Fisher, Foles … 8/7 … transcripts

Head Coach Jeff Fisher – – 8/7/15

(On Friday’s practice at Lindenwood University)
“It’s a great venue. Previously to our arrival, my understanding was they used the facility here. It’s a great venue. We want to thank Lindenwood University for allowing us to come out. Players really were looking forward to it. It was a good change up and it was another training camp day. We got a lot of stuff done. We got a lot of situational stuff done. Tomorrow we’re going to move over to the special teams area and then have a couple of practices before we get into the preseason. It was a productive week for us, an especially productive day for us from this standpoint: we have agreed to terms and signed Nick Foles to a long-term contract to be our quarterback. We got it done just before practice, so we’ll make Nick available to you. My thought are it was important to us. We’ve seen enough. We wanted to get a deal done that was good for both sides. I can’t thank (Rams Owner/Chairman) Stan (Kroenke) enough and the work that (Chief Operating Officer) Kevin (Demoff) and (Senior Assistant) Tony (Pastoors) and (General Manager) Les (Snead) did and Nick’s guys, (agent) David Dunn and those guys to get it done. We’re in good shape right now. Nick is excited, and I think once the players hear about it, they’ll be even more excited.”

(On Foles saying from the start that he wanted to be here)
“It’s a good deal. It’s a good deal for us, good deal for him. He wants to be here and we want him here right now. He’s done a lot of good things for us in a short period of time.”

(On why this is a good move for the Rams)
“It’s what he’s done on the field early in his career thus far in the league and then what he’s done for us since he got here. He gets the game. He understands it. He’s got tremendous leadership qualities and we can settle in and now the players can rally around him. He can rally them and we’ll go on and win a lot of games.”

(On the length of the extension)
“It’s multi-year. It’s at least three, but I don’t get specifics and I’m not involved in that stuff. I’m just happy.”

(On the peace of mind Fisher has knowing his quarterback is in place)
“It’s great. We’ve been discussing it for quite some time now and I was just really glad that we were able to get it done. It gives you peace of mind, and now we’ve got to go. We’ve got a guy that we’re counting on, that we’re trusting, that we think can do it.”

(On if Foles had extra pep in his step today)
“He sat in the front of the bus next to me if that tells you anything.”

(On if he needed to see production from Foles in training camp before striking a deal)
“We saw everything from him through the OTAs and camp. It’s just a matter of time, and it wasn’t…there weren’t deadlines associated with it. ‘We need to go here or there or see this, see him throw the deep ball…’ or anything like that. It was just a timing thing. We agreed to terms this afternoon.”

(On if Foles will be more comfortable with his contract secure)
“Yeah, if I was him I would have a lot of peace of mind right now. He also knows that this is his baby now. This is his team. We’ve got to go win games.”

(On if Foles was smiling a lot on the bus)
“Yes.”

(On what he saw in the Lindenwood practice)
“I just saw a lot of hard work, a lot of focus, a lot of concentration. We executed well, protected each other. Didn’t have any physical issues out there. We just practiced hard and it was a good night. It was great to have the fans. It was a really good group of people that were out and I’d like to think they saw some good things.”

Rams QB Nick Foles – – 8/7/15

(On his reaction to signing a new contract)
“Oh, I’m blessed. I’m just really thankful to (Owner) Mr. (Stan) Kroenke, (Head) Coach (Jeff) Fisher, (GM) Les (Snead) and (Executive VP of Football Opps and COO) Kevin (Demoff) for working through it. I’m thankful to be here, be with these guys, be with the Rams. Ever since I’ve been here, like I’ve said the team has opened their arms to me. The players here have been extremely welcoming, extremely helpful with just getting me going along. We still have a ways to go, but it really is an honor to be here and you know, to be wanted here.”

(On why he didn’t want to wait on signing his contract)
“I mean, it’s something the team had talked to my people about and you know, we have agents. I want to be here. I think when you feel it out in the middle of the season stuff, I want to focus all on my teammates. I want to be all in. I don’t want to have to worry about contract issues or anything. To me that can be selfish. You know, I’m very fortunate to be here. I’m fortunate to the organization that we…I’m fortunate to have a contract. To me, I’m very thankful.”

(On his thoughts about the signing process progressing so quickly)
“Yeah, I mean like I said, I’m just very, very thankful. I’m thrilled to be here. It’s a dream come true and I’m really just excited to be part of this team and be with these guys, be in this city. It was great coming out tonight with all the fans here, getting our practice in. We have a lot good work. We’re competing. Every day we compete against the defense. They’re giving us great looks. We’re giving them good looks, so that’s what I enjoy and I’m just thankful for the opportunity.”

(On if he was surprised about being approached so quickly to sign a contract, having not played a game yet)
“It’s just one of those things where it just happens. It’s not like a surprise thing. You know, the trade happened; that was a surprising thing and you get into those kind of thoughts. I want to be here. Got to meet with the guys, got along with the guys and now it’s like a family, so it’s a place I want to be. They wanted me here as well, so it worked out for both parties.”

(On if he has a peace of mind going into the season now that his contract has been taken care of)
“I think just entering the season with it all taken care of is great, but either way I would have been me. It’s one of those things, it’s not going to affect me when I play this game. I play it for my teammates. I play for it the people that support us and my family, so that would never change the way I play the game.”
(On his comfort level with Head Coach Jeff Fisher)
“Coach Fisher I mean I, around the league guys that had played for him, coaches that have coached under him they just say he’s the best. He’s just one of those guys that I’ve just never heard a negative thing about. When I met him and since I’ve been here I can see why that is. He’s a guy you want to fight for; he’s a guy you want to play for. All these guys here love him. And that’s why we have such a great culture that we’re building here. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

(On Coach Fisher saying it’s his team and it’s time to go)
“Yeah, I mean when you’re the quarterback you’re one of the guys that everyone is going to look to automatically, so there’s definitely a leadership role that takes place. But there are many leaders on this team that do a great job and that’s how you build a culture of a winning franchise. I can’t do it alone. There’s a lot of guys on this team that do a great job of working hard and keeping guys going. It’s a team game. I’m just a small piece of the puzzle.”

(On if his teammates know about his contract deal)
“I don’t know. I honestly, I don’t know. I haven’t talked about it, I’ve been working. My job is to come out here today and play football. And get the looks and get the defense and just keep learning this offense and keep executing. So I don’t know. They might now I’m not sure.”

(On how he thinks things went in the scrimmage tonight)
“I think we got a lot of great work in tonight, a lot of great positive work. Was everything one hundred percent clean? No. But is it ever in a football game? And it’s usually never in a practice. But I think everybody is giving everything they have, and everything is correctable. So I think tonight was a great work day, and it was fun because the fans were here. We’ll go back to the film like we always do. We’ll detail it up and we’ll go back and we’ll get after it again.”

(On how many years the deal was for)
“I’m not going to get into any particulars on the deal. I’m sure you all have ways of finding that out. But like I said, I’m honored and very fortunate to playing in the NFL and very fortunate to be playing for the St. Louis Rams, and I’m very thankful for that.”

(On his rapport with TE Jared Cook)
“I think (TE) Jared (Cook) is one of those guys that you know, he’s just making me look good out there with the catches that he’s making. He’s a great football player. He has a great feel when he’s running routes. He has a big catch radius and he’s a guy that were’ going to have to get the ball to. But we’re going to have to spread it around. We have a lot of play makers on offense. And the guys are doing a really great job. We’re still getting comfortable we’re still bonding, so that’s what camp’s all about, is everyday bonding, talking, communicating, audiblizing everything. I’m happy where we’re at. I’m happy where Cook’s at.”

(On the pressure that he’s receiving from the defense)
“It’s awesome. It’s great for a quarterback. It’s great for our offense, to go against pressure like that. As a quarterback, it’s just your eyes have to really see what’s going on. You have to recognize it. It’s a lot of different looks. It’s great for me. It’s great for our young O-line and great for our receivers for their route running. We’re helping them out, they’re helping us out and that’s what you want. We’re sharpening each other up.”