RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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See the full story · 1 sourcesHere is everything Houston Texans Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair said after the second day of training camp in pads on Tuesday, including his reaction to defensive end Jadeveon Clowney coming back to Houston, his impressions of new center Keylan Rutledge and the competitiveness in camp so far.
Question: On adding DE Jadeveon Clowney to the defense
Azeez Al-Shaair: “Rich get richer, man. The rich get richer, he’s obviously a great player. He started his career here, first overall pick for a reason. He's had a really good career. He had 8.5 sacks a year ago. I’m surprised that he was even available this late, but I'm happy because he's on our team now. He's a great player. Excited to work with him for sure.”
Q: On what motivated his humanitarian work in the offseason
Al-Shaair: “It's something I always do. I think I've just gotten more comfortable sharing it because I think my mindset changed towards it because you understand that when it's people that are underserved and overlooked. For me, being one of those people at a young age growing up, you don't want somebody to always be showing your struggle. I think for me, realizing a lot of the issues just in the United States, across the world, I think us in the United States, we're so sheltered. We have our own issues as well, but relative to just how the world is, I think we're in our own little world sometimes. We don't realize the basic things, having food, water, four walls and a front door. We take these small things for granted, myself included. I think it’s just highlighting it a little more to give perspective to people who maybe don't have the opportunity to go different places and experience what other people across the world and even right down the street. Maybe somewhere you think is a nice neighborhood, then you go right around the corner and there's somebody dealing with something that you had no clue about. It’s just to open up everybody else's vision as well, who may not have the opportunity or know what's going on around them or other parts of the world.”
Q: On why he has felt more comfortable opening up to interviews this offseason
Al-Shaair: “I think it's just the older I get and the more experience you have in life, you just realize everybody is hiding something, everybody's dealing with something, everybody's going through stuff. There's no person even in this room or anywhere in the world that just lives in a utopia life. We all have struggles and I think everybody is so worried about trying to put makeup on a pig. The reality is that we're all human. There's something that you're dealing with that's different from somebody else, but similar to the next person and it's something I'm dealing with that you don't know about. I think for me, especially being in the position that I'm in, you realize if I'm able to open up and be vulnerable about that, it might influence other people who are like, ‘Dang, I thought this guy signed his big old contract. He's young. He has all this stuff going for himself. His life must be great.’ When you open up about your own experiences and the own things that you're dealing with, even in the midst of all these great things, it just puts in a perspective for other people who might feel like, ‘Man, if I was here, I'd be living a great life. If I was that person, my life would be better.’ You just realize that we are all just trying to figure out life. We only live one time. We all go through things. I think it's more so about perspective for other people to realize like, ‘Hey, I'm no different than you. I go through the good and bad just like everybody else.’”
Q: On his early impressions from C/G Keylan Rutledge
Al-Shaair: “I told you guys, I think in OTAs, one, he went to Middle Tennessee State. I know Georgia Tech likes to probably claim him, but that boy’s Conference USA all the way. We talked about it when he first got here. For me, going to FAU, you have love for those guys, and he plays that way too. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, plays the game the right way, works hard at that position and it doesn't take a whole lot of talent. Obviously, talent will take you really far, but I feel like especially early on, before you even know all the techniques and all that, it's more of a mindset. You're the first line of defense for the quarterback and you have to have the right mentality. I think he does that.”
Q: On whether he likes to see a physical and competitive mindset in the offensive linemen
Al-Shaair: “Yeah, for sure. I think it's funny because it might have been the first day we're going and obviously we all have pads on, I always feel bad punching him in the chest with no pads. He's bringing it and I'm like, ‘Okay, well he's bringing it, so I guess I have to try to bring it.’ It was just good because the mentality in general, like pads, no pads, he's just trying to work hard. The thing I always talk to him about is just working smart. That's a different level of being a pro. I think I'd rather tell you to slow down or be smart than to tell you, ‘Hey man, you got to pick it up.’ I feel like to see him doing that, I got up and I was okay, so I'm not mad at it. I play the game hard too. For me, especially knowing him as a rookie and what he's trying to accomplish and what our team is trying to accomplish, I was happy with it.”
Q: On the potential for the defense this season with the new additions
Al-Shaair: “The potential is probably the same as every other team in the league that plays defense. To be the number one defense, Super Bowl defense, championship defense. All the typical cliche things you could say. At the end of the day, it's the work. I think a year ago I talked about the same stuff and where we can go and all that stuff. We go as far as we work. It's a lot of ...
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