Jonathan Gannon Delivers the Most Absurd Quote of the Month
Ryan Kerrigan has played six games this year and logged one tackle.
That’s it. That is the one statistic he has contributed in 2021. He does not have a sack or a QB hit or a batted pass or anything like that.
It means I was wrong, because I thought Kerrigan was a good signing. A veteran defensive end who got squeezed out in Washington only because they had some really solid players in front of him. Unfortunately, he’s been largely underwhelming and invisible since coming to Philly.
So Dave Zangaro was “the Bobs” from Office Space when he asked Jonathan Gannon the equivalent of “what would ya say ya do here” regarding Kerrigan.
This is how the defensive coordinator responded:
Q. Why hasn’t DE Ryan Kerrigan been productive? (Dave Zangaro)
JONATHAN GANNON: On the stat sheet you mean? Because in my opinion, he has been productive.
How would I quantify that is he lines up, he gets aligned the correct way, he plays with his eyes the right way, he’s asked to do the techniques that we’re asking him to do and he’s playing winning football within his role.
What I mean by that is, like somebody that makes a tackle on a run, well, [DE] Ryan [Kerrigan] helped that guy make that tackle by how he crushed the block. I don’t always look at – with [DT] Fletcher [Cox] moving back a couple weeks, like he’s balling.
Now, the stat sheet might not jump out at you and be like, ‘Well, this guy doesn’t have 10 sacks or six, whatever TFLs,’ this and that, but within the framework of what we’re asking those guys to do, they’re being productive.
Now, with saying that, we can – you know, with a DB. He didn’t have any interceptions, he didn’t get any PBUs, yeah, but when the ball came to him six times, he gave up two completions. That’s a winning day for me, with no PBUs and no interceptions. He’s not allowing his guy to catch the ball.
But production is a way to measure; you know what I mean? So, you always have to, as a coach – what’s the blend of is this guy playing winning football for us? And who is producing when the plays that are there for him to make, does he make them?
I think he is doing that.
He lines up? He gets aligned the right way? Is that what we’re judging people on now? Jesus fucking Christ. This guy is a 33 year old, four-time Pro Bowler. I would hope he can get “aligned” the right way. What kind of low bar are we attempting to clear here?
This quote should remind you of the ridiculous Mack Hollins quote from a few years ago. It was wide receivers coach Carson Walch explaining how a guy who absolutely stunk was actually playing well (quote courtesy Zack Rosenblatt) –
He aligns right and he assigns right. Woop-dee-fuckin doo!