uh it’s like say three like around 3:15 our son Cooper was born and then I mean couldn’t have been 15 20 minutes later Kyle texts me he’s like hey you’re good to go give me a call I get a FaceTime from Raheem I get some other calls for some other people with the Falcons and uh I mean next thing I know like Mia my wife still like you know all the doctors are still like so then I had to call some of the other coaches that were involved with you know interviews um but yeah I mean it moved so F I mean I still get crap from my wife like to this day she’s like you were on the phone 20 minutes after you know or some you know so I’ll probably never hear the end of that but uh I think it’s a great story I think it’s amazing it’s the start of a new life a new life in real terms and a new life career-wise for the family and here you are in Atlanta I love that story I think it’s cool um that you’re you’ve been a great coach for the Rams for many years we’ve seen that McVey tree get picked apart especially on the offensive side now it’s your opportunity you leave with Raheem but let’s start from the beginning uh grew up in Colorado but you were a stud quarterback at Oklahoma State and so good that you guys finished the regular season and you had 364 passing yards 25 touchdowns you go to the senior bow the whole deal um and you go to the Patriots and have an NFL career and bouncing around little patriots Seattle Detroit Cincinnati until 2013 where after three years in the league you say okay I’m going to go on and and explore their options um getting to the NFL what kind of experience was that for you and then when did you know did the league tell you or did you yourself say okay I think this thing is over yes so I was you know lucky to be around some really good players Oklahoma State we had Dez Dez Bryant was my receiver I mean I would just close my eyes and throw jump balls Kendall Hunter there I used to love hun Ken Hunter was a stud uh we had Brandon pedigree Russell o was the left tackle I mean we were stacked so um you know we had we had some good teams there my last like three years and then um yeah always wanted to play in the NFL didn’t know how realistic it was I was always a little bit more of a kind of dual threat like I ran a d I’m out in college too and at that time it was still like the big pocket passer like those were all the guys that were getting drafted and so ended up you know luckily getting drafted late late late to the Patriots uh and then was just kind of scratching and clawing to to stay on a roster to practice squads and so like you mentioned bounced around toh four different places and four years ended up having a elbow issue in in my time in Cincinnati so at Tommy John at that point I kind of knew you know it was probably going to be over um you know if you’re a third string quarterback and you’re in year four and you haven’t elevated yourself to a backup I mean they’re looking for that next crappa crappa guy so I wasn’t uh was very aware of it um always wanted to get into coaching I always liked the the one-on-one uh you know coaching with quarterbacks when I was in high school working with younger guys when I was in college coming back and working with the high school guys uh when I was in college working with our younger guys so I always enjoyed that kind of one-on-one training uh with quarterbacks I started getting that going uh as I was rehabbing my elbow after I was done playing um you know you’re at you’re at a point where you’re like do I want to go into coaching am I like am I good with this or should I try something else like I did a couple um job Shadows at like a commercial real estate company and I was like no shot like I I got to have football and so um ended up reaching out to uh Pro Football Focus I love this uh just wrote an email I I hadn’t really didn’t know anything about him this was in like you mentioned like 2013 2014 so they’re still relatively you know unknown at that point um but I knew they had access to film and so I was like all right how can I pair up you know working with some uh college quarterbacks and uh Andy Dalton was a good buddy he I’d work with him in Dallas in the offseason and so how can I pair that up with you know still having access to film and just seeing around the league and uh around college football and watching quarterback play so I actually heard back from Bobby slowick he was the first person that called me with PF funny where was Bobby at the time he was at P Bobby was at PFF this is amazing to me so in Cincinnati Ohio you got this Pro Football Focus for the listeners it’s they do a lot of analytics teams used them Chris Collinsworth eventually purchased them and now it’s a you know you see it everywhere PFF Pro Football Focus but at the time was one of the first groups that were like let’s put numbers and analytics together but you’re right they had all the film and teams would pay a high premium hundreds of thousands of dollars to get their data but they also relied on them because they would watch the film so Bobby slowick who is now one of the hot offensive coordinators of the league down with Houston and CJ strad and you who at the time were just you know an ex-player who’s looking to find his way you guys both were at PFF in 2013 this is fascinating yeah it was uh yeah so Bob Bobby and I ended up working closely for a couple years and then obviously amazing know any of this I love this he went to how old is Bobby he’s 20s something Bobby’s I think we’re about the same AG he might be a little younger than me like a year maybe all right so we’re all we’re probably let’s say like 29 30 you know somewhere around there um and uh yeah so Bobby and I were you know breaking down coverages watching film just doing stuff underneath the PFF umbrella but also you know I’m sure like like I was doing just kind of had my own stuff as with with I’m watching film making were you guys in the same room were you guys in the same room watching stuff or was it SE so we were he was in Bobby was in Cincinnati I went up there a couple times I was living in Dallas uh where I was rehabbing my elbow and so um so we we would hop on calls all the time and I love this talk through coverage you know everything that was pertaining to the the stuff of PFF and then we would obviously have our own conversations just about football on the side as well so um so yeah kind of just kept up with around the league stuff with PFF uh right after that and then you know me I knew you know as you know shre like you got to have a wife that’s like all in on like okay so I met met my wife and I kind of mentioned I was you know wanted to get into coaching and she’s like yes of course like let’s do had no idea what we it’s your passion yeah of course yeah so she was Ultra supportive and um and then yeah I was actually training uh quarterback East stick North Dakota State y with uh with rep one um and there was a connection there with sha uh mcfay and uh and that group and so uh got an interview with Shawn and and then uh next day got got hired and uh you know obviously always going to be forever grateful for Sean giving me that first opportunity but definitely move fast um you know from that whole whole time of hey are we you know I’m working with PFF I’m training guys on the side and okay now we’re in it we’re coaching and so um it definitely was a whirlwind but shoot it’s been it’s been awesome when you’re at PFF and you’re doing all this stuff did you ever feel like U impostor syndrome or like you weren’t in the cool crowd you’re on the outside because I think that’s a humbling thing to be like all right I’m not going to be with a team I’m not with it but like I’m with this other organization and when we go to the combine remember you and I met when you were with PFF at the time and I’m like Zack Robinson the former player you’re like yeah of course and I’m like how cool is that this guy’s like I this is my access in it’s not the traditional route uh did you ever feel doubt going there or like you were so self-confident that this is just what it’s going to take for me to get to my path to coaching yeah I I honestly you know of course you want to be in the mix and that was the hardest thing you’re in the locker room like as a player and and you just miss that aspect of it um and so there were times where I was like man I gotta I got to just jump in I had some opportunities to go to college um and I I really wanted to coach in the NFL and so I knew that as long as I was staying close to the game and and staying up with things that you know hopefully an opportunity would come up um I was at a point where you know before I got HED with the Rams I was I was like all right whatever opportunity comes like we’re going and so I had a couple you know col like Oregon and a couple of colleges that I was looking to go to if I didn’t get a job with uh with the Rams and Sean so um but yeah absolutely you miss like just being with the guys like that’s why you you want to get into coaching is being a part of something you know great than yourself working towards a goal with with a bunch of guys so um yeah I felt there was some imposters in them you know for sure when I was working PF and and you get there and and the the Rams guys love you who who’s on that coaching staff those first couple years I know it’s been a rotating door but let’s go through the tree just so the listeners can realize the Brain Trust that was in the building talking off unbelievable guys to be around and learn as a young coach coming in like you’re a player but like you really have no idea until you get into it so my head spinning you know there’s so much to learn but I worked with Shane walren um I was assistant quarterback coach Shane was a quarterback coach that first year um Wes Phillips was on staff um you had Aaron chromer uh you had Uh Kevin oconnell comes in uh the next year in 2020 you got Liam Cohen who’s one of my best buddies I know shoot you and I you Liam and I have had some good times together at uh at Sean’s wedding uh and then you got like Thomas Brown comes through I mean there’s so many guys uh so many great coaches that you’re learning a ton from like West Phillips to this day like I can I can still hear some of the things that I would hear West talk about whether it’s with the tight ends or in the pass game and so uh you’re around a bunch of good dudes all love ball all with the same mindset and um just forever grateful to be around those guys and those guys just open up everything and and uh to somebody that really you know you think you know but like I said you just have no idea until you’re actually in it what’s what’s Sean’s Special Sauce that you try to take with you that all these guys work for him and they leave they go elsewhere but there’s never any bad blood and it always feels like they take the best attributes that he has what what did you learn from McVey all those years watching him run a room yeah there’s most dynamic person as you know shs that you’ll you’ll ever be around um you know as a leader from that standpoint the way that he can pull guys together the way that he can get the best out of everybody whether it’s the the top guys at the roster bottom guys the roster a young coach older coaches everybody there’s such an urgency with Shawn uh you know that he wants to be the best that that just Rises everybody else in the building to to his level and so always will be forever uh you know grateful for the things that you know whether I realized at the time I was learning from him but now that I have kind of obviously been away for a few months um realized like oh those little things that maybe I didn’t really know at the time uh are kind of creeping into my head about something that came up in 2021 or 20 you know just different different experiences obviously was there for five years so got to see a lot of had a lot of you know ups and there’s obviously some Downs as well that just come with uh with the game but um but yeah they just so Dynamic the urgency and then obviously the way that sea sees the game is is is unique and it’s you know the best in the NFL in terms of uh you know how he can package plays and uh put together a game plan and then feel the flow of the game as it’s going as a play caller and um so all those things that you know most people hear about but being able to to see it up close and just see him operate on a day-to-day basis uh shoot there’s going to be things that 15 20 years down the line I’m going to be still pulling from from Sean you know it’s funny I talked to him obviously and that Super Bowl season was such a ride and there was so much pressure and it was so cool to watch like the Rams like actually finish and seal the deal especially the way they did in the final drive and you guys getting contributions from Ben scaln and like just figuring it out and just piecing it together with Odell out and and uh you know is injury issues everywhere else and still getting away to get the Super Bowl I last year 2022 down year but there were some learning things I think sea had more fun and I could tell that this team really enjoyed the 2023 season almost as much as a Super Bowl season being there firsthand and having no expectations going into the season people talking about the Rams tanking for Caleb Williams um just I know we’re a couple months removed but just like how cool was last year’s ride getting to the Wild Card round and almost beating the lions in their building oh it was a blast like just the reset that it took from that 2022 season like you mentioned uh to showing up that first day of the 2023 off season it was like Hey like we’re attacking this thing and we’re we’re going to go all in we’re going to be there for each other every single day and and uh Sean’s resiliency through the whole thing was was obviously L spread throughout the building and um it was a blast though we had we had fun it was obviously you got Matthew Stafford and uh his level of urgency raises the entire building as well he played out of his mind you know especially down down the stretch there um and then just you know obviously puka and the way the offensive line played and the way that the defensive defense played I mean you go into that season and you’re looking around and you’re like man how how’s this going to all come together and the way that that ra got those guys going on that side of the ball um it it was just a cool it it was something like you mentioned like the 21 season obviously that’s that was pretty special but I think we’ll always remember that season uh those guys that were in it and just knowing that feeling of what it was like starting that off season uh and then just the messaging that was so consistent throughout the year uh from sea and and from from the rest of the staff that uh it it was a special year still wish we could have obviously kept going there um but that was a tough atmosphere up in Detroit man that place was Rocky that was that was an unbelievable game give me a good puka story like when did you know that this kid puka naua was going to be special fifth round pick out of BYU there was a little buzz in training camp but then he had a one of the greatest Seasons we’ve ever seen from a rookie receiver yeah he like in the spring you saw like his aggressive hands I mean he’s got unbelievable hands like Stafford I remember always would be like I feel like I can throw the ball as hard as I want to when he’s five yards away and he’s just going to pluck it and so that comfort for a guy like Matthew who’s going to put put it into some Tight Windows you’re like okay and then you see him moving around and he was slipping a little bit running some routes and he’s learning uh you know just the route tree that that he’s going to be asked to do in that offense and um but really I think it was like the first like couple weeks of camp like you saw once the pads really came on you saw how physical he was and you saw just like uh just his mentality dayto day when he was playing football like he he just was an absolute dog and so um him on game days like I mean you’ve seen his hair like it’s going everywhere like there’d be times where like he’d be sitting on the bench like this he’s guy he looks like Wolverine like just coming down out of and you’re like puka you good he’s like yes coach you know and you’re just like oh this guy dialed saage yeah so he’s one of those guys that the lights come on and and he’s just a football player and um he he’s a he’s he’s a great player uh obviously you you’ve got relationships all over the league Raheem Morris though he Taps you on the shoulder and says hey let’s let’s take whatever we got here in LA and let’s bring this juice to Atlanta come with me uh that’s a big decision to leave but you did you took the leap of faith uh what’s Raheem bring to the table and how excited are you to start this new chapter in your career oh I’m pumped to work with raw raw and I’s offices were right across from each other for the last three years so we’re constantly popping in and out hey come check this out and so was really able to learn a ton from a defensive perspective from ra but then you know most people know that he coach receivers but Ra’s got a great offensive mind as well so that’s what’s exciting for me as a first time doing this knowing that you know I got a head coach and a guy that first of all I love being around every single day you know raw like guys that know him it’s like he’s never had a bad day he’s best dude ever great he might be the most charismatic person in football yeah honestly maybe i’ that I’ve ever met and I think McVey would say that too like Shawn would say that as well yeah I I agree both those guys together I mean you can’t get a word in so you just sitting there listen but uh but no Ra’s the best and uh great defense of mine but I’m he loves offense so it’s fun you know shoot we’re texting a couple weeks ago hey what if we did this on this and so to have that uh from a head coach going into it for the first time knowing that um going have some blind spots that need to be filled uh pump to work with rock continue to keep learning from him uh the way that he sees the game on both sides of the football situationally uh he’s going to help me out a ton so definitely pump to to get it going and knowing uh it’s going to be a fun work environment uh no matter what through the es and the flows Raod do not changed from day to day so um it’ll be uh it’ll be fun fun season challenging of course but uh definitely excited to to work with r the rest of the guys all right so the Falcons offensive roster I mean I think they’re the first team since the 50s I remember the stat the draft to draft a skill position in the top eight like four straight years you get pit in London bejon Robinson and now pennick uh when you look at this roster on paper and then we’re going to get into what you’re seeing on the field in the spring but like this has to be a dream comp you also have Alger the other running back who I love at of BYU this guy can can gobble up yards like you guys have a loaded roster on offense it just hasn’t all come together yet that’s a great place to walk into no 100% definitely very fortunate to walk into a situation like this doesn’t happen very often you know the one thing that we weren’t sure about you know obviously when ra got the job and were coming with him was the quarterback that got solved with signing Kirk and so if you were to say which job is the best job out there Kirt cousins as a quarterback you’re like I mean it’s it’s obviously a no-brainer it’s a really good spot to be so very lucky that we got some some great guys the guys here Personnel wise you know Terry Kyle Smith Ryan Pace those guys have done an unbelievable job assembling the roster it’s a bunch of great guys that love football very similar to how it was set up in La just like guys that love ball um you know that are you really talented so uh you look at bejon you look at Drake you look at Kyle pittz and then the offensive line is really what makes that thing go and so those I mean you go Jake Jake Matthews looks like he he might play another 10 years honestly I mean he he looks great um he’s had an unbelievable career uh Matthew berser on the left guard second year out of Syracuse he’s going to continue to make strides expect him to be one of the better guards in the league Drew Dalman the center from Stanford fourth round pick we loved him in La when he was coming out so um and then you got the best guard in football in lindström um who his his work ethic and just the way that he plays the game is just like he doesn’t have to say anything but you see it the way that he plays and that raises everybody’s level uh and then you got big Caleb McGary over there the right tackle who’s a monster so having that that solidified is uh is big time especially for you know for the QBs and for for us in the P game um you know being able hold up up front we should be able to run the football so um there there’s a lot of great things got a long way to go was pumped about where we left the spring off but shoot as you know and you’re one of the system like there’s there’s so many things to cover and so we still got a a long way to go wish we could actually start tomorrow just to make sure we we get everything going but uh we got we got plenty of time long way to go first year in the system and yet no one has seen it on film yet which gives you an advantage as well uh bejan Robinson just take a minute to just what you looked at in college what you looked at last year and just I have to imagine when you’re an offensive coordinator and you’re given something like that that Talent the passing game the running game The Blocking game like you have to be just like how do I limit my usage on this guy because I want to use every single play yeah no doubt 100% that’s that’s that is honestly it’s a it’s a good problem to have but you’re exactly right but the first time I saw beon was uh we had a bye uh in 2022 went back to Oklahoma State uh they were playing Texas that week had a bunch of family that was there uh so went to the game had known bejan cuz I watched a ton of college football but seeing him play in person I was like you can give this ball you can give this guy the ball every single play and he’s going to make a play and I think he had 150 yards rushing over 50 yards receiving I mean they end up losing the game the ERS threw a few picks and um and Oklahoma State won but uh that was my first time seeing him play in person I was like this is you know going to be an unbelievable Pro and then uh seeing him up close you know he was a little bit banged up in the spring um so we only got to see just a couple weeks of him um but he’ll be he’ll be full go ready to go once Camp starts but you just throw on the tape from last year and uh his ability to make guys miss and um there’s really nothing he can’t do um but it’s it’s still priority is like hey you’re a running back we can certainly use you uh out of the back field as a receiver I mean he can run wide receiver routes but just obviously don’t want to overload him too much like you were kind of alluding to but um excited to work with bjan he’s a great great guy um just loves ball like he’s watching Christian mcaffrey and watching running backs around the league like he has that mindset that he wants to be the best so uh looking forward to uh you know to to get the ball as much as we can to bejon for sure Kyle Pitts a a real early pick for a tight end like I I just what what’s interesting with him is that like he was he’s got these high expectations so I’m not for sure he’s ever going to reach what people expected of him but he still puts up numbers he still has Good Seasons like are you excited to get your hands on Kyle pittz and kind of get the most out of him yeah 100% I think Kyle was excited to first of all you know he was banged up a little bit last year um so he was you know battling through some injuries and um but from the jump right when you know we got the job here Kyle was like one of the first ones in the building coming say what’s up to Raw saying you know sitting in my office hang out with TJ Yates and uh Kevin Koger new tight end Coach like he was around in you know March and before the guys even got there so his level of urgency he he wants to take that next step he wants to be a complete tight end I think it’s underrated how good of a blocker he actually is you know you see you know the receiver skills but um you know when he wants to put his hand in the ground and block like he can do it so he wants to he wants to do it all and and that’s we that’s what we’ll do with him and uh but excited for him to take a big step I know he’s he’s chomping at a bit to kind of get some a little bit of a bad taste out of his mouth from last year which a lot of it like I said was injuries but um no pump to work with him seeing the report that him and Kirk got going uh during the Spring a little bit was encouraging so uh it’s all positive for uh for Kyle all right let’s go through the timeline real quick here you get the job in January um February’s the combine March you guys signed Kirk Cousins April’s the draft do you remember like the 15 minutes at the combine with Michael penck was there a 15minute meeting like I I just I take me through the the cousins pick and then when did you have a feeling that okay penck there’s something to this kid if he’s there at eight as well yeah I think we uh so we sent so TJ Yates and kin Zam pey went to the combine and interviewed all those quarterbacks uh so we you know videoed it and we ended up watching it later on that night after we interviewed uh Mike uh had known about you know Mike just from watch in college football and obviously Washington was on a ton over the last couple years and I mean you’re seeing all the explosive plays that him and his those three receivers are making you know all over the place and so um you know you’re studying the film and and you sign Kirk and you’re you’re so pumped about that to have a guy like Kirk that’s you know comfortable with the system uh obviously playing some of the better football that he’s he’s played throughout the last couple years really his entire career so uh look forward to him you know continuing do that and then uh the ability to add Mike uh was unique obviously um you know we felt felt strongly about it uh in that position I think it’s been well documented just uh the ability for him to sit and learn and watch and and soak everything up before he would have to play whenever that ends up being uh was a positive but um you know remember watching the Texas game um you know that they played and and he was he was lights out in that game um and then you really start diving into the film and watching it throughout the spring and uh you’re seeing kind of you know how things could piece together with this offense and you got Kirk and then um you know being able to add Mike was uh you know too too good to pass up so U pumped to have both those guys because shoot as you know like oh I get it quarterback you got you gotta have you gotta have one you gotta have two and and so we feel great about both those guys there well people are going bonkers after the pick about how ridiculous it was but if you didn’t have a pass rusher ranked as high as pennx and he’s sitting there at 8 and you like him you got to think cousins coming off in injuries 36 and you know the last few years in Atlanta they’ve been in quarterback Purgatory that’s how I looked at it and it’s all right now we’ve got two options and one guy for the long-term future now that’s easier said than done as a coach there might be some egos you have to massage a bit too what has been the dialogue with those guys in the quarterback room or has it all just been cool everyone’s been understanding of the situation they come in or did you come in with a game plan being like I want to get penx his reps during the Spring and get him going but we have to focus on Kirk he’s our guy yeah no everything has been tailored around Kirk like that is that is where we’re going that’s what’s that’s what we’re doing and um Mike is such a humble guy Kirk obviously one of the best guys I’ve ever been around just in life um so those two guys could not mesh Better Together just because of who they are as people and so uh Mike’s come in uh he knows you know where he’s standing he’s got a long way to go he’s learning he’s observing Kirk uh with everything does Mike doesn’t have to say a bunch of meetings he’s just listening to to Kirk and then uh he’s got a great way of knowing when to ask something and and when to just kind of take a step back and uh and let Kirk go so uh their Dynamic has been good um you know everybody you’re constantly competing whether you’re competing against the other guys on other rosters or the guys that are currently on your roster like that brings out the best in everybody and that’s shoot that’s goes for you that goes for me that goes for everybody so whenever you have that good uh competitive urgy um you know it’s a good thing so both guys will Channel it the right way but like I mentioned both just like just humble guys uh a lot of fun to be around and obviously super talented and a lot of fun to just watch play quarterbacks so it’s good I love watching left-handed quarterbacks has penx Unleashed a pass in Camp or around the facility at any point where you’re just like that is just so pretty because I I saw him at the combine I took a video of it him in like the the hotel just like whipping these perfect and then the com yeah dude like it’s like I don’t know what it is if it’s a lefty or if it’s the way he releases the ball I think he’s already got one of the prettiest passes in all of football and I watched it for many years at Indiana then of course Washington like seeing it up close penck just letting that thing release with that spin is it that special yeah he’s a he’s a pure pure thrower as pure of a guy um that I’ve been around just strictly throwing the football so uh I’m with you there’s been times where you know he makes something happen happen and you’re kind of looking around like man that was a pretty special throw so he’s definitely got that going for him um he got some great instincts sees the field well so uh but like I mentioned got got a long way to go with this whole thing but uh he definitely definitely can throw the football and and that’s one of the reasons we were uh excited to get him and Kirk has has taken it in stride and Kirk’s in the right place going into July I would imagine as a training camps Advance yeah Kirk had a great great spring um really took you know especially for for us as new coaches coming in when you have a quarterback that um has as much experience as he does especially in this system I mean there were days that Kirk just grabbed the entire group when we couldn’t be out there with the guys and he’s taking guys through jog throughs and he’s coaching them up on the routes and um so the comfortability that you know I have and the rest of the coaching staff has with with Kirk and how he can just uh his ownership just with everything that he does um and his intent behind everything so he had a great spring um was fun see him have watched him for so long and always just respected the way that he plays the game and the way that he sees it and how he can click through progressions and how accurate he is uh but then you finally see it up close and you’re like man there are some days you come off the field and like everything’s gonna be fine because this guy as long as we distribute the field and um you know have sound schemes running the football throwing the football uh this guy can make a lot of things right so uh it was really fun to just finally get uh working with Kirk and and we’ll just continue to build that rapport with the rest of the guys and and all get you know continue to get a feel for what he likes and those type of things so uh it’s all all been really good though it’s cool that you have a veteran quarterback I feel like you and Stafford spoke the same language and and really since he got to the Rams of course Kevin was there and then you took over that kind of role in his ear with Shawn of course like the connective tissue is not so Kevin oconnell and you work together Kevin oconnell just coached cousins the last several seasons Raheem probably was on staff in Washington when cousins was there I would imagine right yes yep yeah and and McVey was you know on staff there as well so this is no like there’s enough connective tissue where you and cousins have so many people in common that this has to be pretty cool that you could finally get together and now instead of having rookie quarterback which you could have easily had as a first year offensive coordinator and slowick had it last year it’s no I’ve got 36-year old veteran who has seen it all and also knows a lot of the same people that I do 100% no we’ve been able to to talk about different relationships with guys or what they called something in Minnesota hey we call that here we call that this now and so that’s been so easy to talk with Kirk about you know football stuff but also uh just hey Chris O’Hara was his quarterback coach and so I know Chris o you know just different guys that you’ve been around hey what was Wes Phillips like what were some of the jokes Wes Phillips told you know just some of the little uh little stories that uh that are just uh easy to make connections so U no it’s been it’s been great to have Kirk and um you know having a veteran guy that can’t wait to just see his his career continue to go because he’s he’s playing before he got injured last year I mean you know Peter like he was playing as good as as qub back in the league so I’m excited to see him just kind ofh keep that going all right couple rapid fire questions as as we wrap this this has been awesome uh your best Dez Bryant story you were his quarterback in college uh an absolute freak Show in college and in the NFL when did Dez show you that this guy is a step above everybody else on the field he right when he got there as a true freshman we knew who he was coming in like as players we were like oh man like this guy was a fourstar recruit and um could have gone a number of different places we end up snagging him but that first summer he would always be like the first guy out on the field I always went out there early to start warming up but he was like him and I would like almost be out there at the exact same time and he just loved to play catch loved to throw loved the cat and so that’s when I started kind of getting a feel for him and um you know he would run some routes sometimes where like he would change his Tempo like I remember throwing him like an in cut like a 12 yard in cut and he came out of it and I thought I was putting it at a place you know right out in front of him he ended up speeding speeding it up and just to catch it like one-handed on his back shoulder like totally unnecessary but it was routes on air and he’s just showing off like the stuff he could do and obviously the stuff Above the Rim that he could do uh was unlike really anybody in college football I mean it was he he was a special guy but uh he loved football loved just playing catch um during the summer I think that’s where our reporter really kind of skyrocketed we just I’d throw something up and see what he could do he could you know see the spots that he could get to it and um but yeah he just he just loved throwing and catching being around football uh just total ball guy and then as a competitor I haven’t really been around many guys like like Dez I had Kell on last summer and he was talking about his favorite Matthew Stafford throws when he was his backup in Detroit your favorite Matthew Stafford pass if you can go through them all whether it be big clutch passes in the playoffs a couple years ago or something you saw in Camp what’s your Stafford memory of just the freak show that it’s Matthew Stafford I mean the the Super Bowl no look is in that moment was unbelievable I I couldn’t believe how he can no look those with receivers going from right to left and his eyes being this way and throwing it that way while still keeping the ball out in front I mean some of those that you would see in practice every day Matthew and I were teammates in Detroit um in 2010 as I was you know making my way around um and I’ll never forget he was injured the first year I was there and that was the reason I got to Detroit um he separated shoulder I was with Seattle on their practice squad so Detroit claimed me off of waivers um and so I was there the rest of the season Matthew wasn’t playing um but then fast forward to training camp and or yeah to training camp and that was the first time I got to see Matthew really play up close I’d seen him throw we went to the Manny camp together seen him throw you know up close and personal for the first time when I was a sophomore in college and he was going into his junior year and I was like that looks different than anything I’ve ever seen and so I went back and I was like I got no shot at playing in the NFL if this is what it looks like um but I do remember one throw in specific uh when was in Detroit with with Matthew um Calvin Johnson was basically ranning like like a corner pump and it was a cover two look Matthew looked off the safety One Way looked off the safety the other way Calvin did his job on the route uh and I was standing right behind it and this ball went 70 yards in the air perfect spiral Calvin just in stride and I’ll never forget what that looked like coming out of his hand it was just like 70 yards super dime so who was that against we’ll we’ll have the clip we were we were no this was in PR this was just in practice training can’t practice uh was just I was like you know something you just never see but uh some of the ones in games last year um yeah there were so many there were so many throws he had um but that one definitely sticks out just as a player watching it and knowing like what it’s supposed to look like obviously no no pure thrower in the history of the game really than Matthew Odell comes uh a couple years ago and he comes with all this hoopla and then he gets there and he’s just like an awesome player for the Los Angeles Rams and really I know the love that that franchise has for him for the One season he was there your thoughts on Odell your memories of Odell and maybe a good Odell story yeah he um you know came in and right off right off the bat like just fit in with the guys like didn’t really know you don’t know what somebody’s like until they’re actually in the building whether that’s coach play or anything you can hear whatever you want but you as soon as you get to know the guy um just brought a ton of juice to our to our offense I mean just obviously he’s got the most swag in the history of the game maybe um but he came in and uh there was you know little learning curve those first couple weeks um for some reason you know I was playing catch like pregame one day and uh so then from that point forward like I was kind of game throwing guy and so the stuff that I would see from him in pregame warm-ups like obviously he wasn’t doing like with the Giants like he was going to the back of the end zone and doing all that at this point he was just a little more casual but still you know pulling in one-handers U but not jumping you know like he was back in uh in New York but I do remember throwing a ball to him in pregame warm-ups before the uh before the Niner game the first game he was there and I was standing on the right side this is pregame warm-ups like we’re on the team period but guys are kind of you know how the tempo is in pregame and he’s like hey I’m I’m going to go on this one a little bit I was like all right and so um I throw him a go ball on the right side and he’s running and he’s tracking this thing and I’m like it’s it’s over his outside shoulder I’m like when is he gonna I’m like when is he G to adjust when is he going to adjust and and do this and he just keeps stride like this and then he just goes and he just plucks it with his right hand and then just keeps keeps going I like turned around and airo evero was standing back there like what the hell was that you know like we just the ball skills that he had I’ve never seen like an athlete like him like we play catch I’d throw it to him he’d throw one back right-handed next time he’d throw one left-handed yeah next time next time he would punt it right footed and it’d be like perfect and then the next time you would punt it left footed it would be I mean he just got some unbelievable just hand eye and he’s just a great athlete but um he brought so much juice That season man he’s a freaking he’s just loves football but also loves fashion loves soccer I still think he’s like the NFL’s renaissance man and now he’s in in Miami so I’m curious see how that goes but like I I thought I love the Odell era in LA and I know how much you guys appreciate him yeah it was great no he he was a big reason uh where you know obviously we were able get there last couple uh the big pass to Cooper cup that Stafford throws against Tampa in the playoffs where were you for that pass and what’ you think when you guys actually pulled that off yeah it was um first of all great call by Sean going Tempo in that moment uh ball was out of bounds on the left side on Tampa sideline and Sean you know typically hey out of bounds two minute drill let’s huddle up Sean had a feeling uh we ended up just getting right on the ball and so you know it’s well documented it was a cover zero look I was standing I always stood kind of even with the with the ball Bas like a little bit behind it um and so you’re kind of watching our guys you’re watching the back end and you saw it went to You Know cover zero and you’re like like you know right away are you guys all freaking out like cover like we have this this is there yeah it was like it was like a but it happened so fast that you’re kind of just like hoping Matthew sees it right like and you know yeah you know he’s gonna see it because he sees everything um but yeah that the ball traveling through the air like once Matthew spotted it and the you know obviously the the trajectory and the ball that he threw the ball seemed like it was in the air for like 10 seconds um but obviously drops in the bucket but um yeah definitely was a a memory I’ll always you know have and will’ll always have just how that happened seeing the juice that Matthew had after he completed that coming to the sideline like he said some stuff I was like you were in a dark place man like he was yeah he was feeling it and so uh it was it was pretty cool that locker room celebration was awesome but um yeah what an unbelievable play by those two guys in that moment to make that happen um was was pretty cool that rivalry you guys had with the ners these past several years and you go back and forth and then finally you guys beat him in the playoff game and then they go back to the Super Bowl and it’s it’s heated now you’re in the NFC South is it strange for you to be like all right I need to kind of readjust and there’s now three other teams that I have to kind of look at and be like those are our chief rivals or yeah does that does that Niners logo still as we sit here in July just just rub you wrong no it’s that’s that those games were so physical so intense you knew the week leading up like he was like man okay buckle your chin straps it’s you know playing the n ERS U that’ll always kind of just just the way that those guys play football and the way that Kyle gets those guys going um you know no matter if you’re in the division or out of the division you always got your eyes on the ners um but yeah it’s definitely been different resetting and seeing this group of of guys have feel like you know Tampa pretty well just we played him so many times the last handful of years uh and then played New Orleans last year Carolina don’t know much about but it’s cool because we do have some coaches on staff that have been here for the last three years so um you know I’m looking at it like hey who’s who’s 59 here and they’re able to kind of give a little bit of a scoop on on on different players and so U but yeah it’s different resetting you know that you get to know that division so well you’re there for five years you know the Cardinals you know the Seahawks you know you know that the evolving you know door that’s come with the defensive backs for the ners and so uh learning a new you know a new uh division is definitely going to be a little bit different but um it’s also you know good challenge at the same time last question question we are now a week really a week and a half away from stepping in there and giving the first you know training camp team meetings and all that as we head towards your first season as an offensive coordinator your first season with the Atlanta Falcons what would be your message to Falcons fans about the offense that they can expect yeah we’re you know anticipating playing an exciting brand of football uh we want to play fast before the snap after the snap we want to play physical we want to be aggressive at all times want to play with great urgency we want to mix the tempo so uh hopefully we can uh put this thing together got a great group of guys to do it um got a long way to go got training camp and we got to get uh just our identity and our foundation really Set uh we left the the off season like I mentioned earlier in a great spot now we just got to pick it up and uh that level of urgency just go to got to crank up a little bit but uh can expect uh you know we’re going to throw the football we’re going to put the ball in the air we’re also going to be able to control the ball uh run the football hopefully so uh should be an exciting season and we can’t wait to get going should I take bejan Robinson first overall in fantasy football would that be the I don’t know anything about fantasyall me neither I tried I tried making a statement that would like go viral I don’t know I don’t play Fantasy either like I don’t that was a bad attempt yeah but I mean probably I mean I don’t know why not he’s good yeah he’s great uh Zack Robinson this was so fun thank you for the hour I also think we learned a lot um the PFF stuff is really cool really as we wrap anything you’ve taken from those days that you apply today yeah there there’s certain um you know data that you might look at that you kind of like you know you’re you’re obviously you know football’s football and you’re always going to learn off the tape but there are some things just from a data standpoint that uh that you can look at that might that might help you out but um the way those guys really opened up your mind to looking at football in a different way which I think is always cool like nobody’s ever going to be stuck there’s not just one way to do it um and so just seeing kind of their perspective from a you know analytical side um and some of the aggressiveness whether it be on Fourth Downs or uh you know two-point whatever it might be um those things creep in your mind a little bit knowing what you know the PFF analytics might say but you’re obviously going to make those judgments based on different situations and it’s not just a black and white thing but uh definitely uh grateful for those guys and Neil horns who uh founded PFF was uh instrumental in just you know my development of just watching football and and uh being able to have the access to to everything that PFF had so um but yeah definitely taking a lot lot from those guys for sure so cool um I’m wishing you so much luck you’ve got about 15 days or maybe 10 days left go enjoy two kids under the age of Two and a new home and Atlanta uh tell your wife she’s a rock star uh Zack Robinson thanks for joining the podcast man thanks appreciate you man