Jim Bob Cooter - Offensive Coordinator, colts Event: 2026 Week 1 Media Availability | Date: 2026-09-08 | Full transcript (primary source).
On September 8, 2026, Jim Bob Cooter addressed the media during the Indianapolis Colts' Week 1 press conference, discussing the team's preparations and player developments as they gear up for the start of the NFL season. This media availability provided an opportunity for Cooter to share insights on the team's offensive strategies and player performances leading into their first game.
Transcript
Cooter: When it comes to Daniel, I think we always talk about his level play last year, things he's kind of been through, but at least in the media, at least myself, kind of gloss over all the stuff he's kind of been through. So from just getting on him over the last couple of years, what have you learned about his mental toughness, his mental makeup that allows him to make it look easier than it probably is? Yeah, yeah, man, if it looks easy on the outside, you know, everybody outside should see the work he puts in around here. Getting back from things, getting back from injuries and things of that nature, you know, unbelievably resilient, man, you know, really a lot of these guys on this team, a lot of the guys in the NFL are fighting back from different injuries and things like that, but to see the work he's putting in, you know, shoot in the training room, in the weight room, different, you know, recovery protocols and all the stuff that he does to get his body ready to go perform in an NFL game, or even in an NFL, you know, shoot practice, training camp, off season, all that stuff, to watch him sort of come back from injury and get himself back going, it's a very, very impressive, impressive thing, you know, he's been great to work with for us as a coaching staff and I think great for our offense and for, you know, just shoot for his teammates, for all of us in this building to see a great example of returning from adversity, of fighting through, you know, sort of problems, issues, injuries, and continuing to put the work in with the end goal in sight, to be able to go back out there and play football again. So he's done a great job attacking that rehab and everything that that sort of encapsulates and hopefully good for our whole team to see.
Unknown: Kent.
Cooter: Jim, Bob, you guys were able to score 38 last year against Mitter's defense against the Chargers. Is that a good thing as past prologue or is that, is that indifferent? Do we make too much of that kind of thing? Yeah, good question, Kent. I mean, I think every year is different in this league. Obviously, for us this year, playing coach Mitter with a whole different team and he's in a whole different place in his career, you know, past results, don't buy you one point when you show up on game day this week. You know, we've got to go earn everything we get this week and, you know, we've all said it, but week one is very unique in this league, no matter what the situation is, because you have a whole off season to prepare, you have a whole off season to self scout and do all that stuff and look back about what you did well, what you didn't do well, or could improve on the year before and shoot for, you know, coach Mitter. He's at a whole different place. He's operating year one of a program as a head coach. So he's got a lot that he could potentially change. So this game will not be a carbon copy of that game last year, two, you know, totally different defensive personnel. And I'm sure they'll have plenty of tweaks up their sleeve schematically, but ultimately we're super excited. It's week one NFL football coming at us and, you know, see kind of how we can start this year off. And I'm sure they're raring to go as well. So it'll be a fun matchup.
Unknown: Thanks, Jimbo.
Unknown: Kevin.
Cooter: Jimbo, not giving like rookie running backs come in and earn, you know, day one playing time. What has Seth McGowan showed you that hasn't been that conversation? Yeah, good question, Kevin. Seth has done a nice job of sort of taking on the challenges as they've been presented to him as a rookie running back. And that, you know, that starts early on in the off season with a lot of material that we're throwing at these guys to be able to learn and go out of the practice field and execute. And then from there to be able to react to what the defense does, whether it's a run play or especially certain blitz patterns and pass protection that can be challenging for all running backs, for any running back, especially young backs coming out of college who maybe haven't seen all those things. He has done a really nice job of taking on those challenges and doing a lot of things really well in those areas. And when he does make a mistake, which happens to all young players, fixing that thing so he doesn't make a repeat mistake. So we're excited about the beginning of his career here. I know he's excited to go play some real NFL football. He's done a nice job thus far, but there's a lot of work left to be put in for him. He knows that, we all know that, but shoot, he keeps taking on those challenges and we'll look forward to watching him keep doing that.
Unknown: Yeah, Jay.
Unknown: Jay and Bob, I feel like we don't ask you about JT all that much because it almost seems like we know who he is, but what has JT improved on over the last maybe year or so? And what are you looking forward to him taking that into Sunday with?
Cooter: Yeah, JT continues to improve in a bunch of areas really since I've gotten here. It's been really fun to watch a player at his level work at the level that he does, work with the work capacity that he does in different areas, right? Obviously, shoot, several years ago, it was a new offense, it was new verbiage, all that stuff, new footwork sometimes, different ways that we're protecting, different calls that we're making, all that stuff that you gotta learn, you gotta lock in on. He did a great job of that. As the years have gone, I've seen him work on different parts of his game, right? Different areas of the past game, different areas in protection, different, I would say run family schemes, sort of becoming more comfortable and then mastering the reads within those, the timing, the footwork within all those. JT is nothing if not a hard worker. He is working like crazy, kind of at all times to get better, to improve himself as a player. He's been really fun to coach, really fun to be around. The fans at home, if I could tell them anything about JT, just so impressive to watch him go put in his daily work and work on things that he wants to improve. I've seen him work on several different things that I've already kind of mentioned. I'm sure he's got more he's planning on, but we're excited to get into this season. I know he's really fired up for week one, heading into this 2026 season. It's gonna be fun to work with him again.
Unknown: Just a few more, chap.
Unknown: Jim, Bob, when you have a Tyler Warren and all that he showed in college, the things he did, different things, how does a player like that, specifically him, I guess test your ability to be creative with how many ways you can use him and maximize him and all that?
Cooter: Yeah, there's maybe a few less restraints with Tyler than some other whatever tight ends out there in the league. He's done so much, especially if you look back to his college career, we talked about it way back when we drafted him, but throwing the ball, running the ball, obviously being a receiver and blocking and all the things that a bunch of those tight ends get more reps of, but he is a versatile weapon. He's somebody that is mentally into the game and able to learn different roles each week, be able to put him in different spots each week and ask him to go execute different pass routes, different blocking schemes. There's a lot that he can handle. We try to take pride as a coaching staff of being as creative as we can be to do things that help our team go win games. He's really fun to dream up ideas for and sometimes we put him in the game plan, sometimes we don't, but he's a versatile piece. He's very knowledgeable, willing to sort of do whatever's asked of him to help the team and we'll try to sort of let him have at it this year with some things.
Unknown: Have you ever got to the point with you and Shane, you're talking and you think, nah, we're not gonna do that. Is there something that you wouldn't have him do?
Cooter: Well, there's not much, man. There's not much, especially shoot for a young player to be able to say that. That's quite a credit to him. He's so knowledgeable, so instinctive. Obviously the fans at home see all the big plays that he makes, but watching him work around here, watching his sort of process as he learns a new game plan and gets put in a lot of different roles. Those tight ends have been working together for several years around here. They do such a great job learning and going out and performing in that room. Shoot, we'll keep trying to think as, we'll try to push the limit as far as we can out there, chap. I'm sure we'll find it at some point where we say that is too much. That's too much for anybody, but Tyler's up to the challenge usually. If we can draw something up that's kind of cool and kind of out there and kind of creative, he's usually up to try it. It's at least worth a practice rep sometime.
Unknown: Appreciate it. That's it for today, Jim. Bob, thanks for your time.
Cooter: All right, thank you guys.