Read the full transcript from EDGE Josh Uche's media availability on October 5, 2026.
How good was it yesterday for you to get the sack and for y'all to produce the four sacks after coming close for three straight games?
Josh Uche: Yeah, they come in bunches, man. And, you know, it's all about the next moment, the next play, and not listening to the outside noise and just doing our one-eleventh and playing ball.
What worked well yesterday?
Josh Uche: Just group rush and communication, physicality and just effort. I think all those things coming together. I think when you're around the football, good things happen.
Talking about communication, obviously a very loud environment, one of the hardest places to play. What you say about Jacob Rodriguez and how to communicate guys and get everyone together and then on top of setting a rookie record for tackles?
Josh Uche: Yeah, J-Rod's the same guy every play. Very steady, isn't a volatile player, just calm through everything. And so obviously him having a green dot, us getting a play call from him, us getting aligned off of him, defensively holding them to three, the field goals, the whole game. That stems from the communication that J-Rod has given us all.
Things you like about Chop's game in general? Obviously, he had his best game so far.
Josh Uche: Chop's a hell of a player. He's one of our best rushers, if not our best rusher. And just the power rush, I was happy to see the power rush come to life for him. And I just want to see more of that from him because he has every God-given tool to be one of the best in the league.
You talk about sacks coming in bunches. How do you get what happened on Sunday carried over to next Sunday, Sunday after that?
Josh Uche: Yeah, I mean, by just playing ball, not chasing it, just like doing our one-eleventh and just having fun. I think that's how they come and we just keep working on our technique, worrying about us and they'll come.
What's impressed you with Hafley and Sean Duggan as far as game planning? You've obviously played for different DCs. What stood out that's unique or different about them?
Josh Uche: Yeah, I think the youth, the energy that he brings. It's refreshing. And regardless of what the score is, situation is, it's like it's next play mentality. They don't dwell on stuff too much. And it's all about the next play.
How refreshing is that? Are there a lot of DCs that tend to harp on what you did wrong, last play, last play, last play?
Josh Uche: I mean, if you think about it, like generation-wise, like the older generation is one way, the younger generation is another way. That's the best way I could put it. Times change.
How helpful has it been to have the pass rush from the inside? Obviously, Zach's had a lot of sacks in his career and he's picked that back up again.
Josh Uche: I mean, just the first play – sack on the first play is crazy. And for him to follow up with a two-piece is amazing. And I mean, Zach, he's our leader up front, you know what I mean? And being in New England, you hear about this guy Sieler all the time and then to actually be his teammate, that was pretty cool and see why he has the success he has.
What does it do for your defense when you get a sack on that first play?
Josh Uche: Yeah, I mean, it's just there's blood in the water. So for the rest of us, it's like, all right, it's time to eat.
Seems like you have mature rookies with Taaffe and obviously Jacob and Chris Johnson. Is that, is that your impression, guys who seem to have some veteran element to them as rookies in terms of maturity?
Josh Uche: Yeah, I mean, just by the way they play, the physicality. Chris is like – he's a physical corner. That's what you want to see out of a corner, but most corners in the league don't want to come up and be physical, but him, he's coming up there, whether it's like run blocks or even just getting in on the tackles. You see that Taaffe is throwing his body in there with reckless abandonment. That's what you want to see out of one of your teammates and just all the rookies in general, man. I mean, stepping into a situation like this, you got to be ready to play ball.
