Houston Texans Media Conference

Friday, August 5, 2022

Houston, Texas, USA

Marlon Mack

Press Conference


Q. How you feeling?

MARLON MACK: I feel great, man. Body getting used to everything, used to the banging and everything. Legs feel great. Sore, definitely sore right about now, but just getting used to playing football again.

Q. How do you feel kind of you're breaking --

MARLON MACK: I feel confident in it, man. Just keep going out there game time, just got to go hunt.

Q. What's your relationship like with the running backs fitting in?

MARLON MACK: It's a great relationship with everybody, man, from the running back room. We all get along. We're all cool, laid-back guys. We just got a funny rookie DP, but we always just chill. We know how to handle our business in that room, and that's what we love about each other.

Q. What do you like best about this time of year?

MARLON MACK: It's great because you know everybody started off slow, once training camp comes around, getting used to each other with pads on and banging and everything, getting used to certain calls the O-line making, but now we're actually starting to click and the longer we get into training camp we're clicking and gelling together.

Q. Do you feel like Lovie brings a certain attitude of fun?

MARLON MACK: Yeah, he brings that different juice, different motivation. He knows, tells his guys, come to work, we've just got to come to work, put in that work and just be great.

Q. Last year you had a injury that set you back. Where are you now where you were pre-injury when you were at your best?

MARLON MACK: I definitely feel like I'm there again. Last year I didn't get that chance to show myself, but in the few games that I did, I felt that confidence in myself, but now I've actually just got to go out there and do it again once again. But I feel good, man. Every day I'm showing that explosion. I feel it in my cuts, and every day I keep going out there and keep doing it.

Q. What's it like to have that confidence again?

MARLON MACK: It's great. Actually play against some guys actually get a chance that confidence it's very important I would say, especially in this game because your confidence will get killed pretty quick around here, but you've just got to keep believing in yourself, keep motivating yourself and keep putting in that work.

Q. What type of running back are you (indiscernible).

MARLON MACK: The type of running back I am?

Q. Yeah, the running back room, competing against each other, but you're --

MARLON MACK: Oh, definitely. Like you said, we compete real hard, but we always have each other. You never want to see a guy doing bad. We always help each other. Somebody mess up, all right, you good, man. Next play.

We know it's a competition, but we just go out there and work and help each other because you never want to be the bad guy in the room, not helping the guy. You always want to support each other. We're a team first and then everybody else after that.

We just go out there, help each other and put the team first.

Q. Obviously it's a little bit further down the line, but we (indiscernible) how much motivation or does it fuel you going into camp to see that?

MARLON MACK: Definitely, it motivates me a little bit, because that's the old team. But they're my guys, man. Certain guys on that defense, I've played with them about four or five years, and always love. But I know they're going to come 110 at me, so I've got to be able to go 110 at them. I'm going to be ready and I know they're going to be ready, and I'm just going to go out there and do my best.

Q. You mentioned confidence and belief last year (indiscernible) also support. Where does that come from?

MARLON MACK: Man, just going to South Florida and being a low draft pick, you've always got to be ready to work. I think any guy here that makes it to the NFL, you've always got to have that chip on your shoulder, be willing to work, no matter what pick you is, because everybody had that doubt on you, everybody going to say something about you. You've just got to go out there and work and have that confidence in yourself.

Q. It seems like the running backs are getting a lot of passing opportunities. Is that sort of a weapon you feel like you guys have?

MARLON MACK: Definitely. Hey, anytime the running backs got a ball in their hands, we appreciate that. If the quarterbacks want to keep throwing to us, we're going to love that. We're going to try to help this team win, catching, running, blocking, everything we can do on this field.

Q. After the injury a couple years ago, how would you rate your trust level now and where you feel you're at explosiveness wise?

MARLON MACK: I feel like my trust has always been 100 percent since last year. Trainer has got me right, Andy. Just always had that trust, just didn't get the chance to show it again. But now I'm actually going to keep on it, keep that trust in it.

Q. What defenders do you find that you most --

MARLON MACK: Today here? Got Kirksey, KPL, Maliek. Maliek, especially Maliek on the D-line. He's there all the time. It's kind of hard blocking him, but we do it well.

Q. He's a big guy to run at?

MARLON MACK: Exactly, he's a huge guy, but he's been there a couple times.

Q. (Indiscernible). How much does he pick your brain?

MARLON MACK: Yeah, DP asks a lot of questions. That's one thing about him, he's a hungry learner, so he always asked the questions, man, makes sure he's always on point. That's why he's picking up really well. He's always asking questions. That's one thing you need as a young running back; ask questions, make sure you get everything from coaches and just be well on yourself and that's what he's doing.

Q. (Indiscernible) returns in camp. What do you think about that?

MARLON MACK: Yeah, I love being a kick returner, catching the balls, getting that chance in space, open room, man. It's a hard job but it's a fun job because you get that chance to be in the open field, set your blockers up and actually hit it.

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123467-1-1002 2022-08-05 16:20:00 GMT

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