HEAD COACH JEROD MAYO

PRESS CONFERENCE
November 26, 2024

JM: Good morning. Look, yesterday the NFL removed Jabrill [Peppers] from the Commissioner's Exempt List. He's on the roster. We had an open spot and fully anticipate him being able to practice soon. The Colts, it's going to be a huge challenge for us. I would say defensively, this is one of the better fronts, more disruptive fronts that we have faced this year. We've got to do a good job handling the front. Starts with [DeForest] Buckner, who's been a guy who's played at a high level for a very long time. Go to the second level, you have [Zaire] Franklin back there. In the third level, [Kenny] Moore [II] and the rest of those guys. They're definitely very good players and they have a very good defense. I would say offensively, [Jonathan] Taylor, he's a problem. We have to try to go out there and really bottle him up. I think one thing about him, he probably doesn't get the hype that he deserves. At the same time, he's a very explosive player and a very fast player out there on the field. It all really runs through him. In saying that, they definitely have a big arm quarterback. Having a guy like Joe Milton [III] to run the quarterback for the show team is definitely going to be good for us. They have good receivers. I think it starts with [Michael] Pittman [Jr.]. He's one of those guys that is able to do the dirty work. Doesn't shy away from blocking people. At the same time, he does a good job catching balls over the middle of the field. He's really a fearless guy. They're dealing with some injuries. We'll see what happens. We're going to prepare as if all those guys are healthy. When you talk about [Josh] Downs, you talk about the tackles, all that stuff. We're going to prepare as if they're healthy. Like I told the team, it's about us. It's about us. Wednesdays, days like this, I should say, we always talk about changing the page. This is a Wednesday in my world. We talk about changing the page, and really our full focus is definitely on the Colts. Have an opportunity to come back home, which is always good. It's good to try to get this thing back on track.

Q: Jerod, with Jabrill, you obviously referred to the NFL for so long now. Now that that's off, do you have a timetable in your mind? Do you anticipate him playing again for you this season?

JM: Look, we put the statement out yesterday from an organizational standpoint of how we want to let this process work itself out. Look, when Pep is ready to go, hopefully we can get him to the game.

Q: Jerod, does that mean—I mean, he has a trial date in January. Does that mean you're not waiting for the trial, his case to resolve?

JM: Yeah, to me, I think it's just out of respect for the legal process to let that stuff play out. For us inside these four walls, as long as he's doing the right thing, I expect him to be able to play when he's ready to go.

Q: Jerod, who is all involved in the decision now that Jabrill has been reinstated for him to practice and play, given this is now under the organization's power, the decision?

JM: Yeah, I would say it's a combination of things. Again, I'm grateful for how ownership has allowed Eliot [Wolf] and myself to make these types of decisions. We'll see what this looks like as it continues to play out. Like I said, our focus is on the Colts.

Q: Jerod, you said back in October, I believe, when this first happened, that there would be some kind of internal investigation. Has something been satisfied from that investigation?

JM: Yeah, look, I fully understand the question. I mean, it's going to take time. The legal process outside the building and what we think happened inside the building. At the same time, the NFL has taken him off of that Commissioner's Exempt List, and that's what we have to roll with.

Q: Do you anticipate getting Caedan Wallace back at practice this week?

JM: He's close. It's kind of the same conversation that we had with [Christian] Barmore and [Cole] Strange. He's getting closer and closer. Again, once he's ready to go, he'll go out there and hopefully help our football team.

Q: Jerod, just one more question on Peppers. Has he addressed the team as a group? Will he do something like that, or is this just he arrives and he takes over back where he was?

JM: I want to keep private conversations private. Look, he has a good relationship with everyone in this organization. We'll just keep all that stuff in house.

Q: Will he still be a captain?

JM: We'll keep that conversation in the house as well.

Q: Is he in the building today?

JM: He's in the building today.

Q: Jerod, did the league explain to you why he was removed from the Exempt List when he was?

JM: Look, I'm not in those conversations. For me, it's been about really just trying to get this team ready to play a big game for us because it's the next game.

Q: Is taking over defensive play-calling something that you would be open to this season?

JM: No. Look, DeMarcus [Covington] is doing a good job as far as calling plays. It comes down to executing what play is called.

Q: How disappointed were you after looking at it, the miscommunications in the secondary from a lot of guys that have played together before?

JM: Yeah, very disappointing, especially in critical moments. Look, the communication has to be better at the second level and the third level. It was very disappointing, especially in the red area. Look, we just have to get better.

Q: Jerod, to go off of that, with Kyle Dugger and some of the missteps Sunday, is any of that tied to the ankle injury, or is that completely independent of that?

JM: To me, any time we put a player out there, he's healthy enough to play. If you're healthy enough to play, then the expectation is that you're going to perform at a high level.

Q: Coach, this time of year, you hear about the rookie wall. Do you address that with the guys, or is it just cross that bridge when we get there?

JM: No, I don't really believe in the rookie wall. I don't believe that it happens in a certain week. There are certain times throughout the season that you have your ups and downs, and you just have to have the mental toughness to be able to push through.

Q: Jerod, there have been some questions throughout the season about some of the decisions on fourth down and aggressiveness. Given where you're at as an organization, first year as a coach and trying to establish things, do you think there's merit to being more aggressive to setting that standard, like the Lions have done?

JM: Yeah, I would say every game is unique in itself. Ultimately, it falls on me to make those decisions. There will be games, we're a game plan team, that we are aggressive on fourth down. There will be other games where maybe not so much. I would also say that there are different factors that go into those decisions, like where we are in the game, where we are on the field, and things like that.

Q: Jerod, the decision to invite Jabrill back and have practice and potentially play, is that something you and Eliot had to run by ownership?

JM: No. Look, my focus has been on the Colts. As soon as the NFL took him off the Commissioner's Exempt List, then that part of it allows him to be here, and that's what we're going by.

Q: After the loss in London, you were very forthcoming about your team, what you felt about how they responded. How do you feel coming out of this one, and how do you think that they'll respond?

JM: Yeah, to me, it's very easy to take the last game and to play as bad as we played and, 'the sky is falling.' You just remind those guys of where we were going before that, how we have to win, how we can win and put ourselves in positions to win.

Q: Coach, when it comes to the on-field discipline issues, I know you acknowledged that personnel changes can be on the table, but also with depth concerns, sometimes that's not an option. What else goes into trying to fix those issues, especially if there's repeat offenses?

JM: Yeah, it's tough. The most frustrating penalties to me are always the pre-snap penalties because that is really just a lack of focus and a lack of detail, and we have to clean that stuff up.

Q: Do you expect Jabrill to play on Sunday?

JM: Again, he's off the list. I anticipate him being able to practice. At some point in time, we'll get to that bridge when we get there.

Q: Do you anticipate making more, say, drastic changes to your starting offensive line?

JM: That's a fair question. The one thing that we've talked about all year is trying to build continuity up front, letting those guys grow together as well as grow with the starting quarterback and the receivers as well. That's always been my mindset.

Q: Sidy's [Sow] played a ton of football here last year. This year, after the injury, it seems like he's had a hard time getting on the field. When we has, he hasn't been to the level that we saw last season. What are you seeing there? What's happened with his development?

JM: For me, with Sidy, and he'll sit here and tell you the same thing, it's just about being more consistent. When you put guys out there on the field, regardless of position, you need to be consistent, and he understands that.

Q: What do you think Drake Maye has learned from his recent string of games?

JM: Look, once again, it's very easy to forget that he's a rookie quarterback. What I will say is the one thing that he is definitely going to improve going forward is just the turnovers, and we can't play that way. He understands that.

Q: Is there a fear of having Jabrill play without having all the information, without having this go through the legal process, without knowing everything, just knowing what could come out?

JM: No, look, you always have to assume that things come out. What I will say, in regards to Jabrill, we released that statement, he's off the list, and we anticipate him being at practice.

QUARTERBACK DRAKE MAYE

PRESS CONFERENCE
November 26, 2024

Q: Drake, I'm going to start with a simple question, just kind of at Thanksgiving, what you're thankful for as you celebrate?

DM: No doubt. Yeah, I'm blessed. I'm thankful for a bunch of things. I've got a great family, at a great spot in my life, just trying to take advantage of the opportunities that I have. I'm grateful for this team, this organization. I'm grateful to the good Lord and blessed for all that He's given to me and His purpose. So, just trying to live through that, just thankful for good people and thankful for getting the opportunity this Sunday.

Q: Drake, it seemed like there were some inconsistencies or missed opportunities against the blitz in Miami. Now that you've gotten to watch the film and talk to the guys, I was wondering, what do you think were the biggest issues that popped up?

DM: I think the biggest thing is just being on the same page. I think these guys are working hard during the week, and I feel like we're putting some good practices together. I think we've just got to translate it to the field. I think it's different when those reps do count, and I think it's something we'll figure out. I think we've been good against the blitz in my time since I kind of became the starter, so I don't think it's something that we're going to over-harp about. I think sometimes you catch them in some things, try to exploit their blitzes and from there, just try to get the ball out. I've got to do a better job of getting the ball out and getting it out faster.

Q: How would you describe your mindset after that game, where it's obviously one of the more difficult ones you've had as a starter? Is it frustrated? Is it angry? How would you kind of put it for yourself?

DM: No doubt. It's frustrating. When you're out there and you've got a goose egg on the scoreboard for most of the game – and you feel like you're moving the ball, you're just kind of hurting ourselves offensively. So, I think just the mindset of keep going. Keep going. We're going to filter some things out and figure it out. We've been moving the ball this year, so we've just got to stop hurting ourselves, whether it's in the red zone hurting ourselves or starting possessions on first down. So, I think we've got the right guys in there that can make some plays, and it's got to be a better job on my part of giving the football and getting the ball out faster to help the guys up front.

Q: Drake, with some of the turnovers, it seems like some of them are when you're trailing, trying to make a play. Are you confident that you'll be able to curb some of the turnovers when those aren't the situations that you're in?

DM: Yeah, I think I'm not too worried about turnovers. Obviously, putting the ball in harm's way is a big emphasis for a football team as a quarterback. But I think when you're trying to fight back, you're trying to make some plays, some of them happen. But I do think, back on my statement, I am worried about turning the football over. That's a problem. But at the end of the day, you can't turn the football over, especially – I think we're losing the turnover margin in most of the games with me back there, so that's something I need to improve on.

Q: Drake, you had that big running game against Tennessee a few weeks ago, 95 yards. Does it seem like teams are really making an effort to try to take that element out of the game in the last few weeks?

DM: I haven't noticed too much. I think based on the game plan and certain down and distances, we're kind of fighting against the chains. Backed up, it's a little harder to –defenders sitting back in some zone and little things like that. So, just try to take advantage of when the opportunities do come, but we're not really trying to hunt it up, just trying to take care of my body. At the same time, when they are there, I'm still not afraid to go make a play.

Q: Drake, from your first two, three starts to the last three weeks, how have you seen defenses adjust and play you more recently?

DM: I think just bringing different guys. I think kind of bringing guys externally and trying to do some different things to kind of either make me hot, make me throw hot or little things like that. So, I think I'm just trying to see different experiences, learn from them, just go about the next week and hopefully not be a repeat offender. That's what AVP [Alex Van Pelt] preaches and Coach [Jerod] Mayo. So, that's my biggest thing. From that, defensively, just got to be able to run the football. Like I said, getting behind the chains is hard. We need to establish the run; that helps us down the road in play-action, throwing on first down to mix it up. So, little things like that.

Q: Drake, this time of year, you hear about the rookie wall sometimes. Is that something that's talked about at all, or is that really not something you can worry about?

DM: Rookie wall for me, really, as a starting quarterback, I don't really think a rookie wall is going to hit me. I think by this time, everybody is going through some type of injury, tired or something like that. So, what an opportunity to be the starting quarterback for the New England Patriots, so really no rookie wall for me.

Q: When it comes to getting the run game going, Drake, Jerod said – I think it was about a week ago or so – we're going to start putting more on your plate when he was asked about designed quarterback runs, separate from the scrambles that you might do sort of on-script. How would you like that if that was starting to be incorporated into the Patriots offense? Is it something that you would lobby for?

DM: No doubt. I think there's a time and place for it. I think third-and-short yardage, down in the red zone, goal line, maybe a QB draw or something like that. I think there's definitely a place for that. You can kind of keep defenders and defenses on their toes with mixing it up. I've just got to do my part of getting down once I do get the yardage, but I definitely think there's a time and place for it. But at the same time, I think getting the ball to Rhamondre [Stevenson], AG [Antonio Gibson] and [JaMycal] Hasty's hands is better than mine.

Q: Drake, the NFL reinstated Jabrill Peppers. As his teammate, how do you feel about that?

DM: I'm glad to have him back in the building. Jabrill's situation is – waiting for him to speak on it, so I'm just glad to have him back, and he's a great player.

Q: Drake, Coach Mack Brown was let go this morning from North Carolina. Just a thought on what he meant to you in your time down there.

DM: Coach Brown meant the world to me. He's probably the main reason I went to North Carolina. Hall of Fame coach. He's done it, and he's such a player's coach. I saw the news and hate it for him. I love Coach and appreciate what he did for me, but I know he left it all out there and he's got no regrets.