Green Bay Packers Linebacker Quay Walker made a concerted effort this offseason to channel his intensity to the field.
(Via ESPN) Walker became the first player since 2000 to be ejected twice in one season. He was ejected against the Buffalo Bills last season after shoving a practice squad player on the sidelines, and his second one came against the Detroit Lions in the last game of the season after he pushed a trainer. Walker was fined for both incidents but never suspended.
Walker talked with ESPN Staff Writer Rob Demovsky about how he hopes to control his emotions in the heat of the game:
“To be honest with you, this entire offseason I thought about the two ejections,” Walker said. “It was hard giving myself grace on that, but at the same time I’ve moved past it. The past is the past, and I’m just ready to move forward and just learn from it. Of course I can say that, but I have to do it by my actions. So I’m just ready to go from there.”
Walker is working to channel his inner beast and began doing this in the offseason with the help of All-Pro CB Jaire Alexander.
Green Bay Packers LB Quay Walker began meditating this offseason.
Quay Walker began meditating this offseason with the help of Jaire Alexander after his two ejections for shoving last season.
Alexander often sits at the base of goal posts well before games for a moment of calm. That’s Walker down there doing the same today. pic.twitter.com/hEy8Q0NCe0
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 10, 2023
This is a good step for Walker. The ejections were a vital learning experience for a young rookie player. Walker is a ridiculously talented player, but those were two instances where he hurt the Packers.
Those incidents were a rare occurrence because players don’t get ejected for shoving non-NFL players, and to see Walker do it twice, he had to work hard to channel that fire and emotion positively.
Walker, as mentioned before, meditates, and talks weekly with Dr. Chris Carr, the Green Bay Packers director of performance and team behavioral health
Walker did make an impact for the Packers last year, as he had 121 total tackles, five tackles for loss, and four QB hits in 17 games played.
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