Jump to content

Justin Zimmer is an intense individual

1997WS6

By 1997WS6
in The Stadium Wall Archives

 Share

Recommended Posts

1997WS6 Probation

1997WS6

Posted
Posted

I went to training camp on Wednesday and Justin Zimmer was right in front of me. He didn’t talk to fans, and he didn’t talk to other players either. He just practiced what I would call burst off the line and hand fighting. 
 

his work ethic seems impressive to me!  Anyone else see that or know anything else about him?

  • Like (+1) 6
  • Awesome! (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hapless Bills Fan Hall of Famer

Hapless Bills Fan

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, 1997WS6 said:

I went to training camp on Wednesday and Justin Zimmer was right in front of me. He didn’t talk to fans, and he didn’t talk to other players either. He just practiced what I would call burst off the line and hand fighting. 
 

his work ethic seems impressive to me!  Anyone else see that or know anything else about him?

 

Strangely, there seems to be an article about this:

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/justin-zimmer-hopes-to-have-finally-found-a-permanent-nfl-home-in-buffalo/article_8cf95af6-f96e-11eb-be02-dfd4eb52ffcd.html

 

Talk about a methodical approach to improvement:

Quote

“I sat down and got a spreadsheet. I went through all my plays, got what position I was playing, what our call was, what pass rush move, what run stunt,” he said. “I kind of graded it out, saw what I did well, saw what I didn't do well. And then kind of put that as my areas of focus for the offseason.”

Zimmer’s biggest takeaway from that film study was a need to improve his performance immediately after the ball was snapped.

“When I was getting off the ball well, I was making plays, playing better,” he said. “And when my get off was inconsistent, I played inconsistent, and that was the biggest thing.

 

 

 

  • Like (+1) 3
  • Awesome! (+1) 3
  • Thank you (+1) 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hapless Bills Fan Hall of Famer

Hapless Bills Fan

Posted
Posted

https://www.wivb.com/sports/nfl-journeyman-justin-zimmer-finally-gets-his-shot/

 

Quote

“I just try to go out and have as much of a well rounded game as possible. I work on run defense every day, I work on pass defense, whatever I see in the game that I didn’t do well, I’m going to go before practice every day and work on that,” Zimmer said. “Then whatever they put me in, whether it’s first down run stopper or it’s third and ten and they want me to rush the passer, I want to be able to do as many things as I can to help me get on the field.”

 

1 minute ago, Buffalo716 said:

Well they do call him the quiet assassin

 

I think because he's been the underdog and his roster spot has never been secure, he feels an extra need to keep grinding

  • Agree 1
  • Thank you (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mr. WEO Hall of Famer

Mr. WEO

Posted
Posted (edited)
35 minutes ago, 1997WS6 said:

I went to training camp on Wednesday and Justin Zimmer was right in front of me. He didn’t talk to fans, and he didn’t talk to other players either. He just practiced what I would call burst off the line and hand fighting. 
 

his work ethic seems impressive to me!  Anyone else see that or know anything else about him?

 

image.thumb.png.7538d5f0499930eb8db1081044d8e875.png

Edited by Mr. WEO
Link to comment
Share on other sites
TroutDog Veteran

TroutDog

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Chandler#81 said:

I see the makings of Kyle2.


The only difference is he came here quite a bit older. He’s been around the block. Still, the love should be there from fans in my opinion. He’s a gamer and plays beyond his weight. 

Edited by TroutDog
  • Like (+1) 1
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
1997WS6 Probation

1997WS6

Posted
  • Author
Posted
1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Strangely, there seems to be an article about this:

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/justin-zimmer-hopes-to-have-finally-found-a-permanent-nfl-home-in-buffalo/article_8cf95af6-f96e-11eb-be02-dfd4eb52ffcd.html

 

Talk about a methodical approach to improvement:

 

 

 

Excellent article, thanks!  

  • Like (+1) 1
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD RFA

Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD

Posted
Posted (edited)

Cue the overused terms to describe every white lineman in the NFL:

 

He's a blue collar player

 

He brings his lunch pail to work.

 

He's "high motor"

 

He's a grinder.

 

He's "sneaky athletic"

 

After he gets out of practice he hauls bales of hay around for fun 😂

 

 

Edited by Allen2Diggs
  • Haha (+1) 4
  • Dislike 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sherlock Holmes Veteran

Sherlock Holmes

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Strangely, there seems to be an article about this:

https://buffalonews.com/sports/bills/justin-zimmer-hopes-to-have-finally-found-a-permanent-nfl-home-in-buffalo/article_8cf95af6-f96e-11eb-be02-dfd4eb52ffcd.html

 

Talk about a methodical approach to improvement:

 

 

 

 

2 hours ago, Chandler#81 said:

I see the makings of Kyle2.

 

2 hours ago, dorquemada said:

I heard he can bend spoons with his mind

Glad somebody around here can see the resemblance!:wub:

2 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

https://www.wivb.com/sports/nfl-journeyman-justin-zimmer-finally-gets-his-shot/

 

 

 

I think because he's been the underdog and his roster spot has never been secure, he feels an extra need to keep grinding

:wub:

4 minutes ago, Ya Digg? said:

No no no I read on here for a while that Kyle2 was Phillips…he can be Kyle2.5

Why can't they both be Kyle's successor?!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
billrooter RFA

billrooter

Posted
Posted
51 minutes ago, TroutDog said:


The only difference is he came here quite a bit older. He’s been around the block. Still, the love should be there from fans in my opinion. He’s a gamer and plays beyond his weight. 

If I am not mistaken, Buffalo was where he came to originally as an in drafted free agent. So this was his first residence and maybe where he winds up long term.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Punching Bag Hall of Famer

Punching Bag

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, Allen2Diggs said:

Cue the overused terms to describe every white lineman in the NFL:

.....

After he gets out of practice he hauls bales of hay around for fun 😂

 

 

I know this is not true for all.  One was raised on a farm and he found out he is allergic to hay dust (Farmer's Lung).

Link to comment
Share on other sites
billybrew1 RFA

billybrew1

Posted
Posted
24 minutes ago, Allen2Diggs said:

Cue the overused terms to describe every white lineman in the NFL:

 

He's a blue collar player

 

He brings his lunch pail to work.

 

He's "high motor"

 

He's a grinder.

 

He's "sneaky athletic"

 

After he gets out of practice he hauls bales of hay around for fun 😂

 

 

Bruce Smith goes thru four staairmasters a year!

Its true.

I saw it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
OldTimer1960 Veteran

OldTimer1960

Posted
Posted
25 minutes ago, billybrew1 said:

Bruce Smith goes thru four staairmasters a year!

Its true.

I saw it.

Yes, Smith has been a workout fiend since about his second NFL season.  Really hard to imagine that he was around 300lbs at DE in an era where 300 lbs was really big.  

 

photo of him in prime:

https://billswire.usatoday.com/2018/04/07/nfl-com-buffalo-bills-bruce-smith/

 

link to his rookie card photo
https://www.football-rookies.com/bruce-smith-10833/
 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Beerball Hall of Famer

Beerball

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, 1997WS6 said:

I went to training camp on Wednesday and Justin Zimmer was right in front of me. He didn’t talk to fans, and he didn’t talk to other players either. He just practiced what I would call burst off the line and hand fighting. 
 

his work ethic seems impressive to me!  Anyone else see that or know anything else about him?

https://theathletic.com/2759774/2021/08/09/after-his-share-of-letdowns-justin-zimmer-has-become-one-of-the-most-respected-players-on-the-bills-roster/?article_source=search&search_query=zimmer

 

Read The Athletic article on him. Some excerpts:

Quote

 

Every Sunday morning during the season is the same for Bills defensive tackle Justin Zimmer. You’d have to get to Highmark Stadium pretty early on to catch Zimmer beginning his game-day routine.

Perpetually one of the first players out of the locker room, he walks down the tunnel and heads to his left once he reaches the field. And without fail, you can find him every time on the Bills sideline, just off the five-yard line closest to the tunnel, well out of the way of where anyone could disturb his pregame cycle. There are some markers etched in the ground for the media that he uses to his advantage for reps. 

 

Quote

 

“I’m a routine guy,” he jokes. “My wife will tell you that. She kind of hates it sometimes. But yeah, I like my routines and I have to stick to them and try to figure out what I need to improve on and then try to focus on it.”

It isn’t only on game days. Zimmer robotically spits out his pre-practice routine, too.

“I come out 25 to 30 minutes early every day. I go over to our boxes that we have over there on the D-Line,” Zimmer began. “It depends on what the emphasis of the day, so today was third down stuff, so I did pretty much every pass rush move that I like, use on a regular basis, and I try to visualize exactly where the lineman would be. I’m doing this move, what’s my counter off it. I’ll do it from the three-technique, I’ll do it from the nose tackle… I’ll just go through that for about 20, 25 minutes trying to get everything that could possibly happen, so that when I see it on the field, nothing surprises me anymore.”

 

Quote

 

Ask most within the building at One Bills Drive, and they’ll tell you the 28-year-old Zimmer is one of the most highly respected players on the roster. The usually stoic Bills head coach Sean McDermott cracked a half-smile and shook his head as Zimmer’s name was brought up during a press conference.

“I mean, he just, is Justin Zimmer… There’s just something about him that you can’t really put your finger on it. I’m watching him over your shoulder,” McDermott said, peering out of the media tent as Zimmer was fittingly going through his daily pre-practice work. “He’s one of the first ones out here to practice. You talk about why things happen. I think he played at Ferris State. Credit to him, going to a small school, against all odds, works his tail off. It’s to me, no mistake why he’s had the success he’s had and why this team respects him for who he is.”

Center Mitch Morse found out he was going to field questions about Zimmer. Without hesitation, Morse says, “The Iron Giant.”

“I think you talk about a guy who competes tirelessly without saying too much,” Morse said. “He’s a guy who’s going to get his work in, he’s going to compete his ass off and he’s not going to do anything dirty. He’s going to come in and you have to buckle your chinstrap when you go against Justin because he’s just going to bring the juice. You love that about him.”

 

 

  • Awesome! (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Punching Bag Hall of Famer

Punching Bag

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Oh wow, considering that he damn near ran down Cheetah Hill in the AFCCG, that would actually be a bit scary if he got faster

 

The post said he was working off getting off the block so I am assuming it was for pass rush not for racing down the field.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Putin Veteran

Putin

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Sheneneh Jenkins said:

I know some are just joking around and whatnot, but I like him and it's clear he gives everything he's got on the field. Good hard worker that can make some plays here and there.

I have no doubt in his ability I just hope he stays healthy 

  • Agree 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Hapless Bills Fan Hall of Famer

Hapless Bills Fan

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, Beerball said:

https://theathletic.com/2759774/2021/08/09/after-his-share-of-letdowns-justin-zimmer-has-become-one-of-the-most-respected-players-on-the-bills-roster/?article_source=search&search_query=zimmer

 

Read The Athletic article on him. Some excerpts:

 

 

I was looking for this article actually when I posted the others and couldn't find it quickly - THANKS!

 

This is what really struck me about it.  Zimmer came from DII Ferris State in 2016, the year before McDermott and Beane took over

Quote

“My first year, I really didn’t even belong out here to be honest with you,” Zimmer said. “It was just a miserable feeling.”
 

The Bills released Zimmer during the first round of cuts in late August of 2016. Not knowing what he didn’t know about the NFL at that point, Zimmer stayed optimistic.  “I was like, okay somebody’s gonna call in a couple of days,” he said.
 

No one called. A couple of days turned into a couple of weeks. A couple of weeks turned into a couple of months. Zimmer had to grapple with his NFL dream potentially being over after one training camp.

(eventually he wound up on the Saints practice squad)
 

Quote

“I think my first year, I wasn’t really being honest with myself. I was like, ‘Well they’re just not giving me enough opportunities,’ but really, I wasn’t making any plays,” Zimmer said. “Every day since then, I just try to find out one thing that I’m not doing well enough, focus on that, and once I can get that down, I’ll move on to a different move or a different skill set… That’s why each time I’ve came into camp and I’ve performed better than the previous year. I just keep on improving because I like to figure out what I need to improve and I really focus on that. I just have to be really honest with myself.”

 

Zimmer just described what McDermott tries to inculcate: The Growth Mindset.  After his first stint, he realized that he couldn't take the NFL for granted, that he wasn't good enough, and he wasn't daunted by that a bit.  He decided to get good enough, by his own hard work.  He became self-aware and self-critical and focused on getting better.

 

People say "this guy has been bouncing around the league for 5 years, why would you expect him to be any good now?"  Well, the reason is because he had enough of  the raw ingredients, the athleticism; he started low, at a DII school against lesser competition; and he's been honing his craft and working his ass off for 5 years. 

 

So why wouldn't you expect him to be better?

 

 

  • Like (+1) 1
  • Awesome! (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
OldTimer1960 Veteran

OldTimer1960

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

I was looking for this article actually when I posted the others and couldn't find it quickly - THANKS!

 

This is what really struck me about it.  Zimmer came from DII Ferris State in 2016, the year before McDermott and Beane took over

(eventually he wound up on the Saints practice squad)
 

 

Zimmer just described what McDermott tries to inculcate: The Growth Mindset.  After his first stint, he realized that he couldn't take the NFL for granted, that he wasn't good enough, and he wasn't daunted by that a bit.  He decided to get good enough, by his own hard work.  He became self-aware and self-critical and focused on getting better.

 

People say "this guy has been bouncing around the league for 5 years, why would you expect him to be any good now?"  Well, the reason is because he had enough of  the raw ingredients, the athleticism; he started low, at a DII school against lesser competition; and he's been honing his craft and working his ass off for 5 years. 

 

So why wouldn't you expect him to be better?

 

 

Outstanding- what a great story.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Sherlock Holmes Veteran

Sherlock Holmes

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Oh wow, considering that he damn near ran down Cheetah Hill in the AFCCG, that would actually be a bit scary if he got faster

 

1 hour ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

Oh wow, considering that he damn near ran down Beatah Hill in the AFCCG, that would actually be a bit scary if he got faster

FiFY...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Augie Hall of Famer

Augie

Posted
Posted

Does anyone else remember Beane talking about him in the booth during the last game. That stuck out to me more than anything else he said. He was talking about how Zimmer was giving the first team offense fits and they had to find ways to get him on the field. I really enjoyed that little time listening to Beane’s insights. 

  • Like (+1) 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Mikie2times Veteran

Mikie2times

Posted
Posted

Probably had one of the more underrated plays of the season last year.  New England was moving the ball at will on the last drive, that would have put us in a 3 of 4 skid with another loss to the Patriots. To have lost again to them without Brady, being the better team, who knows where our confidence is at. 

  • Agree 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Utah John Veteran

Utah John

Posted
Posted

The thing about Zimmer used to be, he was competing with Harrison Phillips, who is a fan favorite in part due to his commendable off-field activities.  The Pats game last year was a big boost for Zimmer's reception here, and now it turns out that both Zimmer and Phillips are on the roster and will be called on for important duties.

49 minutes ago, KzooMike said:

Probably had one of the more underrated plays of the season last year.  New England was moving the ball at will on the last drive, that would have put us in a 3 of 4 skid with another loss to the Patriots. To have lost again to them without Brady, being the better team, who knows where our confidence is at. 

I agree with this completely except for the part where you said it was underrated.  It was HUGE and we all knew it.  At that point, the old Pats curse seemed to be kicking in.  We've seen the Pats beat the Bills in so many diabolical ways over the years that this looked like yet another disaster.  Zimmer really save the day.

  • Like (+1) 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...