Jaelan Phillips – November 2, 2022
Download PDF version
Tuesday, November 2, 2022
LB Jaelan Phillips
(On adding LB Bradley Chubb) – “Yeah, I think it’s awesome. I think the more pieces we have on the defense, the more successful we can be. So it’s great to have a guy like that. I’ll definitely lean into him and try to get some advice with pass rushing and stuff like that. but yeah, happy to have him here, for sure.”
(Have you met LB Bradley Chubb yet?) – “Yeah, I actually met him at Brandon Jones’ wedding this last offseason.”
(When you picture maybe yourself on one side, him on the other side – can you describe the difficulties offenses are going to have facing the two of you guys?) – “Yeah, just with any packages that we have, like I said, I think the more pieces you have, the more guys that can get loose in the pass rush, obviously it helps. I don’t necessarily know what the packages are going to look like – me inside, him outside, (Emmanuel) Ogbah, stuff like that – so I guess we’ll see.”
(What was your first reaction when you heard about it?) – “I was kind of surprised. I was like, ‘Oh, wow. That’s like a big-time trade.’ So it’s kind of like the first kind of ‘marquee trade’ other than Tyreek (Hill), obviously, that I’ve been a part of since we’ve been here, so it’s cool.”
(Were you doing anything in particular when the news first came down and was it something – like as a player, do you kind of pay attention to the reports and rumors that are coming out about potential news?) – “I think I just got done with a massage or something like that, so I’m like, groggy already and I see it. I’m like, ‘is this real?’ (laughter) But yeah, it’s cool, man. I’m excited.”
(Does it send a message to the team, to the locker room like, “Hey, we’re all in?”) – “Yeah, I mean it just goes to show they’re trying to get as many pieces here so we can have as successful of a team as possible. So having these big trades like that, it definitely is a cool look.”
(From watching LB Bradley Chubb from afar, what do you like about his game?) – “I honestly haven’t seen too, too much. I obviously know he’s a key pass rusher in this league, but I don’t really watch the Broncos that much. I kind of just do game prep and see who I’m going against. But I know he’s super talented, so I’m excited to have him here.”
(How have you felt about this team’s pass rush up to date?) – “I think that maybe the numbers might not be there, but I think we’ve been getting pressure. I think we have things to build on and things to work on as always, but we’re just continually trying to get pressure on the quarterback and trying to come together as a team and as a unit.”
(How important is it going to be to get pressure on this guy you face this week?) – “It’s going to be super important, just like any other week. But when you have a guy like Justin Fields who is as dynamic of a runner as he is a passer, you’ve definitely got to get in his face. He’s a young guy so getting the most pressure on him, I think that’s kind of the key to success that we have.”
(What about not just pressure, but containment as well when Justin Field does try to step out of the pocket?) – “Yeah, I mean it’s all in the same bucket, right? It’s just being able to contain him as a quarterback like a dual-threat, so it’s going to be a fun challenge.”
Mike McDaniel – November 2, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(What was your reaction when you hear you’re bringing in a player like LB Bradley Chubb?) – “It was restrained excitement because I was – it was a multitasking day. You’re trying to get prepared for an opponent and then you’re also having – it’s hard to get quality players like that. It comes at a cost, and you have to say bye to a guy that you’ve invested in and invested with. But overall, this is something that I’ve been hoping might happen for a while, just in my own brain and hoping that my wishes would come into existence. It was exciting but tempered, because we’re preparing for an opponent and there’s stuff to worry about. But we got a lot of hugs from people, so that was cool.”
(If I could follow up, will these two guys, LB Bradley Chubb and RB Jeff Wilson Jr., be ready for this weekend?) – “(Those) would be aggressive, aggressive moves for some more sideline get-back coaches. So they’ll play. Now how much? That’s to be determined. I was considering playing Jeff (Wilson Jr.) on offense and Bradley (Chubb) on defense, but outside of that, we’ll be working through it for this week, and it’ll be fun. (laughter) I’m excited for the team because both of those individuals are excited to be a part of this team. We’re very happy with the direction we’re going and hopefully that will help push forward and continue in that direction.”
(General Manager Chris Grier wouldn’t do it, but he deserves a lot of credit, obviously, for the team he’s put together.) – “Yeah, let’s knock it out for Chris (Grier). (knocks on the podium) That’s what I do in team meetings, we’re knocking it up.”
(Just the impact he’s had on the roster over the last…) – “I mean, it directly impacts coaches. From the minute I got here, what I was so impressed with, you see on paper – I just know from firsthand experience what losing streaks are like and I know how tough it is to start an NFL season on the heavy side of the loss column. So coming in here on paper, I was intrigued because to start 1-7 and then to win football games is a tough task for a locker room. You see a lot of locker rooms divide and then implode, but it started to make sense when I got here. There’s very talented players across the roster. But more than anything, you have these good human beings that have the right intent and that are focused on, above all things else, winning. And that is unique. I think a ton of credit should go to Chris (Grier) and his staff, because there are a lot of quality players and people. It gets lost in all the mix, but that’s what ends up winning in this league, are people coming together as a team. It’s been awesome, and that was just more of the same from my experience with him yesterday.”
(A couple weeks ago, you had said that the edge position was your favorite position. Now that you have LB Bradley Chubb in the fold, can you kind of give a scouting report on what sticks out to you?) – “What sticks out to me is you know where to find me during individual – just hanging out, watching edges. (laughter) I think it’s an important piece to the team. When you talk about a team defense and when you really look at really good defenses, the common denominator is there’s 11 guys going to the ball and if one guy is off an assignment, everybody ends up being impacted by that. So team defense and what another edge rusher, especially of his quality, can add to the defense, it can make our team that much better. It can make people at the position group he plays, the defensive front, it can help corners and safeties – it’s all collective. So that’s what I’m most excited for. It’s not anything individually with him. It’s more of how it will help our defense do what it’s trying to do.”
(Can you talk about the energy that it can give you as a team? I know you were in San Francisco in 2019 when they added WR Emmanuel Sanders, you guys ended up going to the Super Bowl that year. Kind of the boost that you can get, knowing that you’re all in and just feeling like you’ve got the front office’s, not that you didn’t know that, but adding now to make that big push?) – “I think what it is because – people say all in. People in the NFL are also very aware of the not for long. So I would generally say that for the most part, people are generally all in, because you know you don’t have time and it’s people’s careers at stake. But what you’re referring to, I totally agree with and I do see – I think some symmetry in that there’s a common denominator where you have a team that is having a season that they’re very much in the mix of everything, that’s winning football games more than they’re losing, and then you add a quality NFL player or players, and if they’re the right type of people, if they’re the right type of personality, it can really breathe some added life, not new life, but really added life into the monotony of the season, because you are going about your Mondays very much the same, your Tuesdays very much the same, your Wednesdays – Sundays are always fun, that’s why we do it. But bringing that juice in, also, players have different experiences themselves. I think it rejuvenates them in the middle of the season when you’re getting through all that and when you’re building your callus, that happens every single season. So there is an energy that’s positive because you get a sense of team and people are thinking about what we – it’s a new individual to them, all these players in the locker room. It’s new individuals to them, so it forces you to think about team, because you’re excited about it, because of team. We’re moving forward, trying to win one game at a time, fully focused on Chicago. Hopefully, these new additions will be able to contribute, just like all the other players are hoping they will as well.”
(When did you and Chris Grier start talking about trading for LB Bradley Chubb? He said it was a couple of weeks ago, he started talking to the Broncos, when did you and him start talking about that?) – “In my interview. (laughter) No. To be honest, I know it’s Wednesday, because it is a press conference. I know that every other day, I have a press conference, so this is the middle one. Outside of that, I don’t even know. I can’t even tell you. I know we talk a lot about all sorts of different players and teams. Our business is football. So we talk about players to a great extent throughout the season. I’m not sure really when he came up, specifically. Then there’s a time where teams start discussing that option and quite honestly, I couldn’t even tell you when that was. But it’s something that as you guys know, I have an affinity for the edge players. It’s my specific position of choice. Having practiced against him back in 2019 and also in game stuff, he’s been on my radar as one of those guys that you can really dictate the terms for what you’re able to do offensively, which is why it’s cool to have him here.”
(You’ve been committed to QB Tua Tagovailoa since you got here. But us as media, we see this trade, we see you guys giving up a first-round pick for 2023, and we see that as sort of doubling down as we talk about being all-in on QB Tua Tagovailoa as your quarterback. Are we thinking about this trade in the correct way of what it means, as it relates to Tua?) – “Good question. We all agree with that? We all feel that way? (laughter) Well, yeah, I would say you’re right on all fronts, that from the get go, I’ve fully seen Tua as our quarterback for this team and this franchise. I think he’s an unbelievable talent. So I guess in a roundabout way, I think that implication, I think that’s fair. But it’s not something that we all of a sudden rethought after he had a good game. This is something that since I’ve been here, we’ve kind of known and we’ve been able to operate with that in mind with all the things that we’ve done.”
(With RB Jeff Wilson Jr., what did you like about his game, him as a player, him as a person with your time with him San Francisco?) – “So Jeff – it’s a cool story because when he was an undrafted – actually when he was coming out of college, I actually flew down on a vacation day and worked him out at North Texas. I was like in denim covering him on wide receiver routes. And let’s just say I didn’t cover him well, which isn’t saying much. But I got to learn a lot about him that day. Much of which, with the support of the scouting department there, we targeted him as an undrafted player, and I’ve seen him really grow into a professional. He’s a guy that is magnetic. He’s very focused on football, has a nature of playing football that I think help or affects his teammates in a positive manner. He’s a physical guy that you can count on to bring that physicality and tone sets in that regard. Great teammate. And he’s a guy that doesn’t – you always really gravitate towards people that expect nothing given to them and enjoy the process of earning stuff, and that’s the way he’s always been. He’s always been very – he’s been around very competitive backfields and he’s always rooted for his teammates, and is one of the locker room’s favorite players, while also trying to do his best and whatever he can to help the team. So I couldn’t be happier with the person that we’re bringing to Dolphins.”
(On the other side of that, trading away RB Chase Edmonds. What do you think really didn’t click here for him?) – “I talked to Chase. It wasn’t really that. It wasn’t not clicking. There’s no doubt in my mind that you guys would have started to see a lot of the Chase that we’ve seen in practices and there’s a couple opportunities that didn’t really go his way and then the way we were playing, Raheem (Mostert) playing well minimized the opportunity. So this was not moving on for that reason. This was something to help really facilitate a different roster need, that we felt fortunate to be able to compensate from his loss with the ability to go get Jeff. So it was a matter of time. I think, myself, I was very confident. I think a lot of his teammates were confident that the ball was going to start bouncing his way and he was going to start making the plays that he’s accustomed to making. But it was just a short period of time – the NFL season – and with the contributing factors, it just didn’t work out. But I wish him the best and the way he’s really attacked being a Miami Dolphin, he’s a Dolphin to me as I know him. I’ll be proud of what he does in Denver. I know he’s going to do well.”
(How in sync are you and General Manager Chris Grier? Considering the LB Bradley Chubb trade and the WR Tyreek Hill trade, this is like the second time he’s made your dream come true.) – “I feel extremely fortunate to work with a GM such as Chris. I feel very fortunate to be in the organization in general. All of those things, like I said, it was one of the overwhelming things when I was interviewing for this place is I could piece it together pretty fast that there’s a lot a lot of parts of this organization that a lot of head coaches aren’t afforded. So it is awesome. We take it very serious, the direction of the Miami Dolphins organization, and every decision that is made with that in mind. So there is no such thing as over-communication and we wouldn’t allow it to be any other way except for being 100 percent on the same page about anything that we’re doing.”
(You said there’s no such thing as over-communication. How frequently do you and General Manager Chris Grier talk?) – “He’s talking to me an earpiece right now. He’s telling me not to answer that. (laughter) No, we share office walls. It’s really hard to do anything without knowing what each other are doing. I’m sure he’s getting pretty sick of hearing late 90s, early 2000s rap. But he’s going to have to deal with it. We take pride in that. We’ve been fortunate enough to be in the NFL for a good amount of time, each of us collectively, and we realize how important it is to the entire organization, that the organization is depending on us to be working together in a forthright manner. So we do not take that lightly.”
(I want to ask another QB Tua Tagovailoa big-picture question. Now that you have an answer at quarterback going forward, how freeing is that as an organization to know that the most important questions have been answered for you guys?) – “I mean, yeah, in those conversations, and I’ve been on both sides of them, but you’re firmly on one side of the fence or the other. And it does change how you’re able to big-picture operate. I think it influences it. It doesn’t like dictate it, but you still – teams win, individuals don’t. But when you’re in the search, it’s a difficult place to be in and there is some clarity with regard to being very, very confident in your starting quarterback.”
Chris Grier – November 2, 2022
Download PDF version
Tuesday, November 2, 2022
General Manager Chris Grier
(In getting LB Bradley Chubb can you kind of walk us through the timeline of that deal? We know that you had talked about premium picks being so important, but can you just walk us through how that all came together?) – “Yeah, we talked about here a bunch, you guys heard me say that we’re always looking for opportunities to upgrade the roster and do things that we thought could benefit us not just today, but long term as well. He’s a 26-year-old player at a premium position. He’s a very good football player. We had some very casual conversations a couple weeks ago about it, but probably until like the last couple days when they got back from London is when things really heated up between George (Paton) and I just having conversations, multiple conversations throughout the days trying to see if we could get a deal done.”
(LB Bradley Chubb in the final year of his contract. Are you in a place where you’re confident you’ll be able to reach an extension with him?) – “Yes. When you do a deal like that for a player, you always would like to – from our perspective when we do business –we would like to have something done and we anticipate having something finished up here shortly.”
(Obviously LB Bradley Chubb has had several incidences throughout his career where granted he’s been very productive, but he’s also had a string of injuries. What gives you confidence that he’s going to be able to stay on the field in Miami?) – “Yeah, we did a lot of research and analytics looking at that as well. With him obviously the ACL, but if you go around the league and look at some of the other guys that are premium pass rushers, historically there’s been guys that have had ACLs and multiple ACL injuries, too, as well. So with him, he’s 26 years old. He’s a tough kid. He keeps himself in great shape. Everything that the research – talking to people about him, talked about his character and love for football and drive and it matched everything we had had on him. We studied him coming out of college a few years back. Listen, injuries happen. But we feel good that at his age and how he plays and the things we do that it was a risk worth taking.”
(You guys have now a lot of big contracts on your book so 2023 could be a little dicey from a cap situation. Why are you confident this can all work? That you can continue to add to the team like you’ll probably need to in the offseason?) – “I think when you do these type of deals, you always have to have an eye for the future like we’re talking about. For us, adding Bradley (Chubb) – he’s a good player – but we also feel good about Jaelan (Phillips), Andrew (Van Ginkel) and Melvin (Ingram). So we’re adding a piece to that group. But you always have to look for the future. We haven’t really done anything here since I’ve been in charge of I guess not having that eye of being very aware of where money and limiting our chances to make a move in the future to help us.”
(These two moves with RB Jeff Wilson Jr. and LB Bradley Chubb, do you consider your team a Super Bowl favorite or Super Bowl contender in the AFC? How do you view yourselves in that respect?) – “I’ve always just viewed it as always just trying for us to put together the best team we can. So for us, I think we have a lot of good players. I think Mike (McDaniel) and this coaching staff have done a great job of working with these guys, implementing their scheme and doing things that give us a chance to win. I’m not into predictions and everything, but I do think we have a good team that has a chance to compete and win some games in the future.”
(This was the busiest trade deadline that the NFL has seen and obviously you were very involved yesterday. You’ve been involved in your tenure here as general manager. So this is a big picture question, but can you kind of explain how we got here? Like why are we seeing so many more trades? What has changed within the NFL landscape that’s gotten us here?) – “I think analytics has played a big part. I think you’ve seen a lot of GMs come in that are much more open to trading. Like it’s always – when you see an inter-division trade. We did one with DeVante (Parker) earlier and then now you see that with Minnesota and Detroit. I just think now teams are much more willing if they feel there’s an opportunity to help their team not just now, but long-term as well in terms of draft capital, which is where we were a few years ago – we had a ton of picks, picked some good players – and now just feel we’re at a point where we can afford to give up a pick here and there to pick up a player like Bradley Chubb.”
(All transactions are obviously made with the quarterback situation in the front or back of your mind. So by not having first-round picks next year, has your perspective on a question you answered before the season for us altered? The question was of course, “can Tua be elite?” Now that you have some more evidence, what do you think?) – “I will say we are very, very happy with how Tua (Tagovailoa) is playing and what he’s done for us. It’s been really exciting to watch him blossom on and off the field. He does so much work here behind the scenes that people don’t see in terms of all the stuff to prepare to make himself take that leap. Him and Mike (McDaniel), their connection is really special. I think you guys kind of feel it being around them and it’s been really fun watching them. That’s why we drafted him where we did. We believed and so we’re very, very happy with him.”
(The team hasn’t made a move for a cornerback or a safety with all the injuries at those positions. Can you explain why? Is there something still possibly in the works or do you anticipate a return from CB Byron Jones pretty soon potentially?) – “Again, we’ll always keep looking for those opportunities. When you get to the trade deadline, another thing is everyone is looking for the same position. They’re looking for corners, pass rushers and offensive linemen. And so for us, we didn’t make the move. Our coaching staff feels very strongly, as I do, that we have a good group of guys. The guys have played well that have been inserted and asked to do more than some guys have ever done for a few years, but they’re all team guys. They fit very well in the scheme, so we’re happy with the group, but we’re always looking still. And in terms of Byron (Jones), he’s still working his way back. He’s here, he works hard and so for us. we’re just letting him get back to trying to be back as soon as he can.”
(Another question about a move you didn’t make. How much attention, how many phone calls, did you receive maybe inquiring about TE Mike Gesicki’s availability?) – “I received no phone calls about Mike (Gesicki) and we were not actively shopping him. Mike (Gesicki) has done a good job. I know it’s been chronicled here, his journey, but he’s made plays for us. He’s a valued member here. I know he and Mike (McDaniel) have really been working and talking and spending time with each other, and it’s been fun watching Mike. I think you see the joy he’s having playing, especially the touchdown last week. So very happy, but we did not have any calls and we did not pursue any trades.”
(After the WR Tyreek Hill trade, your kids showed you some memes that were circulating about a quote from maybe the Rams GM with your face on it. Did you see any of that re-circulation and if your kids came back to you with anything?) – “No. (laughter) No, I didn’t see anything yesterday. We were still in here getting ready for Chicago.”
(Going back on that – Les Snead gets the reputation of what he did with draft picks, but you’ve been doing this since 2018, 2019, even before. The wheeling and dealing you’ve done, turning every single trade into the team that you’ve had now – I guess big picture, to be in this position, how does it feel after everything that you’ve done to maneuver this team into this place?) – “For me, I’m just doing a job. I don’t really think about it that way. I think I’m just trying to do everything I can and I have great support with (Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner) Stephen Ross, (Senior Vice President of Football and Business Administration) Brandon Shore and (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and (Vice Chairman, President and CEO) Tom Garfinkel. So I think just working through all that, doing that, and Steve (Ross) being willing to listen and trust me to do these things. (He) is unbelievably supportive for me and I appreciate and won’t forget it. But I think for us, it’s just doing a job. I don’t think any of us, including myself, will be happy unless we ultimately win a Super Bowl, which is what every team is trying to do.”
(Do you feel a bit of satisfaction though because obviously there was talk in December, January, there have been coaching changes made – was it the players or the coaches the reason you guys didn’t reach your goals – the fact now that the players, particularly your quarterback, are showing up as you kind of envisioned from the start, at least give a sense of satisfaction for you that it’s all kind of coming together?) – “I really don’t give myself time to do that and I’m not trying to avoid the question or deflect it. We’re just in the moment working trying to win as many games as we can and it’s a very competitive league. We’re in a great division. Buffalo is a great team and the Jets are playing well and New England is coming on, so for us we’re just trying to win as many games and give us a chance to get to the postseason.”
(Do you have a piece of paper or dry-erase board or something with Laremy Tunsil at the top and then all the picks and players you’ve gotten from that trade? We tried to figure it out and it’s really hard, but obviously there’s a lot of players that have come out of these transactions. Do you have it written down somewhere and now that it’s almost over, what do you think about the Tunsil trade in retrospect?) – “Well, I always go back to – Laremy (Tunsil) is a very good player and he and I still, we’ll text every once in a while and I’ll joke with him and guys will tell me like, ‘Laremy is like, bring me back.’ (laughter) Just joking in the offseason about stuff. But listen, at the end of the day, I don’t really think about it. Someone sent me a text or (the football communications staff) showed me something that said something about the three picks from last year, how they turned into (Jaylen) Waddle, Tyreek (Hill) and Bradley (Chubb). But I really don’t think about it other than if someone shows me that. That’s just who I am. I think you guys know me. I said I’m not out here seeking attention to talk to you guys. I very much prefer to stay in the background. (laughter)”
(What are you guys getting about of RB Jeff Wilson Jr. and did Head Coach Mike McDaniel have some influence on that acquisition?) – “He probably had a little bit of influence on that one. (laughter) Jeff (Wilson Jr.) is a guy we’ve watched. He’s a tough kid. He’s physical. We had talked about him in the offseason as well. So when the opportunity came, when Denver asked for Chase (Edmonds) specifically to get the deal done – they wanted Chase (Edmonds) – so we had to find a running back and fortunately John (Lynch) and Kyle (Shanahan), in talking to them, we were able to get a deal done to get Jeff here. I know he and Mike (McDaniel) and Raheem (Mostert) were all hugging and having their kumbaya moment together, being back together, but it’s cool. He has toughness. He’s familiar with the system so I’m very excited to get him here and see what he adds to the team.”
(Coming back to QB Tua Tagovailoa, how much did his development this season and success this season accelerate this team’s timeline in your perspective?) – “Yeah, I would say it has an effect on it. But I don’t think we looked at it – because you heard us from Day 1, especially Mike (McDaniel) from Day 1 was like, ‘this is the guy and we’re going to win a lot of games with him.’ So for us, this was just about making a move to add a really good player at a premium position that is 26 years old and get them to a deal here to have them here long term as well. So this was again, looking at now, but also the future for this team.”
(We saw the reaction from WR Tyreek Hill. He was on Twitch yesterday and he’s like, “Man, we got Bradley Chubb. Let’s go.” Can you talk about what it means to add an impact player for not just the future but also the stretch run and kind of reinforcing that this team is going for it?) – “Yeah, I think any time you add a player of you know Bradley’s caliber and even adding Jeff – guys were excited about Jeff Wilson that have played against him. They know how tough he is. He is a physical runner. It does. It gives everyone a boost. Guys were very excited today. They were talking about it. We’re very excited. The locker room was very excited. The coaching staff, too. The defensive guys are running into Mike (McDaniel) and I and hugging us. So it’s pretty cool. The guys were excited. We’re just looking forward to seeing how everything turns out.”
(Laremy Tunsil – Ring of Honor. Is that in the works?) – “(laughter) That’s a question for Steve (Ross).”
Mike McDaniel – October 31, 2022
Monday, October 31, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(So tomorrow is the trade deadline. Do you anticipate any movement by you guys?) – “Right now I’m exclusively a football coach and we have conversations, but I’m focused on our team as it stands and the Chicago Bears who are going to be trying to beat us here in a day less than a week.”
(There was a report that OL Liam Eichenberg sprained his MCL or suffered an MCL injury. I was wondering if you could confirm that and provide some more information on how long he might be out?) – “I can confirm that it was definitely on the positive side of bad news that he got hurt, but it was a pleasant surprise that we were getting various opinions, we know he was going to miss some time; but there wasn’t an injury to all the CL’s, as they call them in the biz as we kind of feared. We’re getting more information. We know he’s going to be out. We just don’t really know how long it’ll be.”
(Tomorrow is November so now we’re expecting to see the best football from you all during this timeframe. Can you expand on WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle and what they’re doing as far as record setting this year and how this play is elevating your offense to hone in together as a unit?) – “I think it’s a function of a lot of players, coaches and just everyone together getting better and I think that’s the mission that they’re all on and Tyreek (Hill) and Jaylen (Waddle) are definitely a huge part of it, but all their success does come with a lot of teammate – basically you’re depending on your teammates to do their jobs correctly to put you in position to be able to do all those things, too. I’m seeing a lot of improvement across the board, but the things that I’ve been most pleased about both Jaylen and Tyreek is their commitment during the season to getting better, not being satisfied with their results. They’re trying to get more out of each opportunity which is what you want from your players.”
(We’re getting closer to the OL Austin Jackson deadline where you’ve got to make a move on him. Do you know what you’re going to do with him? Will he be out at practice tomorrow?) – “Some point this week obviously he will return. We’re just going to be taking it day by day and for me, I’m going to be ultra-conservative and see it as very unlikely that I would let him go out there and play this week, but that process of returning will start and we’ll take it day by day with that.”
(I know that right now you’re strictly a football coach in terms of the trade deadline but kind of what has this experience as a first-time head coach kind of been like approaching the trade deadline and having those conversations? What has the experience been like for you?) – “It’s not really that much different just because of the way that quite naturally I look at what my job is to do on a day-to-day basis. I don’t really give credence to hypotheticals. Luckily we have great conversations when they’re necessary and when things get serious and appropriate that – that’s what I do all day, so it’s easy contribution on my end. So it’s not really that much different. I’m focused on our team. Very happy with our team and if there’s adjustments that do unfold, they’ll be with the best interests for the Dolphins organization, but not even worried about that at this point.”
(It looks like the offensive line is really starting to gel the last couple of weeks. I’m curious if you see the same thing and if you do what’s kind of some of the causes of that?) – “I think it’s continued, deliberate work that once we got into the season, there’s a different adjustment that you have to make as an offensive lineman when you’re preparing for different play styles from defensive linemen on week-by-week basis. I think the o-line enthusiast himself, I think Frank Smith as the offensive coordinator has done a great job working with the offensive line coaches as well and we’ve just really tried to emphasize certain fundamentals and techniques and get back to really, our roots, within how you approach each and every block. So long short of it is hard work and deliberate work and investment in their jobs and they’re starting to see better results that we’re counting on to continue to improve as the season progresses.”
(The team put out a video going inside the postgame locker room and I noticed that you gave the first game ball to S Jevon Holland and you cited his leadership and I was curious, after what was kind of a tough day, a lot of the afternoon for the defense, what stood out to you about Jevon’s leadership yesterday?) – “It’s not only yesterday making important plays, but the energy, the command, the responsibility he takes, the pressure he puts on himself and it’s impressive to watch someone go from adequate to being like a sophomore in high school because he was just a freshman, right? He goes from being, like a sophomore to senior, like, real quick. That’s kind of what it feels like in terms of his leadership skills and it’s transferring to his play, but also to his teammates’ play and how they’re playing together. And I thought that some of the best opportunities to be a leader and to really show your true colors, is making plays on the back half of a game that you’re experiencing a lot of frustration within. Those are moments where the people straining, making plays in the second half after you give up 27 first half points; those are the people that end up winning games in this league, because you’re going to have to survive some onslaughts at some point and not have an excuse to try to get to the W.”
(You’ve had good contributions from your undrafted rookies this season including yesterday. Can you tell me about the process of seeing that talent develop? Do you see it on scout team, do you watch them in meetings? Like their ascension? How do you see that?) – “Ultimately it’s kind of like the – there’s a lot of commonalities with undrafted rookies that end up having success in the National Football League. The trick is, is you don’t really find out if they’re those type of guys until they get settled into the routine and get comfortable because it’s a huge adjustment. A lot of times they’re looking up at a long death chart, but when they do, they are process-oriented that are teammates that people can really count on that get it in a way that is not easy. That are ready to rise to the occasion of sport where there’s the people that are playing around, have been heavily invested professionally in the game for multiple years so those types of guys, when an organization commits to try to find those guys; they end up exposing themselves on their own accord and you get lots of great results from guys that have chips on their shoulder.”
(This is your fifth victory Monday. From the previous four, what makes this one more special than the other ones?) – “It’s more of a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league. So I feel like I only for… I guess last night, I got to feel 1-0 for a second. But you’re always taking whatever your situation is and the next week moving on to the next opponent. So currently I’m operating on a 0-0 record. So it feels kind of, you know, just preparing for the next scenario and doing what I ask the players to do, which is just try to give the your best effort in a deliberate fashion and care about what you’re doing and we can live with whatever those results are.”
(Special teams are the area that we’ve been watching carefully recently. Yesterday seemed to be a good day. They had a fake punt, but what did you think of special teams yesterday?) – “I think we were able to get some contributions from some guys that we rely on, I think as the team progresses and gets a little healthier; I think that there’ll be more and more of those situations where guys will make plays. Listen, every phase of football goes through stretches where you have a couple games where maybe there’s some opportunities you leave out on the field or maybe you’re in a tough matchup. But it’s the teams that work through those things and continue to fight that end up having some plays snowball. So I was I was encouraged with some of the plays were able to make and there’s been some good things. As far as when we’ve been given opportunities to flip the field, I think our special teams has done a great job with that this year. There’s stuff to build on and I’m confident that more plays will happen the more guys stay to the process.”
(Do you anticipate CB Byron Jones will return to practice this week, be activated off PUP?) – “No, I don’t this week. Same story, nothing’s changed.”
(FB Alec Ingold was able to get in the endzone for his first rushing touchdown. How proud were you for him in that moment?) – “I was proud that he took advantage of the opportunity to have a non-regrettable spike. (laughter) Because, like, a lot of times in the process, you know, people are pretty emotional, and the ball will slip and it’ll be like sideways, it’s not very powerful. Like he had a nice connection launch. He utilized the buoyancy of the turf and there was nice boom to it, so I was proud of him for taking advantage of that opportunity. It was cool.”
(After the game, you mentioned a couple of plays that stood out to you about QB Tua Tagovailoa performance. Now that you’ve had a chance to watch the film are there any other plays that kind of pop out to you in terms of his high-level play?) – “Yeah, there was a considerable amount of plays that he made that I thought were high level quarterback play, and that he was seeing the defense appropriately, checking things down when he needed to, but really putting guys in a position to succeed. There was some ball placement stuff that you could see on film, particularly one to Jaylen Waddle in the red zone, a couple of his red zone plays in general were signs of a confident quarterback that’s really starting to get comfortable in the system and comfortable playing the position within the system which is the most important part.”
(Watching back yesterday’s game what did you think of OL Robert Jones’ performance stepping up for OL Liam Eichenberg and kind of your confidence in him stepping into that role moving forward?) – “Because of all the different variables that have been occurring all season, an offensive line ironically can become pretty fortunate with giving opportunities and a lot of opportunities in practice and some in the games for him to get play time and work on his craft. So because of watching him practice, I’m very confident in his ability to step in and continue – the last two games in particular, we were getting pretty good left guard play and I’m confident that he can step in and really continue that whole process that we had going.”
Mike McDaniel – October 30, 2022 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Postgame – Detroit
Head Coach Mike McDaniel (transcribed by the Detroit Lions)
(On the growth of the team and the success they had throughout the game) – “I think when you get into games where the opponent kind of has a rush of success, a lot of times you can feel it on the other side of the ball, and you start pressing. And I think that’s what was happening in the first half of the Baltimore game and (I) never felt that this game. We’re starting to learn as a team that momentum swings happen and to have faith in each other and play complementary football when we can, so I was happy about that. I was happy about – they were triggering up front. Their front seven played very hard, and I thought we blocked pretty well. I was happy about that growth. I was very happy with the way the quarterback played and the decisions that he made, just playing within himself and making plays when they were there.”
(On what he said to WR Braylon Sanders after the fumble) – “I would say – sometimes the best things that you can say are to say nothing. He’s trying to hold on to the ball. You know that he is, it’s his first – it might’ve been one of his first snaps. So you know that hits a guy hard. Sometimes what you choose not to say can let him know that we’re not wavering and we have belief in him, which we do. So, I didn’t say anything, strategically because I knew he was trying his best. He tucked it and was trying to make a play, and sometimes the ball comes out. (It’s) something I think he’ll learn from moving forward.”
(On the adjustments he made throughout the game after trailing 21-7) – “Yeah, there’s a – there’s subtle adjustments and there’s also guys making plays. The pass rush got involved a little bit more in the second half. We got some stops, but really, it’s one of those things where if you get guys to keep playing you can survive a barrage of jabs to the chin. Keep your head down and just keep chopping wood and eventually our style of play will come out. There were some adjustments, yes, but more than anything we have a lot of prideful guys on that side of the ball, players and coaches included, and they projected their frustration in the appropriate manner.”
(On how dangerous WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Tyreek Hill can be and how the offense works together for their success) – “A lot goes into their production – they work their tail off. They know how much they mean to this team, but it’s also a collection of individuals working with them to – every person on our team knows they can score on every touch. So the stuff that we have to do upfront, some of the stuff that the other eligibles have to do, it is a full commitment for their success because they are so dangerous with the ball in their hands. It’s something that we try to play to, but it’s a full commitment by all players on the offense. They get excited when their stats are high, because they know how much they contributed to that. We had a bunch of key plays from Mike Gesicki, Trent Sherfield, (Raheem) Mostert and then the play that Tua (Tagovailoa) had today. That’s a – if we can get that every week, that’s a winning formula. That is tough to stop.”
(On OL Liam Eichenberg’s injury) – “I don’t. We’ll be – that’s our process that we’re getting pretty used to, aren’t we? Where we’ll figure it out on Monday? But he was playing really well, so that was disappointing, for sure. (My) heart goes out to him, but we’ll be getting some information back tomorrow as to the severity of that.”
(On the number of penalties they received throughout the game and what the team has to do to fix that) – “Yeah, I think there was eight declined in the first half. Well, there’s certain controllables, and the ones that really irritate me, we knew coming into the game that we have to be mindful of our pre-snap alignment. Just knowing that we’ve been – people are looking to throw penalties on that, I think, around the league in general. So we went in making that a point and it didn’t get done. Those type of things are controllable. Then, you look at – where and what type of penalties are happening? Same thing that we did – what was it? The Minnesota game we had a ton, and we were able to tighten it up against Pittsburgh. You just have to make a point of emphasis, take each penalty individually and coach off of it, so that we can improve and not put ourselves in such tough spots on both sides of the ball unnecessarily.”
(On if there were any issues getting the play call into QB Tua Tagovailoa throughout the game) – “This particular game? Yeah, there was – we’ve been doing a better job at that, just me personally. I’ve done a better job of getting the play calls in sooner, so that if there’s any hiccups, that isn’t the case. This game, I think there were a couple of instances where I didn’t get it in fast enough, so there’s not time to repeat it. But I thought Tua (Tagovailoa) did a really good job of knowing the gameplan and piecing the stuff together because we didn’t have – I can’t remember a situation where we had an issue with running the correct play. But there were a couple of stressful situations that were happening at the beginning of the year, so that’s on me to make sure that’s completely minimized so the players have time to absorb the play call.”
(On how much he credits the victory to fighting through adversity) – “That, my friends, is a good question. That’s exactly what it is. I don’t think you win this game if you don’t go through stuff. That’s why I believe and I think our team believes at this point that there’s no such thing as adversity, more that it’s opportunity to learn from a situation so that you can progress moving forward. I don’t think the goal of any game is really perfection – it’s more growth. I think this game, we were able to come out with a victory because of certain things that we’ve gone through in the past weeks. So, absolutely right. That’s exactly the way I see it. And somebody give that guy a gold star – that’s a great question.”
(On what plays from QB Tua Tagovailoa stood out to him) – “There was the touchdown to Mike Gesicki because that was the first time we’ve ever hit that route on that concept. You rarely ever see it, and it’s something that was No. 4 in the progression that he progressed through very quickly. There was the first long throw on third down to Tyreek (Hill) where he knows that we’re going to be hot, they’re in (Cover 0), he buys as much time as he can in the pocket and then throws a ball that’s not easy to throw to a really fast guy. That one stood out. He had a lot of plays that I was very, very happy with. That was a game that we all know he’s capable of. But it was his – he was relentless during the game with worrying about the right stuff. I didn’t see him press and make forced decisions. He took what was there and protected the ball while being aggressive.”
(On the preparation of the offense going into the game) – “That’s a big collection of individuals. You talk about protection and being locked into – the Detroit Lions have a very good third-down rush package that can get your quarterbacks hit, so we had a good plan there. (It) started with the coaching staff and then lead into the players. The receivers and quarterback coaches, (Quarterbacks/Passing Game Coordinator Darrell) Coach Bevell, (Wide Receivers Coach) Wes Welker, (Assistant Quarterbacks Coach) Chandler Henley, they all did a great job at preparing the guys, and then the players took it upon themselves to make sure to meet extra for the third down, because they hadn’t been happy with the results. So, instead of complaining about it, they did something about it. So you’re talking about a lot of people committing to a very important phase of the game. So it was cool to see some positive results from that hard work.”
Jaylen Waddle – October 30, 2022 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Postgame – Detroit
WR Jaylen Waddle
(On what it was like in the first half to have both teams driving up and down the field) – “It was a great atmosphere out there. I think the fans came out and showed support. It was electric. We knew it was going to be a battle. Detroit (is) a great team and great organization, so we knew it was going to be a battle coming into the game.”
(On what contributed to the offense’s success) – “I think us playing together, all on one page. We had a good week of preparation, so that always translates good to Sundays. You have to keep stacking them up. It’s all about being consistent, not just being electric one week and then falling off.”
(On the offensive play calling) – “We’re seeing what we like. I think (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) did a good job of calling the plays, getting us into position to make plays. It goes hand in hand. The O-line stood up, and Tua (Tagovailoa) delivered. It’s not just us out there making plays, it’s a team effort, for sure.”
(On if they feel unstoppable) – “I mean, we kind of go in confident. I wouldn’t say unstoppable, but we felt good. Like I said, we had a good week of preparation. That kind of always translates.”
(On what he saw from WR Tyreek Hill today) – “Come on, he’s a baller. Nothing new – we’ve been seeing that all season.”
(On what play stood out to him) – “Probably Tua’s (Tagovailoa) scramble – I’m surprised he slid. I was just proud of him, he slid.”
(On the confidence in this offense) – “I feel like we’re confident enough to know nothing is out of reach with the type of offense that we have and the offensive weapons that we have. We’re confident that we can come back, and it’s finally going to click.”
(On if they felt like they had to score every time they were on the field) – “We try to score every time we’re out there, believe it or not.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa: “What were your thoughts on that one play where you scored, I think it was your second touchdown? (laughter) What were your thoughts on that play?”) – “You know, it was a decent pass. It was OK. You know, it was OK. (laughter)”
Tyreek Hill – October 30, 2022 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Postgame – Detroit
WR Tyreek Hill
(Is this more like the offense you all envisioned for this season?) – “Yeah, but I feel like we can be lightyears better, and that starts with me being the leader of this young receiver group, preaching to the guys that we’ve got to get in and out of the huddle faster. We’ve got to do the small things right. We all want to make plays, we all want to be in the spotlight, but we’ve got to make sure that we do the small things by getting out of the huddle (and) making sure that we’re set, so Tua (Tagovailoa) can go through all of his reads. So once we get that clear, we start working on those small things, I feel like we’ll be exactly where we want to be.”
(On what he saw in the coverage from the Lions) – “I can say that. The Detroit Lions, they’re a great team, great defensive team, great young team, who fly around the football field with some great premier guys on the outside. And for us, it’s all about scheme and timing. So (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and the offensive coaches, they did a great job of putting this scheme together, allowing us, to get off coverage. It was great job by the coaches this week.”
(On his sunglasses) – “Oh, yeah, man. And also, I’m just trying to promote my brand a little bit – shout out to Soul Runner for life. Appreciate it.”
(Do you guys feel unstoppable?) – “Always. Always, that’s all – I mean, that’s all of our mindsets. As a competitor in this league, as one of those teams who has a chance to go the distance, you’ve got to have that mindset, because if not your opponent, they will dominate you.”
(You now have six games with over 160 yards receiving. Does this surpass maybe what you expected?) – “No. No, man. I expect that from myself every time, so do my parents, so do my kids know, so does everybody that knows me. Everybody knows me as a workaholic – all I do is just think about ball. I live, sleep and I die on this hill of playing football, man. The way that I approach every week is I’m going to work my tail off regardless, so I’m not surprised at all. I can see if I was not putting in the work, not doing everything that I wasn’t supposed to do, but my mindset is different. My grandparents, they raised a different breed. So I feel like I’ve got to use these God given talents, or I wouldn’t be doing God due diligence for giving me what he’s gifted me with. So every chance I get to step on the field, even if it’s practice, walkthrough, whatever the case, I’m going 110 miles per hour.”
(On the coverage he saw on the third-and-long on the first drive of the game) – “Oh yeah, that’s just Tua (Tagovailoa) just picking a guy and just trusting him down the field. Like I said, being in practice gaining that trust with him, in a big moment of the game, he just put it in there and then I was able to make a play.”
(Was the tempo of the first half with both teams just going up and down the field, was that kind of what you look for? Is that what you drive on?) – “I mean, that’s what this league wants, man. It’s offensive game. That’s why people want to view the game, because scoring, long drives, scoring points, fast players, touchdown celebrations and all that, man. As offense, we love being on the field. We love moving the ball up and down the field. It was just fun.”
Tua Tagovailoa – October 30, 2022 (Postgame)
Download PDF version
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Postgame – Detroit
QB Tua Tagovailoa (transcribed by the Detroit Lions)
(On the offensive gameplan today) – “I think (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) did a good job calling plays today. He put us in a really good position to get yards after catch on plays, trying to move the spot for the defenders (and) D-linemen getting it back there. I think for as much as we passed with, what, maybe two sacks that we had? That’s a really good job upfront. I think a lot of things married with routes, action passes within the run game, so I think we felt really comfortable. After moving the ball the first series, second series, started feeling really comfortable just going with the gameplan.”
(On if he feels the offense is unstoppable) – “We feel like the only guys that can stop us are ourselves. We did have some miscues on guys misaligned at some points and guys kind of moving their feet when we have motions going on. Those are all things that are correctable, so we’ll look at the tape and we’ll move on from there.”
(On if the offense is how they envisioned it would be) – “Yeah, this is sort of what I envisioned. The greatest thing about this game is that you can never get content. You have to continue to keep growing. We’ll go and watch the film and look at things that we could’ve done better. So, that’s the best part about it.”
(On if the offense is where they want it to be) – “I wouldn’t say so. Not yet. Not yet. Too early still.”
(On both teams moving the ball up and down the field in the first half) – “Well, it can be fun if you are moving the ball down the field and you’re the opposing team, first off. But I would say I have a lot of trust in the guys that we have on our side of the ball, that in any scenario, in any situation, we’ll be able to do what’s enough to help us win games.”
(On FB Alec Ingold’s block that set up a big run for him) – “Yeah, that was big. As you can tell, I’m not a runner. But with that block, if anyone else was running behind Alec (Ingold), it could’ve been a lot bigger. It could have been a score. Who knows? But, knowing me, Alec blocks the guy and almost pancakes him, and I run right into the guy for the tackle. (laughter) If it was any other person, it probably would have been a lot bigger.”
(On his decision to slide today) – “Oh yeah, I slid today. I know my coaches, my teammates – my teammates were definitely proud of me. I came to the sideline, (and) everyone was happy that I slid. I was kind of happy that I slid, too.”
(On if the Ravens game influenced their approach towards the Lions) – “I would say none of that played a factor in us playing this game. These guys, they’re not the Ravens. They’re the Detroit Lions. We’ve got to take these guys on the same way we take everyone on, just have to focus on whatever that play entails for us and execute one play at a time. So, we’re not trying to force anything or do anything that is without the boundaries of the play.”
(On if he’s concerned about the amount of penalties they were called for today) – “Yeah, I would say there is some level of concern, but there is also a lot of things going on with that as well – communication with the play call, communication with the personnel. Sometimes it gets to a point in the game where the full play call isn’t called, so I have to kind of adlib at times. So I kind of put our guys in a bad situation, knowing where to line up on plays and whatnot, and not really giving them time to think before they’re going out because of how fast I am getting the play-call out. So that’s why we have practice, and it will be good for us to work on that throughout this week.”
(On the process of hearing the play call from the sideline) – “Yeah, so you hear the play and then once that 15 (-second mark) hits, you have to start adlibbing. “
(On the offense’s ability to flip the field today) – “Yeah, I think the key to that is, like I said, we continue to play within the boundaries of what that play entails. So with whatever coverage we’re getting, this is the side I am working. If they play this certain coverage, I’m going opposite. Things like that, and if they take it away then, hey you have to chuck it down, live to play another down and hopefully flip field position, get some yards back.”
(On what play stood out to him today) – “Yeah, the one I really liked I would say was Trent Sherfield’s – I think they took away his touchdown. I think they took that one away. (laughter) Do we agree? So, Trent there’s about like six people and 12 people raised their hands to say yes.”
(On why the completion to WR Trent Sherfield stood out to him) – “Well for one, that play when I ranked it, I did not like that play. I did not want to run that play. I told (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel), ‘Don’t run that play.’ But Mike being Mike, we ran the play, and I just had to read it out. I thought it would have been something really special for Trent (Sherfield), too. Every time you see Trent in there, the guy’s pretty much blocking, running across the field, running back on motions, and he never necessarily gets opportunities, so I really wanted that opportunity for him.”
(On the direction the play-call went on WR Trent Sherfield’s completion at the goal line) “No it was dealer’s choice – I could have worked either side. But it looked like they were doubling No. 2 (Chase Edmonds) inside, and Trent (Sherfield) was open. I just really wanted that touchdown for him.”
