Jon Gruden Men Quotations

We noticed dramatic improvement during training camp. We had a number of backs go through the entire 1,800 to 2,000 plays with no fumbles. We've had two in the preseason games, but we don't want any. We have made dramatic strides in ball security.

Great running backs have a tendency to run by instinct, run by feel, and when they see the same blocking pattern three or four times, sometimes they anticipate what you are going to do the next time, ... There's some of that, and then some of that is just sheer determination, guts and talent. He is a phenomenal competitor, and he is blessed with great talent.

I thought he did some good things. He will help our team. He gives us a dimension that we need here.

He's creating, there's no question, but he's getting good looks, ... He hasn't been hit and stymied initially very often. We've been able to get him started, and getting him through the line of scrimmage is an outstanding thing for him because he's an exceptional runner. He deserves a tremendous amount of credit, but our offensive line has given him, I think, some consistent looks at the hole.

If you understand our salary cap, you have to be logical. If Barry Sanders , for instance, came out of retirement, if we were interested we probably couldn't get real interested. So you've got to temper your enthusiasm with the reality of our situation.

You know what I hate, man? Guys that you know haven't seen the film: they just quote a bunch of statistical bullshit.

Follow the ball, man. There's only one ball. They can only give it to one of them at a time, so let's not get too far away from the reality of it all.

As a runner he has incredible vision, tremendous stamina. He has great competitiveness, and he can run with power. In my years of coaching, he is certainly the best ball-carry back I have been around.

We've got a young football team, particularly on offense. I worry a little bit about some of these guys getting a little bit freaked out with the length of the season, the mental grind, the physical grind that they go through,

He will give us a dimension that we need here,

They know this is an area that we've got to make dramatic improvement in. If this guy can come through or if it's Matt Bryant, so be it. So far, we like what we've seen out here in the last four or five days from both of them. But Todd France definitely stood out.

I already said we're going to do all we can. You have to understand what the playing field is. With no extension in place, what are the dimensions of the field that we are playing on? So I can't really speculate or comment further than we will, hopefully, find out what the playing field is and I will assure everyone that we will do everything we can to keep those two guys here. Once again, it is a difficult time. A lot of us are uneasy. Some of us are uneasy to start with.

He's been unbelievable in terms of his mission, his vision of getting better and learning this system. He's a guy who not only has talent, he has tremendous self-motivation and drive.

He's been tremendous to me over the years, and I wanted to rekindle my friendship with him. I miss him, and I'm proud of what he's doing here.

Obviously what is being reported right now is an impasse. There are a lot of teams in similar straits that we are in, in terms of kind of waiting and hoping for the best. If no agreement is reached, I am sure there will be some very difficult decisions to be made. The players and the owners have to sort this thing out. It will take time. It is frustrating for, I think, fans and everyone.

I would like to say that it's somewhat surprising that he's had this success, but we really felt that he was a great, great running back to be honest with you. I think he's proven to everybody what he's all about. He's a great running back, a tremendous competitor. He's got great poise and stamina. We're really excited, obviously.

I would just like to say it is a great feeling, a great accomplishment by our team. I am very proud of them. A credit to the New Orleans Saints, they came in here under adverse circumstances, obviously, missing some key players and they competed greatly today. We hung in there and we earned our 11th victory. We look forward to continuing the season at home next week. I am really proud of our football team.

It is good to know, as a football player, if we get the ball back to our quarterback he can do something with it. He made a great statement today in front of a lot of people.

We think Williams is going to be a tremendous inside runner.

There's some of that, and then some of that is just sheer determination, guts, and talent. He is a phenomenal competitor and he is blessed with great talent. Not to take anything away from anyone else.

This is a family channel, I really shouldn't comment on how I feel about the salary cap or the labor talk. I love the NFL and I am very confident as I go to bed tonight that the meeting that takes place will work itself out and we will come to an agreement of some kind.

We met regarding his comments last year. The whole situation is done and over with,

I don't want to sit here and review all the comments I've made to him over the time we've been together. Just know that as the head coach, I was trying to make it work. I don't want to have a soap opera. All I can tell you is in my heart, I know I did the best I can do.