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Donte Stallworth Conference Call
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Free agent wide receiver Donte Stallworth addresses the New England media during his conference call and discusses his signing with the Patriots.
Q: I heard that when you and Kelley Washington were together at Tennessee, you guys had a little bit of an intense rivalry and competed against each other. Do you feel like that maybe pushed both of you to be better players?
DS: The competitiveness between both of us was strictly business. There was a situation where we went skydiving together and he tried to hide my parachute from me when we were jumping off the plane at 30,000 feet. I'm just playing. [Laughter] He's a competitive guy and I'm a competitive guy. We got along fine. When he first got there, he was just trying to get acclimated to everything and once we started communicating more, that competitiveness between us made us better and it was all better for the team.
Q: Can you just outline the whole draft situation with Kelley? I know it's been pretty well documented.
DS: He and I talked during the draft [process]. He was trying to decide if he was going to leave school or not. I had pretty much made up my mind. I felt like I was ready to play in the NFL and we pretty much talked throughout the whole process. He basically came to me asking me for advice on what I would do if I were in his shoes. I told him that I thought he ought to stay in school. He ended up staying, which I thought was a good decision for him, but he ended up getting hurt. During that whole process, things got really overblown with the fact that... I don't remember exactly what the story was, but the bottom line was things got overblown and there is no rivalry between he and I. I was hanging out with him a few months ago down here in Miami. He's an ex-teammate of mine. We've hung out. There's definitely no problem. We communicate every so often, and obviously we will be doing a lot more communicating now that we are teammates again.
Q: There was a report last week that you are in the league substance abuse program. Can you comment on that at all and how it would affect your status with the Patriots for the season?
DS: All of that stuff is in the past. There was a situation a couple of years ago, but there's nothing that's going on now that will affect me in preparing to help this team win ballgames.
Q: Can you talk about the level of interest from Philadelphia? When you spoke to them this offseason, what were your feelings about your chances of coming back there?
DS: I thought my chances were pretty good. I had a productive year there and I felt like I could help the team. Before we finished with the season, I was told by pretty much everyone in the organization that they wanted me back and they wanted to get things worked out.
Q: Do you feel like you weren't wanted back?
DS: No, I don't feel like I was wanted. All in all, I know that I was able to produce on the field and at the end of the day this is a business. They have to make the best business decision that they think is best for them and the same thing with myself.
Q: How do you look at the contract that you signed with the Patriots? Do you look at it as a one year deal or as a long-term deal?
DS: I don't usually get caught up in any of that stuff. Obviously, I'd like to be here for a very long time. My main objective is getting myself ready for the season and being able to up my game and get myself better, physically and mentally and all that good stuff, and getting ready for the season. I usually don't get too caught up into anything that's not productive in helping me play. Like I said, I definitely want to be in New England for a long time. As of right now, that's really in the back of my mind.
Q: Was there something that maybe pushed New England over the top versus Miami and Tennessee?
DS: Yes. If you look at the history, not even considering Tennessee and Miami, but if you look at New England's history, compared to anyone's history, all in all, you have people who want to make money, some people want some individual accolades and all of that, but at the end of the day it's all about winning and obviously this organization has had a lot of success. With me, I've played five seasons already and my first year making the playoffs was last year. I'll tell you, not making the playoffs is not a fun thing at all because we all play for one common goal. At the end of the day, everyone wants to win. This organization has a great history of winning and I definitely wanted to be a part of that.
Q: Did you feel like playing in Philadelphia maybe gave you a little taste of what it felt like to be around a winning organization and you wanted more of it?
DS: Yes, I think so because the thing that I always tell people is ever since I've been playing football, back to when I was 11 years old, I've won a championship on every level that I've been on, except for the pros obviously. There's no greater feeling in sports than winning a championship. I was talking to Tom Brady the other day and I told him I couldn't even imagine how it feels to win a Super Bowl. I won a national championship in college, and that was one of the greatest feelings ever. I told him I could only imagine how it feels to win a championship.
Q: Could you expand upon when you first met Tom and how much of that played a factor into your decision to sign with the Patriots?
DS: I've known Tom for a couple of years. It wasn't just during this process that I first started talking to him. I've known him for a couple of years. It's interesting now that we'll have a chance to work together. He's definitely one of the best quarterbacks of the modern era. It's kind of a no-brainer. I was fortunate enough to play with a great quarterback down in Philadelphia in Donovan McNabb, and obviously Jeff Garcia did really well down there as well. At the same time, you have Tom Brady who is one of the best quarterbacks in this era. Anytime you can play with a guy of that caliber, who is throwing you the ball, that definitely helps a lot.
Q: Did he make a strong pitch for you when you came up to visit the Patriots? Was he at the stadium? Is that when you spoke with him and was that sort of part of the sales pitch from the Patriots?
DS: I don't want to necessarily say their sales pitch because like I said, I've known Tom a couple of years and once the free agency thing started, we had been talking, but it wasn't all about football.
Q: How did you first meet Tom?
DS: I think it was back in 2004, maybe during the ESPY's. He's a Northern California guy. I'm a Northern California guy. So that's pretty much how it all started.
Q: You crossed paths out in Northern California, is that right? Just being from the same area?
DS: Well, the same part of the state, I won't say the same area because he was still a few hours away from me distance wise. California is a pretty big state. We're not too far from each other as far as where we grew up.
Q: So, would be accurate just to say that through that connection that is how you guys first met?
DS: Yes and me obviously respecting what he does and vice versa, I think that's pretty much how everything started. We've communicated in the past. Not being too much about football, just more in [terms] of, 'How are you doing? Are you healthy? Where do you plan on going this offseason? What trips are you taking?' Things like that, mostly general questions that weren't pertaining to football.
Q: Can you talk about where you see yourself in this offense? You come in as a number one receiver, but it's an offense that likes to spread the ball around a lot and you might not get as many passes as other number one receivers would. Can you talk about what you see your role as?
DS: The same thing like I said when I came to Philadelphia, I don't see myself as a number one receiver. I'm just coming in looking at it as just another guy that can help make plays for the team to win ballgames. It all boils down to, and at the end of the day, everybody putting in their part of the work in the system and really just doing what you're able to do to make plays to help the team win. That's pretty much my whole thought process. I'm not worried about making Pro Bowls and all of that stuff. My main objective, like it's always been my whole career, has been to come in and help the team win ballgames. However that turns out, it's fine with me. I'm just here to help the team win ballgames. That's all that matters really.
Q: Do you see yourself playing any particular role? Obviously you're going to stretch the defense. Have you talked about what role you'll be playing in this offense?
DS: Not necessarily. All of that stuff will come down the road. Right now, I'm just trying to make sure that I'm getting myself better mentally and physically and being prepared once we do get started with the offseason workouts and all of that good stuff. However it turns out, that's what it will be.
Q: Did you talk to anyone else on the Patriots before you came? Was there anyone that really counseled you a little bit about how things are here?
DS: Yes, weird as it is, and I say weird because usually you know a few guys on a few teams, but there were a number of guys that I knew, former players and present players, that have played with the New England organization. A lot of the guys, I didn't hear one thing negative about the organization. Everybody spoke highly of everyone, from the coach to the owner Mr. [Robert] Kraft. I'm really looking forward to getting up there and helping this team win. I talked with Ty Law. I talked with Deion Branch. Tebucky Jones. Mel Mitchell. I just talked with Artrell Hawkins a couple of days ago. Everyone spoke highly of the whole organization, so I'm looking forward to getting up there and doing my part.
Q: Was that an awkward conversation with Deion Branch knowing the situation that he went through in New England?
DS: Not at all. Like I said, you play football on the football field. At the end of the day, this is a business. Deion is a good friend of mine. We came out together and he had nothing but great things to say about the organization, nothing negative, because he understands it's a business and we both been in this game long enough to understand that things do happen and it's a business at the end of the day. He had nothing but great things to say about the coaches, players and the organization as a whole.
Q: Were you surprised that Deion would be so complimentary of everyone here considering the situation last year?
DS: What situation?
Q: Just with his holdout, the trade that wound up happening. Were you surprised that he would be so complimentary of everyone up here considering all that he had just gone through?
DS: Well, like I said it's a business. You can't take anything personal that happens in this business. He is an intelligent young man and he understands the business aspect of the things, like I said, at the end of the day it is a business. Everyone's objective is winning and from that standpoint, I heard nothing but good things about the whole organization - players, coaches and everyone upstairs.
Q: Can you talk about your off the field approach or your maturity level and how things are different for you now versus when you came in?
DS: When I first came into the league, I made some immature decisions and it came back to really haunt me in the past couple of years. Just really looking at it, it's knowing your responsibility. Not only is it your job to take care of your business and things of that nature, but you look at it and your teammates are putting in the hard work. They're making sure that they're there on time and all of that and obviously the coaches are doing the same. You have to do the same. You can't be different from everyone else. Anyone that is working hard, you have to make sure that you're doing that as well. Not that I wasn't working hard, but it was just a perception, from myself looking at it, being late and things like that really doesn't sit well with your teammates. I had a couple of the older guys come and talk to me and explain to me that they knew that I cared and they knew how much I loved to play and how much I loved my teammates, but they were just telling me from a professional standpoint that it makes others that don't know me, or people on the outside looking in, it makes it looks like I really don't care too much. Once I heard that, it kind of hurt me because I want to be a team player. I want to work hard and things like that. I think that kind of made me wake up a little bit, having one of the older guys come and talk to me about that about a year or two ago.
Q: Is that an effect of getting older and more mature as a person more or less?
DS: Yes. I'm getting old. I'm 26. I only have a few years left in this game. You just realize the opportunities. As the years go by, that window gets smaller and smaller. The ultimate goal of everyone that has ever played this game, about 99 percent of the guys, their ultimate goal is to win a championship and hopefully before my time is up in this game, I will have won one hopefully.
Q: When you were asked about that Philadelphia Inquirer report about being in that NFL program, I just want to make sure that there is nothing there that will affect your playing with the Patriots?
DS: Not at all. Not at all. There are not too many things that will affect me as far as playing on the football field and being able to do my job. I've always took pride in the fact that I've been able to handle things off the field personally and dealing with family and so many other things that the average person deals with. I feel like it's my job to play football and I love it. There's not too many things that would be able to distract me. I don't want to jinx anybody, but anything less than someone close to me being hurt, other than that, I'm perfectly fine. There are not too many things that can distract me from doing my job. I love doing it and I can't wait to get this thing started.
9:47 AM
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