Here are some highlights of Eric Mangini’s press conference:
Q: Do you feel you have to sell yourself to Mike Holmgren?:
Mangini: “I don’t look at it that way. I expect to have a good, honest discussion of what we did this year. What things are and what they will be.”
“That’s not going to be my approach at all,” he said. “I have a job and I respect Mike and appreciate the depth of knowledge and experience he has.”
Q: Do you have any regrets for anything done?:
Mangini: “I believe in what we do and why it’s important to do what we do. Some of the decisions were right and some were wrong. Mike has a lot of experience in things and it’s a function of what direction we’re going in and if we’re go in that direction together.”
Q: Is it important to have to answer these questions one year into your program?:
Mangini: “It’s not that tough. That’s the way these things work. I don’t think it’s fair for me to be worried about myself when I brought in the assistant coaches and they have families. I think it’s only fair to have some clarity for them.”
Q; Who is your quarterback going forward?:
Mangini: “That’s the great thing about having Mike Holmgren. He knows a lot about quarterbacks and we’ll see what he thinks about it.”
Q: Would you handle the quarterback position any differently?:
Mangini: “No, I wouldn’t. I don’t think there is anything wrong to have two good quarterbacks to state their case. I think both of them grew and learned. It was an equal opportunity for both guys.”
Q: Could you work with a GM who controls the draft and player procurement?:
Mangini: “I would rather cross that bridge when it happens. I don’t think there’s any team in the league that the coach doesn’t have input.”
Q: Could the team make the playoffs next season?:
Mangini: “A lot of that depends on many factors. Each season is an entity in itself.”
Players of the Game: Mangini said that OL Joe Thomas was the Offensive player of the game and CB Eric Wright was the defensive player of the game. K Phil Dawson was the special teams player of the game and OL Pat Murray was the practice player of the week.