When you have sequencing with your throwing motion, do you find that that gets out of sync as well? And do you have things to go back to to find it?

Yeah, it's a great question.

I think one thing that is a little bit different, and it's funny, I was actually just talking to someone this morning about it, is golfers, you know, especially it's like a set thing.

Kickers also with JMI, like it's a set routine and you have your own swing.

Like sometimes as a football player, as a quarterback, like, that sequencing might need to shorten up based on how much time we have in the pocket.

Or if my feet, if I have to move and my feet are facing this way and I have to make a throw this way, like sometimes you got to rely on arm strength or your agility to make a play and make a throw.

So that would be the one difference.

Sam, the mental coach you turned to a couple years ago, why was it at that point in your career you did that? Who got you there? Who or what?

What is that a reminder of or just how precious this might be?

Yeah, I mean, it's just like any sport, right? I mean, injuries happen, but, you know, it's just a – Just puts everything in perspective, you know? Like I said, he's going to come back better than ever, but you just never know when stuff like that's going to happen.

So, you know, you just every single play, you just continue to push and give it give it all you can.

And, you know, that's I know that's all he does.

And, you know, that's why it's such a shame that it happened to him.

But, you know, like I said, I know he'll be back.

What do you see on the running backs? What do you see how that group was passing? Yeah, they're doing a great job out of the backfield, even when they're not out of the backfield in the slot, being able to catch and do all the things that we ask them to do.

Do you like seeing a player kind of respond like that one?

What's next for you? How do you want to evolve?

Yeah, I think I can always get better.

I think there are a lot of things like for me, especially I think moving on to my progressions and working from one field to the to the other.

I felt like I was thrown behind some targets, especially if I was going left to right.

There were a couple throws in the Super Bowl that I'd like to have back.

And then not only during the Super Bowl, but before that as well, where I just kind of I miss some guys going through my progression.

So I think just being calm with my feet, making sure my feet don't get super wide and I keep A lot of guys like to keep their base wide, but for me, my base has always been wide, and sometimes I get too wide.

What does that do for you as a quarterback?

Do you feel anything like that?

Yeah, well, first of all, I appreciate that.

And, you know, I felt like...

I never felt like I had to do anything special in that game.

You know, that's just the way the game went, you know? And that's football.

That's the beauty of our team, too.

Like, the team that we had last year, like, it was...

Thanks for the heads up.

Yeah.

And so he was like, "There's never this moment where you're like, you know, 'Oh my gosh,' like, 'That was amazing,' like, the Super Bowl, all this." Like, it doesn't just, like, hit you like that.

Um, I think for me and, and for Coop, I talked to Coop about it, I talked to our head coach, Mike McDonald, and it was like, I think the things that you remember, and not to be corny, but, like, you, you remember the process.

And you remember, like, all the days of practice leading up, and, and the little games in between the moments in those games where, like, you have to make a big play, and you do in, like, the f- the end of the third quarter, beginning of the fourth quarter that maybe changes the tide of the game.

And those little moments with your teammates on the sidelines, um, the moments with your teammates not only on the practice field, but off the practice field, like in the locker room.

Like, there's so many little moments that stick out throughout a season that we had last year, and I think those are really the moments that you look at and, and you remember and you cherish because, again, you know, it's a great question, but it doesn't, it doesn't really hit you, um, ever.

And it's not like, you know...

Mm-hmm.

How did you know that? Because it was like they might've offered a low, like, one year or something?

Yeah.

Yeah, that's exactly right.

And, and for me too, like, I'm not one of those guys where I'm, like, spiteful.

Like, I, I get where the GM was coming from.

Like, I, I totally do.

Like, you see it with a lot of teams.

Running forward?

Yeah, no, offseason's been great.

Obviously got married, which was the pinnacle of the offseason.

But to be able to come here and be able to work hard with my teammates and be able to just get after it, it's awesome to be able to get after it with my teammates and to spend time with those guys, not only on the field but off the field during this time, it's been great.

Yeah, Fleury's been great.

Just the way that, you know, his command, you know, his presence, the way that he installs it, you know, with the run game, pass game, his command over the entire system has been incredible.

And, you know, I'm continuing to, you know, throughout these practices, throughout these different situations that we get in practice to be able to learn each other, kind of what he's thinking and calling it.

When you get a different one, does that add something to your game? Does each one kind of show you something about your game that makes you more holistic that way? For sure.

For sure, yeah.

Was there any one stop or experience that you could attribute to, like, a changing of mindset?

For sure.

Um, I think ...

Well, first of all, I think being a high draft pick, like you mentioned, like, y- you make it that far, and, and you make it to the first round or the first few picks in the draft because we're so hard on ourselves.

I think that's, like, one of the reasons you also succeed, right? Is like you're so hard on yourself, and you, you lift really hard, and you, you run after practice.

You do all the, the things that are uncommon that, that people don't wanna do, that normal people don't wanna do, and you kind of separate yourself, right? Early in your career, um, at least for me, like, in high school I was the same way, college, and then, uh, to the NFL.

Um, but I think a, uh, a sports psychologist, um, that I met with actually, um, before my season in Minnesota put it the best, you know, in the best terms, and I'm not sure if I've said this publicly before yet.

Yeah

Can I be a Sunday guy?"

You know, I, I, I'd be lying to you if I said that there wasn't any doubt in my mind.

Um, you know, there, there was a little bit of doubt, um, you know, throughout those tough times in New York, but you know, I had great teammates, I had great coaches that believed in me in New York, and, um, you know, that, that's what really kept me upright there.

Um, and again, I always talk about it, but my friends and my family that I have kinda built at home, um, also were able to keep me upright.

And, and even, you know, there were some times where, you know, we, we won a few games in a row, uh, being in New York and, and, you know, I had great teammates and great coaches that were along that journey as well.

Um, you know, and perfect example is I was texting a former teammate of mine that I was in New York with today even, um, just talking about, you know, um, some things, just personal things.

So, um, you know, it's those relationships that you kind of build along the way that, that keep you going, um, you know, throughout those times in New York.

Did that matter to you?

Can I be a Sunday guy?"

[clears throat] You know, I, I, I'd be lying to you if I said that there wasn't any doubt in my mind.

Um, you know, there, there was a little bit of doubt, um, you know, throughout those tough times in New York.

But, you know, I had great teammates, I had great coaches that believed in me in New York.

And, um, you know, that, that's what really kept me upright there.

Um, and again, I always talk about it, but my friends and my family that I have kinda built at home, um, also were able to keep me upright.

And, and even, you know, there were some times where, you know, we, we won a few games in a row, uh, being in New York.

Did that matter to you?

Can I be a Sunday guy?"

[clears throat] You know, I, I, I'd be lying to you if I said that there wasn't any doubt in my mind.

Um, you know, there, there was a little bit of doubt, um, you know, throughout those tough times in New York.

But, you know, I had great teammates, I had great coaches that believed in me in New York, and, um, you know, that, that's what really kept me upright there.

Um, and again, I always talk about it, but my friends and my family that I have kinda built at home, um, also were able to keep me upright.

And, and even, you know, there were some times where, you know, we, we won a few games in a row, uh, being in New York, and, and, you know, I had great teammates and great coaches that were along that journey as well.

Um, you know, and perfect example is I was texting a former teammate of mine that I was in New York with today even, um, just talking about, you know, um, some things, just personal things.

Did that matter to you?

Can I be a Sunday guy?"

[clears throat] You know, I, I, I'd be lying to you if I said that there wasn't any doubt in my mind.

Um, you know, there, there was a little bit of doubt, um, you know, throughout those tough times in New York.

But you know, I had great teammates, I had great coaches that believed in me in New York, and, um, you know, that, that's what really kept me upright there.

Um, and again, I always talk about it, but my friends and my family that I have- ... kind of built at home, um, also were able to keep me upright.

And, and even, you know, there were some times where, you know, we, we won a few games in a row, uh, being in New York, and, and, you know, I had great teammates and great coaches that were along that journey as well.

Um, you know, and perfect example is I was texting a former teammate of mine that I was in New York with today even, um, just talking about, you know, um, some things, just personal things.

Did that matter to you?

So, uh, I'm a little curious on that because, you know, I... All the great things about the organization, I think they're all true. I mean, I think everything you've heard are things that would be echoed by fans, by people in the media, by folks here. It's an organization that does it the right way. But from a quarterback perspective, I mean, you're, you're coming in, especially at the time you signed, they had just traded DK, so one of the top two receivers and Tyler Lockett, so two of the top three had just left. Uh, the offensive line had its struggles last year. What made it from just a n- beyond the organization, what made it appealing to you to want to come and step into this roster and this offense?

Yeah, you know, I think there's, uh, you know, I think there's still some really, really good young talent, um, that we have, especially with Jax and, um, you know, some of the other guys at the skill position. We got a couple really good running backs as well, um, that can do some fun stuff, whether it's, you know, obviously running the football, but out of the backfield as well, catching the football. So, um, that excites me as well and, and just being able to work with Klint Kubiak, man. Um, I'm sure you guys have, um, you know, done your homework there, but it's, uh, you know, he's, he's an incredible, um, incredible football mind. Um, he's obviously been around the game forever, um, you know, with his dad coaching in the league as long as he did. And, um, I'm just, uh, just very excited, you know, about, about this opportunity to be able to, you know, work with all these players that we have, um, this coaching staff that, you know, Klint has, um, obviously retained in Seattle and the guys that he's also brought in. Um, so, you know, there, there's so much, so much exciting things happening. I think, you know, it goes without mentioning, but the defense as well, um, you know, Coach McDonald and, and all the things that they're doing on defense with all the, you know, talent that we have over there. Um, you know, as, as you know, Brock, you know, a defense can be a quarterback's best friend sometimes.

(laughs)

Um, no, but then, you know, Carolina, I think, and I say this a lot, but, like, you know, my time with, with Baker, you know, them, them signing Baker and, you know, deciding, okay, saying like, "You're gonna be the backup." And then, um, just being able to sit back and watch, and that was really the first time I got to, you know, since, shoot, I, I don't think I've ever, you know, been a backup before that. Um, except for my, you know, true freshman year at USC when I was redshirting. So, um, just to be able to sit back and watch, and, um, I really understood that, like, you know, uh, there is no need to put more pressure on yourself as a quarterback. You know, there's 10 other guys out there with you. Um, and everyone's gotta do their job for the quarterback to be successful. And I feel like I learned a lot abou- about that, um, when I was at, um, when I was in Carolina, especially backing up Bake, um, and was able to learn from that, and, and actually played pretty well. I think we went, you know, four and two those last six games in Carolina with a chance, um, you know, in that division to, to make a run at the playoffs. And, um, you know, didn't quite make it, but I learned a lot about myself. And then, obviously, in San Francisco, I, I learned so much. Um, I can't, can't tell you about all the things that I learned, but I said this yesterday, like, just watching Brock, watching Brock's pro- process and how he, you know, um, was able to, you know, go about his week and study. And just the way that he kind of, um, you know, if something wasn't there right away, you know, um, in a play, he was able to get it to his check down really fast. And, um, he was just able to play really fast, and I, I just always, um, I always admired that about Brock. And I learned a ton from him that way. Um, and then that kinda, you know, that year of just sitting behind Brock and then sitting behind Baker for that year before, like, that really led me, um, I felt like to Minnesota, and, and being able to play patient, consistent football, um, on a daily basis. And, and I feel like that kind of, um, you know, and, and just the coaching, um, that I had in Minnesota too with K.O., um, with Josh McCown, Wes Phillips, Grant Udinski. Um, just all those guys that were there in Minnesota, you know, helping us as quarterbacks. Like, I was able to see the game from, from such an interesting lens. Um, um, but also it was because of those experience, um, experiences that I just talked about, you know? And, and it's all kind of led me to this point in Seattle. Um, it's funny, like, talking about this, talking about my journey, like, as quarterbacks and as people, I feel like we don't get time to really sit back and talk about our journey. But, um, even talking about it, you know, with you guys, I feel like I'm learning, um, just something about, you know, myself as I talk through it. So-