Nick Sorensen - Head Coach, cowboys Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-10 | Full transcript (primary source).
On September 10, 2026, Nick Sorensen addressed the media in a press conference for the Cowboys, discussing the team's focus on improving their return game and reducing penalties as they prepare for the upcoming season. Sorensen emphasized the importance of technique and discipline in their play style, reflecting on the team's performance and areas for improvement.
Transcript
Sorensen: I don't think it was a concern. I think it was just things we wanted to emphasize on. We loved our play style, how physical we played, how hard the guys played. I think the main thing that jumped out is we just wanted to be better in the return game. And I think one of the main reasons too was just the penalties. So that has been a big stress for us this offseason is being really good with our hands, being mindful of that, and really getting our blocks with our feet. So that was one of the main things.
Sorensen: No two were the same, to be honest with you. No two were the same. Some of them were close. We just got to be better. We just got to be clean with our hands and really focus more on having tight hands and really using our feet to make the blocks. Because that's where a lot of times you get in trouble. You get your hands outside, especially if you're at the point of attack. Sometimes it was just decisions if you're in trail, like chasing somebody. If you get beat, you just got to be smart enough to just, hey, I got to turn up and go block somebody else. So there were a few different ones. And no two were really the same. We just know what we needed to emphasize. And it was really all those things.
Sorensen: Probably that. Probably that. And then also, you know, they had some change. Just like everybody does, there's new players. Obviously, you can look at Chris Horton and his history and John Harbaugh. Obviously, they always stress special teams. I have a ton of respect for how his teams have always played in Baltimore. They play with a lot of effort. They play very physical. We like to pride ourselves on that. So it's just a really good matchup. And it's just a matter of, you know, how are the new guys going to, you know, what's he going to carry over from last year? Because kickoff was slightly different. And then what little tweaks with some of the little changes with the rules. So we'll find that out. That's kind of the challenge. But that's exciting.
Sorensen: He was productive. He just kept winning. I mean, he just, whether it was in the vice on punt return or even getting his blocks on kick return. And then every time that, you know, you don't get that many opportunities in a game. So you evaluate practice. And we had a lot of competitive periods in practice that we would grade and score and put guys in those positions. But we also had the two joint practices. And he just strung together like a few really good weeks of being productive. And he's got size, speed, length. And he was just, he just kept winning. And he did a really nice job.
Sorensen: Yeah, he was definitely one of them. I think Mingo took a big step. Eliza Clark carried over from last year. I think going from year one to year two, he stepped in and did a really nice job last year as an undrafted guy when he got his opportunity. And then just guys improving like Shamar. There's always that big jump that you want to see from the rookie year to the second year and that you should see. And I think all those guys like Shamar, Eliza from year one to year two have improved. Brevin's always consistent. Hunter, Marquis, all those guys have been great. And PJ Lock stepping in. I know he does some stuff on defense too. But as a special teams guy, he's got a lot of history there. And then, like I said, speed coming in and producing like he has. I think Mingo took, like I said at the beginning, Mingo took a big step in how we knew he could block really good, but just seeing how he can cover. And he feels punts really nice. So he's a good guy to have, you know, back there too as a depth guy too.
Sorensen: Yeah, we meet extra. He's really eager. I think so much of it as a rookie is just totally new. Everything is completely different. Like punt is different, so therefore punt return, I'm talking about from college to pros. Kickoff is different, so kickoff return is different. So not only do these guys probably not do a lot of it, maybe they did like three or four years ago, like in Anthony Smith, he had some gunner clips when he was a younger player at ECU, but they don't, they hadn't done it in a few years and it's totally different. So it's really just putting in the extra work, whether it's obviously during practice, when you're on the look team, but also we do a lot of pre and post practice stuff too and just getting reps, get more comfortable with it. But I think he has everything that you'd want, like the mentality, the size of speed, he's very competitive too. So I think he's going to be just fine.
Sorensen: We will monitor it going forward. Obviously if, you know, you're always looking at rep counts and stuff, but he's such a huge part of what we do on special teams and Shadi's, he's all about us winning on special teams also that we use him in a smart way anyway, I think. But what he does on punt and kickoff for us, especially last year, the jump he took to be, you know, really one of the top tacklers in the league. You know, we'll be smart when we can, but we definitely need him.
Sorensen: Well, I think the roster decision, it changed because you're going to lose guys and then now there's spots to fill. One of the main ones coming out of last season was CJ being gone too. So like that Gunner spot was a big one that, hey, we were very honest. It's open competition. Even though Elijah had done it in the past and Flo had done it in the past, we're saying, hey, these are two spots that are up. So we, like I said, we had as many competitive chances as we could to where these guys can showcase on both sides of it, whether it's the Vice or at Gunner. So he was consistent. Elijah's been consistent. Mingo's done a nice job. A lot of guys have been really competitive. And then, you know, Flo's done it. But again, that's a guy that, to refer to your Brevin, it's the same idea. You can only use him so much. So you just got to be leery of that and do what's right for the team.
Sorensen: Oh, yeah. I mean, a lot of it, you know, we got a block better. Hopefully, we get more opportunities on punt return. I think he only had nine returns last year. Some of it's the plan, but also it's just us with our technique. But I think, you know, hopefully, it's going to be a really big year for him.
Sorensen: Well, they understand you have to show them, you know, show them, you know, how it hurts us because those become, it's almost like a DPI, or, you know, they become not just 10-yard penalties or 15-yard penalties. You're erasing what could have been a, you know, 40, 50-yard return. Now they're going to go ahead and take a 10-yard holding call from where at the spot of the foul. So that could be a 40-yard penalty. So we just, you know, show how it affected us, affected the team, and then show versions of what we want it to look like, and then just wrap it in practice.
Sorensen: You mean take the hits, like, try and run through somebody or take, like, oh, go ahead and be aggressive and bounce one? Yeah, take that 20 yards. I think I can peel it back to the backside again. I think it's hard to judge too much of that because they're in there, and this stuff is going so fast, and you don't want them to hesitate. You know, we want to run through the smoke on kickoff returns. We're going to design blocks a certain way, but they could, you know, you could have leverage on a block, and they could press into that leverage, and now you've got to flip leverage, and he'll run off your back. So his main thing is he obviously has great speed, but his instincts and toughness are, you can't take that away from him. His instincts are so good, it's hard to teach that with guys. And I think that's what makes him such a great returner, and he's so well respected, you know, throughout the league. That's why you see a lot of guys trying to putt away from him, pun it out of bounds and, you know, trying to really paint the sidelines on kickoffs and stuff. So really with him, it's just a trust factor. We trust him. He's proven it, and, you know, we just got to block really well for him, and hopefully he can just beat one and maybe beat another guy and go all the way.
Sorensen: Yeah, we're definitely in communication about it. It depends on the situation, but so far it hadn't been a huge issue. He's really tough. He can fight through stuff, and they're aware when he's back there of what the return might be, you know, going into a drive. So that's one of those things that they're aware of.
Sorensen: Just stay consistent was the main thing. I mean, obviously we know he's got the leg, very accurate. We was really just having a consistent plan, which we start talking about after the season, and then when they come back in the off season, I think getting his contract was, you know, a nice calming thing for him. Put him in a good head space, even though, you know, he kicked really, really well last year. So it's just about a consistent thing with him. Stick into his plan and stay into it.
Sorensen: He doesn't change much, no. Not really. I think it's just, you know, a big blessing for him and his family, but he's a pretty consistent guy.
Sorensen: Improving kickoff coverage, I think it starts with us covering the ball, you know, covering where it's kicked. So it's when most of these, you can't be too creative with it based on how the alignments are. So it's really just winning your one-on-one, if you have a double team, you got to fight through it and not just avoid a space because most of the time, wherever that double is, that's where they're trying to design the return to be. So it's really technique, mindset, the fundamentals of that. And then with Brandon, we just get specific to where he wants to, where we want the ball to be placed. And it's consistent. He can be to that. Obviously when you have outdoor games, it's different. So we talk about that too. But, you know, we're in communication with that. He's usually pretty easy going with right or left kicks and the placement and stuff like that. He's not real picky about it.
Sorensen: I think it just goes to show the respect they have for him. Anyone that gets voted captain by their teammates, that's a huge honor. It means a lot.
Sorensen: He'll use it when he needs to. Yeah, he's just so steady. And the guys, everyone has the supreme confidence in him as they should.
Sorensen: Yeah, I think it's awesome. I mean, he's always been a guard for us on field goal. You know, he doesn't get much penetration. He's tough guy. He's smart. He knows when things look different there. There's only so much you can do on field goal rushes. But as far as being a stout guy, really consistent for a while on that field goal protection. Again, that's a play that's points every single time. So he's been great.
Sorensen: Yeah, he's been awesome. I mean, he came in and did a heck of a job last year when he played. And he can do a lot of different things for you, which is cool because he's a running back. So he has the speed and the vision so he can help out if you need him as a returner. But he also can block. He's tough. And he can really kind of cover in a lot of different spots on kickoff coverage. And then he also played PP for us. He can play wing on punt. So him having that flexibility and the trust that we have for him, he can play a lot of different spots on punt return too. So someone like that that's valuable to our offense and valuable on special teams takes it serious, plays one way the whole time, 100 miles an hour. You love guys like that on your team.
Sorensen: Thanks, guys.
