Damien Lewis Discusses Why He Signed with Carolina
Damien Lewis Discusses Why He Signed with Carolina
Transcript
00:00 - Greetings, welcome to Charlotte.
00:05 I was wondering about the opportunity to work with Evano.
00:07 Was that, did that entice you to come sign with the Panthers?
00:11 - Say that again, I saw your phone breaking up bad.
00:15 - Hey Jeff, I think your connection's a little tough.
00:19 - Yeah, sorry about that, I'm on the road right now.
00:25 I just pulled over.
00:26 Yeah, my apologies.
00:29 The opportunity to work with Evano,
00:32 did that entice you to come sign with the Panthers?
00:34 - One more time, sir, I'm sorry.
00:37 It's dropping real bad from my hand.
00:40 - Hey Jeff, Damien is, we signed him as an offensive guard.
00:45 He's not on the defensive line.
00:47 He's not--
00:49 - I'm sorry, that was a wrong question.
00:52 Please go on, I'm in a bad spot, sorry.
00:55 - Okay, go ahead, Joe.
00:58 - Hey Damien, Joe Person with The Athletic.
01:00 Welcome to Charlotte.
01:03 - Hey, how you doing, Joe?
01:04 - I'm good, man, I appreciate it.
01:06 I'm just curious, like, how much of a factor
01:09 your familiarity with Dave
01:11 and the other former Seahawks assistants played into this?
01:16 And just also, what it's gonna be like lining up next to,
01:20 or lining up close to Hunt?
01:23 - Yeah, I was blessed to play with Dave here in Seattle.
01:28 And over the couple years that I've been here,
01:31 just to be having that thing going around again,
01:34 to play with him in the Panthers, it was a blessing.
01:37 And just to have Robert beside me,
01:39 lining up beside me on the offensive linemen,
01:42 I can't wait to get out there with him
01:43 and do some great things.
01:45 - What did it mean to you for them
01:48 to invest so much in that position?
01:51 I know we've seen trends the last couple years
01:54 where guards are finally getting their due here
01:58 and their money.
02:00 What about the Panthers' specific plan
02:02 to bring both of you guys in this offseason?
02:04 - I'm just blessed, you know, favorite holiday team,
02:10 consider me on their team, just come help out with the team.
02:13 And like I say, I don't take this for granted.
02:16 The Panthers is giving me a chance and an opportunity
02:18 to come on their team and help compete for a spot.
02:23 I'm just blessed and, you know, I want to get out there
02:25 and the OTA and train the count and try to help win.
02:28 - Let's go to David Newton followed by Mike Kaye.
02:34 - David, David Newton, ESPN.com.
02:37 Glad to have you here.
02:38 Just curious on, Joe had mentioned the signing
02:43 of the two big guys there.
02:46 You were part of a group like that in Seattle,
02:50 protecting quarterbacks and how will that impact
02:54 Bryce Young's development?
02:56 And what did you say just looking at film
02:57 and how not having that protection inside
03:00 impacted him last season?
03:02 - Me just looking at film, you know, I think, you know,
03:05 Bryce is a great leader, great person.
03:09 And, you know, I'm excited, you know,
03:11 pumped to be out there with him.
03:12 Like I say, I can't wait to get down there
03:14 and just pick his brain, you know,
03:16 see what he comfortable with and just start learning him,
03:18 you know, and trying to make him real comfortable.
03:22 - But how does, can you sort of explain the dynamics
03:25 of how you guys inside can make him more comfortable?
03:29 - Yeah, you know, it basically, you know,
03:31 the five guys that up, you know, we do our job,
03:34 we block, make sure he comfortable
03:36 and also having guys like Corbett, you know, Rob,
03:39 Timo, Icky, other guys, and, you know,
03:42 just all of us bonding together, you know,
03:44 make him real comfortable back there.
03:47 - Have you watched much film to see how uncomfortable
03:50 he was last year and how much that inside pressure
03:53 was a part of that?
03:54 - Yeah, haven't did too much film yet on him.
03:57 I've been, you know, watching myself here in Seattle,
04:00 but, you know, I'm diving into it.
04:01 Like I said, I can't wait to get down there
04:03 and, you know, bond with the guy.
04:05 - So you haven't met Bryce or talked to him
04:07 on the phone or anything?
04:08 - Not yet.
04:10 - Okay, all right, thank you very much.
04:11 - Hey Damien, welcome to Charlotte.
04:15 Congratulations on the contract.
04:18 Dave Canales told us that he's very stubborn
04:20 when it comes to the run game.
04:21 He wants to run the football.
04:23 As an offensive lineman,
04:24 particularly an interior offensive lineman,
04:27 what does that say to you about the tenacity
04:29 of how he wants to run this offense
04:31 and how easy is it to buy in
04:34 when you're not having to pass block constantly?
04:37 - Come on, now, I know that you know,
04:38 like I know that all offensive linemen want to run the ball.
04:42 We want to run straight at you,
04:43 but, you know, him and having that mindset,
04:45 you know, I think it's a dummy, you know,
04:47 bringing that mean, nasty, tough mentality towards team.
04:51 And, you know, I'm excited.
04:52 You know, I'm ready to get down there and kick it up.
04:57 - I mean, the guard position's a pretty gritty position.
04:59 You're in, like, kind of an elevator.
05:00 You're in a closed space.
05:01 You're in these trenches.
05:04 You know, from the standpoint of kind of setting the tone,
05:08 what is it that you like to do
05:10 when you go out there on the field
05:12 and kind of get those first couple of snaps?
05:16 - You know, you have butterflies on the first ball.
05:18 After that first, you know what time it is.
05:21 And in my head, I'm thinking about,
05:22 I'm finna punish you every play.
05:24 Like, I'm finna set the tone.
05:26 I'm going to be this tone setter.
05:27 So, you know, I'm thinking about putting your face
05:29 in the ground.
05:31 - Thanks.
05:34 - Sure.
05:35 - All right, let's go to Alex Zetlow.
05:39 - Hi, Damian. Alex Zetlow with the Charlotte Observer.
05:42 As well here.
05:43 Happy early birthday.
05:45 - Thank you, thank you, thank you.
05:47 - Yes, sir.
05:48 Speaking of your age,
05:51 you won't be the youngest person on this offensive line.
05:54 I'm curious about your mentorship
05:57 or your approach to mentorship
05:59 and if that's something you're looking forward
06:01 to do in Carolina.
06:04 - Yeah, I definitely, you know, plan on, you know,
06:07 being a leader, you know, coming there with, you know,
06:09 spoken word, motivating the young guys and older guys,
06:13 you know, getting the team going in the right direction
06:16 and just be an example, you know, preaching, you know,
06:19 I'm here for you, you know, it's all out, you know,
06:22 being a leader in the locker room
06:24 or outside of the facility, on and off the field.
06:27 So, you know, just being my voice,
06:30 being present around the locker room.
06:33 - Who has been a mentor of yours
06:38 through your first couple of years
06:39 and like how have they impacted you?
06:42 - You know, I was blessed to play with Russell,
06:45 you know, my rookie year when I first came out
06:48 here in Seattle, you know, he took me in
06:50 and helped me, you know, took my game to another level.
06:54 And I also look up to Michael Potti, you know,
06:57 he taught me a lot, you know, before he retired,
06:59 but it's more than him, you know,
07:01 guys like Dwayne Brown, Brandon Shell and other guys.
07:06 So, you know, I'm just grateful, you know,
07:08 to play with those guys.
07:10 Also, Gino, you know, just take my game
07:12 to a whole nother level.
07:13 - In what ways were they able to do that?
07:18 If you could just kind of take me in,
07:19 like in what ways were they able to take your game to another
07:23 - You know, being smart on and off the field, you know,
07:25 how to break down film, you know, what to see,
07:28 what to watch for, you know, the blitz pickup
07:31 and, you know, reading out blitz players
07:34 and, you know, how to attack this, you know,
07:37 how to take defense.
07:39 But yeah, like I said, I'm just blessed
07:41 for to be around old guys,
07:42 even with technique with the big guys, Mike down.
07:45 So I'm really blessed.
07:46 - Thanks, Damian.
07:49 - Next we have VashTi Hurt followed by Joe Pershin.
07:52 - Hi Damian, welcome to Carolina.
07:56 VashTi Hurt with Carolina Blitz.
07:58 Can you just take us through that free agency period?
08:01 Did Seattle try to resign you?
08:02 And if so, why did you decide to sign with Carolina
08:07 outside of the money, of course?
08:09 - You know, I had a great agency, you know,
08:15 they did with the financial part.
08:17 I was just here to play ball, you know,
08:19 they took care of me and, you know,
08:21 I ended up in here in Carolina.
08:23 So, you know, I'm excited.
08:25 This is my new home.
08:26 I can't wait to get down and, you know, give it my all.
08:29 - I know you're from Mississippi, right?
08:32 - Yes, ma'am.
08:33 - Any Carolina connections?
08:35 Do you know anybody on the team outside?
08:36 And of course you played under Canales in Seattle,
08:40 but do you know any players?
08:41 - I played with Taren Marshall and Stephon Sellery at LSU.
08:46 So, you know, the old two guys I'm real familiar with.
08:49 - Thank you.
08:51 - Yes, ma'am.
08:52 - Damian, you mentioned playing with Russ.
08:57 How would that experience, I mean,
09:00 he's kind of a shorter stature quarterback,
09:02 much like Bryce.
09:04 Anything from that experience that'll carry over for you
09:07 and kind of related to the earlier question
09:10 about interior protection?
09:12 - You know, at the end of the day, I got to do my job.
09:16 The offensive lineman got to do their job, you know,
09:19 Russ is going to be Russ, Bryce is going to be Bryce.
09:21 And, you know, like I said, I the one who got to do my job,
09:25 you know, protect them,
09:26 make sure both of them guys are comfortable.
09:28 And both of them are great guys.
09:30 - Have, you know, Taren Marshall, you said, and Sullivan.
09:35 Had you spent much time in Charlotte over the years
09:39 and any background in the Carolinas?
09:42 - This is my first time stepping foot in Carolina.
09:46 So, you know, I'm new to it.
09:48 - Well, good luck getting comfortable and familiar with it.
09:54 - Yes, sir, thank you.
09:57 - Any more questions for Damian?
09:59 All right, thanks Damian.
10:04 - Okay, that's fine.
10:05 - Yeah, Alex, go ahead.
10:08 - Okay, Damian, Alex again.
10:11 You've missed six games in three years,
10:14 which is pretty, which is quite good.
10:17 It's quite good considering the fact that
10:19 this Carolina Panthers offensive line
10:22 battled injury real bad last year.
10:25 How have you been able to avoid the injury bug?
10:29 And like, how, and if you could just speak
10:32 to how important that is as an offensive line
10:34 to have a lot of reps together.
10:37 So, yeah.
10:39 - Yeah, you know, first I think, you know,
10:42 find people in the athletic room, you know, your trainer,
10:46 find somebody in there and, you know, pick them
10:49 and help them, find somebody in there.
10:53 Can y'all still hear me, my phone went out.
10:55 Y'all hear me?
10:56 - We can hear you, yeah.
10:59 - Yeah, yeah, you find somebody in the athletic room,
11:01 you know, they're going to help you through this journey.
11:03 Like I told y'all, I was blessed with older guys,
11:06 you know, just looking around, guys like Dwayne Brown,
11:09 Dwayne Brown, you know, played for so many years
11:12 and, you know, picking his brain, you know,
11:15 he telling me, you know, you got to stay
11:17 in the training room, you know, take care of your body.
11:20 Even you coming out late, going up early.
11:22 So take care of your body.
11:24 And that right there really molded into me, you know,
11:26 seeing him, you know, playing for so many years
11:29 and he still got the juice.
11:31 So, you know, I be trying to, you know, get there
11:33 and take care of my body, anything off the field,
11:36 even I got to pay for massages, you know, needles.
11:39 But yeah, I'm in the weight room every day.
11:43 I'm in the training room, ice and cold tub,
11:45 taking care of myself.
11:47 And that's what I think, you know, guys in the league,
11:50 you know, should be doing, you know,
11:51 if they want to play long.
11:53 - Yeah. And then can you speak to why it's so important
11:59 to have an offensive line, have chemistry
12:01 and not be interrupted by injuries?
12:04 Like why that's so important?
12:06 - Yeah. You know, it's five up, five guys up.
12:10 We all, we're going to have a rotation, but it definitely,
12:14 you know, all of us should be able to communicate,
12:16 know what's going on, make sure everybody on one pace,
12:20 you know, one heartbeat and, you know, everybody clicking.
12:24 So it's great to have a group of guys,
12:26 everybody on one, you know, line.
12:29 So we know what's going on and communicate well.
12:32 So everything can be put in place, right?
12:34 - Okay. Thanks.
12:37 - David, do you have a question?
12:39 - Yeah. I want to ask you one more,
12:40 I want to follow up on,
12:41 you want to put the opponent's face on the ground.
12:45 Where do you get that mindset from?
12:47 And how, is that aggressiveness you use
12:50 as an offensive lineman?
12:51 - It's just something been in me all my life, you know,
12:55 like, to be honest, it's just an attitude that I kept
13:00 with me ever since I was young,
13:01 when I was in Katrina in 2005, you know,
13:04 I'm a lot with my mom then,
13:06 it's just been an attitude that I got to get us out.
13:09 And, you know, I felt in love with the game of football
13:11 by playing flag football, but I was saying like,
13:14 it's me versus you and I'm going to choose me every time.
13:18 So I got to be done with everything I do, even, you know,
13:22 if I got to keep running through your face,
13:25 but to get where I'm at, but either way that go,
13:27 you going down.
13:28 - And getting that experience with Katrina was, I mean,
13:32 how did that impact your life, your family?
13:34 I mean, did y'all experience much damage or loss or what?
13:39 - Yeah, me and my mom, at that time with me and my mom
13:43 and my younger brother, you know, we were down there like,
13:46 you know, homeless and we were stuck in Katrina, you know,
13:50 and fortunately we ended up getting on a lifeboat
13:53 and just, you know, surviving out through the weekend
13:55 and up migrating up North towards Kent, Mississippi,
13:59 where I went to high school at, but, you know, thank God,
14:02 you know, he had a plan for everything.
14:04 He saw stuff around the corner that I couldn't see.
14:07 So, you know, I look back now, you know,
14:11 I don't realize I don't too much as, you know,
14:14 care for the past because I look now
14:16 and see where he took me to.
14:18 And, you know, I wouldn't be here today
14:20 if it wasn't for that, you know.
14:22 - Did y'all rebuilt and everything good for everybody now?
14:26 - Yeah, my mama, you know, she situated
14:30 and my brother, they situated, you know, thank God,
14:33 I'm just, you know, here to, you know, afford for them.
14:37 - Cool, and one last thing,
14:38 I'm asking all these questions,
14:39 is it different protecting a short quarterback like Russell
14:42 or what you're going to have at Bryce
14:44 than it is a six foot four quarterback?
14:47 - Nah, it don't matter, you know, like I said,
14:49 we're the one who got to do the job.
14:51 We got to stand in front
14:52 and make sure the old guy comfortable.
14:54 - Thanks a lot, I appreciate it.
14:57 - Thank you.
14:58 - Thank you, Damien.
14:59 - Thank y'all, thank you for having me.