HEAD COACH JOHN HARBAUGH
Opening Statement: "OK, [it's] good to see everybody. I appreciate everybody being here. I'm really happy with camp. You see the ice cream truck out there – it's a small reward for the work these guys put in. The level of work, the work capacity that was put forth; we monitor, and we keep track of that stuff. Maybe I'll get [director of high performance] Sam [Rosengarten] up here one of these days to explain it to you, but it's just high level. It's more than anybody else does. I'm just proud of the way these guys do it. I think we've made the most of the effort [and] had the best training camp we could have. We've traveled just as far as we could travel in training camp, and now it's time to start the next part of the journey, which is the regular season. So, this was kind of an opportunity, this week, to tie some things together and get ready for the season. But our guys will be excited to get back here on Monday and be 100 percent into the Buffalo Bills preparation. And the only disappointment is we can't play [our first game] until Sunday night. We have to wait until Sunday night. But we'll be there. We'll show up. We'll be right on time, and we'll be ready. I am proud of our guys. I am excited about the roster [and] happy about the practice squad. I am really happy for the guys that made the team that were kind of on the bubble. We're ready to go. What questions do you have?"
S Kyle Hamilton signed a pretty good extension today. What are your thoughts about Kyle? (Jamison Hensley) "Well, I'm going to ask [Kyle Hamilton] to pay for the ice cream truck today, first of all; that'll be his job. But I am really happy for him. [It is], obviously, very well-deserved [for him] to be the highest-paid safety in football at this point. He's earned it. And he's a guy that – I don't think there's anybody [that is] surprised by that. I think everybody in the Ravens Flock was hoping to see [the contract extension] happen. And that's not the end of it either. But to see Kyle with his fiancée here today and how happy they were, [there are] so many [new] beginnings [to come]. And really, the thing about Kyle is he's pretty even keeled. It's not like he was doing cartwheels down the hallway or anything – he was ready to come to practice. That's what he wanted – to get to practice. He even talked to the team afterwards, and he just talked about starting to check those boxes off; starting in Buffalo. So yes, it's great. It's great for the Ravens."
You never know how players will progress, but just to see S Kyle Hamilton's progression to this point, I'm sure this is, at least, somewhat what you guys were hoping to get out of him. What does it feel like to be able to feel happy about the investment you guys have made in him, even going all the way back to Draft night? (Cordell Woodland) "It's really a great point, because not everybody makes it. You don't hit on all your picks, and you certainly even don't hit on all your first-round picks. And to have two first-round picks [in Kyle Hamilton and Tyler Linderbaum] from that one year [2022] hit the way they have, it's just great thing for all of us; for everybody, but mostly for them. It speaks to the guys. And Kyle [Hamilton] was a guy that people were even criticizing us for taking him where we took him. 'You took a safety, why would you do that? You have all these other needs,' and here we are today. The same thing for Tyler [Linderbaum], 'Why'd you take a center?' Well, that's why, because you see the way they play. So, I am just proud of those guys and just really happy for Kyle and his family."
Now that you have the 53-man roster and the practice squad, how do you feel, as a coach, entering Year 18? You see the list of very talented players. What is on your mind going into this season? (David Andrade) "Well, I just really like the roster. To your point, what goes through my mind when I'm watching practice is, 'This is a really good football team.' And every season is its own season. Every week – every game – is its own game. You take them all one at a time, truly. So, your focus gets very narrow. But when I take a step back, and I watch practice, I know that we're a very good football team. So, it's our job to go out there and play very well and coach very well. And that's what we plan to do."
We saw a video of executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta talking to the undrafted free agents, the three guys who made the team yesterday. And then of course, I'm sure you've had a chance to say hi to them today at practice or talk to them. What's that like, seeing that host of guys – that many guys – who weren't drafted, get a shot on your roster? (Kyle Goon) "Well, it's definitely unusual. I don't know how many times it's really happened. You're talking about undrafted free agents making a team, especially a team that's as highly thought of as this team and this roster is. Also guys that were, in some cases, weren't even signed the first go round, guys that were tryout guys like Keyon [Martin] or guys that didn't have any signing bonus. That's pretty amazing. And to me, it goes to the fact that football is probably the truest meritocracy in our society. I'm sure there are a lot of meritocracies, Broadway is probably one. You have to be really good to be on Broadway and stuff. But when it comes right down to it, it's what you do on the field. It doesn't really matter where you played or how you got here. Once you're here, and you walk out there on that grass, it's about how you play. And the best players are the players who play the best. And when they play the best, they should be recognized as such. And we try to give everybody an opportunity. We try to coach everybody up to their maximum [potential] and try to bring it out [of them to] put them in positions to do the things they do well. And so, to the questions you guys are asking, it is a great thing because it reinforces what [football is] all about. It reinforces that meritocracy part of the whole deal. Now, let's go play some ball. Let's go win some games."
CB Keyon Martin was a tryout guy. You said the other day, "It's rare that tryout guys make the team." Executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta said the same thing. What was it about Keyon – what did he show you that made him an exception? (Carita Parks) "Well, [when I] look at defensive players, especially defensive backs – something I wrote in my notes is, 'a no-hesitation play,' or 'A no-hesitation player.' [I want to see] a player that can process accurately and quickly and then, without hesitation, go respond. And then, show up where he's supposed to show up on time or ahead of time. That's what Keyon [Martin] does. He comes from a football family. His dad played. I don't know, maybe he had him in the backyard all those years." (Laughter) "He just processes so well. Just like the interception against the Washington [Commanders during the preseason]. That was kind of a combination-coverage that we were in there. And he really doesn't have to be out there under that route, it's really not necessarily part of the process. But he diagnosed the play, and he was out there waiting for the ball. And not just that one play, he's been doing that all the way through camp. Sometimes you'll see players – [owner] Steve Bisciotti pointed this out to me just today when we were talking – sometimes you'll see players that will flash in preseason games, and you're like, 'Man, you have to keep that guy.' Sometimes it's real [and] sometimes it's just a flash, a flash in the pan. But when it's backed up – when those plays are backed up by what you see in practice every day – then you know what you have. And all three of those guys [Keyon Martin, Reuben Lowery III and Jay Higgins IV have that]. With Keyon, that's definitely what happened."
When you're watching the undrafted free agents that made the team, obviously you're focused on what you're doing and building all that up, but when you step back from it; is there a part of you that's surprised that three of those guys make the roster? And secondly, does it make those decisions that much tougher? (Brian Wacker) "Yes, I guess [I was] surprised if you look at it that way. You get so deep into it, you really don't think in terms of being surprised, because by this time, we know the guys so well. They're part of the 90-man roster, and you're just watching them play every day, and you're coaching them up, you're sending them a video, you're talking to them, and you're just sorting it out as you go and trying to put together the best 53 [-man roster], and the best 16 [-man practice squad roster] after that, that you possibly can. So, I think, yes, when you step back, you have to say, 'Gosh, that's unusual.' But in the process of it, it's just trying to put the best team together [that] you can, really."
As you're preparing for what-if scenarios, how nice is it to bring back QB Tyler Huntley as a veteran quarterback? You're hoping you don't have to go there, but certainly you have some trust in him. (Luke Jones) "I think one thing that is pretty interesting when you watch Tyler [Huntley] – and I've been watching his games on tape – [is that] you see the growth. He's had to travel a journey. It's been a hard road for Tyler, but that's how you grow, right? The scars are stronger than the other parts of the bone, and he's had his bones broken, so to speak, a little bit. [And he has] bounced back and competed. And I see him out here today, [and] he looks really good. I think it's really – it makes our team stronger to have him in that spot."
We didn't see K Tyler Loop out there. Did we just miss him? (Jeff Zrebiec) "No, I don't know if you missed [Tyler Loop] or not, but they kicked at the stadium today, so they were down there. Jordan [Stout] punted, and obviously, Nick [Moore] snapped, but Tyler was kicking at the stadium today."
We didn't see CB Marlon Humphrey. Is he OK? (Luke Jones) "Yes, Marlon [Humphrey] kind of needed a rest [day]. I felt like – just watching him yesterday – [today] was a good rest day for Marlon."
ILB JAY HIGGINS IV
On what he was feeling when he was told that he made the 53-man roster: "Yes, I was lightheaded, lightheaded for sure. I was sitting at lunch, actually sitting next to Jake [Hummel] and [Tyler] Linderbaum, and I was eating my meal, and I got tapped on the shoulder, and as I was walking down the hall, I just felt my heart rate keep rising and rising. I came up the steps, walked in the office and then saw [executive vice president and general manager] Eric [DeCosta] and it really, really started beating. And so, I was just lightheaded when he told me. I was so surprised. I knew there were so many talented players on the roster. We got a lot of those guys back on the practice squad, and so it was just the numbers for me. So, when he told me, I was just really surprised. You hear your dream come true and you're standing up, I guess my legs were locked out, so I should have had a slight bend in the knee, so I did that wrong." (laughter)
On if he watched the video of him receiving the news that he made the 53-man roster: "Yes, I actually did. I get a little cringey when I see myself, so I try not to [watch them], but my parents sent it in the family group chat. I don't know how [they found it], because none of them are on Instagram, so it must have been on [X]. They sent it to me, and I just had to watch it. And then [inside linebackers coach Tyler] Santucci actually played it in the linebackers room this morning with all the guys, and we were celebrating everybody. [We were celebrating] Reuben [Lowery III] and 'Key' [Keyon Martin] as well, to see the surprise in our face and just how happy we were. And I think the coolest part was just the family's response to what happened, and it's kind of a community success. I felt like the whole family won that day."
On if he felt that defensive coordinator Zach Orr had a particular appreciation for the journey that he was trying to make: "Yes. I remember talking to my agent [during the] sixth round [of the NFL Draft], actually, and he called and he was like, 'There's a couple picks left, but we need to start making a list of where you want to go.' And he mentioned that the defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens was an undrafted linebacker. I knew that it wasn't going to be enough and that connection wasn't going to be enough to just get me on a Super Bowl-ready team, but I knew that if you go to Baltimore, you play hard, and you play physically. They respect their linebackers. So, I felt like this was a good fit for me. Just coming from [the University of] Iowa, [coming from] the programs and what they stand for, I think they're similar. So, I felt comfortable coming here knowing I had to keep my head down and work and show up every day. And then when there's special connections like that, you've got to use them to your advantage."
On the closeness of the ILB group and what it's like to be led by ILB Roquan Smith: "Definitely. Obviously, when I got here for rookie minicamp, I just remember – because those guys aren't even here yet – but I just remember seeing [Roquan Smith's] name in front of his locker, and then you look down two more lockers, it's Lamar Jackson. You look down another locker, and it's Derrick Henry. So, it is like you're quickly fanned out because you have these Pro Bowl players that you were literally watching on TV three months ago, and now you're in the same locker room as those guys. And as OTAs get going, and the longer you're here, and the more workouts you put under your belt, the more comfortable you start to feel. But obviously, I just [have] respect for him as a player. [You] turn on his tape, and it's obvious how good [Roquan Smith] is. But, when you start getting to the linebacker meeting room, you see how he diagnoses his plays, how he triggers on certain things [and] how he views the game. You start to see how he separates himself. And I think the coolest thing about Roquan is who he is off the field. I think he's done a great job of [showing that] there's 'football Roquan' and then there's Roquan Smith, the human being. And I think every football player has got to have that balance, and he does a great job. And he allows the rookies [and] anybody in the room access to both parts of his life. So, just learning that from him, learning mental health and how important it is to be OK off the field so you're your best on the field. It's just been cool learning from him and getting closer with him."
On how expressive his dad is on social media and the support his dad shows him: "I promise he has been like that my entire life, my entire life. He was like that when I was playing AAU basketball, and the shorts were too big for me, and my jersey was too big, and my socks were pulled all the way up, and there was a rim on top of the rim so we could shoot at the lower rim. He's been like that my entire life. There's no camera or platform that made him like that. And it was funny because the day I got to Iowa, he was like that. And it took me three years to be a starting linebacker there, but I was running down on kickoffs, and you would've thought I was the Butkus [Award] winner [based on] his presence on social media." (laughter) "So, when he says he's my biggest fan [and] my biggest supporter, he means that from Day One."
On when he called his dad to share the good news with him: "When it comes to my family and anything to do with success, my dad is super emotional. He is a family guy. He lives off me and my sister, and anything we do, he's willing to support it. I could tell him I'm trying to do anything [and that] my dreams are anything, and [he] and my mom, they're willing to support anything. And just to see where my football career has gone, and then these last couple of months of my football career have taken a drop. And I was doing really good in college, and everything was good, then the Combine came around, and the Draft came around, and it was just kind of hard on me. I was like, I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. But to see him not waver, I think that's why you saw some of that emotion on the phone call. For me, it's hard to say [that] I knew this would happen [and that] I knew everything would work out. I was having real conversations with myself after the Draft [about] if football's in my future, if I need to go do something else. But if you would've ask him after the draft, he knew this day was going to happen. So, just knowing I've got a father like that in my corner, I think that's what the video showed."
On if he's used to being underestimated: "Yes. My career has loops – it cycles around. [I was] not really recruited out of high school from Indianapolis, Indiana. I didn't get a [University of Indiana] offer; I didn't get a Purdue offer. That means a lot from an Indianapolis football player. I mean, I'm 40 minutes from those campuses, so Iowa was my first Big Ten offer. I go to Iowa, sit for three years, [and I am a] true junior, watching other people play. Then I play, [and] I do everything I possibly can do, and people tell you it's not enough. So, all I can do is focus on me, focus on running to the ball, tackling the ball, and getting better every day, and usually things tend to work themselves out."
On staying as an inside linebacker throughout college and on what being an inside linebacker means to him: "Yes, I think the game has changed. [These] dudes are athletic. You can get a 6-foot-4 guy who is 225 [pounds] now, and he used to play safety, and I think that's just a testament to guys getting bigger, faster [and] stronger every year. But, I think the game is won in the X's and O's. I'm not the biggest guy; I'm obviously not the fastest guy, but I think there's a feel for inside zone. There's a feel for pin [and] pull. You've got to feel those things. And maybe it's because I went to Iowa and I've seen a fullback and [Tyler] Linderbaum and big guards for five years, but there's something about just filling the offensive line, and who they're working up to, and when that guard's pulling. You've just got to feel those things. And it is cool because Roquan [Smith] talks like that. He can't really explain why he did what he did every single time, but he has a really good feel for what's going to happen and how the play's going to develop, and I think that's what makes a good linebacker."
S REUBEN LOWERY III
On what went through his head when he was asked to go upstairs yesterday: "It's just a moment that you've been waiting for. When the moment comes, we always talk about being ready for the moment, so when you get up there, you're ready for whatever decision [executive vice president and general manager Eric DeCosta] wants to make, and you prepare for it. There's a lot of emotions going on, a lot of feelings, but you know when you put all your work you can do, everything you can give each and every single day, that you can be at peace with whatever decision is made. I'm at peace right now." (laughter) "It was like a moment of triumph and a moment of accumulation of everything that went [on] in camp and the whole journey, so it was awesome."
On if he felt that he did enough to make the team: "My mindset wasn't on, 'Did I do enough?' My mindset was basically, 'Did I give it my all every single day?' I feel like doing enough ... You can toss it up to the coaches and the people that evaluate those things. Did I look at myself in the mirror and say, 'Did I do everything I gave today, and can I wake up and do it again and again and again?' Even when that moment does come, like, "OK, yes, you made the team' and all those good things, 'Can I continue to stack days and do that consistently?' So, that was the mindset, and I'm glad I still do have a chance to keep doing that."
On his relationship with CB Keyon Martin and the moment they both found out they made the initial 53-man roster: "'Key' [Keyon Martin], man, he's awesome. He talked about it a little bit, but we met during rookie minicamp. We initially played the same exact position. Of course, we're both defensive backs, but it was the same exact nickel position. We've been competing this whole time, and that brotherhood and that bond that comes with competing with one another – but not in a toxic way, in a brotherly way – it was awesome to share that moment with him. I've learned so much from him as a defensive back. Going through the camp process, you see a guy who just continuously works, just works every single day on his craft [and] who's technically sound. So, [just after he found out he made the team], when you're walking down the stairs, you see him with a big smile. He knows, and I know. We didn't have to say any words. It was just a big hug. It was like a movie moment, honestly, but it was awesome. It was awesome."
On if he felt that he always had the opportunity to prove himself and earn a spot on the Ravens roster: "Honestly, every single day, they harped on – in the meetings – 'You have to earn it,' and I truly believe that. The way they treat everybody here is that exact same way. If you're the highest-paid player,[or] if you're the lowest on the depth chart, you have earn everything that you have, and that's what you love. That's the beauty of this organization. That's the beauty of the team that you play for, is that it's consistent all around. I love that I got a chance and still get a chance to play for this team and play for an organization like that where every single day, you have to bring it."
On what went into his transition from nickel to safety during his time with the Ravens and if he thinks that helped him make the team: "Of course, yes. I played a lot of DB positions in college and all that good stuff. Just the ability to be versatile – especially here on this team – it's an awesome ability. I wanted to challenge myself, and even at rookie minicamp, we talked about it – playing safety a little bit – and I wanted challenge myself to learn that position, and it was hard learning two positions at the same time and not knowing which one you're going to play at on certain days. But definitely, once you learn those positions, you understand the defense better, you understand the scheme better, and then ultimately, it just helps you with your play. How it kind of went from nickel to safety or safety to nickel, it was just the needs. Training camp is long. People go down [with injury], or we need people to fill spots, and that's kind of how it came about."
On working with S Kyle Hamilton has been like: "It's funny, we were talking about versatility. [Kyle Hamilton] is the epitome of versatility. He literally plays every position on the defense. To have a guy that leads you in that way, intellectually, and then you have a guy that puts the pads on every single day and works hard, it is very rare. [He's] a guy that you can go up and ask a question mid play. If you don't know what you're doing, he knows. You might be a corner, [or] you might be a safety; He knows exactly what you're supposed to be doing. It's just awesome to play [with] a guy like that. It's awesome to lay it on the line, because you know he's going to lay it on a line for you. He's all about ball and all about playing for his brothers."
On the advice S Kyle Hamilton has given him: "I wouldn't say [Kyle Hamilton] gave [this advice] to me specifically, but like I said, he's a leader for the defense and the team, and he always talks about pushing forward. So, [he said] just pushing forward every single day and knowing that yesterday is in the past. You might have had a good day yesterday, you might have had a bad yesterday, but you still have to go out today and do what you do. Like you said, that's the beauty of it all, earning it every single day. He's a leader that does those things [and] not just says those things. He does those things."
On if he had other NFL teams calling him after the draft: "No, it was a quiet period after the draft. I was with my family, and it was about an hour or two after that. We were sitting, we were waiting, and it was radio silence. You can imagine how that goes. Then ultimately, we got that call from the Ravens, and it was a joy. It was so much joy around people's faces. My grandpa was there. It was amazing. It was definitely a moment to celebrate. Then coming up here for a rookie minicamp, it was great to see the organization and the people and get a feel for what we were about to walk into."
On if it was painful or stressful to not get any phone calls from NFL teams: "It wasn't painful or stressful, because it kind of goes back to what we talked about earlier. You know the work that you put in, and you know the journey that you're going to go on. For me, it was like, 'If God allowed me to go on a team or be on a team, then awesome. But if he didn't, then I was going to continue to work hard at the next thing.' I've been blessed to be in this position and blessed with this opportunity and to do this with all these people and all these awesome teammates."
On if he's been able to wrap him mind around going from an undrafted rookie to making the initial 53-man roster for a team that's always in playoff contention: "It is hard to wrap your mind around, honestly, right now, because your brain, especially in camp, has been so focused on working, working, working, working and not looking back and taking the steps. So, I haven't actually digested the moment yet, but I think that's also a good thing, not to stay complacent in this moment, but to continue to work. One day or one moment, I'm going to definitely look back on it and be like, 'Wow, this is insane.'"
On if the mechanical engineering degree was more difficult or easier than making the initial 53-man roster: "That's a good question." (laughter) "[There are] different aspects. I would say here [is harder], just because it's a new atmosphere, [and] it's new people. You have to adapt to new environments. Mechanical engineering is hard, but you just go into a classroom every day, and you figure it out. You can get as many reps as possible in mechanical engineering. You can just go practice 100 times a day." (laughter) "But here, 'Play like Raven' means something here."
CB KEYON MARTIN
On what the feeling is like to go from a tryout player to making the 53-man roster: "It's been a fun road since [rookie mini-camp] to OTAs to [training] camp. I've just been enjoying every day of it. Just enjoying every day being in the National Football League. Every day I step in this building, I know that I'm beating the odds, and it's a blessing. So, I'm just enjoying the journey, really."
On his thoughts about what other teams missed about his play: "I feel like it was just destined for me to be at the Ravens. I don't really think the teams missed out on me. I just think the Ravens scouting, they had seen something in my play. They saw the way that I played. They saw that I play aggressively, fast, twitchy and [that I'm] a very instinctive football player. They took a chance on me, and that's really all I could ask for. In college, that's all I said. I just needed a team to take a chance on me, and I promise they won't regret it."
On if he was worried about his play that he left out on the field in the final preseason game versus the Commanders: "I mean, not really. I don't really think about it like that. Everybody saw the plays that I made, the big plays, putting points on the board, the sack, the pick-six; but then when I go back and watch them, I look at the plays that I messed up on. I could have had a way better game than what everybody else saw. I feel like I can always play a better game. I'm always my biggest critic, but that's the best way to get better. If you critique yourself better than anybody else critiques you, you are going to play a long time in this game."
On what his time was like during the tryout period and how many teams contacted him during that time: "The Ravens were the only one that called me, so I only had one tryout. It was pretty hard on me. I'm not going to lie, [if I am] being honest, coming out right after the draft [and] realizing that nobody was going to sign me. But once I got that call about the [rookie] minicamp, I'm like, 'All right, it's on me now.' So, I knew that if I wanted to come in and do what I really wanted to do in the NFL, I just had to come out here and prove it."
On what his daily mindset was from the tryout period through Training Camp: "My daily mindset was just to win the day, get better every day. If I come out here and don't worry about the next week when we are in full pads, don't worry about Thursday when we are [practicing] in the stadium, [I need to] just think about today. If I accomplish today, and I know that I did my best today, then when tomorrow comes, then I'll focus on tomorrow. My mindset was always that I deserve to be out here."
On if the Ravens' legacy of selecting undrafted free agents for the 53-man roster helped him compete for his spot: "I think so. I think once I got that call about minicamp from the Ravens, I was like, if I'm going to play for any team in the NFL, it's going to be Ravens just because the history of the defense. I just know the way that I play defense and [with] the savviness and the aggression that I play [with]; I know on defense, I play like a Raven."
On what was going through his head in the hours leading up to finding out he made the 53-man roster: "[During] the night before, it wasn't on my mind really, honestly. I wasn't anxious. I went to sleep. I had a good night's sleep really." (laughter) "But I woke up the next morning – then I think the only time I really got a little nervous [was when] I walked in here. I carried myself any other day [and then] they came and tapped me. It was like, 'They want to see you upstairs.' That's when I'm like, 'OK, alright.' [My] heart was racing a little bit. Everybody knows about those tough conversations. I thought that's what I was going up there for, but when they told me, it was just a relief that [and I thought], 'OK, I'm in this building for a little bit longer.' Even though nothing is solidified, I still have to prove myself week-in and week-out, but it was just like, 'Alright, I'm here for a little bit longer.'"
On if he thought he was getting cut before his conversation with EVP & general manager Eric DeCosta: "Oh yes, most definitely."
On if he was able to watch the video made by Ravens Productions of ILB Jay Higgins IV, S Reuben Lowery III and himself being told the news of making the 53-man roster: "Yes, I watched it. I watched the video, [and] it was even better seeing 'Reub' [Reuben Lowery III] and Jay [Higgins IV], man, and just to see their family's [reactions]. I caught 'Reub' when I was walking up the stairs. He was walking down, and I was like, 'Oh!' and I just gave him a hug. I'm like, 'Yeah man, we did it!' because we both came in with the same mindset. He came in the same way, even though he signed right after the draft [with] no signing of bonus and [at] the bottom of the depth chart. So, it was just a joy just to see him accomplish that, too."
On how his mother has influenced his journey to the NFL: "My mom, that's my best friend, really. I can talk to my mom about anything. But growing up she always supported me. She always [came to my] Little League [games]. She came to every game [in] high school. Once I got to college, she even asked me and my brother – he was in college playing college football by the time – she asked me, 'How do you feel [about getting her getting a doctorate]?' – She wanted to go back to school and get a doctorate – 'But how do you feel about me going back to school? Because I wouldn't be able to make every game.' It didn't bother me. I'm like, 'Ma, go out [and] pursue what you want to do.' But she always made sure that she watched every game and she always supported me even when I had my highs and my lows. My parents both know [that] my confidence is through the roof, but sometimes you have those thoughts, and she always uplifted me when I had those. So, my mom – she has always been there. She always knew that I could play at this level and then just giving her that call just, that was amazing. I can't wait to see her, though. I can't wait to see my mom."
On what his mom is receiving her doctorate degree in: "[My mom is] getting a doctorate in English. She graduates next spring."
