 Uh, doing good. Happy to be back out with my team and finally getting back into it. Did you make a road to recovery for you, Deon? I couldn't hear you. How tough was the road to recovery and making it back on? I mean, I guess recovery is tough on everybody, mentally, physically. I'm just taking it one day at a time, getting back into it. But I have people around me, team, keeping me in coverage, so it was all good. Coach said you're gonna have to compete for your spot. What's your mindset as you got to? I mean, every year I come in and compete for my spot. Every year we come in and compete for our spot, so I'm cool with like it is what it is. Did you think you'd actually be back in Atlanta? Was there a question? Yeah, I had no question about me being back here. I figured I was going to be back here and I was just getting my mindset ready and my body ready to come back. So I mean, you see rumors about possibly being traded. What goes through your head like when you see those things? To be honest, didn't even see them. I don't really be on social media during the off season. But yeah, if I would have known something, if it was something serious, Art would have called me, my agent would have called me. So other than that, I was just locked in, getting my body back. How did you stay on top of the defense and making sure you could get back in there when time was right for you? I was just staying locked in on the installs, keeping my iPad open. When they have installed, I was in there going over the same routine and just staying fresh on the place. What do you think of Oye's big contract they got with Jacksonville? He tells a little bit more about playing with him. Oye was an awesome teammate. You know, he went off to Jacksonville and he got exactly what he deserved. And that's just a product of his hard work and I'm proud of him. And I can't wait to see what he'd do up there. But I know they for sure got a great player, great teammate and that's just the type of person Oye is. How smart is he on the field instinctually and obviously he's got pretty darn good education. Yeah, he does. He takes that same mentality that he took to apply himself in school and apply himself on the field and it pays big dividends for him. It works for him. Just to get the timeline on the street. When did you actually hurt the shoulder? Uh, been man. It's been just like a wear and tear thing. And finally just got it done, feeling healthy. And like I said, ready to get back with my team. When did you get it done? Off season. That's a long time. What is it? I know. So are we talking early off season or early off season? Early off season. Like I said, just working back into the process. Was it a scope or is it a little clean up? Little clean up. How much of that affect you last year? I mean, it has its up and downs with, you know, playing injured. But I mean, it's cool. Can you use that as an excuse? I remember last year when we were talking to you, you just said to me, what's going on down the cover, you know, we're kind of turning over the top. Are you back? Where do you view yourself, I guess, playing this year? Is it back where you were? To be honest, I'm learning all the spots at linebacker right now. Just being prepared the more you can do and wherever I fall is where I fall. Or you will, if they make you play or ask you to play special teams, are you okay with that? I'm perfectly fine. Dianne, what is your comfort level with this defense going into the year too? I definitely have a better outlook on the defense this year. I had a chance to look back and figure out why I could help and why I could get better. And just being honest with myself and having a new outlook this season, forgetting it and pick up where I left off. What were some of the lessons that you learned going back? It was more just like working in more space on the sidelines. Being outside of the formation, just a little different field. They're being in the middle. And that was basically the angles, the adjustments. And I feel like I'm pretty good with something I worked on during the offseason. And like I said, just coming back and getting back at it. How's your mindset, you know, being a former All-Pro to, you know, now you got to go to the back of the line and work your way back to the top? I mean, I really feel like I've been doing that every year, just working from my spot. Always coming in, compete. And I mean, it just feels normal. Like another day at work. Similar question, but what's your mindset been like ever since you've hurt your shoulder? You've been out at your back. What's that mentally been like? Mentally? I mean, with any energy at first, it's kind of, you know, rough. But moving forward and getting healthier, I've started feeling more confident, feeling better and eager to come back out here and play. Do you know the injury is the big story? But this offseason, you had a pretty big event happen. You got Larry. Yes. Tell us about it. That was awesome. I enjoyed every bit of it and I got a wonderful wife. And like I said, just constantly doing great things over offseason and feeling better by myself and just ready to move forward into the season. I couldn't wait to get back out here. Feel the energy, fly around with my teammates, hit them talking. You know, just the little things and ball that we kind of take for granted and getting back out here and just being in the atmosphere was great. Did you think you would get back before we had to count? What was the reality? I mean, I was just taking it one day at a time. I had hopes on getting back soon. And I mean, I feel like this is great timing. What's it like stepping into the middle of camp with a lot of new faces, obviously, on this team? Oh, while I was a little bit on the side, I got to learn a lot of new faces. Just take, like I said, as soon as I came on campus, just learning everybody one day at a time, trying to figure out where they from, who they are. And it's still a process. I'm still kind of like missing a couple of names, but I feel like I'm on the right path and, you know, getting to learn my teammates and moving forward for this season. You got some more name tag or something? No, I face ID. Did you need a few plays to feel that energy hitting somebody again after? Oh, I couldn't wait for that play. I was kind of hoping it happened early. It happened today, happened a couple of times. Like I said, just knocking the little rush off and getting back into the groove of things and having fun with what I'm doing, doing what I do. For the first day back for you to be a joint practice, how beneficial is that that you're getting to face somebody else day one? Oh, that was fun. I missed the first one with the Jets, and I'm glad I got to get one. This is my second year doing a joint practice. Definitely wanted to get another one under my back. What do you like about it? Just new faces, new faces to compete with, new skiing, you know, just constantly crafting and not seeing the same thing every day. Were you hoping to get some action Saturday? We'll see. Like I said, just taking it a day at a time, working and progressing. How close, I mean, how close to normal? How close to normal do you think you are? How close to where you want to be? I'm close. I'm close. Like I said, just a process of just getting back into the groove. Is there a joint that's fully just shaking rush off or is there still some stuff with the shoulder that you're like? Just shaking rush style. Deanna, it looks like you doubted a little bit of muscle this off season. Was that by design? I think I thought I'd do that every off season. Yeah, I think it's just the other arm filling out a little bit more and me feeling healthier and like I said, just ready to get back to ball. Deanna, was it for the wedding? A little bit of both. You know, see, I mean, you look at all of the guys who had eight contracts from the last staff. A lot of them move on, a couple guys get extended. When all that's happening, kind of nothing happened with you. What goes through your head when you're seeing all those guys try to move on? I am very excited for those guys. Like, anytime someone gets paid another opportunity that's always a plus in my book. And I feel like once we're here and we ball together, we ball brothers for life. So, I mean, I see them on the other side, wherever. I mean, it's still up. I mean, just for your own situation, everybody's kind of getting resolution, I guess, and you're not. I thought I was getting the resolution. I don't know. Are you? Yeah, I'm great. I'm great. So, like I said, when I see my boys doing good, I'm even happier. How did it help? Dionne, you did say that you had a lot of time to observe and learn names and obviously what's impressed you from the outside looking in on this defense so far? Outside looking in. I just like the way we're growing as a defense. Last year, Dean added a couple new things this year and watching them how they play out and how they work out. I'm really excited to get in there and start using these tools. Like I said, getting better with just progressing the defense, getting better. You may be there about to your career, but new opportunity, new chances. How are you approaching this opportunity maybe different from some others that you've had? I'm just enjoying it. I'm a little older this time around, so coming home, having a chance to impact this team in a great way is just what I'm trying to take advantage of. I'm not doing too much. Cut the staff is good. They're letting us play ball and we're just trying to do it the right way. How do you plan on impacting the Falcons' past threats this year? Obviously, everybody's kind of waiting for somebody to be able to do that. Grady has, but somebody off the edge. I mean, what's your plan of attack for this fall? Yeah, we're just trying to salt the pocket. Coach Hart, make sure that we know that's the goal every time we get out there. You want somebody to salt the pocket coming from the edges, coming from the middle. It doesn't matter where. He just wants us to be aggressive and I find them being aggressive, helping lead the young guys. So I know the right way to do things so that when they get their chances, they take advantage of them. I've heard Jalen Hawkins mention Dean P's, you know, say 111 a lot. Is that a term that they're using still this year? Yeah, for sure. It's one of 11. You just gotta realize you're one of 11 guys out there trying to get the job done. So don't do too much. Don't try to step outside your role. Just everybody do their job and we can make it happen. What does it mean to have so many former bears here in Atlanta, coaches and players? I mean, that's just the nature of the game. It's good to have guys that are familiar with each other and just having a cohesive vocabulary, cohesive just transition. It's a little smoother, but I mean, it is what it is. Have you had many opportunities to go up against Jake Matthews? And if so, you know, what are your impressions of him? Yeah, Jake's good. He's a good fit, smart guy, athletic. And I mean, I wouldn't consider him a downward fit. Like he's still, still solid. He's still pretty good. So I mean, I'm enjoying it. I'm sharp on iron. So we go out there. We compete whenever we get a chance. What's the team mentality like? I know you guys are all about being physical this year, playing that intensity. That's something to coach the staff. It's hard going, you being a veteran and helping the younger guys. Oh, we're just trying to come out here and compete and just keep getting better. I'm just a lot of noise. I mean, people don't really count on us from the outside of the building by inside the building. We don't care. We come to work every day with our hard hats on ready to get better. And I mean, we'll line it up with anybody and give them a hill. And you saw that in the first two preseason games against Detroit. Went for the win, got it. Second game, played hard all the way to the end against the Jets is that something that you guys just try to put in on tape every single time you hit the field? Oh, yeah, for sure. The older guys, we understand that that tape is permanent and that's the one thing we're trying to get to the younger guys. Let them know that anytime you touch that field that's your resume. It's going to be with you for the rest of your life. That tape never goes anywhere. Appreciate it. Thank you, man. I was right a moment so far in this training camp where you had to like maybe take someone aside and one of the younger guys and kind of just like teach them and maybe give them something so you've learned for the years. Oh, yeah, I've tried to, man. I've tried to keep teaching the young guys, letting them know that they're still fresh into the league and they don't know it all. A few of them think they might have the answers, but I mean, it's different once you get out here. You just got to put that time in as a rookie, understand it and just keep growing. What's that the most common rookie mistake you've seen over the years that maybe if you wish you'd known you would have got to change back? Just accepting that you're a rookie and you don't know it all because it'll be smooth. You get in those preseason games in the second quarter, second half and you're still doing good. It's like, oh, it's just like college, but you don't realize that second half, those are guys coming from college just like you. So it's a little different once that week one hits and you're playing against all pros. So I'm just letting them know that it's a constant process of working your craft and getting better every day. Hey, how you doing? What's going on? Hey, how's everything coming together for the defense? So first game and then you came out and handed it back white. Where y'all at? The season around the corner. I think we're good. I think we're just continuing to grow, continuing to get better as a defense. We got guys that can destroy the middle of the pocket and guys coming off the edge like myself in high day and then our linebacker. So we're just all trying to keep getting better, keep putting our best foot forward and working hard week one's coming, but I think we'll be ready for it. It's going to be hard to get in the NBA. It's going to be hard to get in the NBA. You got a great chance, you know, go to the NFL before the NBA. And, you know, he just, I kind of just bought in and just realized, you know, I'm going to give it a try. And I went out there, you know, and everything went my way. So it was pretty cool. All right, so that was one of the things he said was telling me about scholarships. Any guess the other thing that he mentioned that he remembered that stuck out when he was watching you? No, you can tell me. He said you were a prolific trash talker. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure, for sure. I'm very competitive. So it's like, I talk trash a lot, whether it's basketball, pickup, game, anything, football. And, you know, that's the type, type of team we had that spot and everyone talked trash and they tried to back it up when they come when they time to back it up. So do you think, I mean, that was your, he said it was your junior year, right? That only play your senior year. Do you think if he wouldn't have pulled you aside and said, Hey, man, like this could be a shot at the NFL, do you think you would have basically been standing where you're standing right now? You know what it's crazy, man. I think, no, I probably not. I probably would have still been like, man, I'm gonna keep on trying to play basketball and, you know, hopefully just get a basketball scholarship. And I'm kind of blessed and thankful, you know, everything happens for a reason. And I guess God put him in that position, you know, to talk to me and just get into my head that I need to be on that football field. So shot side of Coach Dave. So, and just, you know, what's it been like continuing to make? Obviously, picking the first game. We're, we're seeing everyone the second one. What was the phone look like after the game? What's the tension been like? And how are you kind of keeping an even, even keel? I mean, my phone been going crazy, you know. I've been getting a lot of love, a lot of support, you know, got a great fan base. A lot of people reaching out to me. You know, obviously I'm not able to know to reach out back to everyone, but I do appreciate the support. And I get, I know that you understand that I got to stay focused and stay locked in and just continue to get better and make the players that come out way. I remember I talked to you after the open practice at the Benz. Now you're going to get a chance to play your first game in that building. What's that going to be like? Oh, it's going to be amazing, man. You know, it's crazy. I might share a few tears, man. Just tears of joy, you know, and just a blessing just, you know, to put on this uniform is red, white, and black and represent the whole faculty and the organization, man. It's a blessing.