Stephen Ross and Chris Grier – December 31, 2018
Monday, December 31, 2018
Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner Stephen Ross and General Manager Chris Grier
Stephen Ross:
(Opening Statement) – “First, I’d like to just thank Adam Gase for all of the work that he’s done. It’s probably one of the toughest decisions I’ve made. I really like Adam. He’s a very bright guy. He worked his tail off. Unfortunately, thing didn’t go the way we all hoped. A lot has been written over the last couple of weeks, I guess. I’d like to say all you guys were wrong because I didn’t make a decision until probably last night, after that game, thinking about it. I don’t where somebody got the information from, but the decision was really just made. I’m very proud of the organization and what we’ve accomplished. I think we’ve succeeded in everything from my aspect when I first bought it, except winning on the football field. Basically, the decision was really made as I looked at it and seeing that today, we’re no further along than when I really bought the team. We’ve been operating under a philosophy that we had a good young roster and it needed maybe free agents and draft choices and we’d be very competitive. To keep operating under that philosophy would be like the definition of insanity: doing the same thing and really expecting a different result. So I thought it was time for the organization to take a different approach, much like when I do in my business. I know everything I’ve done, we’re always the best-in-class and we’re on top, and that’s what I expect to be on the football field as well as an organization. I think you see what we’ve done as an organization that (Vice Chairman, President and CEO) Tom Garfinkel has led. You’ve seen what we’ve done with the stadium, creating a better environment for the fans and doing everything really the right way, watching our ticket sales grow, and what we’ve done in the community. I’m very proud of that. But what I’m not proud of is what we’ve done on the football field. That’s what I owe to the fans, and I take total responsibility myself. So today, in making that decision, I know when I look at where we are, I think we really have to take a different approach in how we do it. What you want and what I want, is really sustained winning seasons and having an organization that is used to winning, because that’s what people in Miami expect. That’s what the fans want and the fans deserve. Basically, the thought is we’re going to look to really build this organization based on our needs and if it takes a year or so – two years, three years – we’re going to be there and we’re going to be an organization. Fortunately, I’ve been looking around and we have someone within the organization that I believe can do the best job of anybody in leading us to that, and that’s Chris Grier. He’s probably one of the most respected people in the NFL. You talk to people (and) all along, I always got, ‘Hey, Chris Grier.’ I mean, a lot of people really haven’t dealt with him. He’s been a guy behind the scenes in making a lot of the personnel decisions but not leading the organization. Chris will have total responsibility of leading the organization. He will work together with a new coach. He will make all football decisions and report to me. I think that as we build this roster, we have a great young roster today with some key players to build upon, but we’re going to build it the right way, bringing in new people who will want to win, really creating that winning attitude. As you’ve seen with some of the recent players we brought in, it’s about winning and loving football. That’s what this organization is going to be. What I’d like to say is, they’re going to have the heart of a champion and that’s what we’re going to be all about.”
Chris Grier:
(Opening Statement) – “For me, I’d like to thank Steve for the opportunity. It’s a bittersweet day. Adam (Gase) and Mike (Tannenbaum) are good men. It’s always a tough day around the league – this day. Adam gave his blood, sweat and tears for this organization. He’s a tireless worker. I have no (doubt) he’s going to go on to great things and the same with Mike. I learned a lot from Mike. I’m very grateful to him. And it’s hard on them. You think about their families going forward. I know Steve had a very tough decision. I didn’t know anything was going on really until this morning. Again, looking forward to the future, I’m excited that Steve has entrusted me to lead the organization. I think some of you that have followed us kind of know a little bit of my background and what I believe in. Those people that have mentored me over the years and I’ve talked to them, there’s kind of a way I believe in building a football team and going forward, that’s what we’re going to do. The ultimate goal is to win Super Bowls and championships and be a consistent winner, as Steve said. It’s not about winning one year and then falling back. We want to build this thing the right way, where it’s long sustained success where the fans are happy, Steve is happy and we’re winning for long periods of time.”
Stephen Ross:
(Steve, there was a report today that you had asked Adam Gase to give up control that he had contractually over the 53-man roster. Is that accurate, and if he had said yes, would he still be coach?) – “That is not accurate. It was never discussed.”
(What ultimately led to the decision to reassign Mike Tannenbaum and fire Adam Gase?) – “As I said, I think that we’re going in a direction of building something and looking to build an organization that can be sustainable in winning, not just signing a few free agents that are older with a few draft choices and think you’re going to be a contender.”
(You mentioned that even if it takes a year you want to build this the right way, does that mean looking to the draft for a potential quarterback replacement? Do you look for a way to build, even if there are a little growing pains along the way?) – “That’s correct.”
(To put it plain terms, why keep Chris Grier when he’s part of the regime? What did you see differently in his decisions or where he can take the team?) – “When you talk to people to the NFL, I think Chris is probably one of the most respected personnel people involved. Chris has been with the organization a long time. He’s earned the respect of everybody within the organization. I’ve worked with him and watched him grow and I think he is really probably the best person that I could find for this job. I’m very happy with that decision.”
Chris Grier:
(How would you summarize your team-building philosophy?) – “Not to get into a whole lot of details … You know me, I don’t really throw it out there for you guys. (laughter) But look who I started with. It was Bill Parcells years ago. I’ve worked with Pete Carroll as we’ve talked about – Coach (Bill) Belichick, Coach (Nick) Saban. There’s a lot of those guys. A lot of that has influenced me. And I talk to those guys still about a lot of different things. I just have strong beliefs of what I believe in, how football teams win and how they’re built, so I shared that with Steve. We had a good conversation and that’s going to be our plan going forward.”
(What do you think is the number one ingredient this team is missing?) – “The biggest thing we’ve had here over the years … We went 10-6, then we had the injuries and we suffered 6-10 and 7-9s … It’s just consistency and knowing who you want to be. You’ve always talked about what kind of team you want to be, but as Steve said, there’s times where you get caught up in some things where you may sign something or you stray from that. But if you have a vision for what your team wants to be, you stay with it and you build it the right way. You can build winners in this league and guys have shown that across the league.”
Stephen Ross:
(You said you made the decision last night. When were the players notified?) – “This morning.”
(You talked about not signing a bunch of free agents who are older. Moving forward, do you want the roster to be constructed primarily of young players, be it young free agents maybe coming off a rookie contract or two, plus draft picks?) – “Correct. I want players who love football, who want to win, where winning is the most important thing.”
Chris Grier:
(Have you set any sort of timetable in terms of hiring a coach?) – “We’re starting that process immediately. For us, as soon as we finish this press conference, we’ll go upstairs and get working on it right now.”
(Is it important that the next head coach have prior NFL head-coaching experience?) – “I don’t think so. You can’t rule out anything. There’s good football coaches – pro and college – and I think we’re going to investigate every avenue. For us, the important thing will be finding the right guy that kind of believes in some of the same things I do in terms of building a team, but I’m also flexible enough that if he presents his ideas and we think it’s good, it’s going to be a collaboration, everything we do still. I know we talk about having control and I’m over it, yeah; but it’s not going to work if he and I don’t share a vision to implement that plan throughout the organization.”
(Is QB Ryan Tannehill a part of next season with the Dolphins?) – “Yeah, as of right now, he’s on the roster. Again, the next head coach is going to come in and he’ll evaluate the roster as well. So we’ll work through that once that guy is hired.”
Steve Ross:
(Just the thinking in parting ways with Adam Gase, why did you ultimately feel like that was the right thing to do?) – “I think Adam wants to win and win now. He’s going into his fourth year and I think he wants to win. Every coach, in your fourth year, you have to win.”
(Have you indicated this might be a rebuilding program or winning immediately wouldn’t necessarily happen? Ideally, but not necessarily?) – “I think we have a lot of great players (and) a great nucleus to form. When we win on a sustainable basis – I can’t tell you which year that is going to be – but we’re going to do what it takes to build the organization piece by piece, so that we have the right players that will be here to build that winning tradition, or bring it back.”
(Is this the first time you’ve stepped back and said ‘Let’s do it this way?’ You said it’s a different approach for you.) – “Yeah. If you look back, look what we’ve done every year since I’ve been here. If we keep doing that, where are we going to be? We’ll be anywhere from 6-10 to 10-6. That’s not good enough.”
(Are you saying you’re willing to maybe go through some years of 3-13 to ultimately become an elite team?) – “I would hope I don’t have to go 3-13; but whatever it’s going to take, we’re going to build that organization with the right players that want to win. They’re coming here to win.”
Reshad Jones – December 30, 2018 (Postgame)
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Postgame – Buffalo
Miami Dolphins S Reshad Jones (Transcribed by Buffalo Bills)
Q: What did you think of the year as a whole now that it’s over?
A: Tough season. It didn’t go the way we wanted it, we didn’t finish the way we wanted to finish, but we got next year.
Q: What is it going to take to turn this franchise around?
A: Collective effort. Everyone needs to come together and just do more I guess, I’m not sure.
Q: I imagine you’re frustrated with the way the year has gone?
A: Yeah, I mean we’re all frustrated. We didn’t make the playoffs, that’s the big goal, that’s the whole picture. We wanted to make the playoffs and finish in the post season and that didn’t happen, so yeah I think everybody is frustrated.
Q: Do you think the coaches, [Adam] Gase and [Matt] Burke, will be back?
A: I have no idea I don’t make those decisions.
Q: Do you think that the situation with unsettled front office was a factor in terms of how the team performed today?
A: I’m not sure about that, I come to work and play football. That’s all I can count on.
Xavien Howard – December 30, 2018 (Postgame)
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Postgame – Buffalo
Miami Dolphins CB Xavien Howard (Transcribed by Buffalo Bills)
Q: Going into next season, do you anticipate a lot of changes for the defense, change for this team?
A: I don’t know what they have in store for next year. Just offseason coming up, we have to put in the work.
Q: Do you have hope and confidence that this offseason you’ll be able to get a long term agreement?
A: Oh yeah I hope so, if not I’m going to just keep busting my butt working hard, just hope it all pays off in the end.
Q: Do you feel you’ll be ready for the Pro Bowl?
A: Yeah most definitely, the Pro Bowl is still some weeks ahead. I’m almost close to being one-hundred percent. We’ll see how I feel, if I’m not one-hundred percent I’m not going to play just have to see how I feel.
Kenny Stills – December 30, 2018 (Postgame)
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Postgame – Buffalo
Miami Dolphins WR Kenny Stills (Transcribed by Buffalo Bills)
Q: What has the season been like for you guys, just the up and down nature of it?
A: I mean obviously it’s frustrating to not make the playoffs. It’s frustrating not to win. That’s all I can really say about it.
Q: Did you see this type of performance coming into this game?
A: I mean no. We prepare every week to go out and win the game. I thought we had a good week of preparation, guys were competing, and I felt like we had a chance to come out here and give ourselves an opportunity to win the game but we didn’t do that.
Q: Kenny [Stills], it feels like something drastic needs to change, do you feel that way?
A: I feel like that’s above my pay grade. I go to battle with these guys every week, and there’s opportunities that we had that we didn’t capitalize on throughout the season and so that’s why we’re in the position we are.
Q: What will you remember about this year?
A: There’s a lot of things I will remember. From the very beginning starting with OTA’s, all the way through now. But obviously just that it wasn’t good enough.
Q: With the offense today, what was the issue? Obviously there were a lot of sacks, but what continued to stall these drives?
A: I can’t really think of anything off the top of my head right now. We had a couple turnovers. More than a couple turnovers, and we can’t do that when we’re trying to win the game. I don’t think they had any and we had two or three. You can’t win games when you have three turnovers and they have none.
Ryan Tannehill – December 30, 2018 (Postgame)
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Postgame – Buffalo
Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill (Transcribed by Buffalo Bills)
Q: How would you sum up what happened this year?
A: It’s tough to think about the full season right now. Just thinking about this game honestly, not the way we wanted to finish. We were focused coming into the game, good energy all week, good energy taking the field. Got down early, obviously the interceptions hurt early. We battled our way back. Defense made a big play there right before half. We were able to score and get it to a tie ball game going into half. I felt really good about being able to come out second half and get the win, and obviously we didn’t execute. We didn’t play good enough to make that happen.
Q: Could you take us through the two interceptions early on and what you saw?
A: Yeah, obviously those hurt us. We got down early, and were able to battle back. You can’t turn the ball over. The first one was in great field position for them with a short field and they were able to take advantage of it. The guy made a great play, I thought they did a decent job covering him. I was just trying to give Danny [Amendola] a late opportunity over the middle; either him or a throw away because the guy was right on his back. The mic came back from the other side and made a great play with it one handed. The other one we were in a sprint out on third down with good coverage. I just have to throw that thing where Kenny [Stills] toe taps it on the sideline or it’s incomplete. That’s where the ball has to go and I didn’t put it far enough.
Q: There were a number of plays where you looked like you had time to throw, but just couldn’t get the throw off, was that because your receivers couldn’t get open?
A: Yeah there were a few times where we have decent protection, and they did a good job of taking away what we had on. Sometimes you call a play thinking you’re going to get one thing and they play something else. Have to have a great route and a great throw to make it happen. There were some key situations today where we didn’t make that happen.
Q: What’s your evaluation of the type of season that you’ve had?
A: Yeah it’s tough to think back now of the whole season, but it’s been up and down. We had some highs and we had some lows. We just weren’t consistent enough all the way through the season.
Q: A unit wants to play better as the year progresses and definitely at the end of the year. You guys seemed to be playing better early in the year and not as good now. Why would you think that would be?
A: There were a few different reasons: I think injuries definitely hurt us. Big time losses, some key pieces over the course of the season. We tried to evolve the offense to fit the pieces that we had left. We kind of dipped down once we lost a few guys and figured it out “okay, this is a guy we got” and got it going again there in the third-quarter of the season, and then obviously we just didn’t finish the last two weeks.
Q: How likely do you think it is that you will be in a Miami Dolphins uniform next year?
A: I have no idea. No idea. I have not communicated with anybody about that. I was focused fully on this game and coming out and wining the football game. Obviously that didn’t happen, but I haven’t had any discussions or anything. The game just ended 30 minutes ago, so it’s tough to even think about all that going forward. I know God has a plan for my life, whatever that may be and that’s where I’m going to be.
Q: Was there any thought about it while you were walking off of the field?
A: I mean, you always know that there’s the possibility, but to fully go in depth to it, I can’t really process that right now. You put so much into the game, into the week, and preparing and going out and wining a football game, it’s tough to, for me at least, take a big step back in the moment and think about all of that. I’m just really disappointed in how the game went today and not being able to come away and finish the season with a win.
Q: Do you think you played well enough to have the job here next year?
A: I don’t know. I think I had some great things and took big strides in certain areas, but obviously we didn’t finish strong, and you want to be playing in the postseason, you want to be competing for a championship. That’s what every organization in the NFL is trying to do. Obviously myself, and the team, we need to finish better. We need to find a way to win these games down the stretch when we have opportunities to put ourselves in the postseason and compete for a championship. To answer your question, I don’t know. I’ll have to go back and look, but the powers that be will make that decision.
Q: Do you think if you came back next season as the starter, do you think you would be capable to groom a rookie if they decide to draft a quarterback?
A: I’m not getting into that right now.
Adam Gase – December 30, 2018 (Postgame)
Sunday, December 30, 2018
Postgame – Buffalo
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Adam Gase (Transcribed by Buffalo Bills)
Q: Adam, how do you explain how the season ended for you guys today?
A: It wasn’t good. The second half was really bad. We had a rough start on offense obviously. We knew coming in that that’s a good defense and we had to be on it. We struggled and finally we clawed back into it with the touchdown from the offense and the pick-six right at the end of the half. We just could never get anything going.
Q: What was it about your defense in the second half? Injuries? Ejections? It just completely fell apart.
A: Yeah we were down numbers to say the least. So we had to do something on offense and we didn’t.
Q: What do you make of the fact that 14-14 makes you feel pretty good about things coming into the third?
A: Yeah, I mean we got the ball to start the half and we thought we had a good plan heading into it. So that kind of got shut down in there right away then we turned it over and left a short field for them, which we can’t do. It just wasn’t good.
Q: What did you make of the ejections?
A: I mean that’s what they ruled that’s what it is. There’s nothing I can do to change it.
Q: Adam, where do you guys go after this game?
A: We’ll see. We’ve got a long process to go. We’ll get the guys checked out after this and we just kind of have to regroup and figure out how we want to do everything in the off season. So it’s a long ways away from us right now it feels like.
Q: You said earlier this week you don’t feel like you have to lobby for your job. How do you feel after this game?
A: I mean I’m not even thinking about that right now because we just got drummed on the road.
Q: Coach, coming out of the box you throw two interceptions, they score two touchdowns 14-0, climbing up there the rest of the way. It’s certainly a tough job to come back after that and win this football game.
A: I mean we couldn’t do anything. We had to play well offensively and we didn’t do it. We turned it over. We did everything the opposite of what we’ve done all year.
Q: Where’s the frustration offensively? I know we talk about just getting first downs and first downs, but it seems like it’s been a challenge almost each and every week.
A: Yeah, if we’re not going first down, second down, first down, we’re in trouble. Third and short we at least have a shot and we can do some things that are quicker. The wildcat stuff helps us. [Kalen] Ballage being able to go back there and he’s been pretty reliable. We had the dropped exchange there at the end which was unfortunate. If we’re anywhere past third and six something’s always going wrong.
Q: Coach, a couple weeks ago you’re looking at this football team saying that you could end up 9 and 7, here you are on the other side of that. Did you kind of take a snapshot of the season? I know it’s premature but did you look back?
A: I mean it’s hard to think about now. We just know those last few games have been tough. After the Minnesota game we lost three more starters and that hurt us last two games, losing Frank [Gore] and T.J. [McDonald]. We thought X [Xavien Howard] might be able to come back and he wasn’t able to come back. Today losing Reshad [Jones] and Bobby [McCain] that just doesn’t help us.
Q: And looking at the defensive numbers, this is the second most number of points you guys have given up in a season. What needs to change on that side of the ball?
A: Well, having our starters out there at the second half would have been a start for us. But I mean we have a lot to look at.
Q: Coach, did you have a conversation with [owner] Mr. [Stephen] Ross before you came into this room?
A: He didn’t say much. Usually after the games, whether we win or lose, there’s not a lot said there
Adam Gase – December 28, 2018
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Friday, December 28, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(What was their mood like obviously with the last day of legitimate practice?) – “All three days were really good. (They had) great energy. Today was really competitive. Guys were doing what they normally do on Friday. I didn’t see any letdown.”
(Yesterday we were talking to Offensive Coordinator Dowell Loggains and he talked about the sack issues that you guys have had recently and making plays on critical downs in terms of quarterbacks processing faster, getting off their reads and throwing guys open. Where would you evaluate QB Ryan Tannehill in terms of those aspects of his game?) – “I look at it so much … He’s talking quarterback because he’s always going to look at it that way. I look at the big picture of saying ‘How are we as an offense?’ We’ve been poor. We haven’t done nearly enough to get the conversions we need. Really, that’s why we kind of talk about first down, second down, first down – staying out of it, staying as short as we can because now we get into some of those distances where (Kalen) Ballage can get involved and get some conversions. A little bit of it is confidence at some point where we get some conversions and then it helps you throughout the game. I think anytime that we’ve actually had a game where there have been respectable numbers, it’s because we got some early conversions early in the game.”
(What about QB Ryan Tannehill’s ability to buy time in the pocket? He’s taken 27 sacks in the last five games. Maneuverability, evading pressure, extending plays … ) – “I think the majority of them, probably 75 percent of them, I don’t know if he really could have done anything. They happened that fast. I do think sometimes he’ll hang in there a little bit trying to get that throw off if it’s a third-and-longer type third down. Sometimes, you wish if there’s a lane and he sees it, go. It’s hard when you’re standing on the sideline and he’s back there, to see how actually everything is unfolding. When we look at tape, we could say ‘Maybe you can run here, maybe you can at least extend the play.’ We talk about it a lot. We try to see if we can get him to escape the pocket sometimes. A couple of these games, he hasn’t been as mobile as what he was earlier in the season.”
(In this stretch of games since he’s been back, are his receivers doing a good enough job of getting open? I know it’s an everybody issue in terms of where the offense is right now, but where are they in terms of creating an opening for him?) – “We’re so inconsistent. That’s why we’re where we’re at right now. I think there are some games where we’ve been open. The New England game comes to mind, just because just going back and watching a lot of our third downs, where the play call gives them no chance. The coverage they ran compared to what we were running, they had us beat on leverage. It was going to have to be ‘You’re going to have to escape the pocket and make a play,’ but we never had a chance because we got sacked. I think the receivers have been okay. I think it was easier with Albert (Wilson) being around because he can be the fourth progression and you throw him the ball and it’s third-and-9, he catches it at four yards and he’ll get you a first down, just because he can run through all that stuff. Our other guys are more vertical, cut type players. They’re not in-space, make-you-miss type guys.”
(So you would say that you need more guys who can make people miss?) – “We have a couple of them. They’re just in the wrong room.”
(LS John Denney is about to wrap up his 14th NFL season, all of them obviously without missing a single game. How remarkable is that?) – “It’s impressive. He plays through … He got pretty banged up there early in the season, whether it was shoulder or finger or all those type of things, where he just keeps going. I know other people say ‘Well, long snapper.’ He played in a day and age where long snappers were not protected. He took some shots early in his career and now it’s probably kind of nice for him that they actually protect him a little bit.”
(Anyone you can rule out for Sunday?) – “I know T.J. (McDonald) is doubtful. That’s all I know.”
(Where is CB Xavien Howard?) – “It’s going to go down to the game. He’s going to have to make me feel really good to make him active.”
(With LB Kiko Alonso, have you watched him in terms of movement?) – “He looks a lot better this week. He looks a lot better. It was probably good that we didn’t play him because he could’ve gotten worse. He could’ve pulled it. He looks completely night and day from what I saw on Sunday.”
(Bills DT Kyle Williams announced his retirement today. Is he a guy that you still have to account for on that Buffalo defensive line?) – “Yes. He has not changed one bit. Kyle I’ve known since he was a freshman in college. He’s always been the same. College, pro’s – (he) never changed. Whatever he has, he leaves it on the field, and he’s disruptive. He drives you insane because he always seems to get in the backfield whether it’s a run or a pass. You have to be very careful with him.”
(How hard is it to find a defensive tackle like Bills DT Kyle Williams?) – “Kyle, to me, is a little different because he’s so old school. He’s the kind of guy that you might not see the whole offseason and then he shows up for training camp ready to go. His knowledge of the game is huge. That’s why (Davon) Godchaux is a guy that we’re so high on because – I don’t know if it’s LSU or what – but he has the same kind of computer in his brain where he remembers all of this stuff and he can do the right thing in real time and remember what he’s faced before.”
(So you would say DT Davon Godchaux has had a good season?) – “I think it’s been inconsistent. I’m saying the way he thinks, that’s what you want. The more he plays … When you go into Year 3 or Year 4, that’s where you usually see these huge jumps with a lot of players.”
(DE Cameron Wake is turning 37 in January. He loves it when you bring up his age. How much more do you think he can play?) – “I think that’s going to be really up to him. He does such a great job taking care of his body. I feel like we’re smart with him with how we practice him and how we try to manage the game early in the season so he can be ready to go this last part, so he can just play without us thinking about it. But it’s really going to come down to what he wants to do. If he wants to go another year, I don’t think anybody is really going to be up in arms, with him wanting to go another season or another two seasons or whatever it ends up being. I think he just looks at it as it’s one year at a time and he’ll see how he feels at the end of the year. He’s smart about it. I’ve heard him say it a million times. He’s said it to me. He’s like ‘I’ll take the duration and when March comes around, I’ll decide what I want to do.’
(Pass rushers seem to be able to play at an advanced age. Is there any other positions that you think can get that done in their mid-30s?) – “I think some of those wide outs have played for a long time. I look at what Larry Fitzgerald has done, where he was outside, moves inside and then becomes a really dynamic slot player and figures that kind of position out. It’s tough though. Sometimes you see some linemen creep in there, but that’s rare. Obviously running backs we’re never seeing except for our guy (Frank Gore). Quarterbacks are probably the only ones. They seem to get better. When they’re about 34 or 35, you see these guys still peaking and having great seasons. They just see more and more.”
Cameron Wake – December 28, 2018
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Friday, December 28, 2018
DE Cameron Wake
(Can you tell us about your move to cornerback?) – “(laughter) I’ve been figuring I could try to make some different plays out there, line up on some of these receivers and beat them up. (laughter) I’m just having fun. It’s the last technical padded day. I’m just enjoying the last few days with the guys.”
(Is there any possibility Sunday is your final NFL game, or do you already know in your mind, I’m playing next year?) – “Anything is possible, I’m sure.”
(But do you want to play next year, or is that a decision you have not yet made?) – “I would think that I’d probably be good to go next year.”
(And ideally here? I know you talked about it last week, but is that your preference?) – “I would like to be. It’s probably a little bit out of my hands, a little bit in my hands. So stay tuned, I guess.”
(Have the Dolphins given you or your agent any indication if they would like to retain you for next year?) – “At this moment, I would assume they would.”
(Quickly back to the number switch in practice, whose idea was that?) – “Mine. (Xavien Howard is) a little young. He hasn’t figured out some of the fun things that we do on the last day of practice yet, but I’m sure he’ll come along.”
(Why 25 and not somebody else?) – “He was the closest guy at the time and also, I mean, I’ve told you guys a lot that I love all my teammates equally but obviously a pass rusher’s best friend is good DBs. Obviously we play on the same side, we try to do our best work hand in hand. It’s just a little nod to the young fellow.”
(All of the metric sites would show that you’ve had a good year in terms of number of pressures, you’ve held up against the run. If your sack numbers aren’t at a certain threshold with the high standard you’ve had, can you be happy with your year personally? I know it’s all about team stuff, but talking about you, do your sack numbers have to be at a certain point, be it double figures or whatever, for you to be pleased with your year?) – “No. Again, I’ve always been a guy … I’m not a numbers guy. I’m a production guy and sacks are just one metric to calculate what that production is. Again, nobody writes stories about setting the edge, nobody writes stories about pressures, things like that. Sacks are sexy and they usually get the most recognition; but at the end of the day there’s a lot of things that go into being a defensive end. You’ve got to be able to do a lot of different things, and so whichever way the ball swings sometimes, your sack numbers aren’t there; but you have to do your best to be an all-around total football player and that involves a lot of things you spoke about, even some other things too.”
(Staying with the sexy part, the sacks, you’re approaching the 100 threshold. What does that represent to you?) – “It’s even an honor to even be speaking about this. Think about, again, the story has been told a lot of times, but to start from where I started, to get to even where I am now, I cherish that. I put a lot on that because … It’s something I definitely am looking forward to. I don’t know the numbers. You guys can look it up. I don’t know how many undrafted guys have gotten there. I don’t know how many guys spent a year out of football. I don’t know how many CFL guys have gotten there. But I do whatever I can every day to go out there and just fight and scratch and claw to do my job, and to be one of blank many guys to say they’ve had 100 or so sacks, to be mentioned with those names, that’s something special.”
(This week, Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke basically said that you decide when you go in and out of games. There’s been a big issue about how little you play, especially on stopping the run and with the defense struggling against the run. Why don’t you ply more?) – “I think there’s a lot that goes into it. For the most part, most veteran guys, especially on defense, we have the opportunity to get in or out of the game more or less when we need to. Of course there’s situations where the call dictates that. But there’s a, I guess, a sweet spot that you’re looking for, that I’m sure all players are. Too much and you’re diminishing your returns and not enough and you’re not getting the production you want. So you’ve got to find that sweet spot. If you play 80 plays, I’m sure at some point there’s a diminishing return on that. I don’t know where that number crosses over but you’re trying to find the best number. At the same time, I’m perfectly confident in the guys that are sparing each other. I think we’ve had maybe eight guys up? Nine? I don’t know. Anyway, we’ve got a lot of guys up that rotate through and whoever’s in the game, we – not only as a front but I would assume as a staff – all have confidence in whoever’s in there to make the play. So whoever’s in there should be very confident in making the play and I’m confident in that person doing the same. We’ve just got to find that sweet spot and everybody’s doing the same thing, front to back side.
(Would continuing to be a starter be important to you next year? Are you beyond the point where that makes any difference?) – “As you know, what was it, two years ago now where I wasn’t a starter? Again, it’s all about production. It’s about helping the team win. It’s about doing what’s best, again, for myself as well. I’ve come off the bench and hopefully I’ve been productive and I’ve again started for a season and I’d like to think I’ve been productive. So there’s a lot of ways to skin a cat. I’ve been here doing it for a while and hopefully I can continue.”
(Would it be important to end your career having played with just one organization?) – “If it makes sense, for sure. I think, again, there’s a lot of different details but I think that shows a mutual respect, from the player’s side to the organization and an organization’s side to the player to say, ‘Listen, we value you and we want to keep you in house.’ At the same time, they have a trust in the organization to say, ‘This is where I want to continue to fight and make a winning program more winning than it has been.’ So it, I think, goes both ways. It needs to be that cohesiveness in thought for it to continue to happen. So far we’ve been doing it. I would expect for that to continue.
(But one playoff run in 10 years? No frustration there?) – “Oh yeah, for sure. Definitely. There’s frustration every year. Today, I’m frustrated. I mean, look around this locker room. Look at all the name plates we have and what it takes, player-wise. Again, we’re what? One game out again? That is frustrating. But again, I have confidence, player to organization, organization to player to say, ‘Listen, we’re going to continue to fight and change things that have been happening.’ Obviously I’ve been around for a lot of it.
(You’ve seen a lot of change.) – “(Laughter). I’ve seen a lot of change. I’ve seen a lot, period. But I look around this locker room. I know we have the guys. It’s just, again, putting the pieces together in the right way to make sure that we don’t have this conversation next year, hopefully.”
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