Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn addressed the media Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
His first topic of discussion? The Falcons’ devastating loss to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI, during which his team blew a 25-point lead in the final 17 minutes of regulation before losing in overtime.
Quinn didn’t wait for reporters to ask about the crushing defeat. He brought it up himself in his opening statement.
“I am past it,” Quinn told reporters after saying he has rewatched the Super Bowl “a lot.” “I am not over it. I don’t think I ever will be, and that’s a good thing. I think sometimes those kinds of experiences propel you to have the types of offseasons that you like to have.
“The analogy I use for our team (is) we’re fighters. For those who cover our team on a regular basis, you know we talk about boxing quite a bit. And we got our ass knocked down on the canvas. You get back up, and you go fight again, and that’s kind of what this offseason is about for us.”
Atlanta held a 28-3 lead with just over two minutes remaining in the third quarter before its defense wore down and its offense sputtered thanks to mistakes and poor play-calling. New England scored 31 unanswered points to pull off the largest comeback in Super Bowl history.
“You have to own that — the calls, the things you could do differently,” Quinn told reporters. “That’s not unlike most Sunday nights for me where I wrestle in all three phases — could there be something different? And as the head coach, those are the moments I do have to own.
“What I can tell you and share from that experience (is) this connection with our team and this brotherhood these guys have, it is so real and so strong. I love these guys. I’m pumped to be a part of it.”
Thumbnail photo via Bob Donnan/USA TODAY Sports Images
