 in the evening, but it's good to get this done. So get it started. So all open, and then I can take any questions you have. Does that work? Yes. Good to see you. Hey, what's going on? Good to see you. Good to see you. Absolutely thrilled to be in Atlanta Falcon. Our family, my wife's family, have so many ties to Georgia, the great city of Atlanta. And we're so excited to be here. I've spent six off seasons here training and being in the city. So it feels like home. It's been home away from home for so many years now. Certainly is home for my wife. We were married here in Roswell. Our younger son, Turner, was born in downtown Atlanta on Ted Turner Drive. There's a reason he's named Turner. Our first date was at Stone Mountain. I've frequented the Harfield Airport more than I would care to admit and battled traffic through downtown many, many times. So it's fun to be here and now be a part of the sports scene here. I've observed it from a distance for so long, and now to be a part of it is a real honor. I was in the Georgia Dome for the last two games played there by the Falcons in the playoffs after the 16th season against Seattle and Green Bay. And remember watching those games and taking in that moment. And it's really a goal of mine to revisit that moment again as a player here. And that's really the dream. So I've already been calling teammates and getting to know coaches and trying to catch up on lost time. And that's really where the work now begins, trying to build continuity, because that's the one thing we really don't have right now is the continuity. That's where we got to get. But that'll be with the next several weeks, several months or four. And I can't wait to start attacking that. And I really believe, as I looked around at opportunities for me and for agency, that when a coach told me this when I was a young player in the league, coach I have a lot of respect for, when the owner, general manager, head coach, and quarterback are on the same page, that's when you really have a chance to go win a Super Bowl. And as I looked at the Atlanta Falcons, I believe strongly that the owner, head coach, general manager, and quarterback can all be on the same page. And that's exciting for me. And so that's why I'm thrilled to be here. And with that, I'll open it up for any questions you have. Coach, what made you decide here over in Minnesota? Is there any other teams that or maybe I would make any different pushes or lane pushes for you at any point? Yeah, there was a lot of conversations in a short amount of time. It goes fast. And so that's the way free agency works. But I think in Minnesota, it was trending over the last couple off seasons to be in somewhat year to year. And as we talked with Atlanta, it felt like this was a place where if I play at the level I expect to play, that I can retire a falcon. And that was something that really excited me. And that's certainly the goal. And you've got to earn the right to do that. But that was exciting to feel like I could get that opportunity here. Coach, how did this deal come together as the legal flipping period started? And it started coming to grips that, hey, it might be on the move here. Yeah, great question. I stayed pretty passive through the process. I've learned through the years that you hire an agent. You let the agent do his job. You let the teams do their homework. You make yourself available. But I was pretty much out of it. I was in Michigan and taking my son Turner to his fifth birthday party. And just trying to kind of live my off season life and let the business take care of itself. So I was pretty passive through the process. And I'm thrilled where it ended up. Don't get a medical update for the surgery. We saw you on the tennis course there. Yeah, yeah, I'm feeling great. This is my first surgery of my life. So the rehab process has certainly been a first for me. And it's really been up and to the right for the first four months. It's been a really positive process. I've enjoyed the rehab. The Viking staff was phenomenal getting me through the acute stage. And Chad Cook, who's full time with me as a body coach, has really helped carry that load since the season ended and done a great job. And now I'm excited to jump in with the Falcons and with their training room and their training staff and get going. So I'm optimistic that I can be full speed of practice before we break for the summer. And that's kind of the goal I've set for myself. But we do have a long runway. And what I've been told going back to when I first injured it was that you don't rush it. You let time do its thing. And it's going to take time to fully heal that tissue. But as a competitor, you want to get back as fast as you can. And certainly I'm trying to do that. Do you have to, in some ways, be more cautious on it? You're in your mid-30s, and your body's healed a little bit slower these days, like you said, your pressure here. But do you have to be a little bit more cautious and try to be smarter with it than maybe you would be 10 years ago? No, I don't think so. I think you just respect the process in your diligent and thorough. And the tissue will heal as it heals. And listen to your body. I think as an athlete, you're used to having to work through things and know how your body's handling day-to-day activity. So it's been a positive process I expected to continue to be. And we just got to take it one day at a time. It's kind of been the phrase I keep saying since I got hurt. And we'll keep doing that. Hey, Kurt, just a quick follow-up on that. Can you put a percentage on where it is strength-wise and also just give us some indication on what you're able to do now, to say a month ago in the progress? Yeah, I don't think I can put a percentage on it. Wouldn't be a helpful enough number for me to give you. But I do think that I can take drops. I can play the quarterback position, if you will, throwing the football. I think the minute I would have to leave the pocket is where you would say, yeah, he's still recovering from an Achilles. But taking drops, making throws, that's really no problem at this point. And what was the situation in terms of pass in the physical? Was it any apprehension about that? Yeah, no, I think, certainly, the physical was outside of the Achilles. Everything else passed as expected. And then, obviously, the Achilles doesn't pass right now. And then you expect to here in the next few months. Kurt, you talk about the owner, the general manager, the head coach, having the same age. How did those figures and others learn your trust to sign into the physical? Yeah, I think in this league, when you've been in it 12 years, you learn about people without having necessarily directly been around them. And you can certainly do your homework as well. And so Raheem, I was around for two years in Washington and was just so impressed with him as our DB coach. He would walk down the hall to the quarterback meeting in OTAs. And I was a rookie and didn't know what was normal. But that wasn't normal for me before that. It wasn't normal after. But for a DB coach to walk down the hall and now looking back when that room was Kyle Shanahan, Matt LaFleur, Mike McDaniel, Sean McVeigh, he had good reason to be walking down the hall. But I would put him right in that category. And as I look back, I think he was one of the original people there in the room with those other names. And the fact that I was in that room, too, the chance to get back with someone from that room was a real thrill for me. And then I called Drew Brees. And I said, Drew. I can't talk to teams. I can talk to you. And you worked with Terry for 15 years. Talk to me about him. And Drew just raved about him, about his football knowledge. And I think it shows. In the roster, he's already built here. And then also got a lot of positive feedback on Mr. Blank. And I just started putting the piece together the best I could. And I really liked what I was learning. Kirk, you mentioned the roster. What are the strengths of this roster offensively as you see them? Well, I see playmakers on the outside. I see an offensive line that's talented, that's played together, that's well-coached. I see good people. You win with people. And I just see really good people who want to do things the right way. They want to put the work in. They want to be coached. And I'm just thrilled to be able to be a part of this group and to go chase a common goal together. So I do see a lot of ability. Kirk, Bailey Burmester, Elena Newsperson, I can meet you at the bottom. Hi, Bailey. The staff has talked a lot about what they wanted a quarterback, a proven starter. They do things after things. Raheem, in-depth, talked about wanting a guy that fits Atlanta, the culture of Atlanta. I know you list all the connections here, but what would you say to Falcons fans that you fit this culture? Because they're looking for that guy to come in here and play the way they want the Falcons to play. No doubt. No, my father-in-law wants the Falcons to play the way they know the Falcons can play. So and I've sat there in the couch next to him on a bye week as he cheers for the Falcons to play that way. So I think you have to be process-oriented. You have to be hardworking. You've got to be humble and hungry. You've got to be a great leader. You've got to serve your teammates. You've got to build relationships. Those are all the things I'm trying to do. It's a formula that has worked for me since my junior year of high school when I first began this football journey being recruited. So I'm going to be the same guy I've been through that whole process. And I believe that what's gotten me here at this point will serve me well up ahead. And you don't do it alone. And you've got to do it with the people around you. And that's why when you get here and you look around, you think, boy, there's great people here. And it's not just the football team. I mean, I'm looking at the support staff meeting, calling yesterday, calling our head athletic trainer, talking to our head of PR. I'm thinking, we got good people here. And that's exciting to be a part of. You mentioned being passive, fairly passive in the process. I wonder at what point do you step in and start making the decision? And what's the final factor in that decision? There is no final factor. I think it's multifactorial. I think you got a lot going on. I think it goes quickly. I think the decisions somewhat make themselves. You just observe what doors are opening and what doors are closing. And that kind of helps inform you to make a decision. What's the timeline? You can give us an idea of when that decision was made. Yeah. When did you know you were going to Minnesota? And when did you know you were going to Atlanta if those are two different? Yeah, I think my agent called. I was getting out of a body work appointment. He called and said, basically, that eyes have been dotted, T's have been crossed. He was ready to put it on social media. And he's just one last check in with me. And I said, no, I've been passing through this process to this point. I'm going to be passive here. I trust you, Mike. We've worked together for over a decade. If you're ready, I'm ready. And at that point, he put it out on social media. And my phone suddenly had 200 text messages. And then we hit the road shortly thereafter, and road trip from Michigan down here. And that was a time for me to make a lot of phone calls, both saying goodbye and then also introducing myself to a lot of people here in Atlanta. So that morning, in your mind, it could have gone. When you woke up that morning, could have made their outcome for you? I think so. I think so. And I think that's what the league is. I mean, I've learned NFL stands for not for long. And you don't really take anything for granted. You get to work every day. And you're always aware that nothing's promised. Nothing's guaranteed. And so I don't tend to get too far ahead. Coach, I'm going to meet you coming here. And you said all the elements are here to win a Super Bowl, which this franchise has overdone. And I'm curious what makes you think that those elements are in place. And also for you personally, as a guy who's put up some great numbers over the years, but only has one-off victory. Yeah, it's all about winning. How much are you driven by wanting to add that to your legacy, that you can win the big game and win in the postseason? Yeah, winning is what it's all about. That really informs so many decisions. And even in recruiting Donald Mooney to come here, his answer is, I just want to win. And I said, well, we're on the same page. So that's really where the focus lies. And you got to go prove it in the fall. But you certainly believe that there's the pieces here that you can do that. That you haven't had that playoff success, is that kind of hanging over your head that my career won't be complete until I have a deep run in the postseason? I certainly think that quarterbacks will always be evaluated based on not just September to December, but January and February. And that's where you want to get to because of September to December. And then once you get there, you want to have meaningful wins and play meaningful games in January and February. And that's where I want to go. And I believe we can go. You with the idea of recruiting, or did you do the event? You were recruiting. Yeah. You kind of said, hey, Mr. Receivers, I'd like to play with. Right. No, again, pretty passive, let them do their job. You trust them to do their job. But they said, hey, we know we're close. And I said, well, let me call them. These guys are real deal. I saw them twice a year in Minnesota in the division. And thrilled that we have them. In terms of this locker room, at least right now, both guys who were the start of last year in this locker room, how do you manage that and that? That's obviously a situation you're kind of dealt with in the beginning here. Yeah. Yeah, and even at Michigan State, I was in a crowded quarterback room with Brian Hoyer, who's played 15-plus years in the league. And Nick Foles, who's been a Super Bowl MVP. We were all in the same quarterback room. And in Washington, there was competition. And I think it's just that you want to have the quarterback room be a working force together, regardless of who's in there. And so that'll never change. And no matter who's in that room, I want to be available, be a resource, and also iron sharpens iron, be sharpening each other. And I think that's what really makes me better as a player, is when the quarterback room can help sharpen you. And if you're a leader, though, how do you navigate that? Oh, it's the same way you lead any other room. You build relationships. You make yourself available. You ask questions, be a question asker. And you just understand that we're in this together. And we're all trying to help this team win. And we're all trying to get better as quarterbacks. Kirk, you've had a chance to talk to Zach Robinson. First question. Yeah, briefly. I haven't met him as much as I will up ahead now. But I feel really good about him as a play caller, leading our offense. You think, is it your impression that there will be similarities with what he wants to do and what you were doing there in Minnesota? I believe there will be. I think time will tell. I think every coordinator puts their spin on things. And so what was similar starts to evolve and change, but I'll be able to be here as we do that. And so I'm excited to just get to work and start trying to get this playbook digested. But I'd like to think a lot of the language and a lot of the stuff that can be hard early on will be something that I can plug and play a little faster. You said during the time that the Achilles surgery was the first that you've ever had. So what are you kind of worried about yourself just during this recovery process and how challenging has it been? I think it was healthy seeing the season played from a different perspective, whether that be watching on TV. The first game was here in Atlanta. I was watching from a couch in Minnesota with my leg up and throwing balls across the basement floor to my son. So you have a different perspective. And I think that was healthy. I think watching it from the sideline the last three games of the season also did that. And I think it makes me that much hungrier to get back and to be an even better player and leader when I'm back. And not that I took time for granted, but you certainly will appreciate it more now. And I think all of that were positive takeaways from the injury. Thank you. Maria Martin, 11-1 here in Atlanta. Welcome to you and your family. Thank you. They're thrilled to be here. You've talked about it a little bit, but when it comes to the mentality of being in Atlanta at this point in your career, why did it make sense right now for you? Well, the opportunity hadn't presented itself previously. If it had, I'm sure we would have been very seriously looking to, but as God's plan would have it, this was the time that it aligned. And we're thrilled that it did. We feel that this is a little bit of a home away from home. And I think that helps with the transition because there is so much to get acclimated to. And the fact that I stayed in my in-laws basement last night, like I have for six off seasons, it's just familiar. It's what you know. I made the drive from Johns Creek up here. And I haven't made the drive to Flower Branch much, but I understand how to get around the perimeter of Atlanta. So that's a little unique in the familiarity we have. And I think that's a positive. And how much do you enjoy the fact that there's a lot of young skill players on this roster? Yeah, it's a huge positive. I was so enjoying just calling them yesterday on my drive, talking to Kyle Pitts and Drake London and Texan with Bijan and just being able to kind of get to know these guys, Jake Matthews, Kayla McGarry. I got a few more guys to call, but just seemed like really solid people. And I can't wait to get to work with them. Drew and I have a few talks to him about number eight. He actually texted me about it. And I said, Kyle, I said, I want to be a good teammate. That's ultimately what I want to be. So I said, if it's the number you want to pivot from, great, you let me know. I obviously have worn number eight since high school. If it's a number you'd like to keep, great, no problem. I can find another number. So I just want to be a good teammate. And I do believe it's bigger than Kyle and I. I think the league will start to speak into things. And we'll just see how that all plays out. But he was funny about it. I said, I'll write a check, whatever, a foundation. I'm not going to let you just give me the number. I want to make it worth your while. Make a donation, whatever it needs to be. And he said, I just want targets every game. He said, he was joking. He kind of winked. So I joked with him. I said, good answer. So no, it's we'll see how it all plays out. But it might be bigger than us. Starting to have these conversations with players, who was the first player to reach out and how did that initial conversation go? Yeah, Kyle probably was the first, if I can remember, back a few weeks. He was recruiting. It's always fun to be wanted. And so I appreciated that. And he did a great job kind of leading the charge. Going back to what you were saying about the owner, the GM head coach, quarterback, all being aligned and on the same page, in your conversations with that collective group, was there something said or a point where you got to where you were like, I know my goal, my personal identity, aligns with the organization? Yeah, great question. I think when you see Mr. Blank's commitment to winning and what he's done over the years to make the Falcons a first class organization, when you see the players that Terry's drafted, when you see his experience with the Saints and what they built over many years and the success he's been around, and then I knew Raheem. And when I see what he's done and what he's been around and the people he's led and the people who have worked with these people, speaking so highly of them, I mean, the evidence was just mounting to show that this is some serious alignment here. You were famous for your swag and the chains. Or lack thereof, maybe. But you feel like that'll fit in with the city? Will we continue to see that side of you? Let's hope. You got to win. Chains aren't very funny when you're losing. So you got to win football games. But if you win football games, I expect the city to see the fullness of my personality, the full force of my personality when we win. And I think our team and my history, the teams I've played on will feed off that. It will be great energy, but you got to win to do that. You don't just force that without earning it on the field. Quavo actually took to Twitter to say there's plenty of chains here. I mean, Perkfrost, what do you feel? Do you like that nickname? I love the nickname. It's coming from Quavo. Great. I love it. I'll roll with whatever the locker room wants. So I'm going to lean into it and have fun. And we got to win football games. And I think the rest will be gravy. Here's Kelly Price from Fox Five. Welcome. Hey, Kelly, thanks. Kind of based on that and the conversations you've shared with us with the other players that you've reached out to, and the coaches, is there one moment or conversation you look back on over the last, I don't know, 40 hours, whatever it's been? I know it's been crazy that you look at it and you say, that's why I'm really excited to come here. Man, it was so many. My wife's sitting shotgun, my boys are watching Disney Plus in the backseat as we're driving. I'm trying to kind of do the dad thing with one arm and drive with the other. But I kept getting off a call, whether it was with Jake Matthews, whether it was with the team chaplain, whether it was with Ryan Pace, whether it was with McGarry, whoever. Drake London. I said, Julie, these guys are sharp. I mean, I've been in locker rooms. I've seen what it can look like. I said, these guys are sharp, well-spoken. They want to win. They're humble. I mean, this could be fun. And I'm always cautious because I say, we got to put the work in. What we don't have right now is continuity. What we don't have is continuity. And so we have to make up for lost time, learn in this system, spend in time together, not just on the football field, but off the football field, spend in time together. And so we need to build continuity. That's got to be intentional. It's got to be more than just what the NFL allows us to do on the field. We got to be intentional outside of that time and make up for lost time. And so that's really where my focus will be the next couple of months. You mentioned that you were in Mercedes-Benz, in the Jordan Dome for last home playoff games. Those last home playoff games in this franchise as hosted, does that kind of set dawn on you the fact that this authorization has just not been in those situations for such a long period of time and how do you kind of deal with that pressure knowing that you're kind of the guys have to help to see them back that way? Well, I think every year is a new year. The league kind of resets. And I learned when we went 13 and four and then we lost in the playoffs, you don't get to go to OTAs somehow with some kind of head start because you were 13 and four. You go to OTAs like every other team. And the team that went four and 13 starts in the same place you do. And so every year you reset. And for some teams, that's a positive. For some teams, that can be a challenge. But I look forward to the group we have resetting here in a couple of weeks getting together and getting to work and just building it one day at a time and certainly trying to get back to hosting home playoff games and winning home playoff games just like they did that year at the end of 2016 when I was able to watch it happen and see what the Georgia Dome felt like and the energy that was there. Absolutely want to get back to that. You mentioned continuity. What steps you take to build that continuity? Yeah. Benchmore is here looking forward. I think it's everything from getting in the training room and getting around the trainers, rehabbing the Achilles, seeing the other guys who were in there, getting their body worked on, building relationships with them in there, to meeting with coaches, going over the system, asking questions about fundamentals, tape, watching tape. I want to watch tape not only, I want to see Drake Lund. I want to see every catch he's had in the league so far. I want to see every catch he had at USC his final year there. I want to watch Kyle Pitts the same way. I want to watch Bijan the same way. I want to study these guys. I don't want to do it with them. I want to make a cut up and say, hey, Drake, I watched this from your days at USC. Tell me about this route. Tell me about this play. Do you think this is a strength of yours? How do we work on this? I want to get, put the work in, put the hours in with these guys, be intentional and believe that if we do that, we're going to like where we are as we move forward. But that doesn't just happen. We've got to plan these meetings, watch this film, spend time in this building and put in the work to where we get to September and can confidently say we haven't been together for years. But the goal is that we can play like we have and that's what we're trying to work towards. We're going to take some work. You said that's where you sat your couple weeks back. What was that first conversation like? Yeah. Kind of trying to get you here. I was walking through Disney World and I think it was an Epcot in line for Guardians of the Galaxy. And I get a text from an unknown number and it's, you know, what's up, Kurtko? This is Kyle Pitts. How are you? So I'm doing good, Kyle. You know, I think I knew where the text was going but he didn't say yet. So he said, you know, we're ready for you to take us to the Promised Land. So I said, well, let's, you know, let's talk. So it just kind of, you know, was, was, you know, him recruiting a little bit and it was good to make the introduction. Do they actually call you Buck Kirk? I don't remember. I could pull it up if I had it, but most people do actually. Yeah, most people who text me it's Kurtko or, you know, anything Buck Kirk usually. Did you know him previously? I'm sorry. The Pro Bowl, after the 21 season in Vegas, he was at the Pro Bowl and obviously the game was, back then was played about half speed. So you weren't able to quite see his ability, but a couple of times, you know, with his height, you throw him a fade route or a slant and you can see the size of the target that he is and think, well, this guy could be pretty dangerous. Early, I'm not sure about that early, but in the last couple, you know, a couple of days I've heard from a lot of guys, you know. You talk about this drive that you made over the past couple of days, how long was that drive and how much that drive was on the phone with Pete? Yeah, my wife would tell you the whole time. You know, I had my phone to my ear on speaker most of the time. I don't know what it was hours wise. We ended up taking our time. We stayed overnight in Indianapolis. We stopped at the Noah's Ark in counter in Kentucky and then we continued on to visit an old teammate in Knoxville. So we kind of broke it up. Like I said, the boys had a lot of Disney Plus going on in the back, but great time to make calls and get acquainted with people. And, you know, there's a lot more to go still up ahead. Let's talk a little more. How's people at this point in their career still wanted, like in soccer, that people are reaching out to you, a complaint for us if I win with them? Yeah, no, it means a lot. And it's a privilege to be a quarterback for the line of falcons. This is a privilege. You know, my father-in-law, I mean, I've watched him, you know, borderline out loud praying, watching games, you know, not just the falcons, but the Braves and the Hawks. I mean, he loves this. And I sit there in the off seasons in February on the couch at night, watching these teams play, watching these games and seeing how much it means to him. You know, and you realize, man, it is a privilege to get to play for a team with people like that cheering for you. And what you want to do is understand there's a responsibility that comes with that privilege. And you're accountable to a lot of people. And you got to deliver. And so that's where I say we got to get to work because I understand that and can't wait to do that. And when you can deliver, you know, it's special. And, you know, I have a vision of where we can go, but you don't get there tomorrow. You just got to, tomorrow I got to get in and start rehabbing my Achilles and just take that next step every day. But certainly, you know, as I'm driving up here taking stock of things, I feel very privileged and fortunate and that I have a responsibility, you know, now that comes with that and so can't wait to be able to do this for a city that, you know, I've been able to be sort of accepted by over the last several years just because we do life here so much in the off seasons and now to officially be a part of it. I'm thrilled. All right, thank you. All right, thanks guys. We'll see more of you up ahead.