Aaron Banks went from being a questionable draft pick to an adequate starter on a Super Bowl contender. Here is how he managed it.
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00:00 >> Your rookie year, it got pretty rough for you.
00:02 Entries, playing private, playing minor part.
00:04 What do you think was a turning point that got you into your sophomore season that
00:08 really allowed you to flip the script?
00:09 >> Sorry, what was the what?
00:11 >> Your rookie season was a little rough.
00:14 How were you able to flip the script going into your sophomore season to really
00:16 make it, like I said, to the right?
00:18 >> I mean, I just took advantage of every day and didn't wanna,
00:21 I felt like I wasn't completely prepared for
00:27 an NFL season where I work here, where I can't win.
00:30 And I had to fix that.
00:33 So I worked in the off season with the strength coaches and nutritionists and
00:36 everything.
00:37 I got my body to where it needed to be so I could go perform.
00:39 Plus the second year in this offense really is helpful.
00:43 You get that fresh air, you build your foundation.
00:45 >> Do you feel like there was a singular turning point at all where you really
00:49 came together?
00:50 >> No.
00:51 >> Because everything connected pretty well.
00:53 >> It was just, for me, it was a mindset.
00:55 I'm just gonna take each day to get better.
00:57 And not try to be perfect.
01:02 Just take one thing to work on, go in and just get better at that.
01:05 And from there, just keep adding on to start from the basics and
01:08 work into something simple and complex.
01:10 >> How difficult was it for you, your rookie year,
01:13 not to get on the field much at all?
01:15 >> It was difficult, man.
01:16 And I had higher aspirations for myself, just so to say.
01:22 But I had to look in the mirror and say, okay, what am I doing that's not
01:27 allowing myself to start to play, to be on the field, to help this team win.
01:32 And so it was tough on a turning point.
01:35 But just sitting down, looking at myself and just being honest.
01:38 >> Toward the end of that year, I remember the coaches and
01:42 John Nash talking about the progress you were making behind the scenes.
01:45 I think the mind, the developmental program, the after practices and stuff.
01:51 You obviously took that pretty seriously.
01:53 >> Very, and honestly, that work was great in the mind anyway,
01:57 just to get to practice against Kevin Givens and Armstead and
02:03 DJ Jones and all the guys we had at that time.
02:06 It just, for me, was banking reps against good guys.
02:09 So if I can win reps against them in practice where they don't have to worry
02:14 about the cadence, they can just tee off and go and
02:17 just get the reps going and get the reps there.
02:21 >> Did it make it almost more difficult that you're a local guy and
02:23 you probably knew more people and they're asking because they're watching every week?
02:28 Did that cause any added pressure on you?