St. Louis Rams: Wes Welker Speaks On His Return to the NFL, Concussions, & What He Brings to the Team

Wes Welker – Post Practice – 11/10/15

(On what made him want to come back)
"I just love playing. I love playing ball. I feel like I can still play at a really high level. I kind of went into this offseason not knowing what I was going to do and started training and really saw that I still had it. That made me just really want to play, knowing that I could be out there and go out there and contribute and help out. That’s what I hope to go out there and do."

(On if he’s worried at all when he walks on the field with his concussion history)
"No, not at all. Not at all. I’ve been cleared by the doctors and everything else and obviously I’m not going to try and look for contact and everything like that, but I’m not thinking about it either. I’m out there playing hard and playing the way I need to play to be successful out there. You start second guessing yourself out there and that’s when you get in trouble. I’m just going to go out there and play hard and play the way I play. But, I’m not worried about that at all."

(On it being an ideal situation with his success on third downs and the Rams’ struggles on third down)
"Yeah, but I don’t see myself as being the solution to all of that or anything like that. I’m just here trying to learn the offense and trying to contribute any way I can and help out any way I can."

(On if the concussions are the reason he didn’t get a job until now)
"I have no idea about that. You’d have to ask GMs and coaches about that one because I have no clue."

(On if he felt he was close at any point to getting signed somewhere)
"I think there were some opportunities along the way where I could’ve and I had twins three months ago, so really I wasn’t ready then. And really towards the start of the season and just watching them grow and helping out with the wife with them and everything. Just really wanted to be at the house at that time. Now they’re kind of getting a little older and we’ve got a good routine for them and everything. I felt I was ready for me to get back out there."

(On coming back from a concussion last season and playing 14 games)
"Absolutely, I already played a full season without a concussion. I’m really not worried about it. I know I’m a poster child right now and everything else. I’m good and ready to play some ball."

(On his early exposure to terminology in the offense)
"Obviously, terminology is a little bit different, but there’s a lot of similarities to some things that I’ve done in the past and really just trying to get on the same page of how the coaches want me to do it here and everything like that. They’ve done a great job of really kind of catching me up and really getting me on the right page with (QB) Nick (Foles). Nick’s been a big help as well as far as getting on the same page with him and getting to know the offense."

(On if he’s spent extra time trying to learn the offense)
"Oh, absolutely. You come in half way into the season, you have to spend the extra time and prepare the way you need to prepare to be ready to go."

(On if he will play this week)
"I have no idea about that. I still have a long ways to go and a lot of work to do and a lot of studying to do. We’ll see what (Head) Coach (Jeff) Fisher thinks at the end of the week."

(On having a package for him might make it easier to adjust)
"We’ll have to see. It was only my first day of practice, so we’ll see how tomorrow goes and how I’m catching on and everything like that. At this point, it’s all up in the air."

(On if when he was watching football at the beginning of the season he was seeing where he could fit in and what made him choose St. Louis)
"Obviously, they have a great team. They have a great running back, great defense. I think Nick is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the league, for sure. I was excited about the opportunity to get with the Rams and have this opportunity that I’ve had."

(On how he feels his tryout went)
"I wouldn’t say one of my best, but it was good enough I guess."

(On what any football player might experience later in life based on injuries)
"I think I’ve covered the concussion deal about as far as I need to at this point. I feel great. I’m not worried about down the line or anything. I’m just focused on taking it day-by-day and getting ready for this weekend."

(On what condition he was in prior to the workout)
"I’ve been training down in Florida. Being down there in the heat and everything like that. But, a lot of speed work, obviously, is the main thing. Everything I do has to do with speed. Even with lighter weights and sleds and all of those different things. Just trying to keep that speed up."

(On leaving his wife and kids to come up and be a bachelor playing football)
"I wouldn’t say I’m a bachelor. My wife will love reading that. It’s tough. Obviously, you get pictures from the wife and face time with her a lot and everything like that. Trying to stay connected as much as possible. It’s a couple of months and she knows my aspirations to play. She knows I love playing ball and she’s very supportive of me."

(On what he can bring to the team)
"We’ll have to wait and see. In the past, I’ve just been trying to be a tough, smart football player out there on the field. I’ll see if I can still keep on doing that. It’s early to see, so we’ll just see how it plays out."

(On what he can bring to the team with his experience)
"I don’t know. It’s funny you say that, because someone said it was by like five years or something like that. That’s the first time that’s happened. I’m used to having (QB) Peyton (Manning) or somebody else in the locker room that makes me feel young. I feel young at heart and that’s the way I like to play and practice and the attitude I bring to the game. I’ve probably wisened up a little bit over the years, but at the same time I know how to have fun and enjoy myself out there on the field."

(On any good stories from facing a Jeff Fisher coached team over the years)
"I didn’t play him many times. I did lose to him last year when I was with Denver. I had the snow game back in 2009. That was a good game for my side. That’s about the extent of it."

(On what he remembers from the game against St. Louis last year)
"I remember the defense getting after us really good. The offense made a lot of plays out there and they took it to us pretty good."