P Shawn Powell
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
On being signed after P Brian Moorman was released:
(Brian) Moorman was here for a long time and I am very grateful for the opportunity that I have been given. They saw something and I guess I came here to help our team win. We play the Patriots on Sunday. I am grateful for the opportunity that I have and I am going to make the most of it I can. If I can have half the career that Moorman had, it will be successful. A two-time Pro Bowler and all of that stuff. He was a role model to me when I was here and helped me to get better. I am grateful for him.
On if he kicked for anybody between training camp and now:
Oh yeah, definitely. About four days after I got released from Buffalo I kicked for the Jets. Then I went to Tampa Bay and worked out for Tampa Bay.
On if he was surprised by being called by the Bills:
When they called me I did not really think anything of it. I thought that it was the end of (Moorman's) contract next year and I thought they were just bringing me in to make sure I am still losing weight, still kicking and staying on top of my game. Just to keep tabs. It was a total surprise to me and a shock to me. I did not have the slightest idea. That is honestly what I thought. I thought it was to make sure I was doing everything I could because they might want to bring me back next year to fight for a starting job if Moorman did not re-sign and they brought somebody else in. Compete to see who would win it.
On how he performed in training camp: I feel like I did well for a rookie, an undrafted rookie. I could tell as the preseason went on, I got better. I am not trying to blow Moorman up or anything, but honestly he helped me out. He would see things on film or see me out here doing this and he would say 'One thing I noticed is I have to place the ball before I go to move.' That is one thing I really learned. Also, I watched him on film and watched the other punters on film as well because that is one thing that he did. As time went on I got better. I felt like if Buffalo did not work out, I felt like I did enough to get shots as well.
