HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the extra preseason game) Training Camp
"It's very much a positive. We're a young team in a lot of areas, especially on defense, so it will give us a chance to look at those guys in one more game. It gives us a chance to experience something that's a little bit different, out of the routine. I think that always helps you late in the year in the playoffs when you have had those experiences before, so it'll definitely be a positive."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on concern with injuries due to five preseason games) Training Camp
"You really can't worry about that. Every time you play a game you can have injuries. Dominic Rhodes got injured my first year in a practice with no one touching him. You can say we're not going to practice because guys might get hurt. It goes with the territory, and the benefits outweigh the negatives.
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the hottest day of camp) Training Camp
"We should be okay. We do a good job of hydrating our players, making them of aware of safety precautions. Our players are generally in good condition."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on Bob Sanders' first training camp) Training Camp
"He's doing well. What Bob is doing is learning the details of his position. Last year, the second half of the year when he got in the lineup, he was just trying to play and make plays, and made quit a few of them. This really gives him an opportunity to get those real fine points of safety playing. I think it's going to make him a better player."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the competition for the second TE position) Training Camp
"It's very important for us, that a couple of those young tight ends come on. We really feel like Dallas Clark is ready to blossom into that number one tight end role. Between Ben Utecht, Ben Hartstock and Brian Fletcher, those guys have the chance to really contribute. The second tight end plays a ton in our offense and you're really one play away from being the first tight end. It is important, and so far it has been a real spirited competition."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on going to three wide receivers more this season and if it's not going to diminish the two tight end set) Training Camp
"No, it doesn't. There are situations in games when you have to have your tight ends in there. There are teams that you want to attack them with two tight ends. There's always that factor that the second tight end becoming the first tight end. It's critical that more than one of those guys develop."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on Dominic Rhodes' role this year) Training Camp
"Well, Dominic is a guy that's exciting and can make big plays, and we have to get him the ball. We got him the ball a lot on kickoff returns last year. He's gotten the ball in the passing game and made big plays for us. The times that he ran last year he probably had as many big plays per carry, as any back in the league. He is a guy – now that he's healthy and explosive – we are going to want to get him the ball in the open field in a number of ways."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the playing time of players in first preseason game vs. Atlanta) Training Camp
"I don't know for sure, but it's pretty much going to be like the first game of preseason. We want our first groups to be in there and experience some things and play. Our first defense is probably going to play more than our first offense. It's a good chance those guys will play into the second quarter. The first offense we like to be sharp and get two or three drives and move the ball. It'll pretty much resemble a normal preseason game."
HEAD COACH TONY DUNGY (on the physicality of practice) Training Camp
"There are periods when it's pretty close to live. There are other periods when it's not, as long as everyone knows. The worst thing for an offensive guy is to get hit when you're not expecting to get hit. If you know you are going to get hit, it becomes part of the game. It's just a matter of having those guys be energetic, enthusiastic and physical in the proper period of practice and it usually works out well."
