Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair met with the media on Wednesday after it was announced that he was named a captain for this season. This is his first year in Tennessee after four seasons in San Francisco with the 49ers.
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00:00 >> Anybody voted, I just signed with him and
00:03 he's the same guy, be who I am, be authentic.
00:08 And obviously, everybody else showed that, and
00:10 I always felt like I had a future in mind, just as far as going up and
00:14 it was pretty cool moment, honestly.
00:20 We were at practice in the tunnel, right before we started practicing, and
00:24 honestly, it was just a solo moment for me.
00:27 It definitely was an honor, somehow, to be right here.
00:30 >> What, I mean, your first year with this team, to be named captain,
00:34 you kind of spoke about it, but what does that say about you and
00:37 your leadership qualities?
00:39 >> It means a lot.
00:40 Like I said, I try to lead by my actions, but also I try to impact the guys and
00:48 reach them where they are and meet them where they are.
00:50 Like I said, just try to be authentic, be myself.
00:53 That's naturally kind of how I am, just a caring person, talk to everybody.
00:56 I'm an astronaut.
00:58 In San Francisco, I used to call me the team therapist, cuz I used to literally
01:01 anybody got an issue, you talk to my side, I'm usually talking to the team.
01:04 So that's just kind of always who I've been.
01:07 Growing up, for me, I was really reserved and quiet, and
01:10 I always felt like people didn't really understand me or
01:13 give me a chance to open up or get to talk about myself.
01:16 And so I started playing football.
01:18 So I think that for me, I'm real big on trying to interact with guys, and
01:22 Brayden talks about that a lot, getting more of your teammates.
01:24 That's just kind of what I always tell him.
01:26 >> Now you've got that to your position as you play, right?
01:29 How much does that make it more natural and easier for
01:32 you to just kind of do the things that you're used to?
01:35 >> I mean, I think anybody can be a leader.
01:37 Obviously, it's cliche football, the middle linebacker,
01:41 or even one that you see as a leader of the defense.
01:44 But I mean, we got leaders all over the place, and I think that's pretty dope.
01:48 Cuz obviously, you got seven guys that voted campaign, but I promise you,
01:52 there's probably so many guys on the team that maybe they did get involved,
01:55 maybe they didn't, that still lead in their own way.
01:57 So I respect it, because that's the kind of guy I was in San Francisco.
02:01 I wasn't the team captain, I was always on the leadership committee, but
02:05 it was never really given the team captain role.
02:08 But I'm still a leader in my own right, and
02:10 so many guys in this room that do the same thing.
02:13 >> How you guys all work together throughout camp, preseason games.
02:16 How do you prepare yourself to see how it kind of comes together starting on Sunday,
02:20 and what's maybe the challenge for you as the Saints?
02:23 >> Yeah, it's just as clear as you.
02:25 Obviously, everything that you guys seen and
02:28 everything that we've done up to this point, we're heading in the direction we
02:31 wanna be.
02:32 Obviously, you gotta go put it on tape on Sunday, where it actually matters.
02:35 So obviously, it's a lot of things that the Saints do,
02:38 just the different personnel groups.
02:40 Obviously, chasing here, receivers, backs, so
02:44 I think they have a lot of good players, and it's gonna be a good matchup for us.
02:47 >> These new players, they've got a new quarterback, Derek Carr.
02:51 I mean, how much does that throw another wild card into the mix?
02:54 >> I mean, Derek Carr's a great quarterback.
02:56 Obviously, it's gonna add just that much more.
02:59 You gotta kinda just be ready for everything.
03:02 It's a new quarterback, so you might bring different things, and
03:05 you never know what they're gonna do.
03:07 It's week one, they might run out there and be straight receivers.
03:11 You have no clue, so I think you gotta kinda know yourself,
03:15 be true to your rules, and be ready for anything.
03:17 >> Does that preparation look like watching a lot of Saints offense from the past,
03:21 or watching a lot of Derek Carr in the past, trying to guess what that will look
03:25 like emerge?
03:25 How do you go about preparing for something we've not seen before?
03:29 >> You gotta cover everything.
03:30 You gotta make sure you leave no stone unturned.
03:33 I guess it's the best way to say it.
03:35 Obviously, players, you need to study the player, but
03:39 then also schemes, it's gonna be different.
03:41 So it's a mixture of everything.
03:43 >> Do you anticipate this offense being that much different without Kamara, or
03:47 do you think they'll stick to what they do?
03:48 >> I think that obviously a big part of who they are is him.
03:53 But I think even rookie as a guy, I like him.
03:56 I think he's doing some of the things, and tomorrow when he gets back to work,
04:00 he'll have some.
04:01 I mean, he's got a lot of things he would do, but I don't see it being much different.