Davante Adams explains what went wrong in Week 1, and why he expects a bounce back
Green Bay Packers All-Pro WR Davante Adams spoke with Yahoo Sports’ Andy Behrens about the Packers’ disappointing Week 1, why he was so successful in the 2020 season, and how Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb taught him how to be a pro in Green Bay.
Davante Adams joined Yahoo Sports on behalf of Courtyard by Marriott, the Official Hotel of the NFL. The Courtyard Super Bowl Sleepover Contest is back, and one lucky winner and a guest will wake up inside the stadium the morning of Super Bowl Sunday in Los Angeles. Fans can enter by submitting their story on social with the hashtag #CourtyardSuperBowlContest.
Video Transcript
ANDY BEHRENS: I'm Andy Behrens of Yahoo Sports and it is a pleasure to be joined by four time Pro Bowl wide receiver Davante Adams of the Green Bay Packers. He is-- he's better at his job than almost anyone in the world is it theirs. Davante is joining us courtesy of Courtyard by Marriott. They have some amazing promotions and experiences coming up, which we're going to discuss shortly. Davante, welcome and thanks for chatting with us.
DAVANTE ADAMS: Man, I appreciate you having me. Thanks for the great introduction too.
ANDY BEHRENS: Oh, I got-- I got more on your accomplishments. What you were able to do in the 2020 season, I just want to run through it a little bit. 14 games, 115 catches, over 98 yards per game, 18 touchdowns.
So what does a season like that feel like as you're actually going through it? Did it feel easy? Did it feel just like Fresno State? What was that like?
DAVANTE ADAMS: Yeah, it was a little Fresno State-esque a little bit out there, you know, just from a sense of being able to consistently be productive out there. And that's really what it's about, is just being productive, to be able to ultimately win games. You know, the only reason I say I want to score 20 touchdowns, have 100 grabs and however many yards is just to hold myself accountable based off of how valuable I am and how much I'm leaned on in this offense. Essentially, to make this team move in the right direction. So it felt good, but it's-- you know, there's a lot more out there and I feel like we can go have a more electric year this year, honestly.
ANDY BEHRENS: Yeah, so week one doesn't exactly go according to script for you guys, obviously. I think you tweeted something pretty succinctly and well, just to say that you've got to flush it and move on.
DAVANTE ADAMS: Mm-hmm.
ANDY BEHRENS: I assume there's no panic with a veteran team like Green Bay. Do you guys kind of treat this just like the Tampa Bay game last October, where it's like, OK, that's not representative of who we are?
DAVANTE ADAMS: Yep.
ANDY BEHRENS: And it's not going to be like that again?
DAVANTE ADAMS: Million percent. I mean, you just look across-- all we have to do is just look across you know our locker room and see the type of players that we have in there and it doesn't rattle you, especially whenever the type of game that it was. You know, we had like 15 plays in the first half, so it's just a weird--
ANDY BEHRENS: Yeah.
DAVANTE ADAMS: You know, if our defense can't get off the field, we can't help our defense out by putting them in good spots or putting points on the board. I think we came out really flat too, so that didn't help. So just coming out this next week it's just realizes, you know, the mistakes that were made so that we can bounce back, play fast and go out and have a great outing.
ANDY BEHRENS: I want to ask you about your draft class, actually. Like, you were part of that 2014 draft class. It's the group of wide receivers that basically reset everyone's expectations for what rookies could do, right? And then your career has followed, you know, even among great players, the more normal path, so.
DAVANTE ADAMS: Yeah.
ANDY BEHRENS: What was it like when you were a rookie watching all those other guys go off and knowing what you were capable of?
DAVANTE ADAMS: It was a little-- little different. It was-- It kind of reminded me of the year I red-shirted at Fresno State a little bit, just kind of knowing my role at that point, knowing that, you know, I'm coming in playing with to Pro Bowl wide receivers, just kind of figuring out who I am and who I'm going to be in this offense. You know, just getting acclimated trying to learn the offense and everything. I didn't have any expectations as far as, you know, my production and what I would do, just wanted to get out there and be, you know, answer basically any time I was called on.
And I felt like I did a pretty good job at that. Didn't make as big of a splash as you know I would have dreamt of doing early on, but I wouldn't trade it for the world, just based off how everything has kind of unfolded and, you know, just the whole course of my career and everything. So I wouldn't trade it for the world.
ANDY BEHRENS: What was that-- what was that developmental environment like with Jordy and Randall?
DAVANTE ADAMS: Right, well I had two great examples in front of me, just as far as how to be a pro. You kind of learn the tricks of the trade in having guys like that there where, you know, they go out and have great practices while it's minus 10. That showed you what it's like to be a true pro, because you got to dig deep. It's not easy to get out there without any fans watching you and you got to get in literally freezing temperatures and go perform, because if you don't, then somebody else will.
You know how this game goes. So I love those guys for that. And then, obviously, we know what they've done on the field and I'm forever in debt to them for those-- Just for those experience and kind of having that little back seat look at what it looks like to do it the right way.
ANDY BEHRENS: Who are some of the guys, they can be past or present, that you actually watched film on and that you've really picked some things up from?
DAVANTE ADAMS: Man, well there's a lot of guys now. I watch a lot of Calvin Ridley film, I watch Keenan Allen. You know, that's-- Yeah, I get a lot from Keenan. We kind of all do the same. Stefon Diggs, Amari Cooper is another guy.
You know, and obviously the GOAT of all time, or my GOAT at least, Randy. You know, love watching his film, love watching before certain games, just to get myself going, just to see big plays being made, because it's contagious. So to be able to see him do that right before it's time for me to do it, it helps me out a little bit.
ANDY BEHRENS: Tell us-- tell us about the Courtyard Super Bowl Sleepover contest, which is just a great thing, and everything else that you're doing with Marriott.
DAVANTE ADAMS: Yeah, really, really cool opportunity I had to work with a Courtyard by Marriott. The Super Bowl Sleepover contest thing, it's a fan favorite. They turn a suite into a hotel room, essentially, wake up the morning of the game, you look out your window, see the field and just kind of be able to say you're the first one in there.
And it's really just an overall thing they encourage fans to talk about and share their experiences about traveling and how football is kind of fueled their passion for travel. Really cool opportunity. I mean, I was excited about working with them on it and I know the fans really love it too.
ANDY BEHRENS: Yeah, hopefully you're actually there, on hand as a as a player this year.
DAVANTE ADAMS: Yeah, that's what I said, yeah.
ANDY BEHRENS: Well thanks so much for your time today. It's been great to talk to you and best of luck this season. Stay healthy, man.
DAVANTE ADAMS: Thank you, man. I appreciate it. Gonna need it.
