Read the full transcript from Head Coach Mike McDaniel's Postgame press conference on October 30, 2025.
Q: How do you explain how it goes sideways this way just a mere four days after the team played so well in Atlanta?
"Million dollar question there. I think we came to play. I think it was obvious in the first half that our team could play toe-to-toe and we felt very good about our play going in and the way guys came out. But it's pretty simple. You got, I think, a red zone turnover, a red zone turnover on downs. You have a backed up turnover and a missed field goal. Generally, it's a bad omen to be very capable of being in the lead and being behind – getting six points in the first half with having, I think, two-thirds time of possession if I remember correctly. That's setting up for failure. And we were minus-three (in turnovers) and they were three-for-three in the red zone and we didn't score a touchdown. There were elements of the football confidence created last week, but the bottom line is you have to cross your T's and dot your I's in the National Football League or you get made pay. It's very, very disappointing and unfortunately we're going to have to sit on that disappointment for 10 days. I know the locker room would like to go play another Thursday night game in four days to get this bad taste out of their mouth. These are the things that will constantly occur in the National Football League. You won't like the results if you have those major elements – minus in the red zone and minus in turnovers. It's going to be a long day."
Q: You mentioned after the Browns game that it looked like players' frustrations got in the way of execution and considering the miscues in the first half tonight, was the result I guess something similar as what happened in that Cleveland game?
"No, I think this game – like I said before, if you are winning football but not scoring points and turning it over, eventually it's hard to just beat teams for four quarters. Eventually they're going to fight back and have some success. I thought that's what the third quarter was. I think what was different was that guys really – they sustained that and then defensively, specifically, I thought we got a couple stops after that third quarter and we weren't able to overcome some self-inflicted stuff offensively and didn't have quite the game we were expecting on (special) teams. I think it was a different feel. There was a lot more venom towards the expectation of even still after their first touchdown drive of the third quarter, I think our team felt like they were going to win. Each game is different but this was a different way to lose."
Q: After the OL Larry Borom false start on fourth and one, you were clearly irate. Was that at the officials? At Larry?
"That was at self-inflicted wounds. We have been putting such an emphasis on all things related to our operation and in a critical fourth-and-1, where we were pretty fired up about the defensive look – it was what we were calling the play for. And that's, flat out, a controllable that our team knows that keeps you from winning. So I was irate at nothing but our self-inflicted wound."
Q: What went into the decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 near the end of the first half and can you tell us about the play call and result, from your perspective?
"So, I really thought that we needed to – it's always dangerous when you are 'theoretically' beating a team and you don't have a lead. Or it's very dangerous just because it ebbs and flows in the National Football League. We had a concept that we felt pretty good about and our primary didn't quite go in an area that we expected it to. It was kind of a miscommunication, so to speak, and then we had an eligible right inside to make a conversion. So basically there was a multitude of failures in a critical situation on that one and I was super confident that that wouldn't be the case, otherwise I wouldn't have taken that risk. But a failure to execute a look that I think we can resulted in no points, and that's a gigantic momentum swing."
Q: What did you see on the long pass to WR Jaylen Waddle that was wiped out by the penalty on RB Ollie Gordon II?
"Probably what you guys saw, that there was a subjective call that New York was called in to determine whether or not the objective part of the subjective call, which was whether or not there was contact, they confirmed. I saw a guy trip and fall, or slip, and he was called for intentionally tripping somebody. That's what I saw."
Q: The defense did a great job stopping the run in the first half. What do you think happened in the second?
"Again, it's hard to perform to that high standard and then have to have defensive series so close together, meaning they did a great job, we're trying to do it for four quarters, they got a couple of their wins and then we didn't possess the ball and give the defense rest to have that same type of performance they had in the first half. So we changed the formula on them. They got a little window into having some success. They leaned on us and it was unfortunate. I think the good news is our defense has an expectation to stop the run regardless and have shown the capability to do so, but at the same time, I think you're playing with fire when you're giving the ball back to that offense, whose made their living running the ball. It was something we were trying to avoid at all costs – short drives – and unfortunately we had a couple that were very short."
Q: What went into the decision to make RB Jaylen Wright inactive tonight?
"It was a tough one and there was both special teams and offensively, we had some guys that were nicked that up until this point we've had 'Von (De'Von Achane) and Ollie (Gordon II) have been pretty much able to stay healthy. As you guys know, I like having the three-back rotation. It's just something that we were a little nervous about from the other positions, specifically special teams, and our offensive skills. It's a numbers game that ended up – obviously if you can predict if a runner goes down, you wouldn't do that. Ollie was able to be back, but it's one of those numbers things that you have to work through each and every game."
Q: What was the information you received on LB Chop Robinson? He went into concussion protocol?
"Yeah, concussion protocol. That's all I got."
Q: What about RB Ollie Gordon II, CB Rasul Douglas and S Ifeatu Melifonwu?
"Ollie was able to – he would have been able to go back into the game. The other two, I'll find out more tomorrow."
Q: What would be the process, with the trade deadline coming up, what would be the process to decide what you guys want to do?
"The answer to that question would probably be a little irresponsible. Chris (Grier) and I have conversations. We haven't had anything (that's not) related to how we're preparing this football team today. I just call the game and we just lost a game as a team. We'll probably have more conversations tomorrow but as of right now, I'm more digesting the loss."
Q: How do you guys bounce back? Obviously you guys have the long layoff. Is that a good thing? Guys can go out, clear their minds and then come back on Monday, or...
"I think it's whatever our collective nucleus chooses to make it. I think it's very tough to sit on a loss over a 10-day period, but it also gives you opportunity to dictate the terms of how your next game is going to go. I think the focus and the attention to detail has to be turned up. I think guys are very hungry for that. That's the only way that you move forward in this game and get better is you focus on what you can control and go back to work. So as much as it's not ideal, it's absolutely a nonnegotiable in the National Football League. Sometimes you have to press forward and put more in even when you get punched in the stomach. I think we'll have a highly motivated team to play football the right way and get back to the momentum that we thought we were building with the last game. It wasn't for the lack of effort and I thought that we came out and had the ability to take control over this game like we did the last game, and unfortunately in critical points of execution, we fell short and had an eight-point deficit going into the third quarter and then took 14 (points) without a response. That's tough to stomach, but we will look each other in the eyes and rely on the leaders and the captains to show the way and everybody to tighten up their game and press forward to go get that next win."
Q: Fans were booing and the broadcast show fans with bags over their head. How do you personally take this loss and where this team stands right now at 2-7?
"Yeah, personally you want to dictate the terms. You want to fix stuff and yeah, it sucks. That sucks. All of that does. But I think it's a pretty consistent formula of fans enjoy winning and so our expectation is that we have to do the work and do the right things for fans to enjoy the experience and unfortunately we didn't do that tonight, so we got to get back to work to give them something to cheer about."
