Read the full transcript from ILB Jacob Rodriguez's media availability on October 7, 2026.
What has you most excited about the opportunity this week against the Bengals?
Jacob Rodriguez: I think just opportunity for us to get better. I think we've been improving as the weeks go, but this week specifically with the guys that they have at skill positions and obviously their quarterback is one of the best and just us going against the best and have the opportunity to do well and be here at home and have a good momentum going into the bye week.
Is a high-tackle game to you a sign of you playing well? Or do you look at other gauges? Things like that to make you think whether or not you played well.
Jacob Rodriguez: Not necessarily tackles. I think obviously the biggest indicator is taking the football away. So interceptions, forced fumbles, recovered fumbles. Taking the football away, if you go plus two or plus three, you're talking a 90% chance of winning a football game. So it's just a huge factor to get that. Obviously, tackles are great. You want them, as many as you can get, but it also goes with the scheme that you're running and kind of where the ball is going on any given day. Sometimes you're out there and you're trying as hard as you can, but the ball is just running away from you. And that's just kind of how the game goes. And that's why you play with 11 guys and that's why you trust all 11. I think it's just kind of the scheme that it's been in, just trying to funnel the ball where it needs to be. And if you're lucky enough to be in the right position, try to make a tackle.
Coach Hafley was telling us today just how much he likes working with you and what you guys have built. What's special about that coach relationship with you?
Jacob Rodriguez: Coach Hafley gives me a lot of confidence. I think the confidence that he has in me instills confidence and I have so much respect and confidence in him that what he's putting together, the plan that he has and the situations that he put us in throughout the week gets us ready to play. And so I think that, combined with the play call in and everything that we have throughout the game, that just builds confidence and gets us to play fast and gets us to play together. And I think I just keep seeing improvement from our group on the defensive side of the ball. And we're just looking to keep doing that. But definitely just confidence with the consistency. I think the consistency from the head coach trickles on down. And so if you're the same person every single day, then you know what to expect. And then the standard doesn't slip, so you can continue to match that every day.
