3/15/07
AWS: What has your off season workout regimen consisted of?
DJ: It’s been pretty laid back up until now, we report officially on the 19th to start working out. But I’ve been working out since early February, just doing some light running, light throwing and lifting some weights. So it hasn’t been too busy, but I still have been in shape.
AWS: What are your goals coming into this season, and what are you looking forward to the most?
DJ: Well, obviously, you always want to make the team first, because nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. It is a tough league, and there are good guys coming into the position every year. You always want to play, you want to excel, and you want to do better than you did last year. My first goal is to get better than I was last year as far as throwing, getting stronger, you know, and all the things that will make me a better quarterback. So my primary goal is just getting better from last year and then competing to play.
AWS: There has been some discussion lately on the message boards that you might be moving up to the number 2 slot behind Michael Vick. Have you heard anything about this? What are your thoughts?
DJ: I kind of stay away from the message boards, I don’t know, you get people who talk about it and stuff, it’s obviously something that’s going around just because Matt is looking for other people looking to get him for other teams and things like that. If that happens, then I probably will move up, but I don't know. I’m looking forward to it and if it does happen, then I’ll be excited, but, until then I just have to keep doing what I can.
AWS: How do you feel about the coaching changes that have been made?
DJ: I think its going to work out really well, especially offensive-wise, because Coach Petrino is an offensive minded guy, and he’s brining a lot of new and different things for our offense and for our style of players. I think it’s going to be good. He’s a very detailed coach. He’s going to be a good guy to play for. I already see that.
AWS: The Falcons have made some changes on offense just in free agency, how do you feel the offense is shaping up at this point?
DJ: It’s looking real good. We’ve already got a big full back, we’ve got Joe Horn coming in and we got a lot of key veterans coming in that’s going to help this team. It’s definitely going to show once the season gets here and those guys get out there playing together.
AWS: What will it take for the Falcons to be a playoff team this season?
DJ: We obviously need to do better than we did last year. We got to cut down on some of the mistakes and some of the things we did that hurt us during the season. Just play as a team and play hard is the biggest thing. Hopefully, some of the things that didn’t go our way go in our favor this year.
AWS: What has been the biggest adjustment as you made the transition from college to the pros?
DJ: I think that the biggest thing so far has been terminology from college to the NFL. The way they call the plays, the lengthiness of the plays and when I was coming from college to the NFL, the offense we ran last year was a west coast offense which was pretty wordy, and just getting used to different terminology and things like that and people always say the speed of the game goes faster. It is (faster), but at the same time you adapt to that pretty fast, you don’t want to get hit, so you adapt.
AWS: How did it feel being drafted by the Falcons?
DJ: Wow, I mean, throughout the whole thing, the whole process, I felt there was no way I was going to stay in this state and play for the Falcons, that’s too storybook looking, then it happened and I was excited and my parents and everybody was excited for it to be so close to home. It was like a dream growing up, you see the Falcons, and now you’re playing for them.
AWS: You definitely play an active part in the community. What are a few of the most memorable moments that you can recall from your community or charity work?
DJ: There were two things. About a month ago I went to the camp called Camp Sunshine for kids who have cancer and they are young and are trying to find things to do with kids their age. I went to the Big Top circus they had and I was the honorary ring master for the day and I was excited about that. The kids were excited to see it.
Then, at the Capital in downtown Atlanta, there was a disability rally for people with disabilities and trying to find better ways for them to be living. I spoke at the Capital in front of all the representatives and people with disabilities, it was real enlightening for me and the people liked it too. I was happy that I could help.
AWS: Did you do anything exciting in the off-season?
DJ: No, not really. I wanted to go to an island or two, but I never made it. I was always doing something and was busy, so I’ve never made it out. I’ll probably end up going in April or May going to one of those islands to lay out and have fun.
AWS: Do you still hang out with any of your teammates from college?
DJ: I do, actually, me and DeMario Minter went on a trip a little while ago and went to the mountains of Tennessee and had a little fun out there. I still talk with Greg Blue and one of my former teammates, Fred Gibson is now with the Falcons, so I still keep up with him and Big Max and some of the other guys. I keep up with all my guys.
AWS: Do you swap stories about some of your experiences in the NFL?
DJ: Yeah, especially all of the rookie stories that you have going on. Everybody has got their own rookie story going on and their share of things that they had to do as a rookie. It’s all fun and games.
AWS: What some of the things that you had to do as a rookie?
DJ: For the quarterbacks, each day I had to make sure that they had water and stuff in our meeting room, had to make sure that anytime we went somewhere they had water. Then when we had an away game, I had to buy chicken for the quarterbacks and also for the quarterback coach. Matt (Schaub) liked red beans and rice and legs and Mike (Vick) liked thighs and wings, so I had to make sure that they all got what they liked and all that stuff. It was like what…at first, then after a while it was funny.
AWS: Do you Tivo any TV shows?
DJ: I love 24. I’m an addict for that show. I love Jack Bauer. He’s the man. That’s pretty much my favorite show. If that comes on TV I will shut down from anything.
AWS: What are some of the songs in your playlist?
DJ: I listen to a lot of R&B and Rap. I don’t listen to much country. A couple of guys on the team they try to get me to listen some of the other kind of stuff. But I pretty much like to listen to all the artists in the South. I listen to a couple of guys up North but I’m pretty much a southern guy.