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.”
Tua Tagovailoa – July 28, 2021
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa
(What is this camp mean for you compared to last year’s camp?) – “This camp is different in many ways. We never had the media out here. We get to see each other face to face. We get to see some fans, some family. It’s a lot different. We get to be out here and actually go through practices. If I can recall last year, we were in the OTA-phase of conditioning. Right now, it feels good that we are getting right into football.”
(What about for you physically, the way you are feeling, and knowledge of the other players and the offense?) – “I think everyone feels good. I think everyone is ready to go. I think it’s really good that we got to come out and kind of brush up on the things we went over during the spring. We look forward to what tomorrow brings.”
(We saw a couple touchdowns, a couple picks. Can you assess some of your good and bad throws from today?) – “Yeah. I would say with the bad throws, a lot of miscommunication. On one of them, I think that’s definitely my fault. I was in a conundrum of throwing it up or coming back down to the back. Unfortunately, that’s how the cookie crumbled on that one. Its good that things like that happen right now. We can see it, go back into the film room, talk about it with our guys, the receivers, the tight ends and running backs and kind of get that fixed.”
(Having had that offseason working with your wide receivers, is there a noticeable difference in chemistry between you and them?) – “I would say I had a lot of them last year. A lot of the guys that are on this team, I had them last year. Not to say that being able to throw to them throughout the offseason didn’t help, but I would say just being able to get with them throughout OTAs, as well, helped.”
(Can you describe the energy of coming into the building, all being together in person? I was talking to some of the guys yesterday, this time last year there was so much uncertainty about the season and what was going to happen. Now, you guys get to all be together and talk about your goals as a team. Can you describe the vibe?) – Yeah, I mean coming in, we are very fortunate to have this new facility. Very excited that Mr. (Stephen) Ross invested so much into the football team. But I think just being able to see the guys, the camaraderie and being able to eat with them, sit down, talk with them. It’s so hard when you have to go back home after practice like this and you have to sit through a two-hour, two-and-a-half hour, three-hour meeting on Zoom. I don’t know if any of you guys can attest to doing a workout and then going back home and having to do a Zoom, but it’s pretty tough (laughter).”
(Near the end of practice we saw the long completion to WR Albert Wilson. A long, accurate deep ball. How do you feel about where you are right now in terms of the deep ball throw?) – I would say I am confidant with my deep throws. Really, it’s just getting everything down with the guys. Finding where guys are going to be, knowing how guys run certain routes, knowing their depth. Really that’s what we are trying to find out right now within these first couple days and brush up on those things.”
(For you here at training camp before week one, what are two things that you are really focusing on for yourself to get ready for the start of the season?) – “Two things? I would say there’s about three things. (laughter) I would say the film room, our walkthroughs and bringing what we got through the film room and the walkthroughs to practice. That’s really all I’m worried about right now.”
(Where you are physically and mentally, how would you compare that to day one of training camp last year?) – “Man, it’s so hard to remember. I feel like that’s been so long ago. But what I can say to that is how I feel now, I feel really good.”
(When you have the headset on in your ear, who’s calling plays?) – “Well, it’s a mixture of both George (Godsey) and ‘E’ (Eric Studesville). They’re both giving me the plays.”
(What’s that like? Do you know the who’s calling when? I’m sure you know the different voices by now.) “Yeah, they rotate throughout series and throughout periods as well.”
(Did you enjoy the split practices with two teams? What’s the benefit to that?) – “Well, I think there is a lot of benefit. Everyone gets a good amount of reps. You get to see both sides – what this side did, what this side did. You can learn from it.”
(What have you been telling WR Jaylen Waddle about this process when you see him around the facility?) – “Well, I wouldn’t say I’ve talked to him much about process, about how things like this work. I have talked to him a lot about our chemistry and what I expect from him, things I’m looking for and really things we’re looking for as a quarterback room towards the receivers.”
(Where would you say your chemistry is with WR Jaylen Waddle? Is it Tuscaloosa, Alabama yet?) – “I don’t know what the Tuscaloosa, Alabama chemistry is; but I would say to that, it’s a different playbook, it’s a different feel, a different environment for him. And for me, I’m still kind of getting acclimated. It’s hot here, guys. It’s hot. (laughter) So yeah, it’s just things that we’ve got to talk about and work through out here. We’ll look at it and go into the film room and kind of go over it.”
(Did you do anything fun during your time off?) – “Yeah, I actually took up golf. I took up golf, yeah. I’m not a good golfer but I love it. It’s fun but it gets frustrating.”
(What’s the best part of your golf game?) – “Maybe the first four holes. (laughter)”
(You mentioned the playbook. What’s something that you feel most comfortable with, that you know that you’re going to like about it? What has been put together by Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey, Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville and others?) – “Well, I’d love to talk a lot about that but I’d love to kind of keep that on the low. I’m very excited about what we have in the playbook. I think a lot of the plays that we have in the playbook fit the skills of our guys that we have.”
(When you heard that it would be Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville and Co-Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends George Godsey together, what was your first reaction? Obviously you’ve spent a lot of time working with George the last year. What was that experience like?) – “Well, I wouldn’t say I don’t know George as much as I know ‘E’ (Eric Studesville) because I know both of them. I got to have both of them my first year. I think it’s really good. The knowledge that ‘E’ has and then the knowledge that George has as well, coming together, we’re all working together for the same thing.”
(What can you learn from QB Jacoby Brissett?) – “I can learn a lot. Jacoby has a lot of input within our meetings and then when we’re also talking about things, when we have break periods. He has really good input for us on kind of where to start, who to look at. You can take something from all of these old heads – with Jacoby and then for me also last year was with ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick). It’s a continuing learning process for me.”
(I know earlier this offseason, some of the guys talked about hearing your voice louder in the huddle. How are you balancing trying to be more vocal and more assertive with your own kind of personal growth?) – “Just being able to talk to the guys and tell the guys not always what they want to hear but what they need to hear and how we need to kind of build on that, and where we need to be from there. After practice, I got to get everyone together and talked to the entire offense and just talked about our evaluation of the day – how we started, how we looked throughout the middle of practice and then how we finished. I think overall we did pretty good. Obviously there’s always going to be things we need to brush up on and clean up, but it’s the first day of camp.”
(Just the beat around the team with CB Xavien Howard requesting a trade last night. As a teammate, what are you saying to him and how are you handling it as a group?) – “Well for me, I support ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) with whatever decision he has. He’s helped our team tremendously throughout the years. I’ve only been on this team for one year and I’ve been able to see what he’s been able to do. But that’s not in my control. But I support him.”
(What are you most looking forward to now that camp is back?) – “I think one of the most exciting things is when everyone is on the same page. When you know where your guy is going to be, when the line knows what they’re supposed to do. That’s a great feeling, when everyone is working together to accomplish what we need to accomplish on that play.”
Christian Wilkins – July 27, 2021
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
DT Christian Wilkins
(What is your conditioning test? What do you do?) – “We run. (laughter)”
(This defensive line is young and talented obviously with you, DT Raekwon Davis, DT Zach Sieler, DL Adam Butler and what he’s going to have. DE Emmanuel Ogbah is obviously an edge guy and can play some end. How good can this group be? What excites you about this group and Adam’s addition to it as well?) – “Yeah, like you said we’ve got a lot of good guys. We have a lot of guys who are versatile and play a lot of positions along the defensive front. We have a lot of guys who are hungry and work hard every day from working with them and OTAs and last season and everything. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do but we’ve got to get off on the right foot and restart every time. Every year is a new year so we’ve got to work on the little things, come in every day ready to work with the mindset of getting better and if we do that, we’ll see where we end up.”
(Any thoughts on DL Adam Butler joining the group? Obviously he put pressure on the quarterback in New England.) – “Yeah, I like Adam a lot. He’s great for our locker room, is great for our d-line. I really like his game. I’ve got a lot of respect for him too. He’s a pro. I really like Adam.”
(What do you think of the new facility?) – “It’s pretty cool. Not bad at all. We’ll definitely have some fun in here. We’ve got some nice new digs and everything. I like it here a lot.”
(How did you spend your offseason?) – “Just training. Working hard. Working on my game. I was able to train with a good group of guys from around the league. We had about eight of us. We all went away and just locked in, were able to train, get away from everybody and take care of business.”
(Where did you guys go?) – “We went to an undisclosed location off the grid. (laughter) We did a good job of getting after it and putting some work in.”
(Are you still a player rep?) – “Yes.”
(What role have you had in communicating with players as to the importance of the vaccine?) – “Well, really I just try to get information pushed out. Just giving it my perspective and how I view it is different from hearing from a counterpart or a coach or whatever. I just try to help guys, try to give them information. As far as vaccines and everything, to each his own. It’s up to every guy about what they want to do and whether they want to do it or not. Nobody’s wrong, nobody’s right. It’s all up to you.”
(How do you balance that I guess with the new rule that there could be forfeited games if there’s an outbreak? Obviously you want to win and do things for the team but…) – “Yeah, like I said, to each his own. You’ve just got to respect people’s opinions. There’s reasons to do things, to not do things. You’ve just got to be able to respect what guys are about.”
(What are your early impressions of LB Jaelan Phillips?) – “I like Jaelan. He’s a good kid. Just getting to know him a little bit during OTAs, I really like him. He’s a hard-worker. He’s a really cool, chill guy. He loves to listen. I’m trying to take him under my wing a little bit and just be there for him any way I can. Just be a good big brother to him. I really like him a lot. I feel like he has a chance to be pretty good. He’s just got to put the work in.”
(You’re one of the guys who made a big second-year jump. What goes into that? Just comfort? Familiarity? Understanding the scheme? What contributes to the progress that you guys make?) – “It’s a lot of things. Just knowing how to – you just learn so much in that first year. It’s all just kind of going fast so definitely in Year 2, you kind of know what to expect – just the comfort on the field, knowing the playbook, just everything. You’re able to make those small adjustments to your game and you’re usually able to make a good jump. I’m excited for a lot of the second-year guys to see that jump that they make.”
(When the league announced that teams might be subject to forfeits and all of that, what was your reaction? What kind of reaction did you get from your teammates?) – “Well I’m not going to really get into that. I’m not going to get too much into that. It’s all over the place with different feelings about it but I’m not going to get too much into that.”
(How has your approach changed from Day 1 when you were a rookie walking in? How has your approach changed?) – “It’s changed in some ways just as far as things like comfort, you know what to expect and things like that. But I’ve still got the same mindset every day, just have fun with the game, be a good teammate and be my best. That’s always my mindset and always what I try to take into each and every day, each and every practice and each and every game.”
(From a team standpoint, coming off 10 wins last year, what are your expectations as far as what this team can accomplish? Do you look at yourself as a team that should be in a race for a playoff berth up until Week 17?) – “We don’t have any – we’re not given anything just because we had a good season last year. It’s a whole new year. We’ve got to start over, like I was talking about a little bit earlier. Guys have to put the work in. Just because we were a borderline playoff team last year and we got 10 wins, that doesn’t mean anything. Last year’s touchdowns aren’t going to do anything for us. Last year’s tackles for loss, sacks, whatever – last year’s interceptions. None of that is going to do anything for us this year, so we’ve got to start over. We’ll see how training camp goes and that starts today. We’ve got to put the work in.”
(Do you have any individual goals or priorities that you want coming into this year?) – “Yeah, I always write down a set of goals before every training camp, just for myself personally. They’re pretty general. I’m not going to exactly say what they are but I set goals for myself every year. I try to be a goal-oriented person.”
(Was leadership on the list?) – “It might be. Like I said, I’m not going to get too much into it. But yeah, I definitely feel like that’s always important.”
(Not having been around a locker room over a year for us, maybe you can give us a little insight – who is like a defensive leader that maybe isn’t so obvious? Like a little bit underrated.) – “Well, I feel like we’ve got a bunch of guys who just add to that and do a good job, whether it’s leading by example or the vocal guys, because you need a little bit of all of that on the team. We’ve got a lot of good pros on this team. Just guys who handle their business. You can see leadership and find that in a lot of the guys on our defense.”
(For a position that’s so heavily reliant on contact obviously, when there’s no pads on, what exactly are you trying to get accomplished when you don’t have the benefit of having the pads and full contact?) – “Really, that’s where you really have to hone in on your technique and be a lot sharper. You’ve still got to make sure – it’s still ball, whether you’ve got pads on or not; but just that physical aspect obviously when you do have pads on. Now it’s time to really polish up your technique and make sure your hands are – your technique has to be a lot better when there’s no pads because you’re just not striking or have anything to grab on or things like that. Yeah, that’s really just what it is. The biggest thing is working into football shape and being able to run around, run after the ball and do those little things that matter.”
(You’re not telling us your goals for this year and I get that. So let’s go back a year. What were your goals for last season? How many of them did you meet? How did you grade yourself?) – “My goals are pretty similar. (laughter) Maybe there’s one small adjustment or two. So yeah, I’m not going to share my last year’s goals. (laughter).”
(Last year at this time there was so much uncertainty about the season and you guys were coming back to training camp with kind of this weird feeling about you don’t know what’s to come. This year it feels like there’s a little bit more security and you guys get to be in-person. Is there kind of a new level of excitement or giddiness to just all be together and have a sense of normalcy?) – “Yeah, it’s definitely different. Last year had it’s hard parts and some benefits too. With it being COVID and us being so isolated from everyone else, we were able to get real close I felt like, and bond with guys and things like that. So hopefully some of that will carry over to this year and guys will be more excited to be around each other, being here every day and having a little bit more normalcy.”
(How much weight do you lose during training camp and how do you account for that?) – “Definitely the biggest thing is that each day, I lose a lot of weight – whether it’s water weight just at practice. You’re out there in that sun, working hard. So I lose a lot of weight. The biggest thing is just hydrating and nutrition, making sure I stay on top of it by fueling before practice and refueling afterwards. That’s all important to be able to sustain your weight. That can be a problem for guys. Some guys overheat, over-do things and get a little weight. Everyone has their own routine that they kind of find and those are usually the more successful guys in training camp – guys who find a good routine and take care of their bodies and know to not lose too much weight and not to gain too much weight.”
(What’s the average of what you lose a day?) – “Double-digits. Probably like 10 pounds a practice I’ve lost before. But if I just rehydrate and refuel, I will get that back on.”
Myles Gaskin – July 27, 2021
Tuesday, July 27, 2021
RB Myles Gaskin
(With their actions, the Dolphins have shown their faith in you and you were 10th I believe in yards per game from scrimmage last year. Do you feel like there’s another level that you can get to in productivity and how much higher is it than where you were last year?) – “Absolutely. I just feel like I can work that much harder. I missed six games last year. I definitely worked on trying to be more healthy, be more available. I know that’s hard to do in the NFL but over this offseason, I’m just trying to prevent a lot of things and take care of my body the best I can.”
(you’ve mentioned that a lot of times – availability. Is your goal to play all 17?) – “Seventeen plus. You always want to go to the playoffs and do what you do; but yeah, definitely. You always want to be available. I love this game. I want to be available. Every Sunday I want to play football. Every practice I want to be out there. I just love the game.”
(During the draft process, maybe the outside thought the team would take a running back but was there communication with them like “hey this is our plan and you’re our guy. Be ready.” Did anything like that happen?) – “No, not really. I was talking to ‘Coach E’ (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville just talking because coach is a good dude and we have a really good friendship at this point. But nothing like that. I’ve never asked. He never said anything. I think I just have faith in myself so if we did, it is what it is. We didn’t, so it’s cool.”
(Were you expecting them to take a running back high?) – “No, that’s above my pay grade. I just take care of myself.”
(What are you performance goals for this year?) – “I write down my personal goals. I think you all asked Christian (Wilkins) this earlier but they’re my personal goals, so I’ll just keep them to myself.”
(Talking with RB Salvon Ahmed and your coach at Washington, Keith Bhonapha, he talked about he talked about you being a leader in that room and really taking on the responsibility of getting the rest of them up to speed. Now that you’re in Year 3 with the Dolphins, do you kind of feel more of that responsibility?) – “Definitely. Just being here and being with ‘Coach E’ (Eric Studesville) the last three years and being with ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores) and knowing what they expect, being able to kind of show the younger guys that and the guys that haven’t been with him the past years – I guess me and Pat (Laird) are the only guys that have been here the past three years. Just trying to be able to relay the message is the biggest thing and being able to relay that message as a player is probably easier to go player-to-player than coach-to-player.”
(You mentioned Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs Eric Studesville a couple of times. Can you describe what your relationship is with him and kind of how you all grew together?) – “Just like any other relationship, when you first come in as a rookie you’re wide-eyed. Obviously he was pushing me but he was definitely trying to teach me how to be a professional. I’ve taken heed to that. He’s been a great teacher, a great role model; and just in that sense, he’s coached a lot of great running backs and kind of given me stories on how they practice and how they prepare. I’m not trying to take their practice habits, but trying to implement them into how I go about my thing. I just take bits and pieces. He’s always been very wise for me to kind of learn from.”
(Is there a past running back or story that he’s told you that’s stuck with you the most?) – “Nah. He’s got a lot of stories. He’s been in the league for a long time so he’s got a lot of stories. (laughter) I know he was with Marshawn (Lynch) and that was always really cool for me because growing up in Seattle and he was playing for the Seahawks, he was kind of just a cool dude to know that he used to coach him. Hearing his stories here and there about him are fun to hear about.”
(I know you mentioned the Dolphins speed at receiver when you spoke with a Seattle station in the past month. Are you curious to see how much that opens the box for you and RB Malcolm Brown and RB Salvon Ahmed? It could potentially, right?) – “Yeah, definitely. I’m just excited for football. I’m excited for this camp. Obviously like I’ve said in the past, those guys are just fun to watch, just to watch them take off. I was a track guy when I was younger and I used to think I was fast but seeing those guys really take off, it’s fun to watch. Like I’ve said in the past, I’m excited for that. Yeah, it definitely could open the box but I’m just excited for football now.”
(You were one of the young guys who took a major second-year leap in your second season. What do you think contributed to that? What are some of the factors that allowed you to step up your game?) – “Just kind of keeping my head down and just trying to get that one percent better each and every day. Just kind of as a young dude, going to UW and even in high school, just trying to get that one percent better each and every day. It doesn’t happen overnight. It kind of comes to fruition and it came to fruition a little bit last year. Obviously like I said, I missed a couple of games – I missed six games. I’m still working on that one percent every single day. Just get better at something every single day.”
(You talked about your durability and being able to play 17-plus games. What goes into that? What have you added to your workout regime or rehab regiment that’s going to help you?) – “I’m definitely eating better this offseason. I’m eating a lot better and just working on my body, stretching, doing Pilates. I did a little bit of Pilates going into my second year. Then this year, I did a lot more Pilates. I’m just working on things and trying to be more flexible and more durable. Just working on everything and being more conscious of it too.”
(You’ve mentioned RB Marshawn Lynch. Were you kind of a student of the game growing up? Did you look at a bunch of other backs and if so, who did you kind of look up to?) – “Definitely. I was a student of the game. I watched them all. My favorite was ‘L.T.’ (LaDainian Tomlinson) growing up, definitely. But there are a ton that I’ve watched, even guys that are in the league now, just exciting to watch and I’m excited to learn from. Like I said, I love the game of football. You watch receivers, you watch DBs, I watch everybody. Just watching technique, how guys attack each and every day, attack games and stuff like that.”
(Was there one guy in particular that you kind of model yourself after?) – “When I was younger, I’d say ‘L.T.’ (LaDainian Tomlinson). Now that I’m older, I would just try to take a little bit of everybody. But definitely when I was younger, ‘L.T.’ was my dude. Reggie Bush obviously, everybody loves Reggie Bush when he was at USC. But those two guys come to mind at first.”
(Obviously this is a new scheme for you the third straight year – what stands out to you and what’s different about it?) – “We haven’t really gotten too much into it, obviously. We haven’t gotten on the field yet. But football is football. There are different play calls but inside zone is inside zone, gap scheme is gap scheme. It’s all the same. It’s just kind of how the plays are called, how things are ran and just like I said, it ain’t too much different. Football is football.”
(You’re the one player who will benefit from the improvement you get from the second year of the offensive line. What have you seen from them so far that makes you have more optimism that they’ll be more successful this year?) – “You said it, just that second year. Being a guy that had a jump from year one to year two, I’m just excited for all of those guys – Austin Jackson, Solomon Kindley, everybody in that room. It’s just a step that is going to come, obviously, because when you come in as a rookie, I think people don’t really understand that you’re moving from your family, you’re moving to this brand new place, a brand new facility and stuff like that. Just kind of adjusting to this dream that you had and now it’s not so much a dream, it’s a reality. I think that next year, that second year, is when you hone in and take that real leap. It’s going to come for those guys and like you said, I’m just excited for them.”
(In OTAs, coach mentioned that it’s more and more of a passing camp. You can’t really run up there and hit. As a running back without any contact, what can you do to make your game better in those practices?) – “Just work as much as I can on spacing with routes and all of that type of stuff. Being able to play in different positions or just be where I need to be. Definitely the mental aspect of it – when there isn’t too much banging around, you just have to hone into your mental and make sure you get all of the mental reps and make sure you’re able to communicate with the coaches, make sure you’re able to communicate with the other guys, and what they see and what you need to see and stuff like that. You’re just kind of learning defenses too obviously. We have that time right now with the first five days or whatever it is with no pads; but just kind of learn everything you can to just soak it all in because when you put the pads on, you’re really banging.”
(This time last year there was an uncertainty about the season and maybe a lot of question marks. Now you’re back with these guys, maybe a little more normalcy. Can you describe the energy coming into the building today?) – “I’m excited man. It’s a great feeling we got this year. For everybody, not just football but for everybody in all aspects of life. So getting back to normalcy like you said is just huge. I was in Seattle for most of COVID, so when I went back home last time, it’s just nice to see people getting back to normal and stuff like that. Definitely getting back to regular life.”
(RB Malcolm Brown, what’s it like having him around, and what can he add to the running backs room?) – “Definitely experience. He’s been in the league going on year seven or six, I’m not quite sure. But just having an older guy I can talk to – last year we had a few older guys, but I’m excited to have his knowledge, his wisdom. I’m excited to just bounce ideas off of him and seeing that he’s been around for a long time, I know he’s got a lot to say, a lot to preach to us.”
Jerome Baker – July 27, 2021
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Tuesday, July 27, 2021
LB Jerome Baker
(The contract, how did it all come together?) – “It was cool. Drew (Rosenhaus) did all of the work, honestly. It was cool. It was a fun process just to see how the business side works. It was cool.”
(I know last year’s 10 wins don’t guarantee anything, don’t mean anything. But that said, expectations have changed from where you were a year or two ago. This was a team on the cusp of the playoffs. Do you feel that you are now a playoff-caliber team, one who should be competing for that? Or at least one of the better teams in your conference?) – “I think right now it’s hard to say that right now just because it’s the first day. But our expectations for ourselves are high and it’s higher than what anybody else has for us. I think our approach now is to do what we want to do. We don’t care what anybody else thinks. We’re capable of a lot and we know that. Now it’s just about proving it. I guess that’s my answer.”
(CB Xavien Howard has been M.I.A a little bit. What is your reaction and what kind of reception did the guys give him?) – “I think we were all excited. ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) is a key guy on our defense – not just a key guy on our defense, but he’s a great guy to be around. We’re definitely happy to see him back. I think we’re all just happy to be around each other. Not just ‘X’ but everybody. We’re just happy to be here. It’s a new facility. There is a lot of energy in the building. We’re all happy to see ‘X’ back. We’re all happy just to be back.”
(What are your individual expectations and goals leading into this year?) – “I don’t really have anything as far as individual goals, how many sacks or how many tackles. I kind of take it as I just want to get better than I was year. I want to be a better player, a better person, a better everything. That’s kind of what I go into every year. I’m definitely excited. This is my fourth year so I’m excited.”
(You’ve seen the development of RB Myles Gaskin. What makes him able to embrace the opportunity he has now and your expectations for him?) – “Myles for him – it is very high. And it builds just off his work ethic. I was telling people last year it blew my mind he was working out, going hard on the day off. To me, it shows who he is. He works hard when nobody is watching; he works hard when everybody is watching. I’m happy for him. I’m excited to see him really come into his own. He’s going to be good. He’s going to perform well. He’s going to help our team. I’m definitely excited for him.”
(You’re going to be alongside LB Elandon Roberts again. You will be alongside LB Benardrick McKinney some. In terms of knowing the nuances of his game and developing a chemistry, was it all based on conversation and OTA work, or did you actually look at McKinney’s Houston tape?) – “I think now is when I’ll really start to figure out who he is and how he plays. It’s kind of hard to do in OTAs. It’s kind of hard to do in the offseason. It’s hard to do just film work only because we’re all different. Who he played with is different and who I played with was different. Right now is where we get our chemistry and really see how we work together. As far as a person, he’s a great person. We spent some time in the offseason. I’m definitely excited. I’m really just excited for this whole year. It’s going to be good.”
(Recently the team signed LB Shaquem Griffin and I’m wondering if you’re familiar with the adversity that he’s had to overcome throughout his life and what you think of him being able to have success both at the college level, and the NFL, overcoming the physical circumstances?) – “Yeah, I’m definitely familiar with him. We were in the same class. I was there when he did the Combine. Just seeing how he overcame just the little things for me was just very inspiring. Even today when I saw him, I didn’t think he was going to remember me; but we definitely embraced each other. I’m happy he’s a part of this team. I watched some of his off the field workouts, and just being a fan of a guy, I was always a fan of his. I’m definitely excited he’s on our team, and the energy he brings, he’s definitely going to fit in with us and help our team.”
(After getting seven sacks last year, what’s the ceiling for you as a pass rusher?) – “I got seven last year? Just get better than that, I guess. That’s the only thing. But I’m kind of one of those guys that, whatever they tell me, I’ll do it to the best of my ability. I guess last year was how many, seven? I just have to get better than that. Any way I can help the team, I’m down to do it, and that’s why I’m here.”
(You caught a lot of people off guard last year with how good you were defensively taking away the ball. Have you all talked about duplicating that, trying to prove that it’s not a one-year thing?) – “I mean, it’s kind of hard to be talking about it because it’s the first day. But yeah we definitely want to get better than we were last year. One thing about (Defensive Coordinator) Josh (Boyer) is he talks about the little things. It’s not about the splash plays, it’s not about interceptions or sacks. It’s about those little plays that really matter in between the games. I know that for a fact we want to focus on the little things and those big plays are going to come. We definitely want to get better.”
(Just thoughts on two young guys that are very talented – LB Jaelan Phillips and S Jevon Holland. From observing them in May and June, what thoughts do you have on each?) – “They are ready to work. I’ll say that about our whole rookie class. They are ready to work. They came in and they really – they definitely are ready to work. About Jaelan, the guy is in shape. He’s definitely in shape and he’s definitely ready to go. I’m excited. Those young guys, they come in hungry with a lot of energy. It doesn’t just help their class and the younger guys, but it helps the older guys. It pushes us, so I’m definitely excited to get it going.”
(Your mom is very famous, perhaps just as famous as you. I’m curious what was her reaction when you told her that you got the bag?) – “It’s funny because she honestly – she loves it. Sometimes I have to tell her to relax a little bit, but she loves it. My new contract, it didn’t just impact me but it impacted my whole family, it impacted my city. She was definitely happy. It was funny because the day I signed, she told me to take out the trash or do something at my house. She finds ways to humble me, so I’m definitely happy.”
(I’m going to ask a little more about the contract. It seems like it was a busy offseason for linebackers. Is the market kind of catching up to how valuable you guys are and maybe you’re a little under-appreciated?) – “I think now – just with Fred (Warner)’s contract, we are definitely seeing how valuable we are. That’s just the nature of the game. The game changes every few years, and right now it’s the linebacker’s time. I’m definitely happy for all the linebackers. Fred, he deserves it. We have a few guys that will have some big ones. I’m happy for all the guys, just the linebacker community we all have that little stick together mentality. So I’m definitely happy.”
(What I am hearing is that you kind of set the market for them? Is that what you’re saying?) – “If that’s what you want to say, I guess. (laughter) No, it depends on the team, depends on the guy. A guy like Fred, he deserves it. We have some guys that are coming up and I’m just happy to see those guys get paid. I’m just happy to see anybody get paid. This sport is dangerous, it’s hard, and to see these young guys get paid, there’s nothing like it.”
(Other than taking out the trash, what did you do to celebrate your contract?) – “I went out to eat.”
(Where did you go?) – “The ‘salt bae’ restaurant, that’s my favorite. What is it Nusr-Et or however you say it? That was pretty much it. I went out to eat. I definitely went out to eat. Other than that, I didn’t really do anything spectacular, I just went out to eat. (laughter) My parents came in town. This offseason was fun. My sister had a baby so I had that experience of just being there. She was down here, so taking care of her making sure she was all right. Other than that, it was just a normal day. Not a normal day, but just a normal day I guess.”
(Is there added excitement coming together as a team inside this beautiful new facility?) – “Oh yeah, definitely. There is a little bit more energy than usual. That’s just with anything. When you get something new, guys are just excited to be around. You’re trying to find your way, you’re trying to do the little things that you take for granted. It’s all new to you now, so the energy is definitely in the building. It helps with camp, because you need those little spurts of energy. It helps you get through camp. I’m definitely excited.”
(Is there anybody on the roster matching your energy?) – “Now that is going to be hard. (laughter) Nah. (Mack) Hollins, he brings it. I don’t know. It’s hard to match my energy. I come with it every day. Today is the easy day. It was easy. We didn’t really do anything too crazy. When you’re a week in, a week and a half in, that’s when you see who really can bring the energy. Right now, it’s easy. I don’t really count right now.”
(What the league did last year to make it through COVID, and that was before vaccines, do you fear that the NFL will struggle doing it again this year?) – “No. Even last year, I wasn’t – just the protocols we have, just the things we are going through, yeah you might not like it and you might have your own opinion on it; but at the end of the day it was to help us. I think as a whole, we all understood that it’s trying to help us. Now that the vaccine, the new facility and the protocols, now we know what works and what doesn’t work, we’re going to be fine. I don’t think any of us have any fears or anything to worry about. We’re going to be fine. Just stay healthy and be clean and we’ll be alright.
(You mentioned how the new contract also affected your city, your community. Explain that.) – “It’s just a lot more opportunities to give back for me. Just even down here, doing my community work down here, having my camp up there, I did the Boys and Girls Club Christmas in July. I just did that. For me, it was one of those things that I received more, now it’s time to give more. That’s just how I was raised and now that it’s come to fruition, it’s definitely going to be good.”
(I’m going to ask about the facility one more time. What does it mean from a player’s perspective? What does all of this shiny toy mean for you?) – “That our organization cares about us. That’s exactly what it means. They care about us. They want us to do well. It’s pretty much giving us all of the tools to do well. We appreciate that. Shout out to Mr. (Stephen) Ross. We appreciate it, we love it, and it’s kind of cool to say we’ve got the newest facility in the NFL, we’ve got the best one and we can prove it. That’s all it means, is they really do care about us, and they want us to do well, and they gave us the tools to do well. It’s our job to actually do well. I’m excited.”
