Falcons
Falcons GM Terry Fontenot said there have been no issues with highly-paid backup QB Kirk Cousins so far during camp: “Kirk has been the ultimate professional. Outside, it’s a lot more of a deal than it is the building. He shows up, he does his job.” (Josh Kendall)
Fontenot didn’t want to discuss the possibility of a new deal for TE Kyle Pitts , in the final year of his current contract under the fifth-year option, but he did have positive things to say: “Kyle showed up the right way. He showed up in great shape and showed up in his mentality. We love where Kyle is right now.” (Kendall)
The Panthers elected to fire former HC Frank Reich 11 games into the 2023 season after going 1-10 with QB Bryce Young struggling as their starting quarterback. When reflecting on his time in Carolina, Reich said the job required “so many things to unwind” before they could achieve success.
“It was terrible for him; it was terrible for all of us who were a part of it,” Reich said, via ESPN. “There were so many things to unwind there before it could get going in the right direction and that just takes time. Sometimes you are given time as a head coach and sometimes you’re not.”
Reich defended his decision to start Young out of the gates, one that’s been called into question by members of the organization since then. He said he expects a No. 1 overall pick to be an instant starter and points out that younger players take time to develop.
“To me I still hold the philosophy that if you’re the first pick in the NFL draft, you’re starting,” Reich said. “To me that is a universal football principle. You’re drafted No. 1, you’re starting Week 1. Now if the rest of the roster isn’t ready to support you, that’s a different question. And sometimes it just takes a younger guy time to develop.”
Saints S Tyrann Mathieu surprisingly decided to retire on the eve of training camp in New Orleans, concluding an illustrious 12-year career. He spoke with Kay Adams on her show and provided some insight into his decision, saying he felt like it was time to spend more time with his family.
“That’s been a conversation I’ve kind of had even really going into the last couple seasons,” Mathieu said. “The older I got, the more challenging and harder it became to leave my kids. At first, it was all cool, I get the weekend off, you know what I mean. But once you get a certain age, or once you kind of start to experience different parts of life, I think priorities shift. The things that meant the most to me when I was 22, they don’t really mean the most to me at 33. I think my kids play a big part in that.
