Bills HEAD COACH CHAN GAILEY
Opening Statement:
My job in this is to introduce Marcell. I'm not sure I need to do this. You know more about him than anybody else in the draft right now. We're very pleased to have a man of not only his ability, but the man that he is. He's a great person in his own right and he's going to represent our organization extremely well, on the field and off the field for many years to come.
MARCELL DAREUS
Opening statement:
I want to start by thanking Mr. Wilson and the coaches for selecting me. They want to turn this team around and get it to another level and I guess I'm a starting piece to it. I always want to do the right thing on and off the field and be a pro's pro.
On his comment at the combine that football started on the d-line:
It was something that I said to the D-linemen at Alabama. Coach Saban put a lot on us at school. What I would tell our defensive linemen to get them fired up is if you go back in time when the game once began when all 11 men were on the front line. But some of the players got a little scared and backed up off the ball, but the real dogs stayed up front to keep them clean. I told them we'll sit down there and fight and fight and fight all day until the game is over. That's just something I would tell them and it's more about being enthusiastic, but that's all it was. It all begins up front. We're going to take the first chance before anybody and set the tone.
On Alabama coach Nick Saban:
He was a hard-nosed coach and demanded a lot from us. If you can do it and you can do it well, why not do it perfect? That was his whole philosophy pretty much.
On transitioning from Alabama to the NFL:
I was in a pro program at 'Bama. He already instilled in us to do it right, stay on time and handle your responsibilities, be accountable for yourself and others. I look at that as like being on a pro team. So I want to go to the next level and do the same thing. Not someone that's just going to try to be a bulldog and just take over, but lead by example. Learn from the veterans. Learn what you don't know and it will carry over.
On if facing great players in the SEC will make the transition smoother:
I think it helps make it a little bit smoother. We played against great players week in and week out and day in and day out. At practice we had a great O-line and D-line and DBs and it helps out a great deal. It'll smooth out the transition a bit.
On if a big contract will change him as a person:
I don't think the money is going to change me at all. I want to be a pro on and off the field and handle myself in the community, of course back home with my brothers and sisters and when I do have kids I want to be a pro around them. I know to set the example. Just because you have it and you worked for it doesn't mean you have to go out there and flaunt it and blow it all away.
On how much it means to be able to provide for his family:
"t means a lot. We struggled for a long time. To get to a point now … people invest a lot of money and time and I invested too much time, a lot of time, since the fifth grade to now to be in the position I'm in now. It's paid off to the point where I can help my family. We struggled for so long. My mom passed, my dad passed and it's at the point where I can really help us out. I can get a house for our own. We don't have to get kicked out or move somewhere else or have a house taken from us. We'll have one for ourselves.
On what the moment was like to be selected No. 3:
Once the Bills called me I knew right then that I made it. Nobody can take it from me and this is my moment. For my brothers and sisters, this is for us. As soon as I got off stage I called them and talked to them and saw how everything was. They said they were so happy for me. My brother Demetrius he told me, 'I'm so happy you did it your way. You didn't listen to what everybody else was saying. People were trying to do you, but you did it your own way.' And I said, 'Thank you man and I'll see you when I get home.'
On how much of an inspiration his family is:
Big inspiration.
On Mr. Wilson's comments that he could be up there on the Ralph Wilson Stadium Wall of Fame:
He said, I'll be playing here five years and you have to be a great player all those years. Do the best you can. I want to be the best player that I can be. A lot of people out there can't dictate that, but I can go out there and be the best player that I can be. Give it my all, give it 110 (percent) and then get some. That's all pretty much I can really give to Mr. Wilson. He wants me to be the best player that I can be and I'm pretty sure I want to be the same thing,
On how he feels he is a stronger person from his upbringing:
The same way you come out on the field. On the field, you come through a lot of adversity and then you just have to capitalize on it. You can't let it get away from you. Same way you go in life. You come to obstacles you have to overcome, you get knocked down on the field and you have to bounce back. Don't let it keep you down because you have to get back and keep going.
On being in Buffalo:
Like I told them when I left, I loved Buffalo from my visit. I called my big brother Pearson and I told him, 'Buffalo may be my city because I like it slow. But it's a big city, with a small city feel to it. The fans love the team, and it's just like being in Tuscaloosa. The fans love Alabama. The fans love the Bills. And when you've got people behind you pushing you it doesn't even matter what else is going on. As long as you're winning and you've got people that love to win then you've got a bunch of people that want to win. That's all that really matters.
On if he thinks any pressure of getting the Bills back to the playoffs falls on his shoulders:
It doesn't bother me at all. When I got to 'Bama we were on the point of rising. And when I got in, Coach Saban used me to really push everybody else. Not verbally, but he just knew I'd go out there and give everything I had. Training running, on and off the field. I was a threat to everybody else and it kind of helped everybody as a friend. I'm not here to bull-guard or do anything crazy. I just want to go out there and give everything I have. And there's going to be a transition. We're all going to come in and give something to the team. We're going to get something out of it.
On what is the biggest advice his Mom gave to him and how he applies it to football and life:
When I look back on my Mom, her whole drive was never give up. I told a couple of people last night, when I was at the Draft they asked me what was the biggest worry for my mother. When she was on her deathbed, and she was on her deathbed a couple of times growing up, but one time I asked her, "Mom, why are you still fighting?" I was in middle school and it was just a crazy question. She looked at me and said, "I have seven kids. Would you want me to be gone now, or do you want me to keep fighting?" I said, "Mom keep fighting." She said, "Alright then. You go over there and sit down." She rolled over and went to sleep. That's how my mom was. It wasn't so many words, it was just I have seven kids. My father wasn't there, my big brother helped out when he could and he helped out all that he could. That's all it was. I can't give up.
On the motivation from his Mom and how the nicks and bruises on the field don't mean anything:
That don't mean anything. When you can go to sleep in pain, you don't know what pain is. I had a hurt elbow, a hamstring and ankle, it's not going to keep from not playing. As long as she could go to sleep, wake up, put food on the table and be in pain 24 hours a day, the little things I go through is nothing.
On the perception of nothing to do in Buffalo from former players:
It doesn't' bother me at all. At this point, 4-12 team, I'm not even worried about that. We've got to turn this thing around first before we can think about partying or doing anything like that.
On the labor situation and if he's focused on when it gets resolved to be ready to play:
For the most part. Of course you're going to hear about it. It is going on. But I'm not really so much dialed in on it. I hope it all gets resolved so we can get to minicamp, get the playbooks, be ready to play and have a season next year.
On what Coach Saban told him about Buffalo after he got picked:
He really didn't say anything. Coach Saban is a man of few words when it comes to his players. He wouldn't tell you much about Buffalo. All he talked about was being a man and being responsible, being accountable for yourself and it all carries over. That's all he really tells every time he talked.
On if he had a chance to get to know Da'Quan Bowers and him not being selected yet:
Yea, at the combine I got to know him. I met him for a great little deal of time as we were in the same group. He's a real cool, laid back guy. My prayers go out to him. I asked him if he was okay. He said he was straight. He texted me and let me know everything is okay with him and gave me a congratulations. I hope I get to meet him on down the road a little bit.
On if mike pounce familiar with each other in division now familiar
I have no rivalry against him. They go out there and play hard just like everybody else does. I have nothing against him. Some great guys. I met him at the draft. He's a real great guy and just wants to win just like everybody else. Anytime I get a chance to play, of course I'm not going to slack up. There some cool guys, but I'm not going to give anyone an edge. I'm going out there to capitalize like I always try to.
