Jimmy Farris returns. The fourth-year wide receiver signed with the Redskins on Thursday and participated in his first practice. He was with the Redskins in 2005-06. Farris spoke with Redskins.com and assembled media on Thursday after practice:
Q: Except for preseason, you've been out of football since 2005. Was it tough to be away from the game?
A: "I always try to look at the bright side. When you're away, you get a chance to really think about things and how much you love what you do, and it kind of puts things in perspective. One thing I say about myself is that I never take the game for granted. Those chances are few and far between. Being a fan at home, watching games every weekend--itwas tough. So it's nice to be back."
Q: You caught two touchdown passes from Jason Campbell against Baltimore in the 2005 preseason. Is that chemistry going to help the transition?
A: "I think so. We both came in here the same year, and we were both down on the depth chart a little bit. So we had a chance to work together a lot in the 2005 preseason and all of offseason in 2006. I think we have a natural chemistry. He throws a very catch-able ball. He's a guy who's easy to adjust to as a receiver. We hooked up a couple of times [Thursday] in practice. It felt like I was gone a week."
Q: You're buddies with Terrell Owens, right?
A: "Terrell is one of my long-time buddies, probably one of my longest and best friends in the league. He kind of took me in my rookie year when we were in San Francisco and moved me into his house. He gave me all of his old extra clothes and stuff. We actually talked last night. He gave me the classic T.O. catch-phrase, 'Get your popcorn ready.'
Q: Why did T.O. give you his clothes?
A: "When I was a rookie, I came in with no money. I was undrafted, I didn't have any money. He had this big laundry room in his house that he would wear something one or two times. Being a bachelor, he would just run it through the wash and dry it, and it would shrink up. He's a big tall guy, so the Double X-sizes and Triple X-sizes would shrink down to fit me. At least once a month, he would say, 'Yo man, go get those clothes in there.' So I would go in there with a duffle bag and just load up. I was in Terrell Owens hand-me-downs my entire rookie year."
Q: Do you still have any of the clothes?
A: "Yeah, of course. Back then, I was a big sweat-suit guy. I still have a couple of those sweat-suits that I wore three or four times a week. He always makes a joke that if I wore size 14, I'd be in all of his shoes, too."
Q: Do you find it ironic at all that the team went out to acquire Brandon Lloyd, and now the team comes back to you with Lloyd out for the season?
A: "I've looked at it a lot different ways. I'm just a guy who has stuck around and hung in there. One thing I always remember Joe Gibbs telling me when he has released me in the past is, he always says, 'If I could give you any advice, hang in there. Stick in there as long as possibly can, because you're a guy that a lot of people would want. Always be ready and just stick in there, and good things will happen. That's what I've done. I've been released more times than I count, but I just like to play. I like to work out. I like to be around the game. I stayed active as much as I could so that when I got calls like this, I was ready to go."
Q: Did you think you might get a call late in the season?
A: "You never know. You either get teams that need help like this situation, or you get a team that is completely out of it and decides to bring a couple guys in to see if they can grow in the system. This is a special place to be, so I've kept those relationships. I've called Al Saunders and Danny Smith at least once or twice a month to tell them I'm ready to go if they need me. I think it paid off."
Q: What's the biggest difference you see in Jason Campbell compared to the last time you were here?
A: "You know what, the first thing I noticed was in warm-ups and pre-practice, I saw how much more of a command he has in the huddle, of the offense and the team. Even in himself. You see a guy who knows he's the starting quarterback. He's a legitimate starting quarterback in the NFL and he has had some success. He acts like it. He carries himself like it. That's the biggest difference I see. He's confident where he's going with the ball. He has always thrown a great ball and he has always been accurate. He's definitely different from the last time I saw him, that's for sure."
