Q: Do you relish these days?
DA: Yeah, it's a different aspect of football playing with t-shirts on. So, you know, we get the pads on, strap it up and get a little contact, and it's a lot of fun.
Q: Bill Belichick said that you carved out a nice role for yourself last year. How do you build on that?
DA: Absolutely, that's what it's about – starting fresh each year, earning your spot on the team. My focus is what I can control and being there for my teammates and putting all the work in in camp and getting the most out of it, so that's what I'm focused on.
Q: How do you guys deal with what Tom Brady has going on internally?
DA: Tom is our leader. We come out each day focused on getting better, and that's really all we focus on.
Q: Is it easy to follow him in that regard because that's how he rolls?
DA: He's been doing it for a long time at a very high level. He gets a lot of guys going and we love playing with him.
Q: Is it possible for Tom to reach another level of focus?
DA: I'm not really focused on that, I mean I don't know. Tom comes out focused every single day and so do all the guys out here. One day at a time is really what it's about.
Q: For you personally what's the biggest thing you want to carry over from the momentum you built at the end of last season and the playoffs to this point?
DA: Just continue to get better every day and work hard and play with a chip on my shoulder and be there for my teammates.
Q: What is that chip on your shoulder? Where does it come from?
DA: I've always had it. It's the competitor [in me]. Everybody in this league pretty much has a chip on their shoulder one way or another for whatever reason it is. Whatever reason why people play it's just what brings you out to compete every day. That's what it's about.
Q: In the back of your mind do you tell yourself that some people still doubt what you can do on a consistent basis?
DA: Yeah, for sure. I don't read much into any of that but I come out and try to get better every day, work on something, try to perfect my craft, that's it.
Q: How is Jimmy Garoppolo a different quarterback than he was last camp already?
DA: Jimmy is continuing to improve. He's learning the ways of the NFL and he's going to continue to learn forever as long as he's playing so he's learning every day.
