‘Had To Get Myself Together’

PHILADELPHIA – For the better part of his rookie season, Eagles cornerback Mac McWilliams has seen the game through a different lens. When he’s been active – McWilliams has dressed in four of the Eagles’ nine games — he’s played sparingly. His first defensive snaps came in the team’s Week 8 blowout win over the Giants, with McWilliams accounting for seven reps.

ITB PHOTO/ANDREW DICECCO: Eagles rookie CB Mac McWilliams experienced Lambeau Field and the frozen tundra for the first time in his life in Week 10.

Game days are mostly spent watching his teammates from the sideline, but the approach never changes for McWilliams, who continues to work diligently behind the scenes to prepare throughout the week. His position has gotten a bit crowded since we last spoke, with Jakorian Bennett returning from injured reserve and Michael Carter acquired via trade ahead of the deadline, but McWilliams is wired to remain ready whenever his number is called.

As part of a season-long Inside The Birds “Rookie Diary” series, I’ll be checking in with Mac McWilliams every week, learning more about the first-year cornerback and chronicling his rookie campaign.

On Thursday, we chatted for our eighth installment.

Andrew: Let’s back up things up a moment, as it’s been a bit since we’ve caught up. How was the bye week?

Mac: It was great. Went back home, chilled with the family for Halloween and it was a great time.

Andrew: I know you like to say when you’re not playing football, you like to be near water. Were you able to make that happen?

Mac: I definitely got into the water. I went to Pensacola Beach and, you know, chilled out there on the jet ski with my granddad and it was a great time.

Andrew: Are you someone who likes to completely unplug and get away from football?

Mac: Facts. Yeah, football guys, all we do is come in here and work on football, watch football, study football. Everything’s about football when you get here, so just having that time to relax your mind and reset, man, that’s a big thing. I think all guys need to get away from football a little bit, just to rest your minds and get back to your normal roots.

Andrew: You mentioned  before that the best advice you’ve ever received was, ‘Keep you head down and keep working.’ Who was that person?

Mac: My older brother Fish, actually. Ever since I was little, I really wasn’t the biggest guy. I was always underestimated and things like that, but having a big brother like Fish, he made sure that he kept a good word for me. Always made sure I was critiquing me for the good things and the bad things. So, just seeing him grow up and watching him go about his daily life, I’d say it impacted me a lot.

Andrew: What were your impressions of the legendary Lambeau Field?

Mac: It was great, man. Real history down there. It’s a lot of history. So, the environment was great, the environment was great, the crowd was great  – and we got the dub, that’s the most important thing. So, I was happy about that.

Andrew: Did you have a chance to get out on the field early and take in everything?

Mac: No, I actually didn’t. I wasn’t able to. I’m ain’t gonna lie; once I got in the locker room and I went outside, it was so cold out there, I had went back inside and I had to rechange myself. Had to get myself together, get my mind right just to go back out there.

Andrew: I know you’re someone who’s played in heat so you know how to handle that. What are your methods for handling cold?

Mac: For me, it’s my mindset. If you got a good mindset, it don’t matter if it’s rain, sleet, snow, hot, cold … it don’t matter. You gonna go out there, play and do what’s best.

Andrew: In practice, are you still cross training outside or more so focusing solely on inside?

Mac: I’m still focusing a little bit more on inside.

Andrew: And how do you feel that’s going?

Mac: I feel like it’s going good. I still got a long way to go, it’s just a steppingstone for me right now and I’m just trying to build every day.

Andrew: What was it like being around Jaire [Alexander], and was he someone you watched as you were coming up?

Mac: Oh, yeah. Always. He was a great cornerback; he’s gonna go down as one of the best cornerbacks to ever play the game. When he came in, I was very excited for him, seeing an idol like that. When he came in, we met the first day, and we clicked. Just me telling him the things that I like about his game, and he’s giving me the insides and out of playing cornerback. And it was a great time. Whatever he does, even if he don’t decide to play to play no more or he do decide to play, I’m all for him.”

Andrew: I know he wasn’t here long, but what’s the biggest thing that he taught you in that short time?

Mac: Just being yourself. He come in here, he’s gonna be himself every day. When he goes out on the field, he’s gonna give you the best – he’s gonna talk trash. He’s gonna do whatever needs. So, just staying confident and believing in yourself.

Andrew: Not counting the Linc, what’s your favorite stadium you’ve played in?

Mac: Um… I’d probably say the “Bounce House” [home stadium of Central Florida, where he played].

Andrew: The Bounce House … talk to me about that.

Mac: It’s crazy, man. I ain’t gonna lie. Especially once you get a sold-out crowd, you actually feel the stadium shaking. We had a little tunnel thing that we had before we ran out, so the stadium is right there, and you can hear the student section, and they’re jumping. And you can feel the whole crowd moving.

Andrew: Now that you’ve had an extended pause, what perspective do you have on the first half of your rookie season?

Mac: I’d just say maintaining. It’s a long season, it’s different from college, now that I see that we’re literally just starting our real season now. So, I’m just taking everything in day-by-day, and just going with the flow.

Andrew: That leads me to my next question. What’s the biggest difference for you from the college game to the pros?

Mac: The length of the season. Definitely. Right now, you’ll be seeing guys going to the college football playoffs, some guys not playing no more after a few weeks. But football’s just getting started.

Andrew: How have you prepared yourself for that longevity?

Mac: I’d just say making sure I’m critiquing myself, on and off the field. Coming in the training room and getting my body right, make sure I’m getting the proper sleep. You know, doing the necessary.

Andrew: You mentioned before that you focus on getting your mental right. How do you go about doing that?

Mac: It’s just an everyday thing. Reading, listening to other guys. Taking stories in and just trying to critique their stories and try to apply them a little bit to mine.

Andrew: Bit of a heavier subject, given the sad news out of Dallas last week. What’s your view on the mental health aspect in sports? Is that something you’re a big proponent of?

Mac: Definitely. I feel like your mental health is one of the biggest things that you need in this life. Sorry for the guy that lost his life to what happened; I don’t wish that on nobody. You just gotta have the right mindset, you gotta talk to people. You can’t hold everything inside on yourself. You can’t say the things in your head that’s bad. You gotta talk to somebody. It’s always people here around you. That’s why I’m glad I came to Philly, because it’s a lot of great people here that’s gonna help you can keep you on track.”

Andrew: What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

Mac: You know what’s crazy? I never had a job before. Never. Always football. Football and school.

Andrew: Wow. So, your family never made you get one?

Mac: I never worked a 9-to-5 in my life.

Andrew: We’ve talked before about CP [Christian Parker], but we haven’t talked enough about [cornerbacks coach] Roy Anderson. How has he helped your game?

Mac: He’s helped me a lot. I still come in with coach Roy at 6:30 every day, we come in and meet. We making sure that we go over the plays I had in practice and things like that. And he’s critiquing me, like I say, just like C.P. He’s critiquing me on the things that I need to get done and the things that can help me improve my game.

Andrew: What’s one thing you’re working on this week as you look towards Sunday?

Mac: It’s the same, old thing. I’m gonna be the same guy, I’m focused on keeping my mental up and keeping the guys up. We got a big game this week, we got Detroit coming in. So, we’re just focusing on the little things and critiquing ourselves. Ups and downs.

 

— Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com