Shelby Harris, Seattle Seahawks Defensive Lineman

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Shelby, appreciate the time. How you been? I've been doing real good. How you doing?

Well, I'm doing fantastic. Your defense really performed in the last two weeks. What did you guys show up against not only the Cardinals, but also the Chargers with the effort that you guys gave against two good offenses? Man, pretty much, you know, what we showed the first couple of weeks really was is not who we are in total. You know, we pretty much, you know, we're a bunch of like to fly around, try to cause havoc, you know, you know, make turnover and just try to make plays. And you know, what you see in the last couple of weeks is really trying to cut down on the big play. And which I feel like we've done a really good job of.

What do you think this defense can be now since you guys are comfortable and in a groove seven weeks into the season? Well, you just want to keep seeing a steady progression of us getting better and better and better. You know, it's just obviously it's a new scheme and we're all working through it together.

You know, it's a bunch of players on this defense have never played together. So, you know, we're also in the middle of still learning each other too. So, you know, it's a process of this, but then also that's why you're starting to see the improvements, you know, slowly but surely. For you personally, and you're a veteran, you've been around a long time, you know, the business of this game. What has this transition been like for you individually after being in Denver for all those years and now having a new environment in Seattle? It's been really easy for me, really like for me and my family. It's been real cool. It's been easy, you know, just, you know, when you have a veteran coaching staff, you know, you have a guy like Pete and you have people that have been around and, you know, even in my position group, you know, we have a couple of veteran guys. It makes it easier for the transition because, you know, everybody's been there and it's all about, you know, how we're going to just assimilate you and to make this as easy as possible for you to fit in.

And then this place is great, you know, it just has been, you know, they really let you be yourself and they accept you for who you are. And so, you know, that's always what you've always heard about Seattle, you know, coming into it and it's definitely lived up to it. I know there's always motivation in the NFL, but everyone was counting out the Seahawks before the start of the season with all the moves that happened in the offseason. It seems like this team is extra motivated.

Do you sense that in that locker room, this little bit extra personal this year? Well, you have to make it because at the end of the day, like you said, before the season started, everyone pretty much was trying to say that we'd be garbage, that we wouldn't, you know, stand a chance against anybody and as we were finished dead last in the division, you know, so it's, you know, that's a shot at everybody on this roster. They're obviously saying that nobody's good enough, you know, and that we obviously need to make big, drastic changes in order to be successful. And so everybody should take that personal and go out there every week and, you know, you know, do our best to show everybody that they're wrong. You know, this is nobody, we're competitors at the end of the day. This is why we're here. We're all here trying to do the best.

And so you take shots of this like that. Of course, you got to, you know, your pride has to come in at some point, we got to go out there and fight and you see the whole team, you know, it's crazy the amount of hate that we got before the season and now everyone's kind of starting to realize, you know, will somebody be dealt with? When did you realize being a new guy walking into that locker room that this team could be better than what the national perception was of your squad? Man, just from, I'm talking about just from camp, just from us, you know, working together and just from, you know, just for me, like, because obviously for me, I haven't really played with a lot of people on this defense. And so for me, what I really realized is just during camp, you know, when you're watching, you know, individual guys and you watch it as collective, you know, you see the moments where the defense and, you know, everyone could be great.

And it's just some more of a, you know, being more acquainted with each other. So this isn't surprising to you, this team being F4 and three sitting on top of the NFC West. I'll tell you this, you don't make it in this league doubting yourself, your team, you know, I mean, you won't make it very far in this league, you know, at the end of the day, I go into every game, I go into every season expecting to win every game until, until we lose one. And I feel like that's the mindset you have to have as a pro or you won't make in this league. So with that being said, how good do you think this team could be this year, Shelby Harris?

Well, what? Well, four and three right now, we got 10 games left. So that means 14 and three, you know, until you prove me wrong, I'm assuming we win every game. I love the way that you guys set the tone, Shelby Harris, when the season started, because once again, no one was giving you a shot against Denver. And that really felt like that was a tone setter for you guys in game number one with the performance you had. Well, yeah, you know, this is another example of, you know, everyone counting us out before they even saw what we could bring on the field. You know, I mean, nobody's even saw this group really play and they were always like, Oh, they're gonna lose, they're gonna lose.

And that's the thing. We get paid to everyone gets paid to you cannot ever downplay your opponent or anybody, because no matter if you feel like they're not as talented or not, because at the end of the day, the National Football League, everybody gets paid, you know, they got here for a reason. And so you got to respect your opponent.

And the minute you don't respect your opponent, the minute you start getting beat in his league. I know, you know, a lot of people in that Broncos locker room, but since they traded you in that Russell Wilson deal, do you take a little extra satisfaction knowing that that team's struggling right now? Man, it doesn't nothing the Broncos do really matters to me. I mean, I'm a Seattle Seahawks, you know, and then they felt like we're in the same division, not even the same conference.

And so for me, it really doesn't matter. Because as long as I'm here, you know, I hope they lose so that that draft pick keeps getting better and better and better. I love that.

Shelby Harris here with us. What does Gino Smith showed you? What does he prove this year? Man, you know, Gino really just proven what, you know, what he's always done.

It's just a factor. He just always needed a chance. You know what I mean? Like when you always brought it as a veteran backup and you know, you just expected to go out there and give me, you know, a couple of plays here, maybe a game here, a game there, it's going to be really be hard to see much. But when you see when you give them the keys to the kingdom and kind of let them play his game, this is, this is who he is. And so you see in a confident, you know, you've seen somebody out there that's, you know, nosy and always wanted a better quarterback in this league and he can go out there and make plays. You know what it's like to be a rookie in that transition. There's a lot of high expectations for Kenneth Walker. He's been really unbelievable the last three weeks, Shelby Harris. Man, he's been, you know, he's been special. Just the way he's, you know, as, you know, kind of assimilated to the NFL game and, and kind of just how he took took off, you know, after Penny got hurt. It's just, you know, obviously nobody likes to see injuries as a part of the game, but, you know, for a rookie running back to come in and not miss a beat, you know, it's very rare.

And I think, you know, his game is difficult for anybody to learn, especially, you know, rookies, but, you know, not just him, but I'll hold rookie class for everything that they've been doing. It's been truly special. Shelby Harris here with us for a few more minutes on the Zach Gelb show from the Seahawks. They're four and three. They have the Giants this weekend.

The Giants are six and one going to Seattle. How do you guys try to slow down Saquon Barkley? Because he's on, on the path to being the comeback player of the year in the NFL this season. Man, we got to get him stopped before he even gets started.

You know what I mean? And that's the thing about Saquon. Like once he gets a full head of steam and he starts jump cutting and going crazy, it's already hard to stop him.

So, you know, the whole thing, you just got to stop him, stop him before he even gets started and, you know, get penetration and try to get him down early. What's your view on Daniel Jones, their quarterback, who's also having a redemption season? You know, he's having, you know, he's having a, you know, a good season.

It kind of reminds me of the Jared Goff season with the Rams when I was 18 and 19. But, you know, he's, you know, he's been decisive. He's making his reads. He's using his legs to extend plays and to, you know, extend drive. And, you know, he's like, they're, they're doing it all, you know, running the ball, you know, they're throwing the ball when they need to. But like their team that, you know, everything's set up off the run. And so, you know, we just got to go up there and try to stop the run. I know that it's now the norm to have a dual threat quarterback.

He put up over a hundred rushing yards last week. How do you prepare for that dual threat ability like you were talking about? You know, luckily, you know, for us, we've played, you know, mobile quarterbacks, you know, you do have, we've played Russ, you know, we've played Kyler, we've had Justin Herbert. So, you know, we just have to rush smart, you know what I mean? And then like on the plays where he gets, gets out on quarterback scrambles, we got to rush together as a team and work together and keep them in the pocket. And then all those design quarterback runs, we got to rally to the ball and, you know, and lay hits on them.

And so they get out of that quarterback run stuff. This Seahawks team, Shelby Harris, it feels like it's a lot of fun and a great environment to be a part of. You've been in this league since 2014. Is this the most fun that you've had in the NFL so far? You know, this Seahawks team is different, man, but I feel like it goes with the city. You know, it's just like, for me, you know, the Sundays like in Seattle has been the loudest I've ever heard.

You know what I mean? Just like that, the fans, everyone's just so optimistic. They're really feeling it.

And then that's the same thing with the team though. You know, just the energy throughout the team and like, you know, just throughout the hallways. It's contagious, man. It's truly, it's truly contagious. And that's the thing.

Once you get that confidence ball rolling, who knows where it will take you. Well, it's been a heck of a story this year. You guys are having a great season. Appreciate the time and good luck the rest of the way. I appreciate you.

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