Kolb: "It's been a good month"
Kevin Kolb met with reporters after the Eagles announced signing the quarterback to a one-year extension that guarantees him $12.26 million over the next two seasons. Here is what Kolb said on the eve of his first mincamp as the Eagles starting quarterback (transcript provided by the Eagles):
Kolb: "It's been a good month"
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Kevin Kolb met with reporters after the Eagles announced signing the quarterback to a one-year extension that guarantees him $12.26 million over the next two seasons. Here is what Kolb said on the eve of his first mincamp as the Eagles starting quarterback (transcript provided by the Eagles):
Opening remarks:
“Let me first say, thanks to [chairman/CEO] Jeffrey Lurie and [president] Joe Banner, [general manager] Howie Roseman, coach [Andy] Reid and, of course, the big man above, God, for putting me in this position and letting this happen because without them, none of this would have been done. Of course my agent, Jeff Nalley, they worked hard to get this done. I think it’s good timing and a lot of good things will come.”
On the past month:
“It’s been a good month. Named the starting quarterback, contract extension and, of course, the baby. So, it’s been a whirlwind. I know there’s a lot of responsibility and a lot of things to come with it, but I’m excited about it and looking forward to it.”
On the importance of getting this deal done now before the start of mini-camp:
“It was important. We can put all this behind us now and look forward to the most important thing which is winning football games and getting prepared as possible with the guys that are out there.”
On whether the expiring CBA is the reason that the extension is just one year:
“Yeah, it’s an interesting time; just a way for us to bridge the gap. I want to be here long term, I think the Eagles want me to be here long term, but there’s just really no way to get it done right now and this is a way for both sides to be happy and I am very happy.”
On whether all the guaranteed money is a sign of respect:
“Absolutely. Of course they showed me that when they made the move and made me the starter. This reiterates that and I look forward to proving myself out there and proving their decision’s correct.”
On why he wanted to get a deal done:
“Well, again, just security. Just putting my family in a secure situation and getting it out of the way and knowing now that we can just go play. I think everybody will agree that this organization and these fans and this city, the most important thing is to win a Super Bowl. So we want to get as many distractions out of the way as possible and get on the road to getting there.”
On whether things like this can be in the back of his mind if he went into the season without an extension:
“Well, I’m not sure. On the field, I think you do forget about it; it’s in between that time. Again, you just don’t want any distractions. I think that especially at the quarterback position, you want to be able to focus on the real things and what’s most important and, again, that’s winning football games.”
On what it means to him personally with the team putting this much faith in him:
“It means a lot. I think the one thing that it tells me is I have a lot of work to do and you never want to let anybody down. You especially don’t want to let somebody down whenever they have put that much faith in you and they’ve made those moves to make you the guy. That’s a driven force for me and it gives me more energy and more emotion to go out there and make this thing right. That’s my number one focus is going to get a Super Bowl and proving everybody right.”
On being a part of something special here:
“It does feel very special. I don’t think it’s just because now I’m the starter, I think everybody can kind of sense that there’s this united feeling between everybody. We’re all kind of young and even though we haven’t hit the field together yet as a core group, you can just kind of sense that, hey man, we have this energy that we’re just going to go out there and prove a lot of people wrong. Again, we look forward to getting out there and starting to get to work tomorrow.”
On what the last three weeks have been like for him:
“They’ve been a whirlwind, but it’s been fun. Now that I’m back in the groove of being the starter and dealing with things and getting this out of the way, it feels right. Everything has felt right up to this point and I know that it will in the future. I’m very comfortable here, very comfortable in the city of Philadelphia and nobody is more excited than me and my wife for hopefully sticking around here for a long time.”
On what has been going on since his recent child’s birth:
“My travel schedule has been a little hectic. I’m basically here during the week working out with the guys and then I go back on the weekends to visit with the family and hang out with the girls. All that comes with a very good wife and a very patient wife and she’s been that way. They say behind every good coach there’s a great wife, but behind every good quarterback there’s a great wife, as well.”
On what he has done to get his teammates on the same page since he’s been named the starting quarterback:
“Just this week in particular, we went out there and threw two different days and just kind of got our own collective thing together. It wasn’t scheduled, we just did it together. Just trying to get as much chemistry right off the bat as we possibly can. I know there’s going to be some cobwebs when we go out there tomorrow, but we want things to run as smoothly as possible. That’s why we’ve been working together, that’s why we’ve been lifting together. This offseason, again, is very important for those types of things and I think everybody has done a really good job of showing up and being around.”
On whether he will have jitters tomorrow in mini-camp:
“I feel very confident right now. I feel like with a lot of the young guys they don’t need jitters, they need somebody as a calming hand there. Even though I’m just going into my fourth year, I feel like I’ve been around as long as a lot of these guys. I look forward to helping them get lined up in the right situation and provide as much experience and knowledge about what we’re trying to do as anybody else out there.”
On whether he is expected to have a different feel in mini-camp tomorrow:
“It will be a different feel but, at the same time, it feels right. It feels right to be the starter, it feels comfortable being out there doing the different things, running the practices that we’re running right now together. Of course, tomorrow, I know that it will feel right and get things going.”
On what he feels will be expected of him:
“I’m not trying to prove anybody wrong, I’m trying to prove this organization right for making this move. I know there are a lot of expectations. When you get an extension and you get the starting quarterback position and the franchise, regardless of where you’re at, there’s a lot of pressure and responsibility. I understand all that, I’m preparing myself for that and look forward to the challenge.”
On whether he feels like everyone will have their eyes on him:
“Not necessarily. I want things as much team-oriented as possible. I want all eyes on everybody, and that’s what we’re trying to mold together here with this group. I feel like, if it comes naturally, then there’s really no pressure or second thought that needs to go into that. I don’t let it weigh on me, I just do my thing and I do what I think is right and hopefully those are the things that are going to lead us to the Super Bowl.”
That's great, next move is to make DeSean J. "comfortable."— southphilly42
Comment removed.- Seems like a question for November, but he is a NFL starting QB and should be paid accordingly.— Corey301
He sure sounds like a winner, confident, and calm/cool, those are the traits of a leader at QB. We'll see, I have faith, and I am excited in this new team, young guys with talent and character guys throughout this roster. We'll see about the chemistry when it matters.- Yes he deserves the money. He has been stuck behind Donnavan and was drafted in the second round. He has been patient and now its his turn. This way he has to play up to the money.— LoveMeSomeIggles
- Kolb worth the money? Who knows..we have to see how he does in a full-time starting role.— ESFjellin
He thinks god gave him a contract. Oh boy, another nut job. Yummy, mixed nuts. Time's yours.— ANDY-IS-FAT- Is Kolb worth the money...let me see..am I worth the money.....He played in two games in he gets 12 mill for what! Prove yourself first then give him the money...what are they thinking...seems very dumb! Why give a unproven QB alot of money...Just to say I know he's good...so i guess all the rookies should get big contract too.....what did they prove in the NFL? Samething KK did nothing....yet or at least not enough to warrent a BIG CONTRACT GUARENTEE LIKE HE DID SOMETHING TO DESERVE IT...— riza1976
- Deserve it, no, he hasn't played enough. Ask the same question at the end of the year...— phigglesfan75
- Riza1976.... how are you comparing this guy to a rookie? Kolb has been practicing with the team for 4 years. He knows the system and what to look for from an nfl defense. I'm not saying he's going to be successful but it's better to give a guy money that's been with your team for 4 years than to give it to a rookie that hasn't done anything at the pro level. As well, he is our starting QB... he should get paid like one... if you get a promotion... it usually comes with a pay raise... even though you're new at the position...
- I'm fine with it. Her's the starting QB. He got paid like a starting QB, and it's 1 year....some people are acting like they just gave the guy Ryan Howard's contract.— kat20
- I'm fine with it. He's the starting QB. He got paid like a starting QB, and it's 2 years....some people are acting like they just gave the guy Ryan Howard's contract.— kat20
- ***2 years.— kat20
- Yes, Zeru Desean definitely earned it. But, Desean has to want to sign the deal. They get an extra year out of Kolb. Desean may want to wait until the end of his rookie contract and get something longer term than signing something with a 1 year extension.
- Boy!where did I wake-up,these fools are worried about the Philadelphia Eagles spending"TOO much MONEY",for a player?— 101 Abn
- Sounds like a guy with his head on straight. Go Eaglets!— ctvince
ctvince of course he has his head on straight because he's strong "willed" and has natural born leadership skills. H will be the face of this franchise for the next few decades and deservingly so as he will be a top 2 QB who will fling that ball.- Comment removed.
- As an organization, they had to SHOW (not just say)to Kolb "You're Our Guy." The DeSean situation is very different, though the Birds would be smart to "wet his beak" a little bit,ASAP. That's not to say they will. Because they're not as smart as they think they are.— Wry Philly Guy
- lonewolf - what exactly has he led so far? Houston to consecutive bowl game loses in the Hawaii and Fort Worth Bowl)? Half the people here are starting to hate Kolb just because you see him as "the big guy above" himself...geez dude, get off the mancrush for him— EaglesBleedMoney
- KK is a class act..the team has more leadership now then they had in the last decade..funny,how fast we forgot about the other QB,you know the one that choked in all the big games,yeah that one..LOL.wolf.— wolf 4
- D-Jack should be the highest paid player on the team. He is the real face of the franchise. The Eagles are probably going to have BABY ARM in the same situation Mcnabb was in his first few years with C grade receivers. Yes we had a good D, but Mcnabb was a playmaker. BABY ARM is supposedly accurate, yet has a 2:1 int:td ratio. Go figure. I hope wolf barfs on a fan, everytime BABY ARM throws a pick for a TD...Andy is full of it, Mike Vick is going to be the starter this season. Watch.— BooDuhBud
