The Buffalo Bills players elected LeSean McCoy as a team captain this week and head coach Sean McDermott, who worked with McCoy for a couple of years with the Philadelphia Eagles spoke about McCoy’s maturity through the years as the 30-year-old was named captain for the first time in his career.
“I’ve watched him since he was younger, like I’ve said before, to now,” said McDermott. “I appreciate his leadership within our team. He’s got a good grasp on the offense, he’s playing fast, he looks like he’s in better shape even than he was a year ago. I think he’s been off to a real fine start.”
McCoy was elected one of the offensive captains with fullback Patrick DiMarco following the departure of Tyrod Taylor and Eric Wood. The veteran doesn’t take it lightly.
“[It’s] just being accountable, being the person I’ve said I am,” said McCoy about his responsibilities. “If I’ve said I’m a hardworking guy who works hard and does whatever I have to do for my teammates, I will do it every day. Don’t just talk about it, be about it.”
McCoy was asked about the last time he was a captain. He couldn’t remember.
“This is my first time actually being a true captain,” said McCoy. “Every coach is different; this is actually the first time a coach has really had ‘stamped’ captains, so I look forward to having a ‘C’ on my chest Sunday. “
Once seen as a flashy youngster, McCoy is not only a senior member of the offense (he’s the fourth-oldest offensive player), he’s showing maturity and a good work ethic, says the coach.
“Really, it’s the day-to-day approach to his craft,” said McDermott about McCoy’s maturity. “[He] comes in early in the morning, wants to learn, wants to have a firm grasp of our offense and the defense he’s going to face, particularly this week with the Ravens, a very good defense. Just the way he then performs on the field with the effort. You see him take hand-offs just like I do and he’s taking a hand-off that doesn’t appear to be different from a normal hand-off, but he’s taking it and going 20, 25 yards every time he gets the ball in his hands; that really speaks to his habits on the field, which I think [are] outstanding.”
“It’s weird to say, because I never see myself as an older player, but now I feel it, not body-wise, but the reaction from players around the NFL, my teammates, and the way they view me. Before, if I was 24, 25, 23, and I may say something, I may do something, they don’t probably look at it the same way if I do it now. I’m conscience of that,” said McCoy, discussing his maturity. “Every move I try to make nowadays, I really want to make it the best because I see how they view me. You don’t really notice that until a youngster speaks to you, talks to you, asks you different questions.”
McDermott was asked about the offseason allegations against McCoy, too. As was announced this week, there hasn’t been any change in McCoy’s status regarding discipline from the league or the judicial system. McCoy said he was focused on the future and Baltimore.