From postgame news conferences to next-day media availabilities, NFL players and coaches can't escape the microphone.
As some NFL teams prepare for the playoffs, other clubs such as the Jets, Rams and Vikings are a mess with only one week remaining.
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Things are not going well with those teams, where confidence is waning and straining frustration between players and coaches has grown to dysfunctional levels.
There was elation over Christmas weekend in Cleveland, however, as the Browns finally got their first win of the season. Not everybody gets in the Christmas spirit, however, as one former Patriots player explained in an anecdote about Bill Belichick.
Here's the latest edition of "He Said What?!"
— Jets defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson on receiver Brandon Marshall: "He should be embarrassed. ... There's no reason. He just should be. He knows what he did. It's cool, bro. … It's irrelevant. Scratch that comment."
— The Vikings say reports that defensive players ignored the coaches' game plan was "blown out of proportion. "We felt as a team, as players, we came together and we felt like we’d never done that when we played against the Packers," cornerback Xavier Rhodes said. "Us as DBs felt like we could handle (Jordy Nelson). That’s how we felt as DBs that we could stay on our side and cover him. In the beginning, we’d always played against them and played our sides, so that’s what we as DBs went with."
— Hall of Fame cornerback Deion Sanders criticized the players who reportedly freelanced instead of following the game plan set by coach Mike Zimmer: "That is so stupid and ignorant. Not only is (Zimmer) a really good head coach, he was also my coach, and I know how much he puts into studying and having you prepared. So if he asks you to flop, that's because of a purpose."
— Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis following the loss in New England: "Guys are not executing and they're not doing what they're supposed to do, follow the game plan. That's been happening all year."
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— Rams coach John Fassel on the state of his 4-11 team: "The morale is low, because it’s kind of been the same thing for the last three months."
— Rams quarterback Jared Goff is taking the blame for losses in each of his six starts: "I thought there were some good things we did, I thought there were some, obviously, bad things I did. We need to be better. I need to be better — I need to be better for us to win."
— Browns lineman Joe Thomas on beating the Chargers: "I was looking around for people to hug. There were a few tears in my eyes. I was really happy. There was a genuine feeling of joy. The Christmas spirit was amongst us, for sure."
— Chargers tight end Asante Cleveland recalled a story in which Belichick called him on Christmas Day to tell him the Patriots were cutting him. "He was like, ‘Hey, Asante. It’s Belichick,'" Cleveland said. "He said, ‘We’re going to have to make some roster moves.’ At that point, I knew what ‘roster moves’ means. It means I’m being moved from the roster. We needed to bring in a cornerback because we were playing the Jets. ... He said, ‘I just want to let you know this is no indication we’re moving away from you. We really like you. ... We just need to make this quick transaction."
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— Not everyone in New England is a scrooge, and first-year tight end Matt Lengel was ecstatic that his first NFL catch was an 18-yard touchdown from Tom Brady on Christmas Eve, and three days before his birthday. "Definitely ranks as the best Christmas gift, and birthday gift I could ever have."
— Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs on retirement rumors: "I don't know what you heard — what the f— is wrong with him? — I was always planning to come back and doing this another year."
— Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins on the colorful Christmas suit he wore following Saturday's win over the Bears: "My wife always packs my suit and I just grab the bag. I opened it up just now and saw this. It comes with pants and a matching tie. I thought that was overkill."
— Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on his first Lambeau Leap in years: “In the back of my mind I was thinking this is going to be on the highlight tape next week so make sure you get all the way up there. So I went to the Jordy Nelson school of Lambeau Leaps and was able to get up there and the fans were great. They smelled a little bit like booze, which is great for our fans, and they were holding pretty tight. But you love it, man; you love that feeling."
— Steelers Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw on current Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, who has taken the Steelers to the playoffs seven times with two Super Bowl appearances and one championship: "I don't think he is a great coach at all. His name never even pops in my mind when we think about great coaches in the NFL."
— Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant on throwing a touchdown pass to Jason Witten: "You know how you work on a play all year, but never call it? (Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan) called it and I was like, "Whoa? ... We completed it twice in practice."
— #MVTweet
All we have to say is #BloatedTebowPass https://t.co/5OpFprTxkF
— x-Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 26, 2016