TITANS HEAD COACH MIKE MULARKEY MEDIA AVAILABILITY - Dec. 30, 2016
(on practice participation)
Did not practice was (Beau) Brinkley because of an illness, and then (Jason) McCourty is a game-time decision.
(on if an illness is going around the team)
Yeah, it's that time of the year.
(on if Beau Brinkley will be out for the game)
No, Beau (Brinkley) was out today.
(on if LeShaun Sims is out of the concussion protocol)
He's out of the protocol, yes. He's a go for Sunday.
(on the benefit of having LeShaun Sims healthy this week)
It's good to have as many guys up as we have for this time of the year. We have a lot of healthy bodies, which is good for this time of the year.
(on if he had a message for the team on the final day of practice)
I did, yep. No, I'm not going to share that one with you, but I can tell you it was a very good practice. It was probably one of our better Friday practices that we've had—lots of energy.
(on if the season flew by for him)
It went by fast, it did. It went by. I'm not ready for it to be over, to be honest with you. I really have nothing to look forward to right now. Yeah, that's where I'm at. It went by too fast.
(on if this team is special to him)
Yeah, a very special team. A lot of good things to remember from this year. You know, this is my 31st or 32nd year in the league—can't remember right now—but I've got about a half a dozen years that I can pull out. This is one of them.
(on if he is eager to watch younger players that have not received much playing time yet)
Like I said, we're going to play the game to win, OK? So the guys that have played the majority of the time will play the majority of the time. Again, how the game flows will dictate who's going to play and how much they play, but this whole intent is we're going to win the football game.
(on when Marcus Mariota returned to the building)
He got back today. He got right back from Charlotte. We're glad to have him back.
(on what it says about Marcus Mariota that he wanted to watch practice)
It doesn't surprise me. I wish he was dressed a little warmer, but it doesn't surprise me. He really wanted to finish that game. I know he wanted to finish the season with his teammates. The only way he can finish it now is to be out here and be in meetings. We want him around. He's a large reason why we've had some success this year.
(on if Marcus Mariota is sitting through meetings)
Yes, he is. Again, he's great for Matt (Cassel). He's like another coach in here.
(on if players on injured reserve have to sit through meetings)
No, they don't, but it doesn't surprise me about him.
(on Karl Klug's surgery)
It went well. He should be good. I think he'll be back when the players come back. Again, probably more like the OTAs. We'll just see, again. We're not going to rush him through for any reason in the spring.
(on if Marcus Mariota will be at the game Sunday)
Yes.
(on if Marcus Mariota will watch the game from the sideline)
Probably not. I'll have to make that decision. I haven't made that decision, but he is going to be at the game.
(on if it is important to Marcus Mariota to be at the game)
It's important to him, yes. It's very, very important to him.
(on if there was even a possibility Marcus Mariota would not be at the game)
I asked him. Before I could get the whole question out, he was, "I'll be there." It doesn't surprise me.
