The Arizona Cardinals’ new head coach, Jonathan Gannon, is trying to change the culture in the building. He wants greater accountability and he believes in constant competition and pressure.
He once said in a press conference this offseason that “everything is a competition.”
That mentality is showing.
Third-year linebacker Zaven Collins sees a difference and likes what it happening.
“I think it’s nice. It’s a very different vibe in the building,” he told reporters after practice on Monday. “Guys are really bought in. Guys are here all the time. Guys are held with a lot of accountability and a lot of stuff like that. They feel pressure and I think that’s a good thing for everyone.”
Gannon wants meetings focused and he wants to put players in uncomfortable situations do elevate their knowledge and play.
Collins said everything is earned.
“You can’t walk in, because it’s the NFL,” he said. “Everyone is trying to put food on the table, on this team and on other teams. You’re not competing just with the guys you’re practicing with, it’s everyone in the league.”
One of the major concerns with the last coaching staff was a lack of accountability. That doesn’t seem to be the case. Collins got called out for finishing food at the start of a team meeting and now players no longer snack during them. They focus and pay attention.
While they aren’t expected to be good this year, it would appear that the building blocks of success are firmly in place.
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