Jeremy Ross Wants To Keep Job As Return Man, Not Daunted By Competition
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK - The Detroit Lions have made no secret of their intention to consider a number of options for the return man position after wide receiver Jeremy Ross underwhelmed in that role last season, but Ross said Thursday that his situation is no different now than it has ever been.
"Someone's always coming for your job, regardless of who's here, in this business," Ross said after the team's OTA practice. "You may not see him here. He may be on another team. He may be sitting at home. You never know, so your mindset has to be, 'Man, I'm always trying to work.'"
A few months ago, new Lions special teams coordinator Joe Marciano announced in comments to season ticket holders that the return job would be up for grabs. Then Detroit used its second-round draft pick on Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah, who had success as a return man in college.
Ross said he did not give much thought after last season to what decisions coaches would make in terms of bringing in players at his position. Ross said he received some positive feedback from coaches at the end of the season, but they also gave him some constructive criticism.
"As [with] any coach, they tell you the things you did well and then they tell you things you need to work on," Ross said. "So it was kind of half-and-half, 50-50."
During the practices open to media, the Lions have had a number of players other than Ross returning kicks, including wide receivers Ryan Broyles and T.J. Jones, but Ross said he cannot worry about that.
"You've just got to stay focused on what you can control," Ross continued. "I think when you get so concerned with circumstances or things around you, that's when you start getting shaken, but if you just focus on one thing, what you can control, it's like, 'Hey, I'm going to just control myself, get better and things going to take care of [themselves].'
"If I go out there and I'm not giving my best, and then I'm not the return man, that's on me," Ross continued. "If I give my best and give everything I got to be the best that I can be, and I don't get it, hey, more power to you. You just better. That's all you can control is just yourself."
Last season Ross averaged 8.9 yards over the course of 32 punt returns and 25.4 yards over the course of 23 kick returns. In his first season with the team, in 2013, Ross averaged 15.5 yards on punt returns and 24.5 yards on kick returns, and twice he scored touchdowns on returns.
Ross knows the return job might go to someone else, but he will definitely aim to keep it.
"It means a lot," Ross said. "I definitely want to be back there. I love being the return man. I love doing punt returns, kick returns. It's an exciting place to be, get to make a lot of big plays for your team, so it's definitely important, something I want to do."
