Head coach Dan Quinn spent his Friday at the ESPN Campus where he joined the sets of* SportsCenter, *NFL Live and NFL Insiders.
Here are five things we learned from his ESPN analyst debut:
1. Navy SEALs workouts helped shape the Falcon standard: A few weeks ago, the Falcons went through four days of Navy SEALs training, in which they were truly pushed to their limits. Coaches and players also participated in classroom sessions that were focused on developing mental toughness and the value of teamwork.
"They nail standard better than anybody," Quinn said of the Navy SEALs. "They helped us create our own Falcons standard. That attitude of being relentless and staying together, that brotherhood that we're trying to connect with, it was awesome."
2. Year 2 Will Feature More Speed and Intensity: Now that Quinn has one year under his belt, he's hopeful that he and his team will continue to build on the core philosophies that have been implemented in Atlanta.
"Defensively, we'll play with more speed and intensity," Quinn said of expectations for the upcoming year. "Offensively, we will relentlessly compete."
3. Quinn Looks to Longtime NFL Coach Parcells for Guidance: Growing up, Atlanta's head coach said he watched Bill Parcells coach the New York Giants, and now Quinn said he often talks to him about the vision of his team.
4. Leverage-Based Tackling at the Core of Atlanta's Defense: Quinn has implemented a specific type of tackling that he expects from his players, one that makes the game safer and is solely reliant upon fundamentals.
"We are a leverage-based, shoulder tackling team," Quinn said. "We really emphasize the strike zone."
5. Falcons Incorporating the 'Get Comfortable With Being Uncomfortable' Mindset: During his demonstration of how he uses boxing during practice, Quinn explained why it's beneficial.
"Developing the fighters mindset, being comfortable being uncomfortable, being relentless," Quinn said. "To me, that's where the great teams connect."
