Brant Boyer Q&A

I think it’s awesome for them. I was proud as hell of those guys. I think there’s no bigger honor in this game. Other than having a gold jacket on than have your peers vote you for the Pro Bowl. I think that’s well-deserved. Especially every kid should see where they came from. Nine years in the league with Andre and he finally gets a Pro Bowl berth. And he’s been very productive throughout his career. The way he practices and the way he prepares every week. Jason, they took the hard route. The way he prepares every week. It’s the same thing, they’re both professionals. The route that he took to get here. Both of them have grit. Both of them play their butts off every week. Both of them practice their butts every week. And that’s what it takes to be a special guy and to be in that elite company. I couldn’t be prouder of those guys and Jamal, I think it’s a special group that they’re in, something that no one can ever take away from them.

On what made it all come together for Roberts in his ninth year…

You got to give credit to the guys blocking for him as well. Dre is a heck of a runner, got great vision, got great run skill and everything like that. But those guys came together and they strained for him and they block their butts off, they believe in him. Just like Jason, it doesn’t happen without the whole battery of guys that are blocking for him up front and the holds with Lachlan (Edwards) and snaps with Thomas (Hennessy). That’s a whole team effort and the personnel that the building gets in here. I think it’s all tied together and it’s made a big difference this year. I can’t say enough good things about those two guys and as proud as I am of this whole group and the way they’ve played this year and the way they battled every week.

On if it has to feel good for him as a coach…

Yeah, like I said, I’m proud for them and happy for them more than me. Obviously that’s a special deal and as a player I know how special it is. And to see their background. I’ve been cut before, they’ve been cut before and as a former player I know how hard a route that is. It’s not like they took the easy route to get there. It wasn’t like they were highly drafted and came from big schools. They grinded, they work and they prepare. That’s the story that every young kid should see how that is done from walking on to Marist College and going to The Citadel (and) playing for five different teams that is really cool to me as a coach. To be able to be a small part of that. I think it’s really neat.

On if he thinks long snappers should be voted into the Pro Bowl…

I think they should be. I think they should be voted on. Because I think we have one of the top five snappers in the league here. If not, top three. He’s a heck of a player and I think he’s got (somewhere around six or eight special teams tackles). But I don’t know too many long snappers that have that many. He can snap. I don’t know how many bad snaps if I can count