Marc Raimondi
MICHAEL PENIX JR. knew early on. It was final spring throughout voluntary organized group actions. The rookie quarterback had simply gotten his locker project on the Atlanta Falcons facility in Flowery Department, Georgia.
On to Penix's proper was veteran security Jessie Bates III, an All-Professional who takes notes on two totally different iPads throughout movie research.
Penix was the Falcons' backup quarterback in 2024 and sometimes, in observe, would go up towards the first-team protection, led by Bates. In a single 11-on-11 interval final spring, Penix noticed Bates break on one in all his passes even earlier than the vast receiver.
After observe, whereas each had been altering at their lockers, Penix leaned in and requested Bates what he noticed on the play.
“He is like, ‘I simply noticed the receiver wanting that manner, or a sure method or the best way that we had been working the routes,' and simply small stuff like that,” Penix stated. “As a result of when he is again there lurking, he is in a position to do no matter he needs. It's scary for a quarterback.”
It was a beneficial studying expertise for Penix, a welcome-to-the-league second earlier than he ever took a regular-season snap. Penix continued to select Bates' mind all through the season, and Bates was greater than prepared to take the promising QB underneath his wing.
Later, Penix realized that his budding mentor-protégé relationship with Bates was, partially, orchestrated by the teaching workers.
“I really feel like [there] may've been some thought into placing me subsequent to him so far as whoever makes the locker room assignments,” Penix stated. “So, positively make the most of that. At all times asking him why he felt like he ought to have drove on a sure ball.”
There are only a few issues executed by NFL teaching staffs with out some type of intention. Locker room geography is one thing organizations think about, particularly in the case of the place to put promising younger gamers.
Penix wasn't the one rookie quarterback adjoining to a brainy veteran security final 12 months — J.J. McCarthy was subsequent to Harrison Smith within the Minnesota Vikings locker room. Philadelphia Eagles six-time Professional Bowl cornerback Darius Slay requested his locker be subsequent to then-rookie nook Quinyon Mitchell final season. In New England, No. 4 decide Will Campbell, an offensive sort out, is at present being mentored by Patriots locker neighbor Morgan Moses, an 11-year veteran on the similar place. The Dallas Cowboys have strategically positioned group leaders within the corners of the locker room going again to the Jason Garrett period.
“It occurs rather a lot,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris stated of intentional locker assignments. “A few of it is public, a few of it isn't.”
Morris, who has coached within the league on each side of the ball since 2002, stated a part of discovering the suitable match is enjoying newbie psychologist, which he isn't totally snug doing. Nonetheless, Morris did pair up rookie edge rusher James Pearce Jr. and veteran cornerback A.J. Terrell Jr. within the Falcons locker room this season. Morris was on the Atlanta workers in 2020 when Terrell was a rookie. Pearce has a quiet demeanor off the sector like Terrell did then, Morris stated, so the coach has paired them up within the locker room, as effectively.
“I hate to try this, as a result of I am not certified,” Morris stated of enjoying psychologist. “However I am positively ok to pair folks up.”
PUKA NACUA'S LOCKER was positioned subsequent to that of Los Angeles Rams proper sort out Rob Havenstein throughout Nacua's record-breaking rookie season in 2023. Havenstein was one of many oldest, most-tenured gamers on the group and Nacua confirmed deference to the 6-foot-8 veteran.
“I used to be subsequent to ‘Massive Rob,' and it wasn't my obligation to deliver ‘Massive Rob' towels, however I at all times did,” Nacua stated.
Rams All-Rookie defensive finish Braden Fiske ended up in that neighborhood of the locker room final season as a rookie. He discovered himself rubbing elbows with Tremendous Bowl winners Havenstein, quarterback Matthew Stafford, vast receiver Cooper Kupp and tight finish Tyler Higbee.
“Cooper was a giant one final 12 months that I might speak to,” Fiske stated. “How did he make that leap in Yr 2 of his profession? What was one thing that elevated his recreation? And a whole lot of that was the food plan. That is a whole lot of what I applied into my offseason. I used to be tremendous lucky to have these guys in my space of the locker room.”
That space, in reality, has change into prime actual property. It even has a nickname. Rams gamers have dubbed it “The suburbs.”
“We've got acquired a superb group of vets over there,” Fiske stated. “They've executed their time. They're residing life lavish.”
Rams coach Sean McVay stated he sometimes lets Brendan Burger, the group's senior director of apparatus, assign lockers, as a result of “he is acquired such a superb really feel.” McVay just isn't a believer in retaining the offensive gamers in a single place and the defenders elsewhere.
“A lot of the times are damaged up the place it is offense-defense separate, and to simply be capable to create that pure interplay and appreciation for one another — not unique to only one aspect of the ball — that is type of what goes into it,” McVay stated.
As a rookie, Nacua was additionally close to cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, a veteran he used to go up towards every day on the observe area.
“It is at all times enjoyable post-practice to come back and be like, ‘Alright, what had been you pondering proper right here after I lined up towards you and I doubled up on the line of scrimmage and then you definately jab this fashion?'” Nacua stated. “So having a [defensive back] subsequent to you is one thing that you do not actually think about within the locker room, but it surely's additionally actually enjoyable as a result of you might have some nice conversations.”
San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan does not have two gamers from the identical place group sitting instantly subsequent to one another in any occasion except it is the observe squad or when the roster is at 90 gamers.
“I put a whole lot of thought into it,” Shanahan stated. “I like to combine all the things up, since you're at all times along with your place teams, you are at all times in rooms with 'em.
“Place teams are at all times going to be tight. You aren't getting too many alternatives to cross over. You are at all times competing on the sector, typically combating. So I believe it is necessary to combine everyone up.”
The Falcons had been so pleased with the Bates-Penix association that they've rookie cornerback Billy Bowman Jr. subsequent to three-time Professional Bowl proper guard Chris Lindstrom this season.
“For Penix, it was extra like, ‘That is what a professional seems like,'” Morris stated. “I do know you bought [Kirk Cousins in the quarterback] room, however here is one other professional from the totally different aspect of the ball that you just most likely did not even know moved this fashion. And it is simply at all times issues that you are able to do for folks and that they will see to assist them be the most effective model of themselves.”
McCarthy was sandwiched between Smith and vast receiver Justin Jefferson as a rookie final 12 months in Minnesota. And professionalism is what stood out essentially the most.
“Their day-to-day routine is one thing that's extraordinarily helpful,” McCarthy stated. “Simply with the ability to observe as a younger man is likely one of the greatest issues for any younger participant coming into this league.
“So, I really feel like constructing relationships with these guys goes to be one thing that I carry with me for the remainder of my profession.”
#49ers Trent Williams turned his locker into the VIP part 😂#ProBowlVote Trent Williams pic.twitter.com/2fdMXJqYrq
— 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙎𝙁𝙉𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙨 (@TheSFNiners) December 11, 2023
When Moses was a younger participant with Washington, his locker was close to future Corridor of Fame sort out Trent Williams'. It wasn't instantly subsequent to Williams' — “he had three lockers!” Moses stated — but it surely was shut sufficient to select up some suggestions and recommendation from the three-time first-team All-Professional. Now, Moses is paying it ahead with Campbell and the Patriots.
“Not saying I am at [Williams'] caliber, however the years I have been in a position to play, simply with the ability to sit beside Will within the locker room and be capable to speak over seems — we'll move the iPad backwards and forwards, bounce questions,” Moses stated. “That is what you want as a result of that brings camaraderie and brotherhood.”
THE COWBOYS HAVE been strategic about locker areas going again to Garrett's tenure as coach within the 2010s. Extensive receiver CeeDee Lamb resides at a locker as soon as held by tight finish Jason Witten and guard Zack Martin. Offensive sort out Terence Steele is in a nook spot as soon as held by defensive finish DeMarcus Lawrence. Cornerback C.J. Goodwin and defensive sort out Osa Odighizuwa are in nook lockers as soon as occupied by offensive sort out Tyron Smith and linebacker Sean Lee, respectively. Working again Miles Sanders, a free agent signee, is now within the spot close to the gear room that backup quarterback Cooper Rush as soon as held.
New Dallas coach Brian Schottenheimer has added a few of his personal wrinkles, although, together with placing move rusher Micah Parsons close to the center of the room subsequent to quarterback Dak Prescott's locker.
“Two of our greatest gamers, put them collectively,” Schottenheimer stated. “There's additionally different issues we're doing in there the place guys are competing daily in numerous issues that we have type of put in there, however simply they will problem one another in a great way. … There is a technique to the insanity.”
In some circumstances, gamers who've some leverage due to their standing on the group could make particular locker requests. Famously, Patriots legend Tom Brady requested the brand new star participant he'd be throwing to — vast receiver Randy Moss — be subsequent to him.
Slay petitioned that Mitchell be his neighbor final season, which led to Mitchell being among the finest rookies within the league because the Eagles gained the Tremendous Bowl. Eagles basic supervisor Howie Roseman informed Mitchell on draft evening: “I would like you to stay subsequent door to Slay. I would like you to sleep subsequent to Slay. That is your man.”
“We speak rather a lot about life, and he simply offers me life classes, and it interprets onto the sector,” Mitchell stated in 2024. “In the course of the video games, I am asking him what he is seeing and what he thinks is arising throughout the subsequent collection. I lean on him rather a lot.”
The Cincinnati Bengals just lately shook issues up of their locker room, switching the line of defense and offensive line areas. The offensive linemen at the moment are nearer to Joe Burrow and the opposite quarterbacks.
“Everyone walks previous me once they are available, once they're out,” Burrow stated. “So, I am saying hello to everyone. It has been good to have [offensive linemen Orlando Brown Jr.] and Ted [Karras] proper there. These are my guys.”
Do locker assignments matter an important deal? Can they make the distinction between successful and shedding? Some gamers are skeptical. In a number of circumstances, the dynamic can change into poisonous. New York Jets vast receivers Keyshawn Johnson and Wayne Chrebet had lockers subsequent to at least one one other in 1997 and they didn't get alongside in any respect. They would not even acknowledge one another when each had been doing media on the similar time. Johnson, in his e-book, referred to Chrebet because the “group mascot” and later stated evaluating the 2 was like evaluating “a flashlight to a star.”
“I believe whenever you look that deep into it, you might at all times discover good, unhealthy or nevertheless you wish to,” Bears defensive sort out Grady Jarrett stated. “On the finish of the day, I nonetheless acquired to line up and play my protection as known as.”
However that will not cease teaching staffs from a minimum of giving some thought to the place gamers are located of their locker rooms. The Falcons imagine it has paid dividends in the case of Penix. Bates grew to become a giant a part of serving to place Penix for the position he is in now: Atlanta's beginning quarterback.
“I can break it down in a lot element,” Penix stated of his and Bates' conversations final 12 months, “however I will be speaking without end.”
Extra reporting by Todd Archer, Ben Child, Sarah Barshop, Wealthy Cimini, Courtney Cronin, Mike DiRocco, John Keim, Tim McManus, Mike Reiss, Kevin Seifert, Nate Taylor, Katherine Terrell and Nick Wagoner.
