McDermott establishing Leadership Council amongst players

[YoloinOhio]

@jayskurski

McDermott says the #Bills will develop a "leadership council." That will be a change from Rex Ryan, who did not have permanent captains.

 

McDermott: Big believer in player-driven leadership. Going through narrowing down who those players are. #Bills #BillsMafia

 

@spencito_

McDermott also said Lorenzo, Kyle Williams and Micah Hyde have already embraced leadership roles w/ team. #Bills

Edited April 3, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[Antonio]

Good! No more changing captains every game because they were born there or have played there before.

 

I think it is important for players to know who they can rally around when the game is on the line.

[YoloinOhio]

Good! No more changing captains every game because they were born there or have played there before.

 

I think it is important for players to know who they can rally around when the game is on the line.

agree!

[Beef Jerky]

How cute...

[blacklabel]

I've always felt it was important to identify the leaders on your team. Rex stated he felt leaders naturally emerged but when you identify leaders you make it easier for your younger players to seek out guidance when needed. With Rex at the controls for the past two seasons it really felt like the team lacked leadership. I'm sure there were some guys that would speak up now and again but since nobody was really selected as captains/leaders, I felt like the locker room often looked like a middle school English class where nobody volunteered to read a passage after the teacher asked. Everyone just sitting there waiting for someone else to speak up.

 

Kyle has obviously been a leader for years, Lorenzo established himself last year and Hyde will do that this year. Those guys likely end up with the C on their jersey. I'm gonna go ahead and say they put one on Watkins as well. He's not afraid to speak up and he knows the team needs to work harder than it has when Rex was there.

[FireChan]

I've always felt it was important to identify the leaders on your team. Rex stated he felt leaders naturally emerged but when you identify leaders you make it easier for your younger players to seek out guidance when needed. With Rex at the controls for the past two seasons it really felt like the team lacked leadership. I'm sure there were some guys that would speak up now and again but since nobody was really selected as captains/leaders, I felt like the locker room often looked like a middle school English class where nobody volunteered to read a passage after the teacher asked. Everyone just sitting there waiting for someone else to speak up.

 

Kyle has obviously been a leader for years, Lorenzo established himself last year and Hyde will do that this year. Those guys likely end up with the C on their jersey. I'm gonna go ahead and say they put one on Watkins as well. He's not afraid to speak up and he knows the team needs to work harder than it has when Rex was there.

Doubt Watkins. Probably TT

[One Before I Die]

This is a breath of fresh air for sure. Like MC and previous posts have eluded to, it's important to have those guys week in and week out that our team can look to. No more Ik Enemkpali type players being captains because they slugged the opposing teams QB.

[Captain_Quint]

Does the leadership council answer to Whaley or McD, or Pegs?

 

But really, its a good idea. After hurricane Rex swept through with a storm of goofs, gluttony, unaccountablity, poor planning, poor execution, etc, I think the team is ready for more structure.

 

At the end of the day, trusting your players judgment is important, but just letting everyone do whatever they want didnt work with this team.

[TheElectricCompany]

I do hope we have balance between the "rah rah" types and the "leadership through elite play on the field" types.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

Does the leadership council answer to Whaley or McD, or Pegs?

 

But really, its a good idea. After hurricane Rex swept through with a storm of goofs, gluttony, unaccountablity, poor planning, poor execution, etc, I think the team is ready for more structure.

 

At the end of the day, trusting your players judgment is important, but just letting everyone do whatever they want didnt work with this team.

They're players, they report to the Head coach. I think the idea is that we have real captains who you look to for questions in film study, on the field, or even for off field things if needed.

 

I'd say it probably would be Kyle, Zo, Tyrod, i guess Hyde seems to want to be a leader. Our ST guys all seem relatively new outside of Zo, so he seems like the natural fit for that side of the ball.

[YoloinOhio]

Listening to Lorax speak right now... he's pretty inspiring and exactly what I would want around young players

 

McD also mentioned they had a Leadership Council in Carolina

 

I believe Marrone had one here (if I recall correctly)

Edited April 3, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[BuffaloHokie13]

They're players, they report to the Head coach. I think the idea is that we have real captains who you look to for questions in film study, on the field, or even for off field things if needed.

 

I'd say it probably would be Kyle, Zo, Tyrod, i guess Hyde seems to want to be a leader. Our ST guys all seem relatively new outside of Zo, so he seems like the natural fit for that side of the ball.

Yeah, Probably Kyle, LorAx, & Hyde on D with Tyrod & Wood on O

[YoloinOhio]

Yeah, Probably Kyle, LorAx, & Hyde on D with Tyrod & Wood on O

TT for sure. I would like to see Sammy on it, if he earns it.

[jr1]

changing captains every game is t-ball ****

[YoloinOhio]

I hated the gameday captains!! So stupid. I pictured Rob sitting there the day before the game, eating and yelling across the room " hey did any of you guys grow up in Cleveland? Anyone? How about anywhere in Ohio? Any Indians fans? I need 5 names! Bueller??"

Edited April 3, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[BuffaloHokie13]

TT for sure. I would like to see Sammy on it, if he earns it.

Unpopular opinion, but to me Sammy needs a vet to look up to before he takes on leadership himself. Unfortunately, a player fitting that category hasn't been added at this point.

[JerseyBills]

Awesome news. Hyde is going to be a steal imo. On and off the field he'll have a huge impact. I'm happier we signed him for that $,then Gilmore, who had no leadership qualities.

[26CornerBlitz]

@buffalobills

Kyle Williams: "McDermott inspired and breathed life into me with his vision. With guys like me who have been around a lot, that's exciting.

[PromoTheRobot]

Quick! Someone find a reason to mock this.

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

I'm really taking a liking to McD and he hasn't even been on the sidelines yet...he is making a hell of an impression so far.

[boyst]

I've always felt it was important to identify the leaders on your team. Rex stated he felt leaders naturally emerged but when you identify leaders you make it easier for your younger players to seek out guidance when needed. With Rex at the controls for the past two seasons it really felt like the team lacked leadership. I'm sure there were some guys that would speak up now and again but since nobody was really selected as captains/leaders, I felt like the locker room often looked like a middle school English class where nobody volunteered to read a passage after the teacher asked. Everyone just sitting there waiting for someone else to speak up.

 

Kyle has obviously been a leader for years, Lorenzo established himself last year and Hyde will do that this year. Those guys likely end up with the C on their jersey. I'm gonna go ahead and say they put one on Watkins as well. He's not afraid to speak up and he knows the team needs to work harder than it has when Rex was there.

no chance on Watkins. He is not a leader. Its clearly evidence on the field. McCoy would be my dark horse in this race because he plays hard but its risky with him being old and his off the field persona.

 

And I pray its not Eric woods lard ass

[YoloinOhio]

Unpopular opinion, but to me Sammy needs a vet to look up to before he takes on leadership himself. Unfortunately, a player fitting that category hasn't been added at this point.

thats the thing ... he IS that vet right now unless they miraculously add a guy like Anquan Boldin later on (he said he doesn't want to sign until TC). That would be awesome by the way if it happened. That's why I don't think it should be handed to Sammy but I do hope he goes out and tries to be that guy and earns that role. Edited April 3, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

no chance on Watkins. He is not a leader. Its clearly evidence on the field. McCoy would be my dark horse in this race because he plays hard but its risky with him being old and his off the field persona.

 

And I pray its not Eric woods lard ass

 

I think Tyrod is one of those quiet lead by example guys. He's first man in every morning for workouts, year round and takes his job seriously. That's what you look for in a captain.

[dwight in philly]

if McD exhibits the qualities that belicheat, andy reid possess, it is whats needed. no BS, focus, and no greggo airhorns..

[BuffaloHokie13]

thats the thing ... he IS that vet right now unless they miraculously add a guy like Anquan Boldin later on (he said he doesn't want to sign until TC). That would be awesome by the way if it happened. That's why I don't think it should be handed to Sammy but I do hope he goes out and tries to be that guy and earns that role.

Was thinking more VJax, but I'd be fine with Boldin too. Those were the two names I had in my head anyway.

[TheElectricCompany]

I'm really taking a liking to McD and he hasn't even been on the sidelines yet...he is making a hell of an impression so far.

Me too!

With Rex, this team had very high highs and very low lows. McD seems to be stabilizing things quite nicely.

[YoloinOhio]

Was thinking more VJax, but I'd be fine with Boldin too. Those were the two names I had in my head anyway.

i truly think Boldin can still play and is just waiting out the right situation. He would be perfect imo. But I think he will have options. Edited April 3, 2017 by YoloinOhio

[boyst]

 

I think Tyrod is one of those quiet lead by example guys. He's first man in every morning for workouts, year round and takes his job seriously. That's what you look for in a captain.

my question there is if we draft or sign a qb and he ends up benched what'll that do for leadership? Changing leadership mid course is difficult and not wise.

i truly think Boldin can still play and is just waiting out the right situation. He would be perfect imo. But I think he will have options.

I wouldn't mind boldin. But I'd rather have taken crabtree when the last group of these older vet wrs was available and bold in was also on that list.

[BillsFan17]

I think this is a change that might have a bigger effect than it would appear at first glance.

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

my question there is if we draft or sign a qb and he ends up benched what'll that do for leadership? Changing leadership mid course is difficult and not wise.

I wouldn't mind boldin. But I'd rather have taken crabtree when the last group of these older vet wrs was available and bold in was also on that list.

 

I guess it all depends who we draft. I could totally see us going QB, I could also see us going value and just trying to bring in McD guys. If we draft a guy in the 3rd round or something, i still would say he's likely safe to start all year.

 

If they don't go QB it gives Tyrod the keys for a year, but it wouldn't prohibit us from looking QB in 2018 either.

[John from Riverside]

If you get players to take a little more ownership of the team maybe they will give a crap.

 

Its not a terrible idea.

[Augie]

@buffalobills

 

 

 

 

 

Kyle Williams: "McDermott inspired and breathed life into me with his vision. With guys like me who have been around a lot, that's exciting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Councilman #1.

[JoeF]

Under Rex:

1. Discipline issues among players (not on time, sleeping, etc.)
2. Lack of work ethic from the head coach
3. Poor execution of the basics -- knowing alignments, getting plays in on time, etc
4. Despite this lack of foundation -- a cocky arrogance

Under McD:

1. Player friendly but also player driven
2. Attention to detail
3. Great work ethic from the coaching staff
4. Humility
5. Focus on the fundamentals - coaches prepared, player discipline, blocking and tackling, maximum effort

Give me McD--I like what we are seeing......but all that matters are the W's....

If you get players to take a little more ownership of the team maybe they will give a crap.

 

Its not a terrible idea.

Rex was loved but not respected...Players don't work hard when they don't respect the leader.

[BillsFan4]

I'm really taking a liking to McD and he hasn't even been on the sidelines yet...he is making a hell of an impression so far.

Me too. But he was the guy I wanted from day 1. I've been a fan of his for years now. So I was thrilled when I seen him on the Bills coaching interview list, and even more thrilled when I heard he was the leading candidate.

 

I think McDermott is exactly what this team needs. I don't expect that everything will be perfect. There will definitely be rookie mistakes, and it'll take some time to reverse this losing Bills culture that's been so ingrained here. But I really think we got the right coach for once. I honestly haven't been this excited about a Bills coach in a very, very long time (I was never on the Rex hype train) and I also really like the coaching staff he's put together (I especially like that he hired 2 of the best line coaches in the NFL IMO (Waufle & Castillo)).

 

Can't wait to see what this guy can do. I just hope he is given time. The Bills can't keep changing coaches.

[NoSaint]

Good! No more changing captains every game because they were born there or have played there before.

 

I think it is important for players to know who they can rally around when the game is on the line.

if you have to watch the coin toss to identify those guys the team has an issue as it is.

 

this is, in my opinion, a spot where fans overthink it and create dramatic scenarios. rex rotated who called the toss, but if he needed to tap into the locker room, or the players wanted to funnel feedback to the coaches -- id hope everyone knew who those guys were.

[gatorbait]

I love this. It seemed so petty to me how Rex would have new captains every week, often times to take a jab at their old teams.

 

Micah Hyde already establishing himself as a leader is huge imo. That has to have an improvement on the communication and secondary.

[Tenhigh]

This is a breath of fresh air for sure. Like MC and previous posts have eluded to, it's important to have those guys week in and week out that our team can look to. No more Ik Enemkpali type players being captains because they slugged the opposing teams QB.

Don't underestimate the value that IK's punch provided to the Bills. It literally set the Jets back at QB by a whole season.

[BuffaloHokie13]

Don't underestimate the value that IK's punch provided to the Bills. It literally set the Jets back at QB by a whole season.

Pretty sure his punch improved their QB play for 2015.

[hondo in seattle]

This sounds like a really good thing. But without knowing who's on it and how it works, who knows?

 

And regards to Sammy... I can see how he plays and I know what he says to the media. That's it. I have no idea what kind of influence he has on the sidelines, on the practice field, in the weight room or locker room. So I have no idea if he should be on the Leadership Council.

[Tenhigh]

Pretty sure his punch improved their QB play for 2015.

As evidenced by their deep playoff run....

 

 

 

Listen, anytime we can get Fitzy to be another teams QB, especially in the division, it's good for the Bills.