DK METCALF: Happy New Year.
Q. I know, it's not what you were looking for on Sunday, but how do you view this last game against the Rams?
DK METCALF: View it as just one more chance for this team to just go out and put a finished product on the field, try to get Coach Macdonald to ten wins in his first season.
I mean, a lot of guys have personal goals, incentives to hit. I think a lot of people have different reasons to play for. But, you know, just to beat the Rams in the final game would be a sweet taste in our mouth.
Q. Do people outside of the team maybe like underestimate how important the pride part of it is and the internal motivation, competitiveness? I think some fans think, oh, they don't care anymore.
DK METCALF: Yeah. Well, I will say just with being in the NFL there is a lot of competitive guys in this league, especially on this team. So, I mean, I wouldn't expect anything less than for us to go out there and play like we're still fighting to get in the playoffs. I think it just sends a message to the opposing team what type of identity that this team will have moving forward.
So, no, I don't think people are going to just lay down and just accept not making it to the playoffs and just think this last week is going to be a cake walk.
No.
Q. When you look at numbers in the wide receiver room, Tyler Lockett's don't necessarily jump off the page. How does he show up in big ways in that group?
DK METCALF: Just by his personality. He's been the OG here, the vet; now been here for ten years. No better person I think since I've been here to represent this organization better than him just by the way he carries himself, the way he works hard, and never let's a situation get to him. He's always getting open on the field whenever we're going back to watching film.
Grateful to have spent time with him. Grateful to have spent six years with him and just learned from him. Great player, great person, great friend in my opinion.
So yeah, he's done everything the right way and he's a Hall of Famer in my book on and off the field.
Q. We've ask you a lot about Jaxon this year. He could end up breaking Tyler's record for most receptions in a season this week. Kind of what have you made of his year being able to possibly do that, and having Tyler around for it to potentially happen this week?
DK METCALF: It's like a passing of the torch in my opinion. Like I said, Lock has been a great teammate to Jax since day one. I don't think that's changed. Speaking on Jax's season, he's had a great season. And rightfully so. He's worked his butt off to get to that point to continue his success throughout this whole year.
I think it's just difficult to not listen to the outside noise. The success he's this season, he hasn't let it get to him. He still comes in here every day and tries to work hard and see how he can get even better for the next game or next season.
So just kudos to both of those guys. One being the cagey vet who doesn't let anything phase him, and a rising star in this league that everybody has got to see this year and for years to come.
Q. Obviously one last game to add to the offensive numbers there. How do you look at the offense as a whole for this year, what you guys have done?
DK METCALF: I mean, we got a chance to get to ten wins. You know, in this league, every win isn't going to be pretty. Isn't supposed to be pretty. You got great players on both sides of the ball.
I think just the way we fought through adversity is something to build on for next season. You know, this was a lot of our first years together, and everything we can just build on for next year and come back stronger, fix our mistakes and just be better for next year.
Q. Is the pride part of it, again, going back to that, is that your motivation for this game?
DK METCALF: My motivation for this game, yes. I'm a competitive person. I don't like losing period. Yeah, I'm not trying to lose.
Q. You touched on this, but is there more of a sense of building for the future when it's a first-year coach; every win matters just because what it can mean for next year?
DK METCALF: Correct. This is all of our resume but especially his resume, so he's not trying to go out on a loss or an L.
You know, we are trying to win every game. If they keep score then he's trying to win. That's the mentality Coach has. That's the mentality all his players have.
Yeah, it's just good to build on for next year. Like we all said, it's his first year. We have a learning curve. He has things he's going to carry over into next year, things he's not.
I mean, I think it's just a good year. Good first year for everybody in the building.
Q. Some of the people that are new for you, like teammates or coaches, mentioned fighting through adversity. What did you learn about some of the new people?
DK METCALF: I will speak specifically on Ernest Jones. Just playing against him for the past couple years, and then for him to be on the team. You know, it's a very different perspective on Sunday than spending every day dang near with the person.
You know, just seeing him on the field, seeing how he works, carries himself, I was mad at him going against him, but now I just get to know him as a person and not just a football player. I'm just speaking on everybody that's new. Him specifically.
Just their mentality. They came here and fit right into the competitive atmosphere that we try to build here. Yeah, I think Coach has done a great job bringing in players that fit that mold. Like I said, man, we can only build from here on out.
Q. How have you seen Ernest come in -- he's still really young guy -- come in and become a leader right away in the middle of the season take over like he did?
DK METCALF: I mean, it doesn't surprise me the way he acts, because I know he mentioned Bobby has had a big impact on his career just one year in LA.
They have some similarities with how they play the game, watch film, always trying to get better. I know there was a pass early in the year when we were at practice and the ball just barely got over his head when he tried to jump into the ball.
He came down and he screamed like, I got to make that play. That's just the type of person he is. He wants to be better for the team, not just for himself only.
Q. Are you ever surprised that he's still only 25 years old with the way he carries himself?
DK METCALF: Yes, sir. There is a lot of great players in this league. I think the league is in great hands with talent moving forward.
But, no, it doesn't surprise me because there is a lot of great young guys who want to be great early and they hit the learning curve early and get around that rookie slump of making a mistake here or there.
They learn from it and don't make the same mistake twice.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports