Joe DeCamillis - Captain, raiders Event: Press Conference | Date: 2026-09-11 | Full transcript (primary source).
Joe DeCamillis spoke at a press conference for the Raiders on September 11, 2026, reflecting on the significance of the date in American history while also addressing the team's preparation for the upcoming season. The press conference took place shortly before the start of the NFL season, highlighting the anticipation surrounding the team's performance.
Transcript
DeCamillis: Hey real quick before we get started just want to say you know how important this day is to our country right 9-11 is a a huge huge a negative in our country but it's also positive so just want to make sure that we recognize all those who gave their lives for us and want to make sure that's something that gets out there because that's a really important day for us in my opinion so that's it go ahead.
DeCamillis: Yeah I was in I was actually well I was in New York for four years and you know had a lot of people that I knew that were in that building actually I think I had four people that died and one girl got out so it was it was pretty pretty shocking for sure my best friend his brother died in it so he honors him every week or every year this time.
DeCamillis: That's all right let's talk about ball man we don't have we don't have long enough time for that one that's for sure no it's just the anticipation of the guys playing you know you've practiced really really hard you try to make it as game-like as you could and you just hope that especially some of the young guys can can take what they've been in practice and show that during a game if that's if that's gonna happen we'll be in good shape but you just don't know how people are gonna react once they get out there but I think it's been a great camp it's been a great offseason and I expect good things from our guys.
DeCamillis: Yes yeah he's a you know I've said it numerous times he's a great worker he's a he's a big-time punter in the league he's a big-time leader for our team in my opinion extremely really smart guy and he gets football too he's not just a specialist he's a guy that gets football so it's a it's a real honor to coach him and hopefully we can keep him going in the right direction back to kicking the ball like he was when he was with you before.
DeCamillis: Do you think that he's gotten to that point now?
DeCamillis: He's had an excellent camp you know it's it's I think I said this couple weeks ago he's zero and zero everybody is right now so it's all gonna come out when we start kicking but he's had a great camp I think the operation's been really good Alex has done a great job AJ's done a good job and that's where I think you know if you're successful as a kickoff or as a kicker you have to make sure that your operation is is elite and that's what we're trying to get to.
DeCamillis: Their team captain going into the game you know on special teams what has he done for this team in particular over the last couple weeks or months with special teams and getting guys ready?
DeCamillis: Well I think the biggest thing is his passion for it you know like you can tell when he's when when guys are really really into it nice you know he's blocked punts in this league he's made tackles in this league already so I think the young guys look at him and say you know that's a guy that we need to follow and I think that's what he's accomplished up in his point he's been a great leader for so far and hopefully it continues that way.
DeCamillis: A big point of emphasis for you guys especially with some penalties that happened during the preseason games how confident do you feel that your team will limit those as much as possible heading into the game?
DeCamillis: Yeah it's a big emphasis you know going into the first game all the time you know when you look around the league I think Seattle had 10 last last Wednesday night and you know that's something that they didn't do last year so it's obviously a big emphasis for us but it's something that we've tried to control as much as we can you know that last game they did a good job and didn't have any pun of these thank goodness but hopefully that continues it's just something you got to work on all the time.
DeCamillis: Without you know revealing strategy how the kickoff could be so so much a weapon now the different things you can use how do you determine whether it's like hey just kick it off and it's or it's go for something try to be creative on this?
DeCamillis: Well I think part of it is you know it's it's so hard to just say we're gonna kick it out of the end zone now because you're getting the ball right at the 35 so you know you have to be a good kickoff cover team in my opinion and you know it's something we spend a lot of time on you saw it today it's something that we're gonna have to spend a lot of time on because it's a huge play now but you know I just think hopefully you can move the ball around enough that the returner has a little trouble catching it and you know you get him off his mark and off his spot but when it comes down to it's really a one-on-one game and you got to roll and make the tackle.
DeCamillis: Ideal kickoff in this scenario bouncing it into the end zone?
DeCamillis: Yeah obviously that's a you know you get it at the minus 20 right there so that would obviously be a huge play for us but that's hard to do man these these returners are really good at judging the ball and all those things so you know you don't want to put yourself in a position where you kick the ball out of bounds because you're trying to be too cute you know so at some point you have to cover and make the tackle that's that's the big key for us that's a big emphasis right now.
DeCamillis: You've got the work of some of the younger players on this roster throughout training camp and this week how have they how have you seen them grow from the beginning of training camp to now?
DeCamillis: Yeah hopefully they've gotten more confidence I think when you come in as a rookie a lot of times you know that's the biggest thing is do I belong and I think we've tried to instill confidence in those guys like showing them film and trying to trying to work them as much as we can and try to get that that confidence up going into this first game but you know we've had so many young kids here that that have put the time in and now it's ready to let it rip and see how they do.
DeCamillis: Thank you appreciate it.
