Montgomery to Packers fans: 'Just chill'
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Ty Montgomery co-hosted Monday's Clubhouse Live, USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin’s live weekly football show.
Among the topics he touched on were Sunday's loss to the Vikings, the perils of playing football and finding an offensive rhythm. The show can be seen live at The Clubhouse Sports Pub & Grill in downtown Appleton or at clubhouselive.com.
Here are select and edited answers from the interview:
REPLAY: Watch Clubhouse Live with Ty Montgomery
RELATED: Montgomery making the most of limited role
Q: Aaron Rodgers famously told fans to relax following the Packers' 1-2 start to the 2014 season. What's your message to fans who are complaining about Sunday's setback against Minnesota and feeling anxious about the Packers' offensive struggles?
Montgomery: I'm going to go with chiiiiiiill - chill. The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. And as I'm sure a lot of you all remember – I wasn't here, but the 2010 season, there was a (two-game losing) streak and it wasn't the undefeated season we all hope for. And we still won the Super Bowl that year. So, just chiiiiiiill.
Q: You suffered a severe ankle injury last season. How do you deal with the danger factor of today's game?
Montgomery: My faith, and knowing that any play could be my last play. So why worry about that last play until it actually comes? If it's not my last play, it's going to be a big play, and then I get to keep playing. But when that last play comes, when God says my time playing football is done, then he's going to determine that time. But until then, I'm going to give it everything I've got. I don't have a choice.
Q: How long does it take for an offense to create an identity? In other words, why not have that identity forged during the preseason?
Montgomery: In terms of creating a team identity, and one that's genuine and one that really motivates guys and really describes and defines a team, you're going to need that time and how the team's playing to really determine what that identity is, rather than just trying to place a stamp on it.
Q: How do you want the identity of the 2016 Packers' offense to be defined?
Montgomery: Consistently explosive. And I definitely think we have that capability. I think if we're consistent and if we're explosive, then we're going to put the ball in the end zone a bunch of times. Explosive gains and explosive plays turns into points.
Brett Christopherson: 920-993-7117, or brett.christopherson@gannett.com; on Twitter @PCBrettC
