Jack del Rio faces new challenges as the new head coach of the Paris Musketeers. 

During the new weekly interview format "ELF - One on One", the US American explains his long-term plan for the French team. The successful coach also looks back on some great moments from his long NFL journey.

ELF: Going back to your playing days, coach, you were obviously not just a great coach, but before that you had a pretty iconic playing career at USC. You got inducted into the USC athletic hall of fame a few years back. You were a linebacker. What makes a linebacker a good linebacker?

Del Rio: “I think there's an instinctual element, because you're basically a hunter. Or a modern-day gladiator. You go out, and you prepared, and you diagnose, and you attack and you perform. And linebackers are about performance, about production. It's not about, I really blocked that guy hard or destruct that guy really hard. No, who cares? Running back just ran by you. So, you have to be productive, you have to be a playmaker. And in many ways, linebackers are the heartbeat of the team. They're involved both in the front and in the passing game. So, you have to be great in responsibility when you're playing linebackers.”

ELF: Last year, the Musketeers went with a linebacker as one of their American import spots. Do you have a philosophy on how you want to spend those American spots on offense and defense?

Del Rio: “That's part of what we're working through right now. We definitely will have a quarterback that's American. One of the things that will be important to do for this organization going forward is to develop a pipeline of young players that are growing at different positions, including quarterback, so that in the future we'll have a French quarterback. 

There's no reason to think that that can't happen. It's just a matter of time. That’s the developmental phase and that's also kind of forward thinking. But to me that would be tremendous to get done. But right now, the way we set up our four spots, we’ll do the best job we can do for the final roster, what we think makes the most sense for us, and then go forward.”

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ELF: Is there anyone in particular in your coaching career that has had a big influence on you as a coach?

Del Rio: “Well, you take a little piece of everybody that you've been with. You really do. Mike Ditka gave me my start. So, I'll be forever grateful for Mike Ditka. Tony Dungy was my mentor and basically kind of pushed me to like to consider this as a career. So, I owe him a tremendous amount of debt. I played for Jimmy Johnson and Danny Green. Different guys impact you in different ways. And then as a coach working with Brian Bellic, where we won a Super Bowl in Baltimore in 2000, you're with different guys like that and they impact your career as you go. So, I'm very grateful for those relationships.”

ELF: How is coaching under Mike Ditka

Del Rio: “It was fantastic. He is so passionate. And that's one of the things I want to bring in - passion. Hopefully you feel that a little bit. There's a fire burning. I still want to compete at the highest level. So Mike was just incredible. Probably the most generous man I've ever known. Has a big heart. He's just awesome.”

ELF: What are your thoughts on the NFL playing international games? It's been pretty exciting for the football community over here in Europe that they've expanded?

Del Rio: “It’s global now. And I played in Japan, I played in Germany, and I coached in Mexico. And really just wonderful opportunities to grow the game and to have our fans get an opportunity. We have fans throughout the country. Throughout the world that love American football. So, it's great.”

ELF: Are there any players in the NFL during your coaching career that really stood out to you?

Del Rio: “I think I've played and coached with over 40 Hall of Fame guys. So, I've been around some real dudes, some absolute studs. I grew up as a Raiders fan and then when I played against Joe Montana of the 49ers it blew me away. I had to become a fan of him. I couldn't become a fan of their team, but I was a fan of him. Brady came along and did some amazing things, but Joe Montana was just so smooth. It was velvety smooth and always in command. Joe Montana made a mark on me, for sure.”

ELF: You were a Raiders fan as a child, and then you become the head coach of this organization as an adult. What did that feel like?

Del Rio: “I grew up, and we played a high school championship game in the Oakland Coliseum. When I was eight-, nine- or ten-year-old, my dad had tickets. He took me to the games every now and then. It was like a dream to be able to go back and be the head coach of the franchise. I've met with John Madden several times. God rest his soul. What a great man, what a great ambassador for the game.”

ELF: What was that experience like to win a Superbowl and what was so special about that team?

Del Rio: “It is amazing when you win a championship! The bond is crazy, even now we got together. It’s a special relationship. When you see guys, you know immediate, you will hug and found memories. But I would just say that experience of winning a championship is one of the things, that is for your lifetime. 

The amazing thing about that team: In all four playoffs games in total, we gave up one touchdown on defense. Just think about it. And we went up against the best the NFL had, and we destroyed them. The other thing, amazingly, as you look back, we were underdogs in every game. So I guess the message is, you go compete and anything's possible. 

And we did it with Trent Dilfer who was a highly drafted quarterback who didn't have a great career. But what a great dude. He led the charge, was smart with the ball, and he made timely plays. And Brian Bellic did a masterful job. He was the head coach, and he was an offensive guy, but he recognized where our strengths were, and we played to them. That was an amazing time.”

Watch the full interview here