Daniel Kilgore – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
C Daniel Kilgore
(How do you feel that things – and I know it’s the second day – but how do you feel things are coming together here?) – “It’s good. We’ve got a really good group of guys – guys that want to come in and work every day. For me, as a newcomer, it’s been a fresh start. It’s been a great start. I’m enjoying everybody here and just getting used to this heat, so that’s the only difference. It’s been really good though.”
(How important is it that this line has been together all throughout OTAs and minicamp, and does it help you going into this year?) – “Absolutely. I think the starting point this offseason was a big stepping stone for us. (There were) a lot of new guys, younger guys, coming in, and guys like myself that have playing experience and building that chemistry – not just the line but the whole offense – it’s huge. We’ll keep building on that every day, and again, it’s a whole group of guys that really want to come out and work and are really dedicated to their craft, so it’s been great.”
(What’s the key or formula for a cohesive unit?) – “Just taking it one day at a time, work together, communicate, and really just look at what you’re doing. Don’t get defensive, learn from one another and just build each and every day.”
(Can you sort of give us some insight into one specific football thing that’s different with the Dolphins’ offense that you’ve learned versus what you were doing last year?) – “Different from last year, we’re a little bit more up-tempo, which I had a little bit of that with Chip Kelly. Just more up-tempo I guess, and you’ve got guys all around that can make plays. There’s guys out there that could, but it just seems like you’ve got six or seven backs that don’t drop balls, so it’s been great.”
(Coming into this role, obviously C Mike Pouncey, you’ve got some big shoes to fill, and just the way you’re assimilating to your role with this team?) – “Yes. I won’t say that I’m Mike Pouncey or I’m trying to emulate him or not trying to. I’m Dan Kilgore and I’ll be my own guy. But (I have) nothing but respect for Mike for what he did here for seven years. He’s doing his thing now. I’m not trying to fulfill his role. I’m trying to be better from what this team was last year and just build with this team and this group of guys.”
(Can you get an idea of the kind of talent you have around you right now?) – “Oh, yes. You look around and you’ve got guys flying around catching balls, making plays on both sides of the ball. You’ve got a lot of guys that like turtles. (laughter) Just all around, you’ve got the talent. You’ve just got to go out here and win ball games. You’ve got to keep building every day, take it one day at a time like I said, and just trust the system. It’s going to be long – early mornings, a long training camp – but we’re looking forward to it.”
(What does an offensive line have to do to get RB Frank Gore going?) – “Nothing. Frank Gore runs on his own motor. He always has for however many years he’s been playing. He’s 35 years old and he looks like he’s 21. Pretty good for a guy that had two bum knees out of college.”
(You’ve got your coach out, Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn, in a boot with a broken leg. How does that affect your guys’ practicing and what does that say about your coach being out here being injured?) – “He sets the tone. ‘Wash’ is the man. He actually called me when it happened I guess, or a few days after. I wouldn’t expect anything less of him. I knew he’d be out here. This is how these NFL coaches are – dialed in. It’s how they’re programmed. They’re not going to miss anything. That sets the tone for us as an offensive line, and it’s nothing but respect for that.”
(Was it jet-skiing or something?) – “I don’t think it was jet-skiing. I think (Jeremiah Washburn) got in a little traffic accident where somebody hit him.”
(Are you a little jealous? Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn gets to ride around in a golf cart.) – “I mean it would be nice when the sun’s out and there’s no clouds; but he’s enjoying it. Plus his son is able to ride around and hear all of the cuss words that his dad says, so it was pretty close. It’s a good thing for him.”
(Is there sort of a phrase or a motto or a theme that Offensive Line Coach Jeremiah Washburn just constantly says, constantly talks about with the group?) – “As far as a theme, our team theme is ‘forge’ right now. ‘Wash’ is not a big ‘grind’ guy. He doesn’t like the word grind, so don’t say it to him. He’s more like ‘come in, do your (expletive), get your job done and get out, take care of yourself.’ ‘Wash,’ I mean, I don’t know. There’s not a thing with him.”
(What does forge mean?) – “Forge.”
(What does it mean?) – “I guess another word for grind. (laughter)”
(Is there anything you guys did for more cohesion during the summer time?) – “As far as cohesion in the offseason, I mean we group text. I mean there’s guys all around the states. There’s a few guys that stayed here and worked together, trained a little bit together. For me personally, I went back to Tennessee with my wife. We’re expecting, so I had father duties to take care of. We did a lot this offseason, whether getting dinner together or going to Top Golf or spending time, we did a lot this offseason. I’m sure we’ll get into more of that this season.”
(Did you get anything for your quarterback for his 30th birthday?) – “So, Kenny (Stills) told me today that his birthday is today. I think he turns 30. I don’t know. We might have to throw him in the cold tub or something, I don’t know. I didn’t get him anything.”
(When’s your baby due?) – “Baby is due September 11th, so it’s two days after our first game. Hopefully it’ll come before it.”
(Is it your first?) – “First. (We’re) not finding out what the sex is either, so it’s a total surprise.”
(When you look at RB Frank Gore, do you see any difference from the time you were together in San Francisco?) – “No, not really. I mean, he’s honestly … What is it, three years, four years we spent away from each other? Frank’s still the same person. He’s always going to be the same. It’s just cool to see him now, and what they do, bringing the high schools here, and his son comes to practice with him. That’s pretty cool. Just knowing him for so long and knowing his work ethic, he’s not lost a step. It’s unbelievable what he does before practice, after practice, staying here until nine at night, doing whatever he’s got to do to get himself ready for the next day and he’s been doing it for so long. He’s a Hall of Famer. He was when he was out west, he was with the Colts and he will be here. It’s pretty special for him, and pretty cool if you know Frank, to come back and be with him and watch him be able to play for his home team is pretty special.”
(So how are you going to handle the birth of the baby? Is your wife down here?) – “She’s here. Yes, we’ll have the baby here. We’ve got a great support with our family, so we’ll have plenty of support.”
(What if it comes September 9th?) – “I’ll be at the game. I’ll be at the hospital after. I mean, what more can I do? When a baby comes out, you’re just holding it, right? So, I’ll go do my job, and then I’ll see the baby afterwards.”
Raekwon McMillan – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
LB Raekwon McMillan
(It’s got to be asked, how is the knee?) – “It’s alright … In OTAs, I was still thinking about it. I was still worrying about whether it was strong enough or if it was ready yet to take every snap. But I’m out here at camp, had the whole offseason to train with my trainer and had more time to work on my quad muscle and hamstring and all of the muscles around my knee. I finally feel like I’m back to where I was and feeling a little better than I was when I went to camp last year.”
(So the last two days, how much have you been thinking about it out there?) – “Not at all. Just scheduled maintenance right after practice, going in and getting stretched, cold tub, hot tub and all of that regular stuff everybody else does. When it comes to being on the field, I don’t really think about it much at all.”
(Was a brace an option?) – “For me, honestly no. I felt like if I needed a brace then I needed more time to rehab and do stuff like that. My whole rehab I did without a brace, thanks to the training staff here. They did a good job of keeping me focused on working without it and making sure I had stabilization without it, so I feel more safe without it.”
(How did last year help you any way at all?) – “I’m ready for the heat. (laughter) Last year I learned a lot. I had enough confidence and I was named the starter last year, so I had confidence in myself that I could come out and do the same thing this year. Nothing is given in this league. I had to come out here and earn it again. Me coming out here and earning it again after coming off of that injury was very fulfilling for me.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill talked about mentally he was in a better spot watching on the sidelines coming back. For you, not being in the defense last year, mentally do you feel like you’re in a better spot by sitting back and learning, now coming back and learning on the field?) – “Yes. Last year I felt like going into it, I didn’t know all of the nuances. I didn’t know everything about the defense. This year, you’ve got to sit back and really see what the defense needed, where they need me to be and what my role would be on the defense. (I’m) coming in and fulfilling that role for them and doing everything I can to make this team better.”
(Have you been able to use that even in the first couple of days of practice?) – “Yes, for sure. Knowing more and being able to teach the guys behind me – like Jerome (Baker), ‘Q’ (Quentin Poling), a young guy in Frank (Ginda and) we’ve got Cayson (Colling) in there. Those guys are coming up and when I came to the sidelines last year, I was the one asking questions. I was the one that needed all of the answers. This year, I’m more of a teacher and I know a little bit more.”
(Typically a middle linebacker, a lot of middle linebackers, come out on passing downs. Do you feel like your ability to cover will make the decision hard for whether you’re playing on passing downs or not?) – “Yes. That was my whole objective and goal for the offseason is being able to come in and dropping a little bit of weight so I can stay on the field the whole time. That’s every middle linebacker’s dream – being able to stay on the field. We’re in a game now where on third down, you see most middle linebackers come out, like you said. For me, to stay in the game, it’s all about me being in shape and knowing what I’ve got to do and where I need to be and being a positive role on the field. If I’m out there and I’m a weak link, they are going to take me off the field.”
(Have they told you if you’re one of the two best guys and that you’re going to play?) – “It all depends on what happens at camp. We’ve got a lot of good guys in our room and anything can happen.”
(You and QB Ryan Tannehill were kind of in the same boat last year. Obviously you were at very different points in your career but how much communication did you have with him? How much did you guys pair up going through the whole rehab experience?) – “We’ve talked about it before. Throughout the whole rehab process, Ryan kind of walked me through what I was going to feel, how I was going to feel and some of the pains I was going to have and how to get through them. With some of the pains, it’s all about fighting through it. It’s not all about what you’re feeling, it’s about how you’re going to get through it.”
(The physical pain you’re talking about?) – “Yes, the physical pain. Ryan (Tannehill), he’s been through it two years in a row so he knows what’s going on.”
(What about the mental part of it, because that’s tough too?) – “(Tannehill) is a vet, so he kind of walked me through that too as well. For me being a rookie, this was my first injury I’ve had ever – college, high school, little league. My first game in the NFL, I got hurt so it kind of (affected me) mentally.”
(Are you still mad about it a year later, a why me kind of thing, which is natural?) – “No. I never got to the point where I got mad at myself or got down on myself. I was a little disappointed that I wasn’t able to provide for this organization; but this is my year right here, so I’ve got to give them everything I’ve got.”
(How much are you looking forward to contact? It’s been a while.) – “Yes, that’s what middle linebackers live for, so I’m ready for all of that.”
(You’ve had a lot of time obviously the last year. Any middle linebackers that you’ve studied in the NFL that you’ve sort of seen similarities to with your game?) – “Yes, I try to study all of the three-down linebackers. Deion Jones, Luke Kuechly, Bobby Wagner and some of those guys. The guy from the Cowboys (Sean Lee) – those are all pretty good linebackers and I just study the game and how they play.”
(When did you start thinking of yourself as perhaps a middle linebacker in the NFL?) – “When I got to college and (Ohio State Head Coach Urban) Meyer and (former Ohio State Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach) Luke Fickell sat me to the side and told me that was going to be the best position for me, for my future and for my family. So, I took that and ran with it.”
DeVante Parker – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
WR DeVante Parker
(Is your family here? Do they come out every day?) – “No, just my girl and a couple of my friends come out here to see me for a little bit.”
(What’s it like having them all being able to be here on the sidelines?) – “It’s good having someone here supporting you. While my family is back in Kentucky, it’s good to have other people here to visit and see you and watch you practice.”
(Is that something that you maybe didn’t have down here the first couple years?) – “No, I did. They were always supporting me wherever I went. They came down every camp. I appreciate them for that.”
(How would you describe your mindset at the start of training camp?) – “My mindset for the start of training camp is to come out and dominate everything I do, get better every day and work getting better with my teammates.”
(Have you set number goals for yourself – receptions, touchdowns, yards?) – “No, I haven’t. I’m going into the season going out there and playing. Whatever happens, happens.”
(Why don’t you set those type of goals?) – “I just don’t do that.”
(You’ve never done that?) – “No.”
(As far as this receiving corps, does there need to be a No. 1 receiver? Do you believe in a No. 1 receiver?) – “Whoever is feeling hot that game – whoever, anybody. It doesn’t have to be a No. 1, just whoever is feeling hot that game just getting open, throw them the ball.”
(Do you feel like there might be more opportunities this year, because last year I think WR Jarvis Landry got like 10 balls a game average? That’s not going to happen this year.) – “Like I said, whoever gets open, they’ll see the ball more. You never know.”
(How much more dangerous can a team be when you have that kind of situation where so many guys … You guys are pretty stacked at the wide receiver position.) – “It’s good for all of us. Multiple weapons across the field. If you bring in anybody, they come out and play and they do whatever they need to do to get the job done.”
(Who’s been most impressive to you in that wide receiver room so far?) – “(I am) most impressed probably (by) Albert Wilson. He’s stepped up big time making plays out here. It’s what we need.”
(Did you know much about WR Albert Wilson before he signed?) – “No, I didn’t; but I know about him now. (laughter)”
(What do you know?) – “He’s fast. (He) works hard every time he comes out here, no matter what.”
(Do you think that there’s enough balls to go around this offense? You’ve got so many guys. WR Jakeem Grant is there. You mentioned WR Albert Wilson, WR Danny Amendola.) – “It’s going to be alright. We’ve just got to split it up. Different packages, people coming in.”
(How did you spend your offseason? Any fun trips or anything like that?) – “I went to the Dominican Republic for a weekend and then came back and started training. Well, I went back to Kentucky to visit my family and then started training again.”
(How was the D.R.? Lay out on the beach, cliff diving, anything crazy?) – “No, there was seaweed out there, so it stunk up the whole place. (laughter) It wasn’t no good.”
(Can you talk about what it means to have QB Ryan Tannehill back?) – “It means a lot. We did a lot of things with him last year and we missed out on certain things with him. (Head) Coach (Adam Gase) changed some things with him and we weren’t able to have that coming into the season.”
(Were you part of that crew that went to Nebraska?) – “Yes, I was.”
(What was that like?) – “It was fun bonding with other players. I felt like we’re brothers. Everybody bonding together, it went well. We all got along. It was a good time.”
(WR Kenny Stills was kind of the ringleader right?) – “Yes, he was. He set everything up.”
(Did WR Kenny Stills pick up the tab, too?) – “Sometimes. (laughter)”
(What do you say to people who say there’s not a lot of expectations from the outside for this team? What do you say to those type of people?) – “We just try to ignore any negativity, come out and play and let the game do the talking.”
(Was there one highlight from that trip to Nebraska?) – “One highlight? Me and Kenny wrestling.”
(You were wrestling?) – “Yes, wrestling. (We were) having fun.”
(Who all was there?) – “It was me, Kenny, (Leonte) Carroo, Drew Morgan.”
(Did WR Jakeem Grant make the trip??) – “No, he didn’t make it. He had a family situation.”
(What’s one thing about Kenny – he obviously is out there and outspoken – that we don’t know about WR Kenny Stills?) – “He’s a leader. He does whatever he needs to do to get his body right. Like I said, he’s a leader of the group – him and Danny (Amendola). He looks out for me to make sure I keep my body right, telling me to eat my greens and stuff.”
Minkah Fitzpatrick – July 27, 2018
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Friday, July 27, 2018
S Minkah Fitzpatrick
(How much more real does this feel as opposed to OTAs or minicamps or rookie camps or any of that stuff?) – “All of that felt real. I was wearing a Dolphins uniform, living in Miami, so it all felt real. I’m just enjoying every single thing, every single day, day to day; but like I said, it’s been real since my name was called at the draft.”
(I see Defensive Coordinator Matt Burke coming over and talking to you a lot. How much are the coaches in your ear here to make sure you’ve got things right, just mentally, as opposed to also physical?) – “They’ve got me moving around a little bit so they know it could be kind of hard. So they’re trying their best just to make sure I understand all of the concepts because the more I understand the concepts, the more I can move around. So they’re just trying to make sure that I understand the game, the concept and what we’re trying to do. So they’ve helped me out a whole lot.”
(What’s it like coming in as a first-round pick and having veterans around you and having to mix in with them at the same time?) – “It’s not new. It’s almost the same thing like in college. It’s just a little bit different. It’s not that much different but you just come in and you’re a rookie and you don’t say much. Somebody said a rookie isn’t supposed to be heard, he’s just supposed to be seen. That’s it and that’s kind of how I approach it. I go in there, I sit in my locker, listen to everybody talk, observe, see what they’re doing and I just follow and lead where I can lead.”
(Do you feel like you’re being seen?) – “Yes. I think I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. The older guys see me working. They see me doing what I’m supposed to do. Like I said, I’m just not trying to be extremely vocal right now. I’m just trying to observe and learn from everybody else (like) the older guys – Reshad (Jones), T.J. (McDonald), ‘X’ (Xavien Howard), Bobby (McCain) and all of thos guys – and keep me pushing.”
(Where specifically have you progressed since you got here?) – “I would just say understanding the game. I had an understanding of the college football game. In the pros, it’s a little bit different. So I just have to understand the game, break down different games from last year, watch film with the coaches and just learning. I’m learning every single day. I think that’s the main difference in me. I’m an athlete, so not too much is going to change there; but just understanding the small things about this concept, this scheme, this defense and the NFL game overall.”
(When they’re playing you guys with three safeties, does that take some adjusting to get you set? Or is that pretty natural?) – “It’s pretty natural. We haven’t really played too many three safety looks. We play like two safeties and a nickel or two safeties and an extra corner or something like that. We haven’t done too much three safety stuff.”
(You haven’t been on the field with S Reshad Jones and S T.J. McDonald at the same time up to this point?) – “No.”
(Is starting important to you as a rookie?) – “It is, just because I’m used to playing. I’m going to go out there and work my hardest to earn that starting spot. It is important to me.”
Josh Sitton – July 26, 2018
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Thursday, July 26, 2018
G Josh Sitton
(I know it’s Day 1, but the offensive line, how do you think that room will come together?) – “It’s going to take time. We’ve got some new faces in there, me being one of them. It takes a little bit of time to gel; but I think we’ve got a good group. I’m excited to be in there and I’m excited to get to work with these guys.”
(How much do you think it’s going to help that you guys have been together as a same unit all throughout camp and OTAs?) – “That’s always extremely important. I’ve been part of lines that were together for a really long time. I’ve been part of lines where we had injuries every week. You’ve got to role with whatever happens. Ideally you’d like to get as many reps together as you can. It helps. Every play there is some sort of communication you go through and some sort of footwork that you can work on with the guy next to you. Just learning those little things, they can turn into big things later.”
(T Laremy Tunsil has talked about the help you’ve provided to him. Did you give him any advice about going against DE Robert Quinn day in and day out? That guy is kind of a beast out there.) – “Yes, he’s a good football player. I had my shot at left tackle one game and I didn’t do so well, so I’m not going to give him too much advice about blocking those guys off the edge. (laughter) I’ve got a little advice here and there.”
(What is the advice you give him broadly, about playing football?) – ”There’s so many things. As a young player, you’re so dialed in on yourself that you don’t look at the big picture, the whole play, the whole defense. You can start looking at where the defense is lining up, where their eyes are, where their hands are … Little things like that you talk about day in and day out. As you play longer and longer in this league, you start learning those things.”
(You’ve been through a lot of training camps. Do you feel a little different, a little excitement, because this is your first one with a new team?) – “It feels a little bit hotter. (laughter) But yes, it’s always exciting. It’s always exciting to get out here and work with the guys. There’s a lot of excitement within this building. We feel like we can be a good football team. We’re just trying to come out here every day and get better and see where we can go.”
(You’ve mentioned the heat already a couple of times. How tough is it to concentrate in this heat?) – “Concentration is not the problem. It’s catching my breath.”
(Does that have you reconsidering the hair and the beard?) – “Yes, we’ll see how it goes. (laughter) It might be gone.”
(Have you been part of a team before that maybe came into the season with not great expectations but totally exceeded and showed people wrong?) – “I don’t know. None of that really matters. All that matters is what we’re doing every day and come out here working and what we say to each other. Nothing else really matters.”
(Does each camp have a different feel each year or is it just training camp and that’s it?) – “There’s always something different that kind of goes on every year – some new groove or whatever. I mean it’s training camp. It’s a bunch of new faces but it’s all the same thing. It’s all football, pass protection, run blocking. It’s all the same thing; but like I said it’s exciting to get out here with the guys.”
(Can you play your protections in a way that with QB Ryan Tannehill’s knee that you try not to go that certain way or do you just play wide open?) – “I don’t think about that.”
Kenyan Drake – July 26, 2018
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Thursday, July 26, 2018
RB Kenyan Drake
(Do you feel an added sense of responsibility in terms of you and RB Frank Gore are the main guys this year. Last year you were uncertain about how much you’d even play.) – “I feel like everybody has to take accountability for their role, no matter what it is. If you’re on offense or if you’re on special teams, it’s the next man up. That’s the type of attitude we have this year, just to go out there and win a lot more games than we did last year.”
(There’s a big experience factor with this offensive line this year. How much do you think it will help?) – “I feel like … Like I said, if everybody takes care of their 1/11th and go out there and take care of their responsibilities. This year (Head Coach Adam) Gase has an added sense of team when it comes to going out there and taking care of your responsibility. Once one guy takes care of his responsibility, then the team as a whole will be successful.”
(Was there a different sense of excitement for you coming into camp after the success you had late last season?) – “Yes, I kind of wish I had a couple more games to get under my belt last year; but I’m just going to use that as a stepping stone for this year. As I said, (I want to) help this team win a lot more games this year and continue to build on that success.”
(When we talked to you in the spring, you talked about wanting to gain weight and strength. How did you go about doing that and what was the result?) – “I just wanted to make sure I took the right steps in the offseason to take care of my training and take care of my diet. As a professional athlete, I understand that my body is my number one priority in this game. I felt like I did a good job. It was hot today but it could’ve been a lot worse if I didn’t take care of my body.”
(So what did you do? Did you put on weight?) – “I came in last year about the same that I am now. It’s really about having the right diet to sustain it. I know with how much water you lose out here, it’s about staying hydrated and making sure you get the carbs in your body, things of that sort. I have the added sense of responsibility knowing I have to take care of my body.”
(What’s it like to have RB Frank Gore, an experienced back like him, with you and working with you, learning from him and that kind of thing? What’s that been like?) – “It’s real cool just seeing him out here running around. He always has an extra gear, even at his age, and seeing how he takes care of his body, especially as a running back where the shelf-life isn’t really that high. It’s cool having him out here and seeing that face to face.”
(What weight do you want to play at?) – “As long as I keep my speed, I don’t really care. I feel like it’s more about the added grind, bumping and grinding for 16 games; but I could be 195 (pounds) as long as I have the capability to run between the tackles. It doesn’t really matter.”
(So the weight was more about handling more of the workload?) – “Not necessarily. I just didn’t get the work load when I was at a lower weight. It doesn’t mean necessarily that I needed the weight. As long as I have the speed, that’s all they care about.”
(What did you take out or add to your diet to change?) – “I love chips. (laughter) Chips is something that’s not really a gain from a nutritional aspect. I’m just really supplementing that with healthier snacks like fruits and things like that to kind of go straight into my energy and last longer. (I’m trying to) put more greens in my diet. I don’t necessarily like eating a lot of greens, so smoothies that are greener-ish, that’s definitely a plus. You just make sure you supplement that type of stuff into your diet.”
(With all of the receptions this offseason, are you looking forward to filling that role a little more in the backfield as a pass catcher?) – “Yes. Whatever (Adam) Gase has drawn up, that’s the role I’m willing to take on. I pride myself on being versatile, so at the end of the day, when I go out there, I just want to make plays however I can.”
(How would you describe the vibe of the team as you stepped onto the field this morning?) – “Very excited. I feel like … We don’t necessarily have a chip on our shoulder, but we’re not being talked about. That’s what we love. We don’t want anybody talking about us because we just go out there and play football. We don’t have any expectations of anything. We just want to go out there do what we do to win games and make these fans happy.”
(I saw that you made a veiled reference to that on Twitter. Do you feel like this is sort of a blank slate for this team and this is a chance to write a legacy?) – “For sure. I feel like everybody has the same goals and aspirations at the beginning of the season. Other people might be talking more because of what they did last year and things of that sort. If you look at our schedule this year, we have all 1 o’clock games. That shows that the league doesn’t see us as a prime time match up for anybody.”
(Is that disrespectful, do you think?) – “Not necessarily. I love it. We go out there and take care of business early, go home, rest up and do the same thing the next week. We just take it one game at a time.”
Adam Gase – July 26, 2018
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Thursday, July 26, 2018
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Quick first impressions from the first day of practice?) – “It’s the first day. It was good to go through one of the hotter days I think that I’ve experienced in the last two years. It was good to have it on the first day. Everything else after this, I’ll probably be happy if there is any kind of breeze, so maybe we’ve gotten lucky for the last two years.”
(QB Ryan Tannehill has this 2.0 knee brace. In what ways will this model of him be perhaps as good as ever?) – “I think just experience, whether it be in our offense or just in general, playing quarterback in the NFL. Every rep he gets, he takes something from it. He’s constantly learning. I think the receivers and the tight ends and the running backs and him – they’ve developed good chemistry through the spring and what they’ve done over the summer. I don’t know if the knee brace is something … It’s not really something that I’m even thinking about. Eventually, he’ll probably have to start working on sliding a different way than he used to.”
(You know quarterbacks obviously well, and the life of the QB and the pressure that comes with it. Do you think that it’s fair that a lot of that falls on QB Ryan Tannehill and he’s coming back and all of this expectation that he’s just going to pick up where he left off and be the man?) – “I mean that’s what they get paid to do. He knows the job description and he understands the expectations and the amount of pressure that goes at that position. I don’t think that’s something that he loses a lot of sleep over.”
(Do you think that every training camp has its own kind of feel and vibe or is training camp just training camp?) – “It does. Every year it has felt a little different. Some of it might, maybe myself, this being the third one here … (It’s a) different feel when you’re a coordinator or a position coach. A lot of times, the attitude of the players can dictate how that feel is as well. It’s been real exciting to be around this group. The way these guys attack things, it makes it fun to be out on the practice field, and when guys make mistakes, they work to get better.”
(How much should we look into who is working with the starters on Day 1?) – “I would take your time on that. Right now, that’s kind of where we ended up in the spring. Eventually, at all of the positions, we’re going to try to move some things around and get some different groups in there, and try to get guys to have experience with Ryan (Tannehill). We have to find some ways to do that because you never know what is going to happen. If somebody goes down, they have to be ready to go. You don’t want that to be the first time that they’ve actually had a rep with him. We’re going to eventually get to that point. This first week or so, we’re going to try to get in a good rhythm and then we’ll experiment after that.”
(And defensively?) – “It’s the same thing. We’re really just trying to get guys back into the flow of everything. Then we’ll start shuffling things around. We’re not going to start moving things around too early. We want guys to put some things on tape, kind of see where we’re at, what adjustments we need to make and then we’ll make them.”
(When an older player like WR Danny Amendola comes in, and you’ve had others in the past couple of years, what are you looking for to tell whether or not, basically, they still have it?) – “Really, that was our job in the offseason. In the spring, you know where a guy really is in his career. Right now, Danny looks like the same guy that we played against. For us, any of our older players, they don’t look any different than what we thought we were getting when we brought them here. I think Frank (Gore) is the one guy that every time I watch him, you just shake your head when you see him make some of these cuts and the acceleration through the hole. The guy is ageless.”
(You’re the coach so you see 30,000 things that we don’t see; but does the success and failure of the team this year depend basically on QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “I don’t think it’s at that capacity. I think we have a lot of good pieces around him that can help us get to where we’re trying to get as far as improving every week. With him not being in there, there’s a drop off obviously, because he’s a starter in the NFL, and him being out there is better for us than him not being out there.”
(Can you win if QB Ryan Tannehill doesn’t play well?) – “Yes.”
(Were there any guys back in February and March that you challenged to reshape their body and to get in better shape where you’ve seen results?) – “No. Nobody wants to test the elements here. Whether you’re new or you’ve been here for a while, you understand what you’re coming into in training camp. Guys came back and they were in great shape when we had OTAs. Now you add five weeks with (Head Strength and Conditioning Coach Dave) Puloka before that, so that helps. They had five weeks off, now all of a sudden you have to show up yesterday. The guys, they don’t take that chance.”
(How would you describe the situation you have right now at cornerback opposite CB Xavien Howard. What’s happening there?) – “I think those guys are just battling. It’s good to see that Tony (Lippett) looks like he’s trending towards where he was when he was healthy in 2016. We saw flashes of it in the spring, and I think there was a little bit where he was holding back, trying to work through some of the soreness and pain sometimes. He looked good today I thought. It was good to see him transition and make some plays on the ball.”
(What were your thoughts last week when, for a few hours, you guys were a top national conversation when it came to the national anthem?) – “That’s the good thing about me not watching TV and scrolling through the Internet. I just kind of wait and see what we’re told by the NFL and the NFLPA and what’s going on, as far as their conversations go. I wait until we actually start games. It seems like things change a lot.”
(Would you ever consider suspending a player for taking a knee?) – “I mean if anyone knew the actual rules of the NFL, good luck suspending somebody, because it takes about 5,000 things before anybody can get suspended by a club.”
(Do you think the issue is potentially divisive for a team?) – “I don’t know. You’d have to poll 31 other teams. I don’t know.”
(Do you think it is potentially divisive for this team?) – “I think our guys do a good job of communicating with each other. I think they do a good job of when issues come up, they get together, they hammer it out (and) they talk to each other. These guys aren’t shy about speaking up. They’ve done a good job of making sure, as a group, they talk through things. Not just that, there’s … Other issues always come up during a season. I thought last year, we weren’t as good at doing it as we were the year before, as far as guys talking to each other and kind of seeking each other out. I think this group right now, it’s a different group. These guys aren’t shy. They won’t shy away from things. I like that they are able to do that and have open conversations.”
(So you believe that it’s unrealistic that any player would actually be suspended for this?) – “I don’t know. I’m just telling you that other instances that have happened in the past, it’s harder to suspend guys than what anybody realizes.”
(This issue arose in your first year, I believe, as a head coach. Has this been a difficult challenge for you? This wouldn’t have been something you would have expected at the time, when you took the job.) – “It hasn’t been a challenge for me. I just go with whatever is being said by people in charge and then at the same time, I’m communicating with our players and giving them information that I get, and go from there.”
(Do pads go on Sunday or Monday and when they do go on, how quickly can you start forming concrete opinions about things that you haven’t seen with pads?) – “What is today, Thursday? Friday, Saturday … Saturday we’ll have the uppers on, and we’ll go full pads I think on Sunday or Monday.”
(How quickly can you gain things, knowledge-wise, once they’re in pads?) – “It picks up pretty good. You’ll figure out who’s going to want to be a little more aggressive. Some guys want to be aggressive and some guys shy away from contact; but for the most part, unless you’re a rookie, we’ve seen most of these guys in pads. We know how they’re going to react to that. The rookies, you just want to see if what you saw in college and on tape is going to carry over.”
(You guys are pretty healthy right now, right? Nobody on the PUP list and I don’t think anybody was sitting out. Is that just luck or is that a testament to your people and the work the players are doing?) – “I think a lot of it has to do with our players using the resources they have. We have a lot of people that are always trying to help those guys, making sure that they stay healthy. Our players are being very proactive, especially at the positions where you’re doing a lot of running and can possibly have (muscle) pulls and things like that. They’re being proactive. They’re making sure to use all of the resources they have in our building, and hopefully we just keep on the same trend.”
(Is this a first or has this happened before for you where no guys were on PUP? Do you remember?) – “I don’t know. I’ll check if you want me to.”
(With this heat wave, it seems to be a little bit on the accelerated level that what I’m used to. Do you have to have more precaution about heat exhaustion and hydration?) – “The hydration part, our guys do a good job of. You can tell players get annoyed sometimes because they’re always (reminded) the day before about hydrating, being consistent in what we’re doing. During practice, we’re monitoring everyone. We’re checking to make sure where we’re at with the heat. We kind of got levels to say ‘We’re in this area, we might need to take a break. Let’s get everybody out of the sun and then go back.’ So, we’re always checking on that to make sure if it gets to a level where we’re worried about something, that’s when you’ll see us actually take a break, get guys in the shade and get them in the cooler area so we make sure nothing ever happens to anybody.”
(There isn’t a coach or player in the league today who is saying they are going to stink and be a bad time. What sense do you have of your team as you look forward to the expectations of this year?) – “I think our guys just understand that when you enter a season, it’s 0-0. That’s the beauty about the NFL. It’s like saying, ‘Hey, you haven’t done this in 15 years.’ Nobody really cares. It’s a new start. That’s the beauty of this league. When you have guys moving out, you never know what that team, what personality they’re going to take, what their characteristics are going to be, how they are going to handle adversity and then that’s when you have those teams where nobody thinks they were going to do anything and all of a sudden you’re talking about them in January.”
Ryan Tannehill – July 26, 2018
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Thursday, July 26, 2018
QB Ryan Tannehill
(Tannehill 2.0 on the brace, who came up with that one?) – “I have so many braces that they had to label them somehow. I guess that’s how they figured it out.”
(Your confidence level in the knee compared to last year after having the surgery and a full year off, how does it compare to this year?) – “I have full confidence, obviously. I was able to do everything in the spring and it’s only gotten stronger. I only feel better. At this point, it’s like nothing ever happened. You’re working through the rehab in the spring, working through getting comfortable again and making all the moves. At this point, it’s second nature. You’re not even thinking about it.”
(The additions and subtractions to this roster, do you kind of sense with this team a culture change maybe or just a different personality about this team?) – “We had some good additions. I think that we brought in some good guys who will help us, that buy into what we’re doing. Honestly, it’s the leaders of the team, it’s our responsibility to set the tempo, set the culture of what we expect, set our standards and then hold everyone accountable so we keep those standards.”
(How would you describe your specific goals for the summer?) – “My goal for the summer was to get better. We left the spring with a couple of ideas, a couple small detail things of footwork, drops, and movement in the pocket that I wanted to work on and I was able to focus on those three things and try to get better. That way, coming into camp, we have a foundation we built.”
(The new receiver, can you give us a scouting report on the new receiver you had over there midfield [his son Steel]?) – “The little one? He’s got a long way to go. He gives his heart, but it’s fun. It’s fun having my little guy out here. It’s really a special time we get to share. It’s tough being away from him but getting to spend these few minutes with him on the field is huge.”
(How old is he now?) – “He just turned 2 a couple days ago.”
(Tannehill 2.0 on the brace, can you explain that?) – “Honestly, I didn’t even notice it until today I looked down. They made like four or five different braces for me to try out and have backups and backups in case one gets bent or whatever. It’s just a way they label them so they can keep them straight.”
(How does this Tannehill model compare to the old one?) – “They’re not a lot different, honestly. The brace is there just to prevent the injury from the hit, the contact. It doesn’t do much for stability or anything like that; but the contact, which started this whole ball rolling against Arizona in 2016, the brace is there to prevent that.”
(I meant this model of quarterback.) – “I hope he’s the best one yet. (laughter) That’s the goal is to come out and get better each and every day. I think that’s what we’re doing. We did that in the spring and obviously, the first day out here, it wasn’t perfect. We have a lot of room to grow; but I thought guys came out and competed and set the tempo of what we expect every day.”
(Just to be clear the 2.0 does not mean the 2.0 version of Ryan Tannehill it refers to the brace?) – “It refers to the brace. It had nothing to do with that.”
(You’re obviously familiar with how important a starting quarterback is for every team. After last year, does the realization that this team kind of rests on you and success or failure goes with you, is that a bigger realization for you now?) – “I think I’ve always known that; but being able to take a step back and do things from a little different viewpoint, going throughout a season and trying to observe and see how things happen – when you face adversity how people respond – I learned a lot through that process. I realized how much I can control through my play and how I lead day in and day out. That’s my goal is to go out and play well and lead this team to win.”
(Do you feel more responsibility now knowing that it’s that much more clear to you?) – “Yes, probably so. I love feeling that responsibility, because I know that I can handle it and I know I have the guys around me that can take it and we can do something special. Being able to captain that ship, so to speak, is a lot of fun.”
(WR Jarvis Landry said this offseason that you didn’t have a good relationship. How did you feel when you heard that?) – “I just want to focus on the guys we have here and what we’re trying to build here.”
(Was there a different level of excitement for you coming into this training camp after what happened last year?) – “Yes, I think so. Like I said in the spring, it was a different feeling being able to go on the field and enjoy every moment, a different humbleness about the moment, because it got taken away from me last year and it’s something that had never happened to me before. Really, being able to step out onto the field and enjoy every moment, enjoy every day and get the most out of every day is a lot of fun.”
(Can you anticipate what, with WR Danny Amendola, your relationship? You had a couple of good catches today and a quarterback-friendly guy.) – “Danny is a great guy to have out there. He has played a lot of football. He understands football. He understands zones and how to get himself open and match ups and does a great job of finding windows and finding space. You saw he made a couple of catches in tight windows today. He’s going to help us a lot this year. I’m excited to have him.”
(With all the changes, how comforting is it to have a guy with experience like WR Danny Amendola out there?) – “It’s big. It’s big not only for me, but for the receiver room in general. Having a veteran guy who has played a lot of football, played at a high level, played in championships, the experience being able to lead that room is big.”
(What was the thought process behind that Instagram post you put up the other day?) – “I don’t know which one?”
(You working with the receivers out on the field during the summertime?) – “The thought process is that I’m just trying to be a little bit more active on there. That’s not something that I’ve done a lot in the past. One of Kenny’s (Stills) buddies was out there filming and was like, ‘I have this video,’ and I put it up.”
(Do you feel like one of the old guys out here now?) – “I am one of the old guys now. I don’t feel old. I feel great. I don’t feel like I’m about to be 30. I am one of the old guys. I’ve been playing a lot of football here in Miami. It’s kind of a fun transition over the past three years of transitioning from one of the young guys to one of the more veteran guys and I’m enjoying it.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase told me yesterday that watching you in practice and OTAs over the last couple of years, that you’re a different guy than you were when you played that game against Arizona, your last game. Do you agree with that and how are you different?) – “Yes, I would say I’ve grown a lot as a leader. I’ve grown a lot as a person, as a football player, just because of the adversity that I’ve faced. Like I said, being able to take a step back and watch from a different perspective and take in all that information, file it away and write it down. I’ve been going back, looking at my notes of things that’ve hit me over the last 16 months or whatever it may be and build on that. It’s experience that while I would never want it to happen that way, it’s going to be invaluable for me moving forward.”
(You kept a journal or is that normal?) – “It’s normal. I always take notes – football notes, life notes, how I’m feeling, whatever it may be. I try to write everything down and that way you can go back and you don’t forget things that happened. You don’t forget things that you learn from. You’re able to refresh on it and keep it going.”
(You talked about being more of a leader. Are you more of a leader by example kind of guy or more of a vocal? Because I saw you talking to WR Rashawn Scott over there giving him some pointers. How is your leadership style?) – “My style is my style. I’m not going to put a label on it. I’m myself. If there’s a situation where you get on a guy, you get on a guy. If you don’t, you don’t. It varies. It’s not one mold that gets it done.”
(What do you want for your birthday?) – “A great day at practice. (laughter) I’m pretty simple. I don’t need a whole lot. I’ve been blessed a lot in my life and (am) excited to come out and play football.”
(You put a video out of practice, you practicing throwing to guys. Was that just to throw out there for people to see or any message to it?) – “Yes. Did you just walk up? (laughter)”
(I couldn’t hear you on that side.) – “Kenny’s guy was out there with a camera and videoed it. He was really taking pictures of Kenny, but doing pictures for everybody and sent it to me and was like, ‘I got this video. Do you like it?’ I was like, ‘Yes, I’ll put it out.’”
