AussieChiefsFan
03-19-2009, 02:49 AM
Q&A WITH WR BOBBY ENGRAM - 3/17
MAR 17, 2009, 5:47:50 PM
INTRODUCTORY CONFERENCE CALL
Q: How excited are you to sign with the Chiefs?
BOBBY ENGRAM: “I am excited. I think it is going to be a tremendous opportunity. I am looking forward to the challenge of changing teams. I am also looking forward to coming in there and being an important part in helping the Chiefs organizations get back on track.”
Q: What was attractive to you about coming to Kansas City?
ENGRAM: “I think first and foremost, when I came here on my visit, just the feeling and the vibe I got from talking to the people in the organization. You know Scott (Pioli) and Todd Haley, I had a pretty extensive conversation with them about their plans and how they hope to turn this team around. Talking to Chan Gailey, Dedric Ward the offensive coordinator and receivers coach, I got a good feeling about it. There is a really good energy about it. It is a place that I think I can come in and fit in really well with what they are trying to do offensively. And B is the tradition of Kansas City. I have played there a few times over my years and it has been a phenomenal place every time I have played there in terms of energy and the fan support that they have. I am looking forward to it.”
Q: What is your relationship like with head coach Todd Haley?
ENGRAM: “My time there was brief when I was in Chicago. I actually got released but I got to know Todd a little bit. I think we have come to gain a mutual respect for each other from competing all of those years with him being down in Arizona and me being in Seattle. We would talk after the games and I think we kind of built the relationship that way. Obviously, I’ve followed his career and his climb up the ladder to head coach. I think he is a guy who is headed in the right direction. I think he is going to do things the right way and I think he is a winner. It is going to be exciting for me to be a part of the organization.”
Q: Have you recovered 100 percent from past injuries?
ENGRAM: “I was 100 percent last year. That happened in the first preseason game and I missed four games. I should have come back in six weeks but I chose to miss one more because they gave me an additional week because we had a bye week. I was able to come back and I didn’t have any problems after that, I finished out the season strong.”
Q: Is it possible to walk into this locker room and immediately take on a leadership role or do you have to grow into that?
ENGRAM: “I think nothing has to be forced. You can lead people by example and as you get to know people on a personal level then you can lead more vocally. It is going to take time like anything else. Those guys are all talented; it is just that the experiences are different. I think that myself, and Mike (Vrabel) have been in a lot of big games, playoff games, we’ve been in Super Bowls. I think that definitely has to count for something and that carries some weight in the locker room. At the same time, we have to come in there and prove it. We have to lead by example, work hard and prepare to win and help the team win games. That is ultimately where people are going to respect what you are doing and what you are saying.”
Q: Are you more of a vocal leader in the locker room or a quiet leader?
ENGRAM: “I normally lead by example. I mean I will talk, but I am not a screamer, I’m not a yeller. I am more of a communicator. I talk to guys one-on-one. I talk to groups but I get emotional. When you have been around this long you don’t get by without some sort of fight in you. I try to have those emotions controlled on Sunday and just really prepare myself to go out and play well each and every Sunday, to put our team in a position to win ball games. I hope to bring that to Kansas City.”
Q: What are your thoughts on Matt Cassel and his ability to be a franchise quarterback?
ENGRAM: “I have watched him quite a bit. My thoughts are, I think he has all the potential in the world and the future is very bright. He is one of the big reasons why I really chose to sign with Kansas City amongst some of the other reasons I’ve mentioned. Just watching him, my first impression was just how poised he is. He really seemed to understand the offense and how he knew where he wanted to go with the football.”
Q: Do you still have something to prove in this league?
ENGRAM: “I am going into my 14th year and I want a Super Bowl. As far as trying to prove to people, I have proved that. I am just trying to prove it to myself. God has blessed me with ability and a skill set to play this game and to play at a high level for a long time. I am very fortunate and I just want to prove to my new teammates, my coaches and everybody that I can play and make plays. I am coming in here with one goal and that is to help the Chiefs win games and we will see where it goes from there.”
Q: What do you know about Dewayne Bowe and how can you complement each other?
ENGRAM: “I only know a little bit from what I have seen on film and from talking with some people in the organization. He is a phenomenal athlete. I think he has a chance to be a real star in this league. I am just going to come in and work hard and try and get to know him on a personal level. I have been around some tremendous receivers in my time, you know, Jerry Rice. I have been in here 14 years and there have been a whole gamete of guys that have made Pro Bowls. Curtis Conway when I first came into the league. I know what it takes and I am just going to try and help the young man out to be as successful as possible. As far as complimentary, I will help him by making plays and vice-versa.”
Q: What is your relationship with Larry Johnson who is also from Penn State?
ENGRAM: “I have only seen Larry here and there. I know about him. I have met him a few times but it is nothing deeper than that. I look forward to getting to know him on a more personal level. I know he is a heck of a running back, I know the people at Penn State love him. I know he did some tremendous things there. I watched him a little bit in college and just followed his career throughout the NFL and he is a special back.”
Q: Would you be willing to call Larry Johnson and help convince him to stay in a Chiefs uniform?
ENGRAM: “It’s not my business to get into Larry’s situation at this time.”
MAR 17, 2009, 5:47:50 PM
INTRODUCTORY CONFERENCE CALL
Q: How excited are you to sign with the Chiefs?
BOBBY ENGRAM: “I am excited. I think it is going to be a tremendous opportunity. I am looking forward to the challenge of changing teams. I am also looking forward to coming in there and being an important part in helping the Chiefs organizations get back on track.”
Q: What was attractive to you about coming to Kansas City?
ENGRAM: “I think first and foremost, when I came here on my visit, just the feeling and the vibe I got from talking to the people in the organization. You know Scott (Pioli) and Todd Haley, I had a pretty extensive conversation with them about their plans and how they hope to turn this team around. Talking to Chan Gailey, Dedric Ward the offensive coordinator and receivers coach, I got a good feeling about it. There is a really good energy about it. It is a place that I think I can come in and fit in really well with what they are trying to do offensively. And B is the tradition of Kansas City. I have played there a few times over my years and it has been a phenomenal place every time I have played there in terms of energy and the fan support that they have. I am looking forward to it.”
Q: What is your relationship like with head coach Todd Haley?
ENGRAM: “My time there was brief when I was in Chicago. I actually got released but I got to know Todd a little bit. I think we have come to gain a mutual respect for each other from competing all of those years with him being down in Arizona and me being in Seattle. We would talk after the games and I think we kind of built the relationship that way. Obviously, I’ve followed his career and his climb up the ladder to head coach. I think he is a guy who is headed in the right direction. I think he is going to do things the right way and I think he is a winner. It is going to be exciting for me to be a part of the organization.”
Q: Have you recovered 100 percent from past injuries?
ENGRAM: “I was 100 percent last year. That happened in the first preseason game and I missed four games. I should have come back in six weeks but I chose to miss one more because they gave me an additional week because we had a bye week. I was able to come back and I didn’t have any problems after that, I finished out the season strong.”
Q: Is it possible to walk into this locker room and immediately take on a leadership role or do you have to grow into that?
ENGRAM: “I think nothing has to be forced. You can lead people by example and as you get to know people on a personal level then you can lead more vocally. It is going to take time like anything else. Those guys are all talented; it is just that the experiences are different. I think that myself, and Mike (Vrabel) have been in a lot of big games, playoff games, we’ve been in Super Bowls. I think that definitely has to count for something and that carries some weight in the locker room. At the same time, we have to come in there and prove it. We have to lead by example, work hard and prepare to win and help the team win games. That is ultimately where people are going to respect what you are doing and what you are saying.”
Q: Are you more of a vocal leader in the locker room or a quiet leader?
ENGRAM: “I normally lead by example. I mean I will talk, but I am not a screamer, I’m not a yeller. I am more of a communicator. I talk to guys one-on-one. I talk to groups but I get emotional. When you have been around this long you don’t get by without some sort of fight in you. I try to have those emotions controlled on Sunday and just really prepare myself to go out and play well each and every Sunday, to put our team in a position to win ball games. I hope to bring that to Kansas City.”
Q: What are your thoughts on Matt Cassel and his ability to be a franchise quarterback?
ENGRAM: “I have watched him quite a bit. My thoughts are, I think he has all the potential in the world and the future is very bright. He is one of the big reasons why I really chose to sign with Kansas City amongst some of the other reasons I’ve mentioned. Just watching him, my first impression was just how poised he is. He really seemed to understand the offense and how he knew where he wanted to go with the football.”
Q: Do you still have something to prove in this league?
ENGRAM: “I am going into my 14th year and I want a Super Bowl. As far as trying to prove to people, I have proved that. I am just trying to prove it to myself. God has blessed me with ability and a skill set to play this game and to play at a high level for a long time. I am very fortunate and I just want to prove to my new teammates, my coaches and everybody that I can play and make plays. I am coming in here with one goal and that is to help the Chiefs win games and we will see where it goes from there.”
Q: What do you know about Dewayne Bowe and how can you complement each other?
ENGRAM: “I only know a little bit from what I have seen on film and from talking with some people in the organization. He is a phenomenal athlete. I think he has a chance to be a real star in this league. I am just going to come in and work hard and try and get to know him on a personal level. I have been around some tremendous receivers in my time, you know, Jerry Rice. I have been in here 14 years and there have been a whole gamete of guys that have made Pro Bowls. Curtis Conway when I first came into the league. I know what it takes and I am just going to try and help the young man out to be as successful as possible. As far as complimentary, I will help him by making plays and vice-versa.”
Q: What is your relationship with Larry Johnson who is also from Penn State?
ENGRAM: “I have only seen Larry here and there. I know about him. I have met him a few times but it is nothing deeper than that. I look forward to getting to know him on a more personal level. I know he is a heck of a running back, I know the people at Penn State love him. I know he did some tremendous things there. I watched him a little bit in college and just followed his career throughout the NFL and he is a special back.”
Q: Would you be willing to call Larry Johnson and help convince him to stay in a Chiefs uniform?
ENGRAM: “It’s not my business to get into Larry’s situation at this time.”