Jaelan Phillips – July 29, 2021
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
LB Jaelan Phillips
(Can I ask you about the adjustment to linebacker? What’s been the biggest one from putting your hand in the ground a lot at UM to now standing up a lot?) – “Honestly, I played linebacker all in high school and then my second year at UCLA, I played outside linebacker as well. It’s definitely been an adjustment getting used to it again; but a lot of the terminologies are the same, a lot of the principles are the same. I’m just taking it in stride and trying to get better every day. It’s definitely cool.”
(Is it surreal looking at your college stadium every day at practice?) – “This is gorgeous. I can’t help but be happy just sitting in a meeting room looking out seeing the Hard Rock (Stadium) in the background. It still blows my mind ‘til this day. Like I literally haven’t moved at all. I’m right here.”
(You came here with well-developed pass rush moves. Has your mission with Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark been perfecting the moves you have, adding new ones?) – “You’re definitely always trying to perfect what you have in the arsenal; but obviously trying to learn new things. I’ve been talking to the older guys a lot, trying to trail Emmanuel Ogbah and really just getting as much advice and just watching as much as I can because I know how good they are. I’m definitely trying to improve all aspects of my game, but I’ve got some stuff coming. Don’t worry. (laughter)”
(Are there any pass rushers you’ve studied on tape, either on UM or in recent months?) – “I’ve been obviously a film fanatic for a long time. Even watching old school guys like Lawrence Taylor. I know my coach Robbie Leonard, he’s a Giants guy, so he likes putting on Lawrence Taylor a lot. There are a bunch of great pass rushers in the league and you can definitely pick different parts of their game.”
(It looks to me that at times you’ve been working on dropping back into coverage. That is something you didn’t do a lot of at UM. How has it been getting re-acclimated to that aspect?) – “It’s awesome. I love moving around. I love running. I feel like I’m pretty good at being fluid and being able to move my hips around. That’s something that I’m working on. It’s not new to me, but it’s something that I haven’t done in a few years. It’s all exciting, being able to get back into it and try out different things.”
(There is a lot of talk about the difference between the speed in college and the NFL. Have you noticed the difference in strength when you’re going against some of your teammates?) – “Yeah. Just look out there, you’ll see how big some of these guys are. But I feel like the discrepancy between the best and the worst is a lot smaller in the league. Everybody is really good and that includes our team. You’ve just got to bring your best every day and I’m trying to get bigger too. So hopefully that won’t be an issue.”
(Do you have goals for yourself – like you said, in the weight room or on the field?) – “My goal honestly is I’m trying to be where my feet are. Every single day, I’m looking to improve on the mistakes I made the day before. Tomorrow I’m going to look at this film from today and try to correct the little parts of my game I can work on. I always can improve.”
(Is being a rookie starter a goal?) – “I’m just trying to contribute to the team. I know that sounds vanilla, but I’m a team-first guy. Obviously playing as much as I can is always a goal. But really, the goal right now is doing the best I can at camp and taking it one day at a time.”
(Outside of not having any classes, being in the same city, what else has changed? Did you get a nice new place with the contract? Is life similar to how it was outside of no classes?) – “I got a house, I got a cat and I got my girlfriend. (laughter) I’m just at the crib. I spend a lot more time up north. I was down in Coral Gables before. I like it a lot up here. It’s a lot more open, a lot easier to get around. Life for me has always been to grind and enjoy the fruits of my labor. I’m just enjoying life right now.”
(Are you in Dade or Broward?) – “I’m in Broward. I live in Hollywood.”
(I saw you going against T Austin Jackson today. How’s he helping you come along with your game?) – “I’ve actually known Austin since my senior year in high school. We both played in the Army All-American game together, and he went to USC. It’s been cool to be on the same team as some guys I knew before. But Austin is a stud. Iron sharpens iron. It’s great to be able to go against a guy of his caliber every day. Even on the other side, Jesse (Davis) and the guys inside, they are all super talented. It’s awesome.”
(Have any of the other rookies reached out to you to, like ‘show us where is cool, where should we go, where should we eat?’) – ‘They call me Mr. 305. I’ll tell you that much. (laughter)”
(What UM guys are you keeping the most contact with through texting?) – “I talk to (Nesta) Jade Silvera a lot. I talk to Bubba Bolden. He’s on all of the watch lists and stuff. I’m excited for my guys to have a breakout year. They see me and see what the league life is. They are always texting me, ‘what’s it like, what’s it like, how’s it different?’ I just tell them that they have to wait until they get here. I’m excited to see them play. I’m going to make a friendly wager with Jaylen (Waddle). We’re going to see about that first game. (laughter)”
(Its funny watching some of the preview shows where guys like Daniel Jeremiah were asked who was going to have more sacks as a rookie, you or Gregory Rousseau? Have you guys talked about that? Will you have a chance to make a friendly bet, you and Greg as friends as to who will have more sacks?) – “I’m more concerned about beating them. So we’ll see about that. That’s more bragging right to me. It’ll be fun. It’ll be fun.”
Zach Sieler – July 29, 2021
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
DT Zach Sieler
(With two fields going at one time and more reps, how are you adapting to the increased workload?) – “I think it’s good for us. Get used to the heat, get out here, get conditioned and be ready for Miami. That’s why we’re down here.”
(Any changes, obviously you don’t have pads on yet so it’s hard to tell offensive line, but any changes in the any of the young linemen that you have gone against going back to June when you had three days of some physical contact?) – “I think they’re progressing really well. They’re getting better with their feet; they’re doing really good learning. ‘Lem’ (Lemuel Jeanpierre) is an amazing coach, coaching them up and getting them right.”
(How much do things change when pads come on?) – It’s a big difference, always. There’s always going to be a lot more hitting, obviously. You can really see your technique.”
(With the padding you are wearing on your helmets; what’s that called No. 1 and what does it do?) – “I don’t remember what it’s called. I know they said it’s about a 10 percent less chance of concussions. It’s to help with the o-line, d-line, obviously we are hitting every single play, all practice, all year. It’s supposed to help us with preventing concussions. The Dolphins have done a really good job at player safety and making sure that they are giving us the best and the safest equipment.”
(Does it weigh anything, is it heavy or anything like that?) – “0.6 ounces or something like that or half a pound. You can’t tell.”
(Have you worn it at any level that you have played?) – “No sir, first time.”
(Was it any easy sell to all the guys?) – “I mean, you look goofy as heck but other than that you look fine. (laughter) If it is going to help prevent concussions, which could take you out for a week or a career, I’m going to be happy with that.”
(Adding DL Adam Butler to your group, how much does that strengthen what you have already with you, DT Christian Wilkins and DT Raekwon Davis?) – “Adam is a very veteran guy, a very smart guy. Watches a lot of tape, knows what he’s doing, knows what he’s talking about so it’s a great addition to work with him and learn and feed off each other.”
Jacoby Brissett – July 29, 2021
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
QB Jacoby Brissett
(How has the transition gone so far for this offense obviously learning a new system for you?) – “It’s been going well. I’m taking every day in stride and trying to get better and build on the day before. Obviously it’s a little process with a new offense and things like that, but I think we’ve been doing a good job of trying to string together good days and good meetings.”
(You’ve had two straight days with just consistently attacking the middle of the field. Is that just veteran wisdom, understanding of the scheme? What do you see in that?) – “I think you’re just a product of seeing whenever the play is called and stuff like that, but it’s been nothing consciously going out there and doing because I’m a veteran or whatever; but it’s just been when the plays are called, that’s what some of the reads take me to.”
(Was there a conversation that you had before signing here with Head Coach Brian Flores in which the question was asked, “Will you be okay being a No. 2? What are your expectations?” Was there any conversation like that where they just pushed you to know if you were eager to be a starter and could accept being a backup?) – “No, the conversation was just to come in here, work hard, compete and be a good teammate. And I think that’d be my situation no matter what.”
(To think of a homecoming for you as a West Palm guy, Dwyer High School. What’s that going to be like for you this year?) – “It’s been good so far, so I expect it to be the same throughout. Obviously being close to home and a lot of my friends that have not been able to watch me play and come out here to a practice or something like that. So it’s been good so far.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores called you a guy’s guy today. He said you assimilate well with everyone in the locker room, even the defensive side of the ball. What does that mean to you being a “guy’s guy?”) – “I think I love my teammates. I think that’s what that means. I think my main objective is to be a good teammate no matter my role and that’s something I don’t take for granted.”
(What’s the difference between Brian Flores as an assistant and Brian Flores as a head coach?) – “He’s the head coach now. (laughter) That’s the difference. Probably his paycheck, too. (laughter)”
(After playing in New England and Indy, how tough is it to readjust this weather?) – “I grew up here, so when it’s hot, it’s hot. There’s no getting used to it; but I had what, 18 years of a head start than some of these guys, so I think I’m all right.”
(Obviously with the new facility, you guys could go inside with this weather, but is there anything that maybe that you guys do after practice to kind of deal with the heat?) – “Drink fluids and recover.”
(What have been your early impressions of QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “He’s worked hard. He’s a good kid. I’m not the quarterback evaluator, so it’s only been Day 2; but in our room, we’re striving to get better and he is and me and Reid (Sinnett) and Charlie (Frye) and George (Godsey) and Jordan (Salkin); we’re just trying to go out there and constantly build on good days, learn from our bad plays and mistakes and keep trying to put this team and this offense in the right position.”
(What’s it like being the oldest quarterback in the quarterback room?) – “Shocking. (laughter) I forget sometimes when I’m in there and I can see the 23-year-old and the 28. And that’s not even old, so don’t tell me I’m old. (laughter)”
(I was going to ask for your early impressions of WR Jaylen Waddle?) – “He’s fast. He’s a good player. There’s a reason he was drafted where he was drafted. He’s doing a good job. He’s learning. He’s getting better and he’s taking the strides that we need to for this offense.”
Jaylen Waddle – July 29, 2021
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
Wide Receiver Jaylen Waddle
(What have the first couple of days of camp been like for you, especially from a heat standpoint?) – “It’s been great. I think we are getting a lot of good chemistry out here. It’s just competing against one another. The heat, they told us it was going to be hot before, so heat is going to be heat.”
(Would your hope be able to be involved in the return game once the regular season starts because of your ability in that area as well as, obviously, offensively?) – “I’m just going to do whatever the coaches want me to do to help the team. He’s going to put the best players out there. We know that. You would have to ask Coach (Brian) ‘Flo’ (Flores)”
(What’s been your observation been so far of the NFL, just competing against Dolphins’ players compared to what you went through in SEC practices?) – “Yeah, everyone is really good. Everybody is here for a reason so it’s good. I get to compete against my teammates and I know they are all good. It just helps me for when we compete against someone else.”
(Do you feel like you have everything back, health-wise, from the injury last October to where you are totally back to normal?) – “Yeah, I’m feeling good. I’ve been practicing, getting all my reps. I’m feeling good.”
(Who would be a veteran receiver or two who you can credit and thank for helping you out a little here and there so far?) – “I think all of my receivers, I’m the youngest in there. All the receivers help me but two that stand out are Mack Hollins and Albert Wilson. Mack has helped me. He’s actually waiting on me to go get on the JUGS. He’s helped me with keeping my body healthy and always quizzes me on what we got, installs and things like that. Albert helped me just on the field giving me points and tips. Them two guys, definitely my OGs.”
(What’s it like trying to get that chemistry back with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “It’s great. We are out here practicing. We out here competing. Just trying to get better.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores has talked about how you are going to make whatever role you get will be what you make of it. What’s your approach on trying to take on as much as you can early in camp here?) – “I’m just trying to learn, honestly. Learn the playbook, learn my teammates and just try to get better. Help out and just do what the coaches ask me to do. That’s all they can ask and that’s all I’m going to give them.”
(Did you work out with WR Devonta Smith at all this summer?) – “No, we didn’t work out.”
(When was the last time you talked to WR Devonta Smith and what have those conversations been like?) – “We talk daily. We always check in with each other, just all the receivers that I went to. It’s been good. He said he’s liking it up there so, pretty good.”
(Do you know WR Ja’Marr Chase at all? Did you have a relationship before the draft or was that the first time you interacted with him?) – “Yeah, we’re cool. He’s doing good too. I talked to him like two, three weeks ago. He’s doing good.”
(What’s it like, it’s not often that there’s three wide receivers that go in the top-10? You guys have all kind of been lumped together for as long as you’ve played. What’s that like?) – “It’s great. I guess, it’s just great. It’s something that, we have a deep wide receiver class, I guess. I’m just going to play.”
(What role do you think playing in the SEC will have in making this transition to the pro level a little bit smoother for you?) – “I think the NFL is the NFL. It’s in its own league. The SEC is the SEC. There is a lot of respect that goes with the SEC. I’m in the big leagues now but all competitive, good football.”
(What are your thoughts on the SEC expanding possibly?) – “I think it’s good. I think it’s going to be good for college football and good for the SEC. I’m excited.”
(Have you studied any NFL wide receivers at all to try and pick up things? Which guys if so?) – “Lately or just in general?”
(General, last year or two?) – “Yeah, I watch a lot of guys honestly. I’m a fan of a lot of good players. From the smaller receivers to the bigger receivers, I’m just a fan of them. Just everyone you can think of I’ve probably watched.”
(You’ve heard the WR Tyreek Hill comparisons. Is he someone you studied just knowing that people see similarities there?) – “Yeah, I watch Tyreek a lot. He’s a great player, everyone knows that. So, definitely.”
Shaquem Griffin – July 29, 2021
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
LB Shaquem Griffin
(Is there trash talk going on already between you and your brother?) – “It kind of started before I actually got here. I just didn’t know he was going to do media first so I guess he got the upper hand. But there is a lot of trash talking going back and forth – before practice, after practice, a little bit before our meetings, during our breaks, lunch break, dinner. We’re going back and forth. I guess that’s kind of a little rivalry that me and my brother got. It started when we were kids to see who could eat the most or who could walk the furthest. I guess there’s a new rival going on. I’m loving it. I told him we could get a good arm wrestle on the 50-yard line. He’s scared. It’s ok. Everybody knows he’s scared. I’m kind of the stronger one and the faster one. But don’t tell nobody. We’ll keep it going. (Laughter)”
(Have you talked to DB Jason McCourty about playing against your twin brother?) – “We were just talking about our twins today during breakfast. That’s kind of cool. We were just talking about different stories and about stuff that my brother had to go through and stuff that his brother had to go through. It’s crazy knowing that the McCouty twins are older than us and it’s like the same thing is going on. It’s amazing to see it from an older perspective and see how it’s going. It’s like we’re experiencing the same things. It’s actually a fun experience especially since that guy is a vet too. It’s a lot to learn just from a twin perspective.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores talked this morning about your ability to overcome adversity in your career and in your personal life. Have you guys connected on that at all, as far as your conversations have gone?) – “The energy. That’s the most important thing is having good juice, having good energy. Me being able to be here and bring energy, bring the juice and be happy, iut kind of brings a certain light to certain people. A lot of guys can come here and be here for work, but what’s the enjoyment you’re getting from it? It’s like having that fun energy, wanting to be here, wanting to laugh. You’re not doing it right if you’re not having fun.”
(What are you hoping to show the Dolphins in training camp?) – “Anything. No matter what it is, if it’s just running fast, if it’s just me being a good guy in the locker room. I’m willing to do whatever. If you want me to kick the ball, I will. Snap it? It doesn’t matter. If you want me to throw it – I’m not good at throwing – I’ll do that too.”
(How did this opportunity come about and what was your reaction when you heard the Dolphins were interested?) – “Ok, so my agent has been doing all the work. I didn’t know much about it. I know it came up in convo, but you don’t know how it really is until it happens. I’m not going to lie, when I got the phone call, it was like being drafted all over again. I had to put the coach on mute and I started screaming in the house. (laughter) I calmed back down and I had a good conversation with the coach. The opportunity is amazing and I’m just glad they gave me a shot.”
(What has it been like re-adjusting to the Florida weather. Obviously you’ve been in Seattle for the last few years.) – “I love it. I tell them it’s kind of like A/C. You go into your car, sometimes it’s 80 (degrees). If it’s cold, sometimes it’s 72 (degrees). I’d say today it was like 75 (degrees) with a little bit of wind. Your fan is on three right now. I’d say when you get a tropical storm, your fan is on five. That’s like max A/C. I’m kind of fine with it. I’m trying to get the guys mentally ready for the heat. We’re in the snow right now; we don’t get much snow here. You’ve got to take advantage
Brian Flores – July 29, 2021
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Thursday, July 29, 2021
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Can we get an update on WR DeVante Parker in terms of the injury’s nature and how serious it is in terms of how long he might be out of practice?) – “Well, he’s on PUP (physically unable to perform list) and he’s just taking it one day at a time. As far as a timeframe on when he’ll be back, I think we’re just going to take it one day at a time and see how he progresses. He’s working and he’s going to try to get back as soon as he can. Really, honestly, that’s the case with all players who are dealing with anything.”
(Obviously CB Xavien Howard expressed in a statement that he is unhappy. My question is how important do you believe it is for the elite players of your team to be happy?) – “I think it’s important for everyone to be happy just for your own well-being. I think – I love coaching football and I’m happy doing that. I love coaching this team; I love coaching these players. I’m happy doing that and I want them to be happy as well. I think they’re happy when they’re in the locker room with their teammates, in the meetings, on the practice field, working on their craft. I think players enjoy playing this game. I certainly enjoy coaching it. I know ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) enjoys playing the game. I know all of his teammates enjoy playing the game. I understand the question and the situation but yeah, I want our players to be happy.”
(Is flexibility for a franchise and a coach more important and more acceptable – flexibility – when it comes to the top players?) – “Position flexibility? Is that what you’re talking about? Or just flexibility as far as – I think in any relationship, (whether it is) marriage, coach to player, a working relationship, I think flexibility is important because – honestly, I think these last 18 months tell you that flexibility is very important. So yes, it is important. I think we try to be flexible. I think we ask the players to be flexible in-game, moving positions, change of schedule. I ask that of the coaching staff. We’ve asked that of you guys. I think flexibility is very important and we try to be flexible with our players and with our staff. Flexibility, being respectful, I think those are things that are must-haves within any organization.”
(Do you expect CB Xavien Howard to be a member of the team when the regular season opens?) – “I think I answer this question the same every day. I’m focused on today, this press conference right now. We’ll go out to practice here at 10:30, we’ll hit the walkthrough, we’ll hit the individuals, we’ll hit the half-line, we’ll hit the team with meetings after that. My focus is on right now, today, and helping the players improve and get better today. I don’t really go down the road.”
(I understand that you are part of the decision-making process for the organization but that you don’t necessarily control the financial aspect of it, the negotiating part of it. How difficult is that to, I guess, manage a relationship with CB Xavien Howard as player-coach when business stuff is involved?) – “I just think that’s part of being a player in the National Football League. There’s contracts, there’s play time, there’s injuries, there’s a number of things that come up. Again, I try to approach these things this way. I try to be open, honest, transparent. I try to tell the truth. And I’m at peace with that. Whatever comes of it, I think I’ll have peace and we’ll have peace as an organization as long as we’re doing those things. I think in all situations, we’ve tried our best to do that. I’m not speaking specific to the ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) situation but just all situations in general, as long as I’ve been here.”
(Is everything okay with WR Will Fuller? We saw him walk off in practice yesterday.) – “He’s dealing with something. Again, we’ll see if he can get out there today. He’s just dealing with something. Hopefully he can get out there today and if not, he’ll be on the same ‘taking it one day at a time’ program.”
(One other thing about CB Xavien Howard, just the philosophy of you and General Manager Chris Grier that I was curious about. We know of – and there might have been others – but we know of two cases in the past where players expressed interest in playing elsewhere with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Kiko Alonso. Their trade requests were granted. Do you and Grier philosophically believe that a player who asks for a trade should be traded because you don’t want unhappy players here? Or do you not feel that that’s always your position on that particular thing?) – “I would say the first thing that comes to mind is it’s case-by-case. I think every situation is a little different. Every year is different. Every team is different. I would say it’s case-by-case and there’s a lot that goes into it – my opinion, Chris’ opinion, the overall structure of the team, salary cap. We can go on and on and on. It’s not just one thing or ‘it’s got to be this way or it’s got to be that way.’ You asked about flexibility and I think that’s part of that when we’re having our conversations as well.”
(What are you hoping LB Shaquem Griffin can bring to the table?) – “Well, I know he brings a lot of energy. You feel his energy within 30 seconds of being around the guy. But he’s got some speed, toughness; he’s smart. (He has) some position flexibility, as you guys know I like to have that. He’s played on the ball, off the ball linebacker, on the ball with some rush ability. He’s played in the kicking game. I know you’re big on the kicking time and have spent a lot of time watching kickoff and kickoff return today. (laughter) But yeah, we love his energy. He definitely has some leadership qualities. I’m excited to have him as part of the team.”
(If you can recall when you first started to become aware of who LB Shaquem Griffin is and his story, probably at UCF I’m guessing, what came to mind? What were you thinking when you learned how he was able to overcome what he has?) – “I think in this league, with the parity of this league and the amount of good players in this league, I think the players that make it are the players that know how to deal with adversity. You kind of judge that with guys coming out a few different ways. For me personally, I try to look at what situations they’ve been put in – not necessarily on the field but more off the field. I think you know what adversity a guy has dealt with on the field. ‘They were down and they came back.’ I’m not saying that’s not nothing; but guys who go through things in their lives – I know for me personally, you pull from those experiences when you deal with some adversity in life, and he’s done that. I think he’s done an exceptional job of dealing with adversity and overcoming some adversity. I think you need that in this league.”
(We saw the practice reps on both fields yesterday and I think that was the first time I saw that under your regime here. I just wanted to get your opinion on the benefit of having those two practice fields being used at the same time.) – “I think somebody asked about ones, twos and threes. I think we’ve got a lot of good competition on this team so the ones are getting the same number of reps as the twos. The threes are getting reps when they get an opportunity. We can’t give everyone the same amount of reps and opportunities to showcase what they can do, but we felt like this format would allow us to see everyone. Again, we just end up watching a lot of film and the onus goes on us as coaches to stay here a little bit and get the film watched. I think we’ll be able to mix and match a little bit so a group you saw yesterday, I’m sure we called it the ones against the ones but we can easily flip those and go twos against ones and see guys against different competition to really get a feel for who is doing what. That was kind of the thought process.”
(What have you and the other coaches noticed about QB Jacoby Brissett on and off the field since he joined the franchise?) – “Very bright. Loves to plays. Loves to watch film. He’s a team-first guy. You see him in there and he’s talking to defensive guys, talking to offensive linemen, talking to defensive linemen, he’s talking to specialists. I think he just embodies a lot of things we’re looking for. He’s team-first, loves to play, tough and smart. There’s a lot of things to like there.”
(WR Albert Wilson seemed to flash yesterday and I wanted to ask about him and WR Jaylen Waddle – your early impressions of them.) – “It’s one day. I thought Albert had a good practice – alignment, assignment, handled his route responsibilities, run game, route technique. There’s always some things you can improve on. A couple of things come to mind but overall, I thought he had a solid practice. The same with Jaylen. Again, this is his first go-around. Is he getting aligned in the right place? Does he know his assignment? Is he handling his responsibility? Obviously there are some things he can do better as far as route depths and releases and things of that nature, but I think it was a good start.”
(Specific to QB Jacoby Brissett again, how does he manage being a veteran and providing wisdom to QB Tua Tagovailoa while also being the new guy here?) – “I think he’s a guy’s guy. Everyone kind of gravitates to him. I think his ability to fit in quickly with a lot of different guys – he’s been in the league a few years, but that’s kind of been seamless. It’s almost something you don’t even think about, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that he is smart and team-first and just loves to play and wants to help guys improve and get better and in the process he wants to improve and get better, too. We have a lot of guys like that and it’s just been a good fit so far.”
(I know your background is special teams as well. That’s a very important element of the job. With WR Jaylen Waddle as a returner – I know there’s big plans for him offensively, but return game is an important part of football. Where is the value of having him offense versus serving as a returner and is there concern about him serving as a returner?) – “Whatever plans we have for Jaylen (Waddle) are going to be up to Jaylen. I’ll start with that. And that’s the case for him and any player on the team, so he’s got to go out and perform in meetings, in walkthrough, in practice. That’s for Jaylen and anyone else. As far as I think what you’re getting at is –“
(Injury concerns. The workload, the risk factor of the job.) – “I think the return game is important, so I would like to put our best players out there. If he’s one of those, then that’s what we’re going to do and that’s just kind of how we’re going to do it and that’s how we’ll do it. If he earns the right to be out there on punt return, kick return – which he’s got some pretty good guys to beat out on that road – I would say that. I think we all know that. I think we all know that. Then he’ll be out there because we’re going to play our best players.”
Jason McCourty – July 28, 2021
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Wednesday, July 28, 2021
DB Jason McCourty
(First impressions with a new team, new facility? What did you think Day 1 overall?) – “It’s hot. I’m still catching my breath. (laughter) It’s weird, I started my career in Tennessee and it was really hot there. Then the last four years, Cleveland and a combination of New England – it’s just different. You prepare all summer. You come out here – the heat, the sun is different – but I’m loving it here. I just think it’s a great environment. I’m getting to know my teammates better and better each day. It’s exciting. Obviously the new building is first-class. You walk in that place, there’s glass everywhere, state-of-the-art, all the new gadgets and stuff you want to have. They’ve done everything first-class, so I’m just excited to be a part of something bigger than myself.”
(Is your expectation that you’ll play more safety than corner at this point for you?) – “It’s kind of just go and see. Wherever they put me at on any given day, I’ll put my best foot forward at whatever role that is whether it’s corner, whether it’s safety, whether it’s special teams. I doubt they’ll let me get a role on offense; but wherever they put me, I’m more than willing to go out there and do my best at it. (laughter)”
(And you’re able to do so many things. Your comfort level with safety? Obviously having played that a lot less than corner in your career.) – “Obviously out here in training camp, getting reps at different things will build comfort, build confidence; but from a knowledge standpoint, I feel very comfortable kind of with just the defense in total of being able to not only execute my role, but be able to help guys whether that’s out on the field, whether that’s in the locker room talking about a given formation, a certain defense. I feel comfortable of having experience since I’ve been here and also having experience in the past with both ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores) and (Josh) Boyer.”
(And one last thing, you’ve started a lot in your career obviously. Would starting be important to you? Obviously there’s a safety job open with a very talented rookie, but you’re intensely in that mix. Is that important to you?) – “I think what’s important is coming out here and competing. I think at the end of the day, I’ll leave that up to ‘Flo’ and Boyer and ‘G.A.’ (Gerald Alexander) and those guys to put in whoever they feel is the best man to fill whatever role that is. If that’s myself, I’ll go out there and give everything to make the team better when I can. If that’s not me, I’ll do everything for whatever role that is. So I think for me, I’ve started a lot, so obviously you get accustomed to that; but at the same time, when you’re going on your 13th year and you’ve been able to kind of start from the sixth round all the way up, you know not to take anything for granted and be very grateful and appreciative to whatever it is just to continue to be in the league at the age of soon-to-be 34 in a little while.”
(With CB Xavien Howard having requested a trade last night, I’m curious, what were the interactions like for you and your defensive backs teammates with him today?) – “For me, it was exciting. I’ve never met ‘X’ (Xavien Howard), so this was the first time between yesterday and today of getting a chance to laugh with him, joke with him in meetings and get a chance to know him. So for me, that’s the most important part. Obviously from the outside looking in, I know how good of a player he is having to go against him in the division and obviously the man had double-digit turnovers last year, so you know how special he is as a player and how much better he makes not only the defense, but the team in total. When it comes to his contract, I think that’s personal. Those things have to be dealt with between him and the team. It’s not for any player or anybody else kind of to butt in. You respect the fact that it is a business and he has to take care of himself and his family and you just wait for all of those things to get figured out. But for me, I think – and the rest of the guys – you just get comfortable and you get happy about having a really good player next to you and having him here in the building and meetings because when he’s out there on the field, it’s going to make us a better team.”
Mike Gesicki – July 28, 2021
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Wednesday, July 28, 2021
TE Mike Gesicki
(How was it today?) – “It was good. It was fun. It was a lot of fun, just getting back out there. Obviously some new guys, some new coaches, that kind of stuff. But for the most part, the same old stuff. It was just fun to get back out there, Day 1 in the books. I’m ready to learn from it and move forward.”
(In what ways does QB Tua Tagovailoa seem like a veteran quarterback?) – “I think in all of the ways, in all of the aspects. Leadership being one and then decision-making, just seeing things that happen. And then just kind of the communication aspect of it, being the quarterback out there, getting guys in the right spot. You can tell that he’s super prepared both mentally and physically. He did a great job today and just continue to build on it.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa said he spoke to the offense after practice. Can you tell us what kind of message he said?) – “Just giving his evaluation of practice. Things that were done well, things that weren’t done so well, what to improve on, just the basic stuff like that. I think that that’s the stepping stone that you’re talking about – that bringing the whole offense together after practice, being a leader. Just continue to build on stuff like that. I’m happy he’s taking that role.”
(Is that something new or did QB Tua Tagovailoa do that a lot last year as well?) – “I think last year he was building on that and now he feels comfortable and now it’s his show. I’m happy that he’s in that position and comfortable enough to pull the whole offense together after practice and give his whole evaluation. It was just a good day.”
(While we’re talking about QB Tua Tagovailoa, we heard he took up golf. Can you describe his golf game?) – “He did take up golf. I’ve also taken up golf, in case anybody was curious. I stink at golf. I thought I was bad at golf. I was like ‘Tua, when did you start golfing?’ He was like ‘two months ago.’ I said ‘Oh, I just started golfing last year. He said ‘yeah, I hit a 91 the other day.’ I’m like I’ve been golfing for a year and still haven’t broke 100. (laughter) So I guess Tua is a better athlete than me. He did pick up golf, so maybe me, him, and Durham (Smythe) will go hit the links. It’ll be exciting.”
(What did you think of the Tight End University while you were there?) – “It was fun. It was a lot of fun. It was cool. Just kind of being around different guys around the league. Some guys who have already retired like Greg (Olsen) and you have some guys that are at the top of the league right now. So, just being able to pick some guys’ brains, learn some things, ends and outs and all of that kind of stuff – how they read defenses pre-snap and how they’re going to run this route and blocking techniques and all of that kind of stuff. It was a lot of fun. It was cool. It was very productive. It was worth it.”
(Did you graduate with honors or what?) – “With honors? Yeah, absolutely. With flying colors, absolutely. (laughter)”
(Are there any tight ends that you look up to or try to watch their game during the year?) – “There are a lot of talented guys in this league. When you do come across guys like Travis Kelce, guys like Darren Waller, George Kittle, talented guys across the league. The list goes on and on. It’s not just those three. Yeah, you can definitely take things from everybody’s game. I think when you’re around guys like that, and you’re surrounding yourself with talent like that, it’s only going to help yourself improve. Hopefully I can take some of that and implement that into my game.”
(What’s it like to share Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey with the rest of the offense? You’ve had him for yourself for awhile.) – “Yeah, I’m pretty jealous now. (laughter) But George is doing great. Obviously, him and ‘Coach E’ (Eric Studesville) as OCs, George is still in the tight ends room with us and helping us out, coaching us up every day. It’s good. I love George. He’s done a lot for me on the field and off the field and helped develop me day in and day out. I owe a lot to George.”
(Are you excited to see how that dynamic works between the two of them – Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville?) – “Oh yeah, absolutely. I think they are going to do a great job. They are both professionals. I think that all of the offensive guys have bought into it and we’re excited for the opportunity.”
(What’s the rehab been like for you for the shoulder, and where do you feel like you are strength-wise?) – “The shoulder is good. Got it all fixed up and been 100 percent probably since like April or late March. I feel good. I don’t even think about it anymore, honestly. No more brace, no more nothing.”
(What’s the best part of the new facility?) – “Well, there is no air conditioning outside, so not that. (laughter) I mean look around, this place it great. (Stephen) Ross and everybody did a phenomenal job putting this thing together. I love it here and excited to get this thing rolling down here in Miami Gardens.”
(We talked to you in the spring about your contract, and obviously CB Xavien Howard went public with his issues last night. As a teammate, as a friend, when you hear something like that, what’s your reaction?) – “Obviously you wish ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) the absolute best with whatever that situation is going on. I don’t know all that much about it; but as a teammate, as a friend, you do wish him the absolute best no matter what happens. For me, I just try to keep to myself and just go about my every day.”
(How do you hit the reset button when you had such a great year last year, and kind of come in with a new team, new players? What’s your mentality?) – “I think as a professional, every single year, it doesn’t matter what you did last year, good or bad. It’s time to move on. I’m just ready for a new year. I think collectively as a team, we did well last year. Collectively as a tight end unit, we did good last year and individually, we did good last year. But it’s all in the past now. So no matter the good stuff, the bad stuff, don’t get caught up in it. Now I’m ready for 2021.”
(Is there a way to balance the excitement of the success of last year with hitting the reset button?) – “Yeah, absolutely. I think you build off of the success. But you also build off of the stuff that didn’t go well. We’re just working to improve and just remembering the things that worked and improving the things that didn’t work. Like you said, that balance, because you don’t want to just forget that you were making plays and the team was doing well, and we won ‘X’ amount of games. That kind of stuff, you know that this team is talented, you know that you’re talented, you know that your group is talented, so you just build on it.”
(Was there a tight end that you spent more time with than others at the camp, be it Greg Olsen or anyone? Was there anyone to be friends with or to soak up some information from?) – “Yeah, I was on FaceTime with Durham (Smythe) the whole time. (laughter) I missed him, absolutely. No, all the guys were awesome. No specific tight end I was with the whole time. We were all kind of with a group the whole time. It was cool, it was fun and I’m happy that I went.”
(Do you hit it pretty big off the tee?) – “Last question and we’re talking about golf. I love it. (laughter) No, see when I hit it, it goes left. Obviously the slice. Then you’ve got to play it. It’s tough. I could definitely use some lessons. Any golfers out there that would like to help me out, I’d greatly appreciate it.”
(What’s the worst part of QB Tua Tagovailoa’s game?) – “Snuck in an extra question. (laughter) Everything is great about Tua’s game. I’m really excited about 2021 with Tua.”
