Bears
The Bears signed DE Dayo Odeyingbo to a three-year, $48 million deal this offseason. His college coach, Vanderbilt HC Derek Mason, said Odeyingbo was always driven to be “remembered” rather than getting paid.
“What he learned to do is not be driven by the money but by the process of being remembered,” Mason said, via Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic. “This dude wants to be remembered. He wants to win. I think right now, he’s chasing winning.”
Odeyingbo is trying to follow in the footsteps of Steelers’ legend James Harrison, who didn’t sign a lucrative extension through the first seven years of his career.
“(Harrison) had a meaningful career, and everyone knows who he is because of the things he did in big moments,” Odeyingbo said. “That’s what I want to be a part of. That’s why I asked those questions.”
Odeyingo was still a second-round pick by the Colts despite Vanderbilt going 0-8 in 2020. Mason commented that Odeyingbo was relentless in practice and earned his opportunity.
“Nobody gave him anything at Vanderbilt,” Mason said. “He earned a degree, an opportunity to be drafted by a team that went 0-8. It was an unbelievable run of what he left there. If you asked people, he never missed practice. He practiced every day, and he practiced as hard as he played.”
Lions
Lions HC Dan Campbell knew that DC Kelvin Sheppard would eventually rise to the coordinator ranks in the NFL.
“I’ve always believed that Shep could be an outstanding coach,” Campbell said, via NY Times. “About two years ago, I just felt like, ‘Man, this guy will be ready to be a coordinator sooner than later.’ …That this is the next step, this is the next step. Without telling him, nothing was ever promised. I felt really good about that. Like, he’s ready. He’s ready.”
Sheppard said he has a great support system around him as he enters an elevated role with the team.
“I’ve been very fortunate in my first year in this role at this job, to have a staff that I have backing me,” Sheppard said. “It’s all been very positive thus far.”
Lions DL coach Kacy Rodgers said Sheppard has grown into his own as a coach after coaching him for years as a player.
“I remember coaching Shep as a player,” Rodgers said. “To see him now running the meetings with the coaches, running the meeting with the player, it is just — the leaps and bounds. I always thought he was a smart player. To see the growth in him over the years — the way he runs our meetings, the structure of our defenses, the way he talks to the player — is just, I’m really impressed.”
Former Lions LB Shaun Dion-Hamilton, who was released and later offered a spot on the team’s coaching staff, explained how much Sheppard
Packers
The Packers drafted first-round WR Matthew Golden and third-round WR Savion Williams, creating some good competition for time with Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed. When appearing on the Up & Adams Show, Packers HC Matt LaFleur said Doubs and Reed have embraced the rookie receivers.
“I think we have a very, very competitive receiver room. I think it’s as deep as anybody in the league. I love how our guys go out there and compete and push each other,” LaFleur said. “It’s been pretty cool to watch the veterans, although there’s a first-rounder coming into the room, a third-rounder coming into the room, just how they’ve embraced those guys and taken them in. They are coaching them up on the field.”
LaFleur recalled that Doubs pulled Golden aside in practice to help him with a mistake.
“We were out there earlier today, and I went over to tell Matthew something about one of his routes, and I was just about to start talking, and Romeo Doubs grabbed him and started talking,” LaFleur said.
LaFleur thinks it’s important to develop their players’ leadership, especially when the playoffs arrive.
“That’s a pretty cool thing. That’s something we’re stressing with our team,” LaFleur said. “It’s important to develop the leadership that is needed that when you get into those tough division games or playoff games you have a player-led team that can get you through those moments.”
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