De’Von Achane – December 1, 2023
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Friday, December 1, 2023
RB De’Von Achane
(How much pain was there the last couple weeks? How much mobility limitation was there?) – “It wasn’t much pain. It was just me basically, just me getting my confidence back up and me knowing that I can go out there and give 100 percent. I just wanted to get to it and get it 100 percent. That’s all. It wasn’t like pain or anything.”
(Do you feel back to normal?) – “Yes, sir.”
(Was there any concern at all in the process that surgery might be needed? Was that a worry of yours?) – “No, there wasn’t any concern about that.”
(So basically soreness and mentally, you didn’t feel comfortable with that?) – “Basically we were just going by the day-to-day process. When I went out there, it kind of like shocked me a little bit. It wasn’t nothing too bad, it was basically just me being more confident in myself and being confident that I can go out there and perform at a high level.”
(How difficult has it been to be sitting out after sitting out?) – “That’s always the hard part because I love football. I always want to be out there on the field with my teammates. That probably really was the main part, just me trying to get back on the field and help my team.”
(Have you had a knee issue ever before in high school or college?) – “No, this is my first time.”
(You guys could have the most running backs that you’ve had healthy all season with you, maybe Chris Brooks, Raheem Mostert and Jeff Wilson Jr. What could that do for the offense in situations, the play-call and everything?) – “It does a lot. Like you said, there’s a lot of us and we all can go out there and perform. We all can go out there and be productive. It just makes it hard for the defense to gameplan on just one or two running backs.”
(One thing Head Coach Mike McDaniel told us this week is thankfully there was no risk with this particular injury of making it into something super, super serious. Was that comforting to hear from doctors?) – “Most definitely. That’s always the main thing when you get your MRI, basically just worrying what it’s going to say. The fact that I didn’t need surgery and it wasn’t just horrible, that was a good thing. It’s always good to hear.”
Mike McDaniel – December 1, 2023
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Friday, December 1, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(With S Jevon Holland, if you could please give us a little clarity. We know he injured one knee against the Jets. How did he injure the other knee and is he going to be able to play Sunday?) – “Same play. It was one of those unfortunate things that him cplaying at a very high level and playing fast, that happened. He’s been aggressively going after his rehab. He knows right know that he’s playing the best ball of his career and when players are in those situations, they definitely are as eager as they ever are to play. With Jevon, we have to be very smart knowing really what he means to our team as a leader, as a player, and what he’s able to do in our scheme. We’ll be assessing him. I will be very cautious and not afraid to be the patient, wise one, if it makes sense. However, I first let players tell me with the best way they can speak, which is through seeing them as opposed to what they say. I’ll be watching him closely. We’ll be communicating and if he’s not vulnerable to setbacks, he’ll be out there. If he’s not quite ready, we’ll wait another week. But I’m very happy how he’s responded this week from those issues.”
(Any update you can give us on T Kendall Lamm and T Terron Armstead there for left tackle?) – “They’ll both be practicing today, and we’ll be assessing that. This week in particular, it seems like there’s more of those situations where we’re kind of having to go all the way down to the wire to kind of feel things out. It’s not something that surprises you once you start entering into December. For this team, I think we are fortunate, I guess, in having these reps. I think in situations like this, your training from all the way back in April really shows through. I think these are times down the stretch of the season, in my mind, why we put such an emphasis in the Spring and training camp because it’s inevitable with the rigors of the NFL season, there’s going to be situations where your guys are going to have to be healing during prep week to be able to put their best foot forward on Sunday. Quite honestly, I wouldn’t bet any scenario with either one of them just because I wouldn’t want to lose the money because I have no freaking idea. I think the collective group has gotten to a comfortable place. It comes down to their commitment and Butch (Barry) and Frank (Smith) and Lem (Lemuel Jeanpierre) and all the guys working tirelessly over the long haul that allows us to kind of be comfortable and operate as an offense even with those unknowns. I know one thing. There will be a left tackle that will be majoring in blocking on Sunday. What number that is, we’ll see. But they’ll both be practicing today and we’ll assess.”
(How about RB De’Von Achane?) – “He’s playing.”
(And OL Robert Hunt?) – “I don’t know on Rob Hunt, but optimistic. Good week of practice.”
(There are many, many OL Isaiah Wynn fans out there and they’ve all been asking us is there a chance, is there a realistic chance that in January he might play a game for the Miami Dolphins? Or was the quad injury such that you have no expectations that he will be able to come back this year?) – “He is in a category for me where I’m letting the timeline play out. It’s really not on my radar. That’s not because it’s inconceivable. It’s more because I don’t want him to instigate a setback by arbitrarily – he’s doing a great job. I hung out with him a little bit in the weight room while I wasn’t lifting weights yesterday, and he’s in good spirits and diligently working. As far as those possibilities, I’m not thinking about it. That doesn’t mean it’s not a possibility. It’s just that, I don’t think that renders the best results for him. He’s diligently working and we’ll consider that when it gets a little bit closer if it does. But I can’t say yes, I can’t say no, really.”
(I feel like we’ve asked you versions of this question in the past. But now that we’re at the same point last year at 8-3 going into December, it’s worth refreshing. How do you think the experience is from this time last year, last December, then also what’s transpired this season, prepared you for what’s to come here in these important games coming up?) – “I have really two things to kind of set my feeling towards what you’re speaking of. (We were) 8-3 last year and you go through something that’s very, very difficult, which is having to fight in the last game to even get in the playoffs when at 8-3, that’s not really what’s on your mind. So you’re very interested in how people use that. For me, it falls right into the way I look at how to do everything, which is, for us to say that’s a bad thing or a good thing, it has to do with how we respond to it. I have two examples. That’s Wednesday’s practice and Thursday’s practice. Those lend me to believe that we have a committed football team to make right those lessons learned last year, to make that last year actually purposeful, as opposed to just we let opportunities slip through our fingers. We possibly could have had a home playoff game and we messed that year up. I felt this week with the players that that hurt cut deep, deep enough that there’s a completely different mindset this practice Wednesday and this practice Thursday. Night and day difference from last year. And that’s what you want. If you’re going to go through it, you want it to be of some purpose. I see a team that understands what it means to build during the season, to continue the growth as a team so that we’re our best version of ourselves when it matters most. I see a team that is excited to play together. I see a team that is used to the spotlight or the headlines and that isn’t enamored by that. I see a team that takes the Washington Commanders as serious as every other team that we’ve played this year and a team that’s excited to go compete against them. And that’s the only thing on their mind. I’m very proud of where our team’s at because our team is connected to each other, plays hard for each other, invests in the responsibilities for one another, so that they can truly take advantage of each and every Sunday, which, we only have a finite amount. Each one of them is very special. There’s a lot of people that pay really, really good money to come watch us do what we do and this team seems to not take any of that for granted, which gives you the opportunity to be your best self, which is all that I care about.”
(This is going to be QB Tua Tagovailoa’s 12th game in a row. It’s the longest stretch of games he’s played in his NFL career. And when you consider the work he did this offseason to make sure his body was ready for a full season, what have you noticed about your quarterback’s physical nature over the past couple months?) – “You’re always happy when people get results from diligently working at something, whatever it is. So you go and attack what you can control in the midst of a ton of narrative about yes you can, no you can’t, all this other stuff. He worries about one thing, and that’s alright, well what’s the problem? Staying on the field. What can I do to fix it? And that’s all he worries about. It doesn’t surprise me that we’re in the position we’re in at this point in the season where he’s played 12 games in a row because I’ve never seen someone attack an offseason with that much – it’s not a chip on the shoulder, he was just so motivated to control what he can control. So motivated. So, it doesn’t surprise me. I think the results speak for themselves in that way. Football is a game where you can’t predict really anything that’s going to happen, but you can control certain things. I think he’s done an unbelievable job of that. Just really proud and happy that we’re at this position in the season with him playing 12 games in a row because I know how much he directly has to do with it. And it wasn’t an easy position for him to be in. But what he did do is take himself as a man, as a player, to a different level within that commitment. It affects everyone. I think his confidence with his ability to stay healthy, guys can feel (that). We’re just very fortunate that our quarterback is wired the way he is from a mental standpoint because I’m not sure if you guys are placing side bets, but there’s a lot of people that were betting against him. He knew that and as a result, he gets better from everything good, bad or indifferent.”
(I wanted to ask you about Washington Head Coach Ron Rivera. Is it difficult going against a coach that is rumored to be on the way out and it’s the only Latino coach and one of the few minorities in the NFL?) – “Rumors. To be honest, to survive in the National Football League, for me at least, rumors don’t exist. We’re in a tough business that there’s a lot of people that would love to have the opportunities we have. As coaches, everybody knows that gets into it that you can hear rumors when things aren’t going well and you’ll get a lot of high fives when they are. The bottom line is when I see a team that their players are playing hard week in and week out, things haven’t totally gone their way as they would expect I would assume for the entirety of the season, but I don’t see players wavering. That speaks everything to me about who coaches are. I see a team that plays really hard for their coaches, that believes they have the right people. If I’m thinking about anything but how to prepare our guys for this opponent, you’re kind of wishing results that you don’t want upon yourself. I have a ton of respect for him as a coach. He’s been doing this at a high level for a long time. I’ve gone against him when he was in Carolina or this game, so I know they’re going to bring their best. He’s going to be as prepared as anyone and if we for a second look at this team as anything other than an opponent that really wants to beat us, we’re going to be setting ourselves up for failure. So I see a football team that can beat whatever team they play each and every week. And they’ll do that to us if we allow that.”
(Have you ever shot the free throw or three-pointer on the hoop in the team meeting room? How good are you? Who do you think’s the best shooter on the team that you’ve seen?) – “It really hurts my ability to sarcastically talk (expletive) if I participate. I feel like I can relate to you guys on like, you should make that shot. I don’t take the shot and then judge people for that. So I’m really outclassed athletically at all times in my profession. I know that and lean into it. You’re not going to see me participating, but I definitely have opinions on who’s the best shooter. And that’s the great thing about being a head coach, you can just be like, ‘Yeah I would dunk on you and you’re going to have to take my word for it.’ (laughter) That’s kind of how I operate. But the guys get pretty competitive in there. No one’s even asked me to take shots to be honest. Let’s keep it that way, alright? We don’t need that. (laughter) The way that I look at it is they’re not going to listen to a guy with a broke jump shot. So I’ll just tell them that it’s good and hopefully they believe me.”
Robert Hunt – November 30, 2023
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Thursday, November 30, 2023
OL Rob Hunt
(What’s this process been like for you watching all this and actually being dressed for a game and not playing? That goes back to your rookie year.) – “That was weird for me. Being dressed and not playing kind of sucked. But the guys have been doing a really good job of being smart and myself being smart with the situation. I’m thankful that we did it that way. To get back in a jersey and on the field felt good because I’ve been out. I haven’t been there. Being dressed made it feel like I was having a step in the right direction. This week, hopefully we can take it the way we usually do.”
(As a veteran, as a guy who has been a warrior who’s played every game, do you understand Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s standpoint of basically saying I’m resting or holding you guys out until elimination games? Games that ultimately would decide your fate in playoff seeding and basically December games.) – “I don’t know about all that. But I do know if a guy is not healthy and we’ve been honest with each other and the training staff and they know we’re not healthy, I agree with the situation of just let’s take care of this the right way early on and then we’ll be ready for whenever we have to make our real push in December and January. I agree with whatever Mike has going on and the training staff and I follow their plans. Like I said, whatever they need me to do, I’m here to do. Take it step by step, day by day.”
Tyreek Hill – November 30, 2023
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Thursday, November 30, 2023
WR Tyreek Hill
(What is your reaction to Kevin Fitzgibbons getting suspended?) – “It was something that I already knew. Me and K-Fitz, we’ve got a long history together. The news is something that I already knew. I told him don’t let this get to you. Just hold your head up. You’re still young. Continue to do what you love. Me and him are going to continue to work together. I told him I was going to cover his salary, whatever the NFL was going to pay him or whatever. I told him I was going to make sure that I do what’s right and take care of you, make sure you’re not out of a job. That’s my guy.”
(Did you try to get in contact with the NFL in any type of way?) – “Oh yeah, I did. I did. I did. I went through every avenue. But they’ve got their reasoning and I was just like, look, you guys have your reasoning. You guys already have your mind made up so that’s it. That’s all I can do. There’s nothing that I can say, ‘hey, I’m going to sit out or not do this or do anything.’ Those guys already made a decision and they stuck with it. So as men, we’ve got to abide by what they say.”
(You commented a couple days ago saying that you think that this current Dolphins team is better, more talented, than your Kansas City Chiefs team that won a Super Bowl. I was wondering if you can elaborate on that. What sticks out to you about this team being even better than that team?) – “Just look at the stats, man. The stats speak for themselves. Also, the salary cap. That’s all I’m going to say on that. A lot of people may not want to agree with me, but they know I’m right. They can be like ‘oh, we have this player.’ So what? Look at the salary cap and look at the stats this year. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
(You guys were 8-3 last year and then lost five straight games. Why do you think you guys are in better to shape to avoid that this year?) – “Man, we’ve added a lot of guys, a lot more veteran guys who really understand the situation we’re in. We’re definitely in a better spot. Obviously we’re at the same point we were at last year. Coach just has got guys flying around the ball more, more attention to detail. It feels different this year. We’re on a roll right now. It’s a beautiful thing to be a part of.”
(Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker said that you are the best wide receiver that he’s ever been around.) – “For real?”
(Yeah. I mean, obviously even better than Randy Moss.) – “Oh, wow. He said that?”
(Yes. He said you were better than Randy Moss.) – “Well, I’ve just got to accept the compliment. That’s awesome for your position coach to say something like that. But I believe he was just saying that so he could get me to practice though. (laughter) I believe he was just saying that to try to get me to practice.”
(But cheetahs don’t get hurt though.) – “Yeah, cheetahs don’t get hurt. Right now, I’m just soaking a little injury right now. But I’ll be alright though. I’m going to shake back quick. That’s what I do.”
(I’ve got a question about RB Raheem Mostert. Do you think he’s underrated?) – “Yes. Obviously, he’s been on a lot of teams. People didn’t value him the way that the Miami Dolphins value him. Not even the last team he came from which is the 49ers. He’s a real good asset to this team. The leadership that he brings each and every day. He’s just a tremendous guy to have on this team. I obviously love having other fast guys on this team so it’s a beautiful thing.”
Frank Smith – November 30, 2023
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Thursday, November 30, 2023
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(With left tackle sort of uncertain for Sunday, what skillset about T Kion Smith made him appealing to you, Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry and Head Coach Mike McDaniel? What does he do well?) – “Very athletic. Good initial movements. Has lower body power. Like everything, when you come from a smaller school and you display those physical traits, sometimes it’s just getting the consistency to really be able to dive in and learn the why of things. That’s why his training camp, he really devoted a lot of time with (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) Lem (Lemuel Jeanpierre) and Butch and really worked on understanding deeper components of the offense and what defenses are doing. We’ve been very pleased with his development. He also gives us versatility. Because again, he plays guard, tackle, and that’s kind of the nature of how we built the group is having guys who are versatile. He’s been doing a really good job for us.”
(Obviously you guys have a long history with T Terron Armstead in terms of him playing hurt or playing through things. Where is the comfort level with him continuing to do to that, especially with his quadriceps injury and how he performed against the Jets?) – “I think just so much is to the makeup of him. Just knowing him from when he was a rookie in New Orleans when we drafted him to now, he’s just a very consistent person. He understands the physical tolls on a game and what it’s going to take, and his preparation and how he goes about his business and his drive to be one of the elite players at the position, I think. That just all takes into pushing through things to get yourself to game day to be there for your teammates. He’s a consummate teammate, a consummate pro. When you have a guy like him who tells you he’s good to go or he’s not, you believe it because he’s proven it over years and he’s a very good communicator. I have all the confidence in him when he’s really available to help us.”
(When you look at this team as it is preparing for December football, what do you see compared to say last year? Obviously, you’ve made some changes to the way the run game has developed, the way the offensive line has protected QB Tua Tagovailoa. You have some things going for you, but what’s the biggest difference for December football from last year to this year?) – “I think a lot of it is just it’s year two. Guys really understand so much more of what we’re trying to accomplish and they can really not spend as much time maybe – like they’re seeing the plan. They’re seeing consistency of it as opposed to a nuance here or there where it’s kind of grouping it. You see can see just an overall understanding. It’s the same thing of the consistency of a lot of guys being able to play together. You look at how many teams – it’s a challenge in any sport for guys to come together and be extremely successful in year one because there’s just so many different personalities and different communication styles. And then also with what happened in year one. You make the playoffs and it doesn’t go the way you want to, but you see how close and what you are. That just sets your inner drive and what’s going to push you. I always, for years working for Sean Payton, those first five years, I got there two months after they won the Super Bowl. He used to always talk about the Super Bowl is the greatest meal of your life. Every day after that, you’re just chasing the taste. You want that steak again, you want that mashed potatoes again, because nothing else tastes like it. It’s just that drive and it always resonated with me, because I was sitting there going like, yeah, you can resonate with what that feeling is. Once you make the playoffs, you can see it and it’s so close. I think that’s a driving force for so many of our guys because to be your best on a daily basis, the way you’re judged by your peers through the history of the game will be winning championships and how much you win. So I think all those things are reasons why we’re hoping that this next month, we’ll see the growth that we kind of feel like we’re pushing towards.”
(If both of your rookie running backs are ready to play this week, De’Von Achane and Chris Brooks, what could be the determining factor in who’s on the active game day roster in the whole running back room? Would it be special teams or would it be more situational plays from scrimmage?) – “Both. Whenever you’re going through roster decisions for each position, you’re weighing all the factors that play in. That’s the communication between Chris (Grier), Mike (McDaniel), Danny (Crossman), Vic (Fangio) and I. Each game has a different need, and what are the needs at the position groups? What’s the need in special teams? Who fills what role? Who, conversely, might be down that now you have to change spots because that’s the team’s component. It’s never as easy as like – because I think we talked about it earlier in the year where it’s like, it’s never as easy to say, ‘hey, he’s active.’ Why isn’t he planning? Well, especially at this point in the season, there’s a domino effect of the whole encompassing roster that affects our decisions for who we can bring up to the game.”
(I wanted to ask about third-and-short, fourth-and-short struggles converting. Obviously, it’s a difficult down but you guys generally prefer to pass. Or at least the numbers say you prefer to pass in those situations. Is that based on work that you’ve seen in practice, things that haven’t worked? Or is it just the mentality and philosophy that, hey, we’ve got one of the most accurate quarterbacks, this is how we prefer to utilize those plays?) – “It kind of relates into all of that. Nothing is ever as simple as just, ‘hey, it’s this, so we do that.’ It’s more of, alright, when we go into the plan, we devote time to all the situations and when we look at that situation, we have a philosophy in which we want to attack it. Then some days, some weeks, it’s third-and-one, two, and three kind of get grouped together. It just depends upon who we’re facing and why. Yes, we have an extremely accurate quarterback and a very good skill core that we trust. We have a line that we know from this last game that when we had to run the ball and they know we’re running the ball, we were able to run the football. Those are all good signs. The biggest thing is that when you look at us as an offense and you see we have an ability to move the football. One section isn’t as good as the other because the disparity between the two is drastic. You’re top five in most categories, and you have this one where you’re at the bottom. So it’s one of those where, always, there’s never a quick fix to anything. It’s being aware of an issue, communicating the issue, and how do we get better and maximizing our players in those situations. Us as an offensive staff, we do devote time to, are we calling the right things? Are we calling the right play at the right time? Are we getting coverage looks that we want to be aggressive in the attack? Or do we want to run it? There’s multiple factors that go into it. But ultimately, yes. We know that’s an area that we have to improve on. We’re aware of it and we’re hopeful that this next opportunity and the next couple ones, we can really offset it, because the reality is, it’s a 17-game season. When you look at all encompassing, at the end, its entirety. That’s when you can really formulate – we’re hopeful that we’ll turn the corner. And you never know. You might have a game where all of a sudden you get four third-and-ones, and you convert all four. The section overall is the percentages of your ranking versus the league. Well, how many did the other guys have? If they had 10 and you had 20, your percentage would be off compared to theirs statistically. So it’s just opportunities and execution. The more opportunities you get, the more opportunities to execute. That’s why at the end of the year, you look at some teams and they had 25 third-and-ones, and you go like, dang. And you had 12. Or you had 18 and they had 32. It’s a hard metric to really compare yourself in the league and especially on that one yard because it’s not like everyone has 20 reps, 20 opportunities, everyone’s the same, here’s the measure. That’s the variable. So that’s why sometimes stats, we have to look at it from us as offensive coaches, as we look at it as a staff, our ability to move the football, if we were unable to move the football and then really struggle there. As opposed to, we were able to move the football. This area we can improve in. Okay, how are we going to do it? Here’s how we’re going to do it. Here’s how we’re going to improve. Here’s our emphasis, if that makes sense.”
(Just going back really quick when you were saying the driving force for so many guys, last season was a winless December. What has been the biggest growth that you can see already from the accomplishments to this point entering December football?) – “When you’re in year one, it’s all new. You’re working towards something that’s this goal and it’s all a part of the initial communication of what the expectations for the program are for the long term. In year two when you get into it – you don’t have a history in year one, you don’t have anything because many guys are new to the roster, many guys are new to the city, all things are new. Now, most of us have been together. There’s that consistency of knowing this time, knowing what it’s like, knowing what our expectations are, seeing the results and history from last year and okay, how do we affect it. And then you’re never communicating about what the end goal is. That’s the offseason and okay, here’s our plan to get there. It’s every day of you break it out from if our goal is this, long-term, intermediate, now short-term, if your daily goals are what the mindset towards that ultimate goal, that means your daily production, your daily output, your daily process is going to be at a high level because always in your mind, you don’t want to get the result that you had before because you remember what it’s like. I want this, so therefore how do we get it? I think that’s the great thing about this football team, is that they all together have that drive, have that daily process towards how can I get better today? Because if I get better today, that’s going to help everyone tomorrow, this weekend, next weekend. I think that’s the greatest thing is that you have a bunch of guys who are very accountable and want to be their best daily. And they challenge each other and they bring out the best in each other. That’s why it’s such a joy to work with this team.”
(Is there a game, a play, a day, where this team, well your unit specifically, had some sort of accomplishment that probably could not have happened last year?) – “I don’t know if it’s one specific moment. It’s more situational things that occur. Like this last game, to be able to control the ball the third quarter, everything wasn’t perfect. You have the ebb and flow of the drive. You have guys working together, execution. You have one play that’s good, another play that’s not, and you work through it together, because it’s a time where you want to control the clock and establish the line of scrimmage and really for us, set the tone for the rest of half. That’s really cool for us. At times we could do it last year, but then you can see now there’s moments where a lot of the games this season, we’ve had a lead that was a score or two. But that one, you have a lead or two, but we still felt like, ‘Hey, we have to put this away.’ And that was where you could just see the will of the guys working together, the resolve to what they wanted to do. For me being upstairs, not really seeing it, but from afar, you could feel their intensity to the moment was really heightened. I think that’s just been everything this season. L.A., it’s going back and forth and everyone stays on it and then right at the end we score when we need to and the defense gets a stop when we need to. You learn from Buffalo in the loss. You learn from Philly in the loss. You learn from Germany in the loss as much as those moments that you remember are the driving forces, along with the success. So I think just so much of these years are situational things, not maybe one play. But that’s the great thing about this football. I’m excited to go to practice today just because you know the level of intensity and commitment they’re going to bring to each play that they’re trying to execute.”
(We know rumors are always out there. Your name has come up in association with the Carolina Panthers. Are you aware of that? Or do you consider that flattering?) – “It’s not flattering. It’s more humbling. I remember why I got into coaching. So when all this stuff comes up, it’s pretty cool. But the minute you worry about your goals and where you want to go, you forget, like for me, how lucky I am to be here today. So all that stuff’s cool, but I truly enjoy every day here and that’s the cool part. And it’s one of those where I’m a walk-on from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Every day of my life, I remember it. So those things pretty cool, but it’s not going to affect today.”
Danny Crossman – November 30, 2023
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Thursday, November 30, 2023
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
(Who do you think has been your most consistent person in coverage, punt and kickoff coverage?) – “Probably (Justin) Bethel and Duke Riley. Those two guys have been consistent. We have the other guys that have been in spots and had good games here or there. Cam Goode is really coming on. Whenever we’ve had (Andrew) Van Ginkel, he’s done a nice job. But he’s not had that much play time. The young players are growing and the veterans are playing like veterans.”
(I wanted to ask you about the growth that you’ve seen from LB Cam Goode. I know he started really well then hit a little bit of a lull, then played a little bit better. How would evaluate where he is now that this is really his primary job?) – “Very happy with where he is and how he’s growing. From a year ago, to this year. From training camp, through preseason, through the regular season. Now we’re into December. Really happy with where he is and think he’s got a lot more upside to grow.”
(I just saw that the Commanders haven’t had a kick return allowed this year. It’s either been touchbacks or kicks out of bounds. Why do you think that is?) – “I think a couple of them are by choice. The opposition, a couple of them are a yard or two deep in the end zone and the team that they’re playing has chosen not to bring it out. The fair catch rule. There’s been a couple mishits that haven’t been fielded. When you look at those numbers, everybody’s got a different philosophy and a different plan. I think you’ve seen certain teams really heavily using the fair catch rule where they’re more than willing just to take the ball on the 25. You’ve seen other teams being aggressive and bringing it out four or five yards deep. It’s just something we’ll keep looking at. We’ll worry about who we play that week. They are trying to pound the football and hit touchbacks. I think there’s maybe some opportunities there that maybe some people haven’t taken, and we’ll see what we get on Sunday.”
(There was a point in the game on Friday when they said there was going to be multiple personal fouls. It would have put your kickoff at the plus-35, I believe, but it didn’t wind up working out that way. I don’t want to ask for your strategy there, but I’m curious, have you ever had a kickoff that far into opposing territory before and what would you want to do in that situation?) – “You don’t want to ask me, but you’re asking me. (laughter) Yes, I’ve had it once with us being the kick team and once with us being the return team. You have lots of options there.”
(What are these options? Because I’m curious, would you squib it from the 35?) – “As they say, it’s our ball in that case and we can do whatever we choose. Just like if they’re kicking, they can do whatever they choose.”
(You might as well onside if you’re on their 35, right?) – “That could be an option. There’s a lot of options.”
(What is the process for the active gameday roster when you could have a glut like at running back, where guys play special teams and they’re needed from scrimmage. Do you get the final word? Does Head Coach Mike McDaniel get the final word? Do you make your case for certain guys? How does that work?) – “We have constant communication with the coaching staff, with Mike and Chris (Grier), so it’s an ongoing process week to week. There’s a lot of things that go involved in those discussions in play time and injuries and making sure you’re insured with certain spots. Other spots you can’t be insured. There’s a lot of things that go into it. But really good communication throughout the week, every week.”
(So there could be situational spots from scrimmage then?) – “Correct. And every team you’re playing is different. Some guys are going to have heavy workloads some weeks and not heavy workloads on offensive and defense, kicking game. There are a lot of those discussions every week and fortunately, a good group of good communicators get to work through that stuff on a weekly basis.”
(Is there a time that you and General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Mike McDaniel carve out every Friday for that discussion or it just happens naturally?) – “There are certain times, but it really happens naturally throughout the week when certain things come up. There are some designated times but usually by the time those times come, a lot of those decisions have already been made.”
(With RB Chris Brooks, obviously he had a heavy role on special teams. I know he’s still in that window where he’s just coming back, but how helpful can he be, especially with the loss of RB Salvon Ahmed?) – “Yeah, I think he can be very helpful. We were really, a little bit like we talked about with Cam Goode, I’d put Brooks in that same boat. He was really growing on a week-to-week basis and really doing good things. So whenever his opportunity comes, I’m sure he’ll be ready and we’ll use him when that opportunity comes.”
(And with WR Chase Claypool, I know he was another guy that was getting involved early in the process. Now that he’s back from that knee injury, do you see that he could help you on that unit from a coverage standpoint?) – “Absolutely. He’s another guy that when he’s deemed fit and he’s able to go and he’s activated, he’s a guy that we’ll find a role for, because he’s a good player.”
Vic Fangio – November 30, 2023
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Thursday, November 30, 2023
Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio
(As much as your willing to share on replacing LB Jaelan Phillips, is it thinking mostly LB Andrew Van Ginkel, some DE Emmanuel Ogbah? Perhaps a mix of both of those players?) – “Yeah, Jaelan missed really four games in the first part of the season, so it’ll look pretty similar to that. Van Ginkel, Ogbah and we’ll see if JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul) can get up to snuff.”
(With LB Andrew Van Ginkel, now that he’s probably going to be playing mostly edge, how does that impact inside linebacker and LB David Long Jr.?) – “Yeah, we can stay play Gink inside some and put Ogbah outside some and even Cam Goode or JPP (Jason Pierre-Paul) if he comes along. But yeah, he’ll be in there less.”
(What have you seen from LB Cam Goode’s development as a pass rusher? I know he’s a prominent special teams guy. How much do you feel he can help you as an edge player?) – “Well, he’s going to have to if he’s called upon. I haven’t seen him play defense in a while. So I don’t have a great answer for you.”
(I think you guys are number six against the run. What was Jaelan Phillips role in that as far as setting the edge and things along those lines?) – “Jaelan is a great player, make no mistake about it. When he missed those games early in the year, it took him a game or two to get back rolling to be his normal self. But this last month or so, he’s been playing great for us. We’re going to miss him. And yeah, he’s a part of us playing the run and obviously playing the pass with him rushing the passer. We’re going to miss him tremendously and yeah, he was a big part of that.”
(The signing of LB Jason Pierre-Paul, obviously you wanted another pass rusher with Phillips gone. Is it just to see what you have? What he has? What he can do at this point?) – “All of the above.”
(Does LB Duke Riley get inside more with Van Ginkel on the outside?) – “Yeah, possibly. Yes, for sure.”
(Is it true or false that on Hail Mary’s, you tell your guys knock it down?) – “If you’re in a crowd. If you’re in a crowd where you have three or four guys jumping up at the same time in the end zone, yes. The play the other day, there was nobody around Jevon. Definitely catch it.”
(So that play was acceptable in your eyes?) – “Oh, yeah. Very acceptable.” (laughter)
(I wanted to ask you about this defense and the steady improvement. Based on the last month, I don’t want to tie it to CB Jalen Ramsey’s return, because you guys were trending up. You’re now number seven in the NFL. Is that kind of a sigh of relief? Like, ‘Hey, see, my stuff works.”) – “No. Not at all. I’ve been around too long for those worries. It’s just guys getting rewarded for working hard and both understanding what we’re doing and practicing hard and being ready physically. Now the challenge is can we keep that up without (Jaelan) Phillips.”
(How is LB Andrew Van Ginkel’s skillset a little bit different than for example, LB Jaelan Phillips and LB Bradley Chubb?) – “They’re bigger, those other two guys. Gink’s a little slipperier and plays with that. But he can be stout when needed to be. They are different styles for sure.”
(This seems to be a fun team, a fun locker room, a fun group of guys. I know winning helps that. But is this a more fun team than you’ve experienced in the past and does it start with Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “Yeah, I think it starts with Mike. That’s his approach. He wants that, instigates it and the players follow that lead. You don’t have to give players lead to have fun. Obviously as you said, winning helps. Winning has cured more ails than penicillin. (laughter) But yes, it is. These guys have fun, but they’re working hard at it.”
(Is this more a fun team than say any other team? Philly or San Fransico? Can you say that?) – “No. I mean, it’s just a different type of fun.”
(What’s it been like working with a guy who’s considered quirky, funny, unusual head coach in terms of personality? What’s that experience been like for you?) – “It’s been good. He is that, but he’s a ball coach deep down. That’s just his style.”
(I wanted to go back to LB Jason Pierre-Paul for a second. That position group you have so many larger bodies with LB Jaelan Phillips going down, LB Bradley Chubb’s a bigger guy, DE Emmanuel Ogbah’s a big guy. JPP is about 270 pounds. Gink’s the one who’s a little bit lighter, like you mentioned. How important is that size in that position in your defense?) – “You do want size on the edge for sure. You want to play big on the edge. Some guys are only in the mid 240’s, low 250’s that play big on the edge. So obviously if you’re bigger, that helps. But there are some guys in the mid 240’s and low 250’s who do play big and strong. But it’s very important.”
(I know you like to make your own conclusions in person, but I’m curious, did you look at LB Jason Pierre-Paul’s 17 defensive snaps from last Sunday?) – “I didn’t. Our scouts did. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) did. (Outside Linebackers Coach) Ryan (Slowik) did after we signed him.”
(With his skillset, 14 years of experience, experience in different 3-4’s, how difficult or how long do you think it will take LB Jason Pierre-Paul to kind of fit in or feel comfortable in your scheme?) – “At this point in the season, we’re going to try and focus him on the nickel stuff and not much on the base stuff to take that off his plate. I think he can get there fairly quickly with just the nickel stuff.”
(What do you think has been the biggest reason for DT Christian Wilkins’ success in pass rushing this season?) – “First off, Christian’s a good player. He’s quick. He’s athletic. He’s sudden. Yet, he can be strong when he needs to be. I don’t know the answer to that because I wasn’t here previously, but I think he’s a guy that should be an eight or nine sack guy a year.”
(I was curious, you said LB Jason Pierre-Paul was going to focus more on the nickel package. What schematically is different from what he’d be asked to do in the nickel package as opposed to the base package?) – “Well in base, they’ll drop some. In nickel, they hardly ever drop.”
(Has anything surprised you about Commanders QB Sam Howell that you’ve seen on tape?) – “Yeah, he’s been impressive on tape. Good passe. Can make all the throws. His scrambling and running ability is really worrisome for us. He’s a good runner when he’s scrambling. He’s hurt people that way, and we have to be mindful of that playing against him. I think he’s done a really nice job.”
(A lot of great defensive players will say they can make plays outside of the structure of the scheme. They kind of cheat the system when they know they can do it. Have you seen that with CB Jalen Ramsey in terms of how he can fulfill is job but also cheat the scheme a little bit?) – “Yeah, a little bit. I don’t like the words, ‘cheat the scheme’, but yeah.”
(What’s interesting is when we began training camp, everyone said you are loose and lets us do what they want to do. Then when the season got here, it was ‘oh the scheme is complex and we have to figure out how we fit in.’ So which is it? Can they do what they want to do or is a really cookie-cutter catered scheme?) – “No. I always say you don’t want players that do nothing but what you tell them to do. And you don’t want players that only do what you tell them to do. So there’s a time and a place for instincts and play recognition and using tools out there to help your play.”
Jason Pierre-Paul – November 29, 2023
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
LB Jason Pierre-Paul
(Can you tell us just how the first couple of days have been?) – “Very good. I can’t complain. Everything has been going good.”
(What does it mean for you to be a Miami Dolphin?) – “I’m back home, man. I’m born and raised here, not in Miami but Broward County. It was basically home for me. I was in Tampa, but this is basically home for me. So big things coming.”
(How many friends and family do you still have in the Deerfield Beach area?) – “A lot. A lot. As soon as they heard the news, it was all congratulations everywhere. I can’t get back to all of them, but they know I love them.”
(Does being back here get you a little bit reflective?) – “Oh, for sure. Just being back here, hometown, Miami. I got my number 90 back. I’ll give it all I got. I’m ready to go.”
(I have a question about why joining an NFL team so late. Why did you sign?) – “I guess people want to see if we’ll still do it or not. There’s only way to find out. So I joined late with the Saints practice squad. I appreciate them for giving me a tryout and workout. I played the first game, and I think I did pretty well with the snaps that I got. Then Miami signed me the next day.”
(How has this year been for you between New Orleans and here?) – “It’s a transition, because I went back to a 4-3 and now I’m back to a 3-4. But when it’s all said and done, it’s all the same thing. It’s all football. I know how to play football. When it’s all said and done, just be physical. But the defensive terminology, it’s all the same thing. You just got a pattern them and put them in certain spaces that you can remember it. I’m doing a great job right now. My coach is giving me the calls and he’s filling me in. The players in my room are filling me in too, so shoutout to those guys.”
(How do you feel about where your speed and power are at this point?) – “I feel good. Obviously, I’m coming back from home really. I did one week with the Saints. It still feels like training camp to me right now, but once I get past that, it takes a week or two, then I’m back rolling.”
(Did you have a favorite Dolphins player when you were young?) – “I watched a couple guys, but I didn’t have a favorite Dolphins player.”
(What are your impressions of this unit with just how deep it us, all the playmakers?) – “I like it. To me, I like the team already. I like the players. Everybody made me feel comfortable when I got here. I feel like family already. They accept me, so I’m OK. I feel like I’m home already.”
(Have you hung out with anybody outside of the building yet?) – “No, not really.”
(Do you plan to?) – “Maybe, maybe not. It depends. We do enough hanging around in the building, too. Maybe I’ll invite somebody over to the house, throw them a cookout or something.”
(This team has Super Bowl aspirations. What does it take to win big in this league?) – “You’ve got to be in sync. I’ve been on two good Super Bowl teams, and when I remember the things we all had in common, everybody was in-sync when it really mattered. We locked in, we did our jobs, and we trusted each other, trusted the coaches do their job, trusted the players do their job, and we just played physical. Everybody has got to be synced and ready to go, no matter what the situation is. You just got to believe in yourself and have faith that you’re going to get the job done.”
(Do you think you can learn quickly enough to participate on Sunday in Washington?) – “We’ll see. That’s a good question. We’ll see. I’m a quick learner. Whatever coach and they want me to do, I’m going to do. I’ll fill in where I’m needed.”
(For you, what’s the biggest perk of being home? Is there a restaurant?) – “The biggest perk for being home is I can see my family. Family is a big part. So I can see my kids. That’s basically it, and my whole family. They’re cheering for me. Let’s get it done.”
(You talked in your social media post about having a tough decision. Did the Saints talk to you late in the process about going to their 53?) – “For sure. It was a tough decision. Obviously, I never want to leave a team in the middle of a war, you know what I’m saying? It’s like you’re going to war. But this was a tough decision, and when I thought about it, my daughter, she was like, ‘Daddy, when are you coming to pick me up?’ Like, ‘I can’t come pick you up.’ (laughter) ‘You’ve got to fly.’ So it basically led down to here, and now I’m with my family and they’re excited for me to be here. It’s going to keep me even more going.”
(And you’re in the room with LB Bradley Chubb and LB Andrew Van Ginkel and Outside Linebackers Coach Ryan Slowik?) – “For sure, yeah … They’re getting me right on point. I’m talking to those guys all out there calling the plays, and if I’m making a mistake, they’re going to tell me, ‘Hey, that ain’t right.’ But so far, so good. I’m a quick learner, like I said, and I’m trying to learn the plays as quick as possible, because the quicker I can learn the plays, the faster I can play and you can see the real me.”
(How do you feel about the standing up stuff?) – “I did it already, man. I won a Super Bowl in it with the Bucs. So standing up, hands down, it’s really nothing to me. When it’s all said and done, it’s just physical football. I like being physical.”
(You mentioned the importance of cohesion for a Super Bowl champion team. How do you approach trying to assimilate to a new locker room this late in the season?) – “It’s different. Like I said, I feel like the guys accepted me. Every guy was saying what’s up to me, and they know who I am. For me, I just have to open up and be myself, and I feel like I’m being myself. Anywhere I go, I’ll be myself. I’m adapting to them, to be honest, and I’m syncing with them. I think they already got it here. I can see the guys out there running around, having fun. That’s the most important thing, too, having fun and being synced with each other. As I’m looking and learning the plays and watching everybody, I see that. They’ve got a good team here.”
(What’s your first impression of Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “(laughter) He’s a cool dude, man. He’s himself. I like that. Guys are telling me that’s him. You can’t expect nothing of him, but he’s himself every day. I think that’s important for a head coach to be himself, and I think that’s what he’s doing. He came in the meeting room early, and I didn’t know who was talking until I looked down. He was right there, because I’m sitting in the front row. Obviously, I talked to him. He knows my history. We’re going to get it cracking. I told him I’m happy to be here and they gave me a good opportunity to come home and try to win a Super Bowl, which I know these guys can. We’re just going to get it cracking and put all the pieces together.”
