Read the full transcript from ILB Willie Gay Jr.'s media availability on August 7, 2026.

What have you found out about the defense and Jeff Hafley and Sean Duggan so far in camp?

Willie Gay Jr.: It's a defense that's aggressive. A defense that'll make a lot of plays if you do what's called and work your techniques and do what what's coached. Obviously, I mean, if a lot of people watch Green Bay last year, they had a good defense, I feel. And only can get better if we continue to grow as players in the system and the scheme and execute.

Sean Duggan said yesterday your last three practices were some of your best. What do you think you were showing in order for him to say that?

Willie Gay Jr.: Man, I'm just going out there playing ball. Some days will be better than others, that's what I tell myself every day. But you can't never get too high, never too low. I guess the last three days, I mean, if Coach (Duggan) said it, I appreciate it, but every day try to be better than the last.

What have coaches told you that you need to do in order to get more playing time?

Willie Gay Jr.: Nobody told me anything, but I just got to keep doing what I'm doing. I trust in God's process, not anybody else's. Y'all know how last year went for me. I mean, I'm just doing what I can, making the plays I can, man, and seeing where the pieces fall.

I've got a big picture question about life in the NFL. You guys obviously drafted these young linebackers for a reason, and my question is about potentially training your replacement. But at some point, some vets took you under their wing, right? And they trained you knowing that you might be taking their job. Tell me about your football mortality versus doing the right thing for the game and the right thing for the team.

Willie Gay Jr.: Yeah, definitely. So when you talk about those young guys, man, obviously, like you say, I was once that young guy drafted in the second round, coming in and coaches wanted to see what I can do. So now, shoot, year seven, you see the young guys come in, especially in the linebacker room, all you want to do is take them under your wing and you want to teach them. Not necessarily – they know football, they play football, but anything you can tweak with them or help them out on the side or in life. You just try to give them that advice and just keep rolling as a group. As you watch them grow, you get better as well, and everybody wins.

Coach Hafley said that when he heard the scream for the first time, he didn't know what the hell was going on. He said that as long as that's what you do to get yourself hyped up.

Willie Gay Jr.: Yeah, yeah, it gets me going. And like I said a while back, it gets other people going, too. So keep it consistent.

What about what about for the coach to be like, woah?

Willie Gay Jr.: Hey, if it gets him going, then we're going to keep doing it for sure.

I want to ask you about Malik Willis from a defender's perspective. I know you play that curl flat a lot in coverage, he completes so many balls on the outside out here. What is it like defending Malik when he puts the ball to the outside? How does it kind of put you in conflict with what he can do with his arm?

Willie Gay Jr.: Obviously a strong arm, and he can run the ball. So it's kind of like you want to jump something, but you got to stay disciplined because he can fit it in tight hole shots and 7 cuts and just get that ball on the sideline to perfection. So you just try to do your job, and seeing him make those throws, it's like unbelievable. Like it's definitely fun to watch as a teammate. Defensive player out there, it ain't that fun, but as a teammate it's like, man, this boy can throw.

You're a very instinctual player. How do you balance your instincts with doing everything that coaches tell you to do?

Willie Gay Jr.: Well, you just let the game take over. You can't be a robot. You've got to do what Coach tells you to do. But even a good coach will tell you, 'we don't coach robots,' because if you're too locked in, you don't make plays. You can always do the right job and not make plays, you know what I'm saying? So just not changing who I am as a player, as a person and doing my job best of my ability and then letting that take over.

I know it's early, still in training camp, but what does a day like this mean when there are several big plays on defense? And as you mentioned, you're teaching the young players different things still. But to have victories like that this early?

Willie Gay Jr.: It's amazing to see with the old guys and the younger guys, you all making plays. It's definitely fun to watch because we want to take it over there to Hard Rock Stadium and to Vegas and San Francisco our first two weeks. We're just trying to roll and keep getting better every day.