Cornerback Sean Smith and Saftey Reggie Nelson
While the Oakland Raiders season ended Saturday afternoon as a result of their 27-14 loss to the Houston Texans, the 2016 campaign officially closed Sunday, following the final team meeting of the year.
Following the meeting, the players packed up their lockers, and said their final goodbyes, reflecting one, last time on the Silver and Black's season.
Let's see what the players had to say:
Quarterback Derek Carr
"Our team is going to be back. We're going to add pieces like we do every year. I just got done meeting with [quarterbacks] coach [Todd] Downing on the things I need to be better at. The things that were on there, the good things were really good but the things I need to get better at are the things I'm going to work my butt off. That always stays between him and I, but I'm going to work my tail off to be better next year."
"It just hurts because I love our team, I love our coaches, I love our fans and I love playing this game. God blessed me with a right arm, thankfully, because I don't know what else I'd do, to throw a football. So, I love playing this game. I think that's the part that hurts the most. I just wanted to be out there, but we'll be back there."
Long Snapper Jon Condo
"Physically, I thought we were pretty good, except for some injuries that we had there toward the end of the year. For the most part, we were a pretty much healthy team. Mentally, I thought we were healthy. We went in and it just was a disappointing finish. I mean, I'm proud to win 12 games. We've done some great things this year, but unfortunately it just didn't end up the way we wanted it to end up."
Quarterback Connor Cook
"I'm a lot more comfortable, obviously, in our system that we run. Coming in in OTAs and mini-camp and training camp, it was still a whole learning process. I feel like I've grasped the stuff that the coaches are asking of us right now. I just feel like my comfort level is a lot higher."
Running Back Latavius Murray
"This year we were able to do some good things. We made it to the postseason and obviously when you do that, you give yourselves a chance to play for a championship. We were one of 12 teams to be able to do that. I think we just need to continue to do the things that we did since Jack [Del Rio] has been here. He's done a great job and everyone has just been buying in. I think just continue to trust and embrace the process that he has."
"You have to always look back and evaluate or think about things that you could have done better as a player. I'll always do that every year. But, as far as allowing that to play into me getting better or me looking forward as a player, I won't let that waver at all."
Safety Reggie Nelson
"I think we grew together pretty good, to be honest with you. I mean a group of guys, first time playing together, I think we did a tremendous job of communicating and getting the defense down pat, and just playing together as a team, as a whole."
"It's very disappointing standing here, looking at y'all. It's disappointing man, there's no words you can use to explain it. Obviously you want to continue playing and advance to the next round, but things didn't work out that way this year, and we just got to comeback ready to get after it again."
Wide Receiver Andre Holmes
"I knew it was going to be a good game. Basically all year, I went out there and made plays on special teams and everything. I felt a lot of confidence, especially in big games, in primetime games. I have played well in those. I knew it was going to be a big stage and I feel like that's when I play my best."
"We had full confidence every week in practice. We felt confident we were going to win the game before the game. It's just a different feel out there when we couldn't move the ball like we're accustomed to. It made it tough."
Tight End Lee Smith
"Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I feel personally like I could've helped this year and be on that fourth game. It's hard, it's hard to sit back and watch all the hard work you put in for months, and months, and months to not to be able to put forth for an entire season."
"I'll be rocking and rolling, I'll be running around… that's what stinks for me and Derek, we'll be kind of running around shortly after those guys play in that Super Bowl. It is what it is man, that's life, so we'll both be rocking and rolling by the time we get back in April."
Linebacker Perry Riley, Jr.
"There's a lot of grit in this team, the want to, practicing, studying, getting ready for the game. Everybody took pride in it, from the young guys to the old guys, they have great leaders and an all-around great bunch to be around."
"It was definitely different, I had been in Washington for six years, so I became comfortable, familiar, with the scheme and the coaches, everything. Just to come here in Week 5 and have to pick up everything on the run and kind of learn on the fly, it was different. It was a challenge and it was a challenge I accepted head on and I think that I did a good job at getting it done."
