New Orleans Saints Tackle Terron Armstead

Virtual press conference with local media | Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021

What have these past 72 hours been like for you trying to juggle football with all the things going on back in New Orleans?
"It's been a lot of moving parts trying to get packed up to move and make sure everyone back home is being safe as possible. Then you have to just compartmentalize and focus on football practice. It has been an eventful past few days."

Today is one of the hardest days in football with roster cut downs. How do you feel about the team having to make those decisions while being evacuated in Dallas?
"It is extremely unfortunate. The timing could not be worse. It's a rough situation for a lot of guys. The organization, particularly Sean (Payton), is very sympathetic and understanding of the situation. This is a life-changing day and moment for a lot of people and their families. Some can't go back to their homes right now. There's a lot of unknown. It's an extremely difficult time for several people. We're all just working our way through that."

How do you show empathy on cut day?
"Any time you see someone get released it is never easy. This is my ninth year in the league, and it doesn't get any easier. You truly become friends and brothers with these guys. You see people go to different teams and some never play the game again. It's definitely a heartfelt situation."

Does it help knowing now that Jameis Winston is your starting quarterback, and will that give the offense time to develop more chemistry between now and week one?
"Definitely. I think the competition was healthy. I think it was beneficial for the team, not just those two guys. We got a lot of work in. Sean (Payton) put those two (Winston and Taysom Hill) in a lot of different situations and tested them. Both guys competed to the very end for sure. Sean made the announcement to go with Jameis, and now we can really lock in and get more reps with Jameis to get more time and cohesiveness. I think that's really important leading into the first game."

Coach Payton mentioned he'll give you guys the next few days off to go wherever they need to go. What are your plans the next couple days?
"I'm sticking around here in Dallas until we figure out what's next."

Is the uncertainty of not knowing what's next one of the hardest things to go through in a situation like this?
"Yeah. I can only control what I can control. It is nobody's fault. All we can do is just be ready to adjust and make the best of our situation. We still have a job to go out and perform to take care of our families. We can't sit and feel sorry for ourselves. We have to keep moving and keep going strong."

Do you think of some of the crazy things you had to go through back in 2020 helps in a situation like this?
"Yeah. I think the makeup of the team, from the front office to the team and to the city we play in. You want to talk about resilience? New Orleans is the pinnacle of that. We take that makeup from the city and represent them. They represent us. The makeup of the building is strong. We can handle the adversity, fight through it, and stick together."

How is your family doing? Are they with you in Dallas and have you heard about your house in New Orleans?
"Personally, my family is fine. Thank you for asking. They were in Texas already during camp. No, I have not heard anything about my house. I haven't been able to get in touch with a neighbor or anything so I'm not exactly sure what's going on."

What has it been like having the family there in North Texas? Coach Payton made comments about the kids in the meal room at breakfast. Does that make this easier to deal with?
"It's always comforting to have family around and see the joy of kids. They don't know what's going on. They are happy and their energy is contagious. Being able to be around them in the meal room and seeing kids run around the meal room has been uplifting."

What is your plan to train over the next few days? How much do you want to get away from the game? I know your trainer Duke Mayweather is nearby, is that someone you'll get work with over the next few days?
"Yeah, absolutely. I'll get myself prepared for the regular season. I'll be headed to Allen (Texas) to work with Duke and Pat. I'll still take some time away, you know, been banging up a lot during camp. I'll take these few days to heal up and get ready for the live action."

Going back to the touch football game in the meal room, whose kids are most like their dad?
"Cam Jordan's kids for sure. They are active, lively, and well. You know Cam has the energy of a five-year-old, so his kids bring the energy too. They are great. Tank (Jordan) is (just like) his father.