Shemar Stewart SOUNDS OFF on Bengals For Failed Contract Negotiations

Cincinnati Bengals On SI

Transcript

00:00Do you want to be on the field?

00:02Very bad. I mean, I've been doing this for most of my whole life and then all of a sudden it's gone

00:07over something very simple to fix. It's kind of disappointing.

00:11Have they given you any answers as to why they're choosing this year and you to set a new precedent?

00:19If I really wanted to say, yeah, I can't say what I really want to say, but it's their contract.

00:25They can do what they want with it.

00:30How important is it for you, do you think, from a player's standpoint, to be on the field for training camp?

00:35It's very important. I mean, you've got to get your body somewhat prepared to play football,

00:40especially me coming from college. The NFL is a way physical game, even though I play in SEC,

00:45which is very physical, but nothing compares to actually playing in the NFL.

00:49So I thought I'd be on the field by now. That's what I would have thought.

00:54What about your representation, family, friends?

00:57Obviously, you've got to lean on a lot of people to kind of get through a difficult time like this.

01:01What have they been telling you to help you?

01:05You know, just take it day by day. Pray to God.

01:09You know, he's always going to stand with me no matter what.

01:14And just know you're doing the right thing.

01:17Like, some people say, we all agree Trey will be right, right?

01:23But technically, he's still 1% wrong for being on the contract.

01:27So in my case, I'm 100% right.

01:32So it should be a no-brainer.

01:34And in Trey's case, I think it should be a no-brainer too.

01:37I mean, he led 17 and a half seconds for two years back to back.

01:41If I was the GM or I was the owner, I'd take all my money.

01:46But I guess they don't operate like that.

01:50Have you talked to Trey at all?

01:53I talked to him the last time he was here.

01:54But other than that, no.

01:56Has this experience soured your taste of the Bengals?

02:01I'm not going to say that.

02:02I mean, I'm still new here.

02:03We still have a long future ahead of us.

02:05What's your communication with Zach Taylor been like through this process?

02:11We talk here and there.

02:13Do you feel behind?

02:16Mentally, no.

02:18Physically, kind of, sort of.

02:19Not really, though.

02:20I still work out.

02:22I feel like I'm still in good shape.

02:24How do you make sure that you're ready to go whenever that time does come?

02:28Oh, I'm always ready to go.

02:30I've been staying ready to go.

02:32I mean, it's my job now.

02:34I got no choice whether you're ready to go.

02:36Are you optimistic is the wrong word, but is it realistic that you could practice tomorrow

02:42if something gets done?

02:43I mean, is it that quick?

02:44Do you think it's going to be like a light switch?

02:47Let's see.

02:48We got, what, 20 hours?

02:50Let's see what happens.

02:53I mean, Ricky Minkamp will be over at the end of the week.

02:58I feel like I assume it should be done between now and then.

03:04Hopefully, they get back on the field tomorrow.

03:06That's what I'm planning to do.

03:09But as in how far I'll take it, I mean, it just depends.

03:15Like, in my case, I'm 100% right.

03:18I'm going to ask for nothing y'all never done before.

03:21But in y'all's case, y'all just want to win an argument instead of winning more games,

03:23in my opinion.

03:24What kind of message does that send you as you try to go out and establish yourself at

03:29like, get ready in the league?

03:30What kind of message does that send you when it kind of goes out that way?

03:33It's just disappointing.

03:39Like, I'm not even the type of, I'm not, I've never been the person to ask for more than

03:46what I deserve.

03:47Like, I'm perfectly content with what I deserve.

03:50And I feel like you trying to implement something new to me is unfair.

03:56And I feel like I've been nothing but fair.

04:00Like, I'm not, I'm not asking for nothing crazy.

04:03I could understand if I was asking for more of my signing bonus, which I'm not.

04:07But like, they trying to do all this is crazy.

04:13Is going through the NIL process and kind of knowing what that negotiated, having that

04:17experience early on, does that help you maybe as you negotiate and oppose on what's your

04:21perspective, what it looks like, what this kind of business aspect of it is given?

04:25I don't know.

04:25I don't know what y'all, for me, I've never been like a crazy earner at NIL.

04:31Like, I always took what I got.

04:33Simple.

04:33Like, I've never been one to complain about it.

04:35I just took what I got.

04:36And now, I'm just trying to take what I get.

04:40And they're making it very hard.

04:42So, I don't understand.

04:43Is it, is it, so there are certain deadlines and triggers that y'all have.

04:47And y'all just, are you aware of kind of what all y'all have at your availability to

04:51you?

04:51Say that one more time.

04:52So, there are certain triggers as to when things need to be signed by, when contracts

04:55need to be done, what action can be taken on your deal, depending on when you sign

04:59and when you don't sign.

05:00Are you aware of any of those?

05:01No, I haven't really read up on it.

05:03Okay.

05:04Is it one of these things where you could see a scenario where it drags on, like, if

05:07it doesn't, like, it goes into the season?

05:09Oh, oh.

05:10I hope not.

05:11Oh, I hope not.

05:13Just earlier today, there was Walter Nolan, the 16th pick, that signed his deal.

05:17Is that something that, you know, you look at other guys in the draft and you try and you

05:21kind of look at what their figures and their contract are and that's something that you

05:27go to the Bengals with?

05:27No, I'm not.

05:30I don't want nothing more than what I deserve.

05:33The way you've been doing it, just keep it the same way.

05:35I don't care what nobody else is making.

05:36I don't care how much money they're giving up.

05:37I don't care.

05:38Just give me what you've been giving everybody else.

05:41Simple.

05:42Sorry.

05:42I'm sure no one's more frustrated about this than you, but do you have a message to the

05:46fans who might be frustrated not seeing you out there yet?

05:50At the end of the day, fans are going to be fans.

05:51They're going to be mad at me.

05:52They're going to love me.

05:53One day, you're going to hate me the next day.

05:54So, no matter what I say, they're going to love me now and somehow find a way to hate

05:59me tomorrow.

05:59So, Bengals fans, I'll try to get out there as fast as I can.

06:03I promise.

06:03Is there any veteran that you've kind of grown close to or watched and like the way they

06:10work or somebody's taken you under their wing?

06:16Surprisingly, you know, it's just been me and Mac.

06:18You know, I know I'm more comfortable with him because, you know, I've been, I knew him

06:22since I was 18 years old coming into college.

06:24So, I've seen what he, how great of a leader he is.

06:27You know, I just follow his lead on everything.

06:29How underrated is he, you think, in terms of what he brings to the table?

06:32He's very underrated, you know.

06:33I feel like he's a great leader, a hard-working person, you know.

06:38And I feel like the more, the harder he works, you're going to see the outcome.

06:43I know business is business and football is football.

06:45But have the veterans said anything?

06:47Has there been any reaction at all with your situation?

06:50It made it very easy when the people in your locker room say you're doing the right things,

06:55especially the star players.

06:58It just put it as that.

06:59So, stars in here, I'm not asking names, but stars have said, do what you're doing.

07:03Yeah.

07:04How tough mentally is it?

07:06Because obviously you've got to prep.

07:07There's a lot of pressure already.

07:08Like the day you got drafted to come in and produce and all that stuff.

07:10Now all of this on top of that, how tough is it mentally to kind of handle it?

07:14Uh, it's very tough mentally, you know.

07:16I've been playing football every year since, I want to say, third grade.

07:23And then all of a sudden, it's just gone.

07:27And then on top of that, I'm isolated in the hotel room by myself.

07:30My family not around.

07:32The people I love are not around.

07:34You know, I have no option but to be in my head about things.

07:37And like, start losing my mind a little bit.

07:39You know, I just got to pray sometimes, get.

07:42Try to take my mind off it.

07:44Just take my mind off of football for a little bit.

07:47You know, just cut off some TV.

07:48Try to relax.

07:50I would say, is there anything else you do besides, I mean, is there anything else besides all that that kind of helps you?

07:54Talk to my dad.

07:56Talk to my mom.

07:58You know, they really, they really helped me.

08:00I saw you were working out at Black Sheep.

08:02How did you get connected?

08:03Was that through Joe?

08:04Or was that something about them?

08:05Uh, McKinley actually told me about them.

08:08So, ahead of my boy Patrick.

08:11Patrick's been trying to kill me ever since.

08:13But, it's definitely some good work, though.

Category

Transcript

Recommended