Arizona Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins says there is a new vibe with the team under head coach Jonathan Gannon. Gannon runs things differently than previous head coach Kliff Kingsbury and Collins found out the hard way.
Collins, speaking to reporters after Monday’s practice from voluntary OTAs, recalled how he got called out after doing something in the team’s first team meeting that he did all the time previously.
He walked into the meeting finishing up a bowl of eggs.
The next day, he saw his number up on the screen and Gannon called him out for it.
“‘Collins, eating in the first team meeting of the day,'” Collins recalled Gannon saying. “‘Get here just 10 minutes earlier and you can finish your food. We’re trying to talk about defensive stuff and offensive philosophies, team philosophies, defensive philosophies in the meeting, and you’re over there eating. You’re not paying attention.'”
He realized it was a new expectation and understood why. He buys in and now handles things differently.
It used to be commonplace for players to take snacks to meetings. It is different now.
“No one is taking snacks to team meetings.”
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.