Jack Del Rio did not take the bait.
Washington’s defensive coordinator was fined $100,000 by head coach Ron Rivera in June. When he met with the media Wednesday, the very first question he was asked was what he learned from the fine. Del Rio calmly replied, “Happy to be in camp right now. The team is doing a great job working on preparing for the season. Everything that I like to talk about should have to do with football and playing good defense.”
When John Keim inquired what all went into Del Rio’s departure from tweeting on Twitter, Jack simply responded, “Personal decision.”
A third question came; even offering it was unfair he was fined. But Del Rio was laser-focused, responding, “I have nothing to add.”
One reporter clearly not listening well, repeated a question Del Rio had earlier more than satisfactorily answered. He calmly responded, “I touched on that a little before.” Which Del Rio certainly had. But for the record, Del Rio did go ahead and offer some more of an answer in kindness to the reporter.
Some members of the media probably interpreted Del Rio as stingy with answers Wednesday. Yet, on the other side of the coin, in his first statement, he made it clear he was only going to talk football, and yet he was asked twice more about the events this past June.
Del Rio even was conscientious not to provide his opinion of Coach Rivera’s firing of defensive line coach Sam Mills III or the promotion of Jeff Zgonina. “I’d have to defer to coach (Rivera) on any reasoning. I think he spelled that out with you guys. I have nothing to add.”
When asked a second time about Rivera’s decision, Del Rio again was judicious. “Like I said, anything you want to talk about in terms of that, I just defer to coach.”
Now Del Rio was more than happy to compliment Zgonina’s coaching, “Jeff is doing a good job. He’s a guy that played 17 years in the league. I like that. I think he brings some intensity. I like that. I think the guys respond well to him and his teaching. I think he brings intensity on the way he coaches the guys. I think there is connectivity. It is important to be able to connect with the guys and I think he does that. Thus far, a short, small sample but I have been happy with the way it has worked out.”
Del Rio did compliment some of his players’ performances thus far in preseason. “I think James Smith-Williams is the first guy that comes to my mind. He is running with the ones. I think he is a guy that is rugged. He is doing a great job with it. Really happy with him. I think Casey Toohill has developed. I think Efe (Obada) is developing. Those guys are giving us some presence on the edge, and of course, Montez Sweat is leading the way with that group.”
“I think Jamin (Davis) is playing with more certainty and more confidence. He understands where he belongs. Talent wise with his abilities, he’s locked in, and mentally he really understands where he belongs. He is having a strong camp for us, and we are going to need him to play well for us.”
“Cole (Holcomb) is really asserting himself in a leadership role. I think he is doing a great job mentoring some of the other linebackers, asserting himself in the huddle, taking charge and making the call, being really strong with it. I think his preparation is very strong. I’m happy with the way he has approached it.”
Del Rio did provide much more, but space does not permit here. Here is the full video.
