WR Stefon Diggs Speaks To The Media After His First Practice — Washington Commanders

[0:00] My family is here. My support system is here. You know, I love everything about home and the [0:06] organization. You know, they take care of their players. Some good people over here. Some existing [0:10] relationships from guys that were in Houston. So some carry over there. They got a great young [0:15] quarterback. You know what I'm saying? I'm familiar with young quarterbacks. He's a star. He's a [0:18] superstar. I'm excited for him. I'm excited for this team. You know, it's on my first day out, [0:22] FDL first day out. So, you know, still getting to know everybody. And, you know, I'm a little [0:27] late in the game. They started camp already, but I'm trying to get used to it and not [0:30] speed up the process. Just do it organically. So what do you feel that you still, that you're [0:35] going to do? What have you, what have you had here? And as you matured in your career, where [0:40] is it that you feel maybe you've improved? Um, as far as like, uh, skill set or more so, uh, [0:48] just leadership. What are you at? I'm asking you. Oh, I mean, I've been around the game for [0:53] a long time. Uh, I've been productive. You know, I kind of know my way around the field [0:58] a little bit. Uh, so I come, I come with like a little bit of experience. I would say [1:01] then leadership. Uh, I know everybody's led differently. I'm new here. So just trying [1:05] to earn my keeping, earn the respect of my teammates, earn the respect of my coaches. Uh, [1:09] most importantly right now, learn the playbook. I'm a little late in the game, but I'm handling [1:13] it the right way, be a professional. And I'm, I'm just excited to be at work. You know, I was [1:16] had a little bit of a long off season. How much did you know Terry at all? Uh, not too [1:22] personal. Um, I was, you know, fans of the game. You know, I've seen scary Terry for a long [1:26] time. Uh, he's a hell of a player, playmaker. Uh, you see him on, you see him on the highlights. [1:31] You see him pop up on the screen a lot on ESPN, but I admired a very, uh, I was very inspired [1:38] and I admired his game from the intensity standpoint and the passion that he plays [1:42] with real similar to myself. And, uh, we kind of talked about that a little bit when I got [1:45] here and I, you know, um, I'm a fan of his game. [1:48] This off season, not really knowing where you're going to end up. Yeah. How was that for you? [1:53] Well, I mean, it was new, but you know, we had a little bit of an idea, you know, [1:56] we kind of wanted to slow play it and do whatever made the most sense. Um, at this, [2:00] at this stage in my career, um, everybody know what I want. I want to win and I want [2:04] to, uh, I want to hold a trophy up. So, uh, what a better place to do it than back home [2:08] and, um, you know, got to work every day to try to get there. But here I am putting one [2:12] foot in front of the other, you know, I just try to take it one day at a time and treat [2:15] things organically and I'm, you know, uh, gratitude eliminates entitlement, you know, [2:20] so I come here graceful, I'm thankful and I'm happy to be here. Right. I got you. I got you. [2:26] Thanks. Uh, welcome home. Thank you so much. Um, you know, seeing how far this team went [2:31] two years ago, you know, came away from the super bowl, you were just in the super [2:34] bowl last year. Do you feel like that's something that maybe you could be that [2:38] missing link to help? I don't want to say that. I don't want to say that. Uh, I'm [2:42] gonna do the best that I can, you know, from my point of view of just being a [2:46] receiver, being open, uh, being a leader, you know, trying to lead by example and, [2:50] uh, you know, push the guys around me. My biggest thing is I always try to push the [2:53] guys around me, the best version of their self. Uh, we slowly kind of building that [2:56] already is day one. We had a lot of conversations more than I thought we [2:59] would have, uh, guys coming up to me and, you know, me just throwing a little [3:03] gym here and there, you know, I'm, I'm older. I've been around the game for a [3:05] little while now, like I said earlier, but, uh, you know, I'm graceful and I'm [3:09] just trying to give them everything that I got. And at the same time, uh, more [3:12] show than tell, you know, I can say a bunch of hoopla, but I'd rather just go out [3:16] there and hoop and show you why I did what I did or kind of just communicate [3:19] through the actions. And then also just one more, uh, you go, they gotta get you [3:23] out some better mics too. I could barely hear y'all. Okay. So it's, uh, I'll speak [3:26] up. So it's only been a one day, but impressions of some of the receivers you've [3:31] been working with so far. I mean, they got talent. They got a lot of talent. Um, uh, [3:36] Brown, you know, he's been in, he's been to a couple of teams, but this is his, [3:39] his first team he was at. I see that he has a lot of potential. He's made some [3:42] plays, uh, Terry, obviously Trey Burks, you know, he was in Tennessee, you know, [3:46] he's been a leaf a little while too. So, and then you got the young guys 14 can hoop a [3:50] little bit, you know, young guys don't get a name in the beginning. Just call them by the [3:53] number. But, uh, he can hoop a little bit. He got some game and, you know, [3:56] hopefully I can be, uh, a piece in their process that can kind of build this team [4:00] and lead this team in the right direction. Because at the end of the day, I just [4:02] want to win, man. Winning is the main thing for me. We have had a little bit of [4:06] that last year, a lot of bit of that last year, and I kind of want that to just [4:09] carry over. And all I can bring is my experience and the things that I've done [4:12] and, um, my leadership. Sorry. Yes, ma'am. I over heard one, but my bad. Hey, [4:20] Steph, welcome back home. Thank you so much. Could you talk a little bit about [4:25] not knowing where you're going to be at first, that process of getting ready for [4:29] wherever you were going to be? What did that look like for you as far as getting [4:33] ready? Um, I've been a professional my whole career. Uh, I never, um, sorry. I [4:40] never, whether I was figuring it out or not. My biggest thing is I woke up in the [4:45] morning. Um, I worked, I worked out two, three times a day, two times a day. I'll never, [4:50] I don't shy away from that process because it doesn't matter where I go. [4:53] It's more so when you get there, are you ready? Are you, is your body physically [4:56] ready? Are you in a good space mentally? I'm saying that kind of thing. So I [4:59] wasn't really too concerned about, uh, the where it was just the when and how, [5:04] you know, those kinds of things, but the where wasn't at the top of my mind. It [5:07] was more. So I wanted to be prepared. I wanted to be in a good headspace and I [5:09] wanted to be physically, I wanted to be physically in the right spot. And, um, so I [5:15] could come in and be ready to do whatever they need me to do. You know, be in shape, [5:19] being able to run around, you know, we had a little humid day. That's one [5:22] thing I don't miss about being home. It kind of remind me of Houston a little [5:24] bit, a little humidity, but, um, I just want to be in shape. That was the main [5:28] thing for me. That was going to put me in the right mental space. Cause that's [5:30] how I get my confidence, the work that I put in, uh, the grind that I put in, [5:33] you know, that's how you go in with a right mindset to be like this, whatever it [5:36] is, I'm ready to do it. So, and in meeting your new teammates for the first time, [5:41] what is it that you want? What are you, what are you fanning off those DBs? Yeah, [5:47] there we go. What do you want your new teammates to know about you as a person, [5:53] as a player for some that don't know you more? So me, just leading by example, [5:57] like at any day, I'm, I'm a dog on the field. Like I, I love football. I love [6:01] everything about it. And I just want to win. And I like being around guys that [6:03] want to win. Like Terry is one of those guys that passionate. James is one of those [6:07] guys that's passionate, want to win and ballers, like really ballers. Like, I [6:10] don't care what nobody say. I watched that game. I seen him play at a high level and I [6:13] like being around that energy. So my biggest thing is I don't really want to talk [6:16] about it. You know what I'm saying? I've been many places, you know, I've had a [6:20] lot of teammates in the past. They, a lot of them speak highly of you for the most [6:22] part. And I still got some, I still maintain some relationships with those [6:25] guys just off of the work that I put in the kind of player I am. So I kind of [6:29] want to remain and keep that going here and continue to be that. Hey, if I see [6:33] another bug, just continue to keep that going and keep that good energy flowing and [6:39] be a beacon of light. You know what I'm saying? I'm here to bring the positive energy [6:42] and the dog mindset. Like I said, I want to show more than I tell. Like I talk to y'all a lot, [6:46] but I, out there it's just all ball. Throughout your career, you've been a guy [6:50] that moved around all over the field, whether it's X, Z in the slot. Yes. What [6:54] allows you to move around to those different spots and how does it make you [6:56] more difficult to defend? Just my commitment to, you know, the playbook, you [7:01] know, getting comfortable with the quarterback, trying to see it how he see [7:04] it. Like I learned that a little bit throughout my past like five years, you [7:07] know, see it how the quarterback sees it, not how you see it because he got an old [7:10] line in front of him. He got running backs in there. He got a lot in his face and he's a lot of [7:13] stuff, a lot of stuff he's processing in the play. So you want to be in the right spot [7:16] at the right time. And, you know, I kind of just want to see it from a bird's out [7:19] view, the quarterback view, you know what I'm saying? And give him the confidence. Only way [7:22] you get the ball in this league, you make plays for your quarterback. That's how you [7:25] get him comfortable. That's how you get him in the right spot like this. I can trust [7:28] this guy and being at the right spot and moving around us. If you want the ball, you [7:31] got to be able to move around. I mean, you can go play one spot, but you know, they [7:34] cloud coverage and they double and it makes it harder. And it's good being around other [7:38] players that can ball. Like it's going to be hard to double somebody in this office. You got [7:42] guys that can make plays and guys who can make plays out of the backfield. You got a mobile [7:45] quarterback. So the biggest thing is for me, just my commitment to the game. I've been [7:49] committed. I play outside. I play inside. I do a little bit of the backfield, you know, if [7:52] they let me. So we'll see. Yes, ma'am. Which one? Yeah, I'm just messing. It was a long time ago. [8:07] You know, I'm a little old now. Yes, ma'am. I've talked to coach number one since you signed. [8:15] Yeah. Number two, obviously you answered some questions about this, but that's the vibe you're [8:18] bringing it. And number three, most importantly, what do you think it's going to be like to play [8:21] in front of a hometown crowd? It's a different level of pride. You know, it's kind of like, [8:27] I'm going to give you the honest answer. I used to come home when we used to play the commanders [8:32] slash Redskins back in the day. And I always felt like I had something to prove, you know, because [8:37] that's my hometown team, them and the Baltimore Ravens. Like, I had like a, I always play with [8:41] a chip on my shoulder, but the chip got really big when I go home because that's your hometown [8:44] team. And I kind of always felt like they passed up on me and didn't give me a chance. And I was [8:48] right in their backyard. So kind of coming full circle moment, you know, it's like, look at God, [8:53] look how things happen. God works in mysterious ways and timing is everything. So here I am back [8:57] home and I carry that same chip, but I'm a part of the team now, you know, and I got a lot of pride [9:02] and I try to put it to the side at times, but that chip is on the other side now. So, [9:07] and my whole family was commanders fans growing up. My dad's side of the family was Cowboys fans. So [9:12] you can imagine the visit in that household on Thanksgiving, you know, hopefully we can get [9:16] back to that one day. Yeah. Kramski from WSA. Y'all hot in here? I am. I'm gonna get some AC in here. [9:24] Welcome back home. Thank you so much. I spoke to some of your former teammates and one of the biggest [9:30] things they take away is how much you help younger quarterbacks. Yeah. Last year, obviously, [9:34] I picked right behind Jayden. Why do you take on that role? How do you help them? Can you take us [9:38] inside? Inside the brain of mine, just communication, transparency. You know, I try not to go [9:48] into things aggressive. You know what I'm saying? Like, that's not this game. Like, this game is [9:52] aggressive enough and quarterbacks got a lot on their play. So I kind of just bring it down a notch [9:56] and talk to them in a way. Hey, how you doing? Talk to them. Talk to them in a way as if brother to [10:02] brother. Like, it's football. We're playing football, but at the same time, like, just tell me what [10:06] you're thinking. Communicate. Open line of communication. Communication rule of the nation. [10:09] That's what I say. And with young quarterbacks, you know, they got a lot on their plate. So [10:12] making plays for them, give them confidence. You know what I'm saying? That put a battery in [10:16] their back to feel like, man, I could do anything out here. Like, that's how I try to help them just [10:19] by playing well. You know what I'm saying? That's the biggest thing. All the chatter and this. It's good to [10:23] have here and there. You know what I'm saying? People have a bad play. Your next play, your best play. [10:26] Little reminders like that. But the biggest thing, bar nine, go make plays for them. You make plays for them, [10:30] so that's how they look good. That's how they build confidence. That's how they become, you know, [10:34] they already have the talent. Jaden has proved he's, in my opinion, a superstar. You know what I'm [10:39] saying? Just carrying that on and continue their MVP type of time. That's what I think. [10:43] Speaking of chatter, a few weeks ago, you said that you'd be the best wide receiver, too, in the league. [10:47] Yeah. Do you stand by that? Why'd you say it? [10:51] I would have said one. I mean, that's just my personal feelings. But, you know what I'm saying? I kind of [10:56] take it with a grain of salt. I give people the benefit of the doubt. You know what I'm saying? I just, [10:58] if people kind of feel the way about that, like, in this profession, in this job, you've got to [11:02] lose confidence. You know what I'm saying? I can't go into anything saying something else. Like, [11:07] I said it two on camera, but in my heart, you know, I'm going to say one. You know what I'm saying? [11:11] But humbly, I like to give people, you know, the benefit of the doubt. You know what I'm saying? [11:15] But, you know what I'm saying? People have favorite players, but my numbers have always spoke for [11:18] theirself. No matter who you like or what you say, the production has been there. If you put my [11:22] production in versus any production, you know what I'm saying? I think I was the number 14th receiver last year, [11:26] and I was playing 52% of the snaps. You know what I'm saying? Numbers-wise, I mean, I'm not no [11:30] mathematician, but you know what I'm saying? I just try to leave that right there. But I say that [11:34] humbly. I say that from the space of I've worked extremely hard. I've always been productive. [11:38] It's easy to say, oh, well, this guy's better and that guy better. Well, it's personal opinion. [11:44] What were they great and what was the numbers? You know what I'm saying? Everything is situational. [11:47] I went into a situation all coming off of ACL. You know what I'm saying? Coming off of ACL with a team that went, [11:53] I don't know what the record was. You know what I'm saying? So to have that success and coming off [11:57] of ACL, not a lot of people bounce back. Not a lot of people have success coming off of ACL that fast. [12:02] So I'm speaking with confidence just off the work that I put in. And I say that humbly. I don't want [12:05] to rub anybody the wrong way or be abrasive in any way, but I say that from confidence and the amount [12:10] of work I put in and the success I had last year, being around the right group of guys and playing well. [12:15] And you know, that's not easy. You know what I'm saying? People might act like it's easy, but [12:17] if it was easy, everybody would be doing it. So forgive me if I rub anybody wrong. Good to see [12:24] you again. What's up? Hey, we can kind of talk now. I know. I know. I got it. I got a good one. [12:29] Sidebar. He met me the other day and I was a little scared of him. I didn't really know him [12:32] that well. Do y'all do you know this guy? Y'all familiar? He's all right. He's all right. Okay. All [12:37] right. We good. Thank you guys. Stefan, I want to take you way back with this one. [12:42] Thinking back to the days of the Montgomery Village Chiefs, like if that kid knew that he'd be wearing [12:49] burgundy and gold now, I'm just curious how he would feel at this moment. I got a little chills [12:54] just now. I played for a couple of teams, actually. The Alexandria Raiders or Titans. [13:00] You played White Oak too? You knew that? And I played for White Oak and I played for Envy. So I had a [13:04] couple of teams. I want to show them awesome love. So I don't know, man. I can't write a better story, [13:09] you know, at this point in my career and what I want to do and being able to be healthy and coming [13:14] off ACL, having success and going to your hometown team and want to shine for them. And, you know, [13:18] I want to put on for my city. I'm always going to want to do that. You know what I'm saying? I did [13:20] it when I was away and I want to do it when I'm home. So it definitely means a lot to me. You know [13:25] what I'm saying? Pulling your heartstrings a little bit. But, you know, I know the city behind me. I know [13:29] I got a support system here and I know I got a lot of love here. So all I want to do is make people proud. You know what I'm [13:34] saying? Make the city proud. And the best way you can do that is go far. You know what I'm saying? I don't know where I'm not [13:38] going to say where. You don't want to jinx it or nothing, but I want to go far and I [13:41] want to be consistent and be a puzzle piece to this team in a positive way. [13:45] Thank you. Have a good one. All right.