DT Richard Seymour meets with the media after Tuesday's practice. Photo by Tony Gonzales
Seymour: I'm definitely excited. I think we're headed in the right direction. We're trying to build a smart, tough, disciplined football team, and I think everyone is preaching the same message. It's coming across very clearly.
Q: What's your interaction been like with Coach [Allen] and [Reggie] McKenzie and the fact that they have a defensive background? What does that mean to you?
Seymour: Well, it's obviously a good thing, but if you mess up, they know exactly what you did wrong as well. So I think for us, we're just laying the foundation at this point. Everyone is trying to learn exactly what it is they want implemented and everyone being on the same page. I think they are letting us know now everyone has to know what to do and you have to execute under pressure. I think that's one thing that they're building and obviously as a veteran that you're trying to filter down through the team as well. So I definitely think we're headed in the right direction.
Q: What's the key to being a disciplined team?
Seymour: Just developing practice habits. I think that's one thing we're trying to do at this point now. Coming in day in and day out, practicing our craft, working on it, fine-tuning it. None of us are in football shape at this point. It's good we don't have to play a game tomorrow, but we're working in the right direction, so like I said I'm excited. I think Raider Nation has a lot to be excited about. We're looking forward to doing big things this year. Like I said, it all starts here on the practice field.
Q: Richard, it's pretty early, but what can you tell Raider Nation about how this defense is going to be different than last year?
Seymour: We are definitely going to be disciplined for sure. We don't want to lead the league in penalties or anything like that, but we definitely want to be aggressive. Not trying to take any of our aggressiveness away, but also just playing smart football. I think that's one thing that since I came here, as a defensive lineman, you think of tough, physical, aggressive style defenses and we are definitely going to keep that, but take the penalties and things that aren't helping us win, taking those off the field.
Q: How do you see your role changing in this defense?
Seymour: I don't think it does. I think you need guys to go out and make plays and be a difference-maker and that's one thing that you're always trying to, every year, trying to add to your craft and get better, and that's one thing I'm trying to do as well.
Q: We haven't had a chance to talk to you since Junior Seau's death. I was wondering what your memories are of him. You played a couple of years together in New England?
Seymour: Right. One of the best men I knew. I think everyone knows what he's done on the field, but off the field, he was a giving guy, one of the best guys you could be around and one of the best teammates I've ever had. Sad day to say the least is an understatement.
Q: Have you found that as your career has gone on that the healing process after a 16-game season takes longer or did you have a good season in that regard?
Seymour: I think every season is different. It's just kind of like every game is different. Some games, you're like, 'man, what happened? I'm so sore.' And then some games you're like, 'man, I feel pretty decent.' And that's kind of how it is from different seasons. Like two years ago, I was like, 'man, I'm beat down.' But then last season, at the end of the year, I felt, and maybe because I didn't play much toward mid-season…So I think it has a lot to do with it in that regard in terms of how much you play and the different style offenses you play. I think any time you can stay off the field and keep your offense out there, I think you'll definitely feel a lot better.
Q: How much do you rest in the off-season and how much do you train to stay in shape? I don't know how much you weight now, but you look like you've lost weight since last year.
Seymour: I'm down about 10 pounds. I would definitely say early in the off-season, I really start end of February I kind of get acclimated to just some little health club-like stuff. And then I'll just do anything to in terms of that next month just completely opposite of football. Whatever I would do, I wouldn't do that just so I'm not tired of football when it starts back up. So just different type training in the off-season. I did a little boxing, a little bit of everything. And then I get more football specific as the season gets closer. But I definitely train four days a week for sure. That's always been my routine. I think that's one of the things that keeps me strong, especially in the interior of the line.
Q: Any first impressions of Terrell Williams as your new defensive line coach?
Seymour: Actually, he came down to see me this off-season, so that was a big step in our relationship, getting off to a good start because I think as a veteran player, when you've had a lot of turnover from year to year, sometimes you can be not as open to a new regime, maybe if you were a rookie or first, second, third year guy. I think this coaching staff has been tremendous because they are all preaching the same message and they're all on the same page in terms of leading us in the right direction. So I'm definitely excited about it for sure.
