Zach Sieler – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
DT Zach Sieler
(The LB Shaq Barrett retirement, how well did you know him? Did that catch you off guard or did you have an inkling that…) – “I had no idea coming up until I saw it, obviously. I really didn’t – when my summers are on, my summers are on. I’m on break, I really wasn’t following too much. My wife actually told me. Hey, you know, good for him – I respect his decision. Everyone has got different points in their lives; I think that’s awesome. I hope he has nothing but the best of luck in his next chapter. I didn’t get to know him too well. We had a few practices together. He was great to work with those few times. It would’ve been exciting this year to work with him, but I’m excited to see what happens and see some other guys step up.”
(He wasn’t actually playing in games, so I guess the impact could be lessened, but what is the impact of that absence?) – “It was OTAs when he was here. Thankfully, we still have all camp to build that camaraderie with Chop (Robinson), Mohammed (Kamara), whoever comes in to fill those shoes.”
(DE Emmanuel Ogbah is coming back. They are signing him. What is having DE Emmanuel Ogbah back going to do for this defensive front?) – “I’m excited. ‘Og’ is a great guy. It’ll be really cool to get him back here. He’s a competitor, he’s truly just – he brings a good atmosphere and good energy to the team. So I’m really excited to have him back and be with him.”
(There’s a sense that this actually might be a better system for him, a better fit than maybe last year. Do you believe that is the case, and if so, why?) – “I hope he can find his way in this system; I know he will. He can find his way in any – he’s a great player who is competitive and he knows how to play football. I’m excited to have him back and work with him again and have that rapport with him, playing next to him and him playing outside or next to me.”
(You haven’t exactly been on the field with DT Calais Campbell, but what do you know about him throughout career?) – ‘He’s an amazing player. It’s really cool to get him down here and to be with him. I think it’s our first day with him or second day with him. I’ve always watched him and respected his game throughout my whole career. I mean, he makes me feel tiny. (laughter) He’s a big human being in the best sense. It’s cool to like – I’ve always felt like I’ve tried to emulate his play style throughout my career so far. So it’s cool to learn from him this year and get him down here, play beside him.”
(It looks like we’re heading to 18 regular season games in the NFL, maybe two byes and maybe shorten the preseason. If that does happen – not this year – what do you think?) – “If that’s the case, I don’t know how that’s going to shake out. I haven’t put too much thought into that. I think it’s – there is pros and cons to it truly. If you get more break… I really couldn’t tell you. Sorry about that.”
(Have you had the chance to enjoy fatherhood since we’ve last seen you? How has being a father changed you?) – “Incredible. It’s been a total blessing. My wife calls him a sucker baby. He’s been awesome. After about two months, he started sleeping through the night – about seven or eight hours. It’s been really cool to get to learn fatherhood and see a different side of my wife. That’s been really such a blessing.”
(How hungry is this team after last year? It looked like you were on the way to a possible deep run in the playoffs, a lot of injuries. Does this make you hungrier this year?) – “Oh yeah, there’s a drive on the whole team to have – the last two years didn’t end how we wanted them to. There’s a drive on the team and a passion on the team to really kind of (be like), let’s get this going and start on the right foot. There’s a lot of guys here that are passionate and ready to go. It’s going to be really exciting to build with these guys, and the people that (Head Coach Mike) McDaniel brought in, it’s been really exciting to work with them.”
(What will it be like not having your sidekick DT Christian Wilkins here? Have you spoken to him about joining a new team?) – “Yeah, we talk. I hope he’s doing great out there in Vegas. It was an adjustment period during OTAs, but it’s been cool to kind of learn and play with some new guys. Obviously, I wish the best for him out there, but I’m excited to play with these guys her – Calais (Campbell), (Teair) Tart, Benito (Jones), (Brandon) Pili, (De’Shawn) Hand and see what they can do.”
(You’ve known Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver for a while, obviously his system is a part of it. How long do you anticipate maybe you and your teammates gelling in this new system?) – “I think it’s just going to – hopefully by the end of camp. Hopefully by Week 1, we can gel and kind of figure out where we’re going. Then hopefully after that we can keep developing throughout the year and getting better and getting more in-depth in this defense as we go.”
Raheem Mostert – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
RB Raheem Mostert
(You are not in QB Tua Tagovailoa’s situation, but you did get a contract extension this past offseason. What advice did people give Tua in this particular situation that he is in?) – “I think that’s a great question to start off. First and foremost, I think Tua (Tagovailoa) is very well deserving of the opportunity to get a contract extension. He’s worked his tail off, especially since I’ve started playing with him. I’ve seen nothing but growth, and the leadership he portrays not only for the team, but the organization is definitely top notch. One of the best, if not the best leader in the locker room and for the organization. With that being said, I truly believe he deserves everything he has coming his way plus more. I’m just excited for him. It’s going to be a great opportunity.”
(What happens if he sits out or limits himself during training camp?) – “That’s under his discretion and his team. I can’t really speak on that just because I’m his teammates and one of his brothers. We could have a conversation about it but all in all, that’s up to his team, and his priorities are something that is of importance in that aspect. I think that it could be the right move, and guys in the locker room definitely understand that. Tua is Tua, and he’s always putting the team first. That’s how I see it and that’s how everybody in the locker room sees it.”
(You were front and center a few weeks ago and you saw the local hockey team go all the way. What was that experience like for you?) – “I will say, congratulations to the Panthers –definitely time coming and finally that they got it done. It’s exciting, I was a part of it. To see the type of atmosphere that they had in Amerant (Bank Arena), the fans and everybody in South Florida, it just gives you an extra boost as a player, as a professional athlete down here in South Florida to try to get your own championship. I held the Stanley Cup and it was an amazing feeling, but also I want to hold up the Lombardi Trophy. I think that’s even more important for me, and I want to share that with my family and you guys and stuff like that.”
(I wanted to ask about your experience at the parade and all. How much were you thinking, ”This is what it might be like for us?”) – “Yeah, the organization invited me to come out the parade. I was in the parade – raining, just raining like crazy. It was a lot of fun though, that’s a memory you can’t take back. To cherish that, to be a fan for I think about 11 years now, my first ever hockey experience was down here in South Florida. So to finally see them win that thing and then be a part of it and go to the parade, it gives me more gratitude to try to do my own with the team and try to go out there and try to win one.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel always talks about the evolution of his offense, never the same as the previous year. As you’ve been in this offense for three years two times now, back in San Francisco and here in Miami, how excited are you for what’s next with this offense?) – “I’m very excited for this offense. You know last year, I felt like we left a lot of meat on the bone in regards to plays and yards, and we were still the No. 1 offense in the league. Now as we have the additions of Jonnu (Smith) and Odell (Beckham Jr.) and getting all these key players back, it’s definitely an exciting moment to be able to go out here with a high-flying offense, have fun running around and become even better than we were last year.”
(What do you think you have to add to what you’ve done the last couple of years?) – “For me personally, one thing that I could add is more so in the pass game and being more consistent in that realm. I had a talk with (Offensive Coordinator) Frank (Smith) not too long ago about me incorporating more in the pass game, and he said ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ I just want to evolve as a player. That’s been my goal each and every year – to try to work some facet of the game. It’s going to be exciting this year, and I can’t wait.”
(I wanted to ask more about the Florida Panthers connection. Who on the team are you close to?) – “I was really close with Brandon Montour and his family. He had his son, and I was able to connect with him on that front. But then also management, Bryce (Hollweg) is the COO of the team (and) I know Vinnie (Viola) and all of those guys as well. So just being able to be around the organization and see the growth of these past couple years and understanding the team as well is definitely enlightening.”
(One quick follow up, you were on a team that got to that last game and then obviously lost, what did you learn from them getting there last year, facing that defeat and then getting over the top this year?) – “You can’t let one moment completely change who you are as a team I feel like, and that was the case when we lost in San Fran. We got to the big dance, and we didn’t let that moment define us as you can see in previous years. Even when I was there, we were still getting there, getting close, going to the NFC Championship and losing and stuff like that, but we still had that bond. There was that brotherhood that we could still get to the dance and try to win this thing.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel previously told us that he’s been drilling into everyone’s head the 24-year playoff drought this franchise has had. How much has that message resonated with you as someone who’s been part of it the last two years and knowing Head Coach Mike McDaniel the way that you do?) – “Yeah, I think it’s a great message that he is portraying that to the team and letting us know that, ‘Hey, look – it’s definitely a thing.’ We’re just trying to figure out how we can win that one playoff game. It looks like we’re trying to figure it out. Obviously, it’s still early on, we’re in training camp now. It’s the first day, and we’ve got a long way to go to reaching that goal of breaking that curse. But if we have the right mindset, if we understand early on, I think we’ll be better off figuring that out come down the road when it is time.”
(You’ve been in the league for a while. What’s something you appreciate now or have learned to have a career like this that you didn’t know early on into your career?) – “People always ask me that question and also, ‘What would I tell my younger self?’ I would tell my younger self, just stay patient. I think patience is the best thing you can possibly do, especially in the career that I have had, being cut several times. This is honestly my second stint with Miami, nothing against the old regime or whatever. But it’s one of those things where I kept my nose down, kept grinding and had my blinders on and didn’t look back. When I got the opportunity, I made the most out of those opportunities. Yeah, I would just tell myself that no matter what, just still stay patient.”
Jordan Poyer – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
S Jordan Poyer
(I guess the obvious question is how does it feel to be opening camp with a team aside from Buffalo? Is it strange or is it just life?) – “Absolutely, it’s just life. I always have a saying, ‘It is what it is, it ain’t what it ain’t.’ It feels amazing to be down here. Like I’ve said, I’ve been a fan from the other side of this team ever since I’ve been in Buffalo. Seeing this team grow on and off the field, knowing some of the players here, knowing (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel), it’s just a really cool opportunity for me to come here and be the best version of myself and help this team in football games. I’m excited to be here.”
(How do you feel physically at this point in your career?) – “I feel great. Honestly, I feel like this is the healthiest that I’ve been in a few years. Last year, going into the season I wasn’t all the way up to 100%. I feel 100% now going in. I know there’s a lot of stuff being said about the age of me and whatnot, but I’m excited to play. I’m excited to play football. It’s the game that I love. It’s the game I appreciate. Playing alongside my teammates, my coaches, it’s given me a lot, so I just want to give everything back to it. Like I said, I’m excited to be here.”
(I know some teams often use three safeties at a time. You, S Marcus Maye and S Jevón Holland certainly be on the field at the same time a lot. By the same token, do you also feel like with the addition of S Marcus Maye, you might be competing in some way for playing time?) – “I think there’s always a competitive aspect to each season you go into, no matter if you are penciled in as the starter or not. Every day out there, you’re competing against the opposing side of the football and then obviously the guys that are next to you. I’m excited to have him as an addition of our group. I’ve seen him play, I think this is Year 8 or (Year) 9 for him. I’ve seen him play – he played with the Jets for a little bit, and he was in New Orleans and had a really solid couple of years out there. We’re lucky to have him here, so I’m excited to learn from him, compete with him and help this team win football games.”
(How has your chemistry with S Jevón Holland been building maybe the last four or five months since y’all have been together?) – “It’s been awesome. He’s taken up golf, so him and I went and played in Shell Bay on Friday with Tua (Tagovailoa). Just getting on the course, getting to know each other off the field. He came to one of my events on last Wednesday, I had held a cool little yoga event – he pulled up with his lady. So it’s been really cool to get to know him off the field. A great young player and I’m excited to play with him.”
(How much does the mental approach to the game affect the outcome? For instance, in Buffalo, you guys were 6-6 last year, right? And you go on the run. Just the success you’ve had personally and as a team, how much do you devote to the mental side of the game?) – “I think it’s just as big as the physical side of the game. It’s the NFL, not everything is going to happen exactly the way you want it to happen. You’re not going to win every single game even though you’d like to. It’s really in those moments of adversity, those moments of maybe coming off a loss, being able to handle them in the right way. Whether that be within a game, maybe the offense comes out there and smashes you in the mouth the first series and you’re down 7-0 early. You’ve got to find a way to compartmentalize and really have that mental capacity to be able to move on because this is the NFL. Most games are going to come down to the last series, the last play, whoever has the ball last, whoever makes the last play. So being able to – I always told the guys that I played with before, ‘Look, I don’t care if you give up a first down. I don’t care if you give up a touchdown. It’s the next play. We’ve got to keep playing, it’s a long game left. All of that has been instilled in myself throughout the 12 years that I’ve played, so I’ve really taken it into a factor of the game is going to flow. There’s going to be some ups and downs, you’ve got to handle the adversity and handle what’s thrown at you. Usually, those teams that are able to handle those moments, whether it be within a game or within a season, those are usually the teams that you see in the playoffs at the end of the season.”
(You played in the same secondary as another great cornerback in Buffalo in Tre White. I know you haven’t had a ton of time on the field with CB Jalen Ramsey, but what have you noticed about how he approaches the game and his feel for the game?) – “One of the most talented athletes I’ve ever been around. Obviously playing against him – we played Jacksonville in 2017, the year we made it to the playoffs in Buffalo and he ended up having a pick to win the game, and I just remember that celebration that he had. Just seeing him grow as a person and as a player on and off the field, it’s really cool to finally get to know him and to play alongside of him. Like I said, I’m just here to do my best, to be the best version of myself, to help put him in position to make plays and put our team in position to make plays.”
(It looks like we’re headed to 18 regular season games in the NFL, maybe two bye weeks and maybe trim the preseason. What do you think about all that?) – “I don’t know. I don’t want to get in trouble with some of the things I might think about it, but that’s kind of crazy. If it’s two byes, maybe that’d be nice, but 18 games – 17 games is a lot of games. 18 games is a lot of games, too. We’ll see how the NFL handles that. Who knows, maybe I’ll be off in the sunset by then, but we’ll see how that’s handled.”
(You mentioned golfing with QB Tua Tagovailoa. Can you talk about how he’s handled himself amid the contract negotiations? Some of your teammates said they expect him to practice. What are your feelings on that?) – “He’s a pro. That’s his business. We all hope the best for him. Tua is a huge part of this team. I’m sure him and his agents and the people upstairs are handling it in the right manner, but I hope Tua gets what he deserves.”
(I saw at Oregon State you left baseball, you were a high school champion. Was that a tough decision at Oregon State to stick to football? You were drafted by the Marlins; you could be playing for the Marlins instead of the Dolphins.) – “You look back and you see some of those contracts that baseball players are making with a lot of zeros behind them, and you’re like, ‘Ah, what if I did?’ (laughter) But no, this is my twelfth year in the league. There’s not a lot of guys that can say they’ve played 12 years in the league, and to be honest, I didn’t think I was going to make three. So to be sitting here in front of you guys at 12, I’m extremely blessed and extremely thankful for those decisions that I made back then. That’s why I’m here – I love playing football, I love connecting with my teammates and that’s what it’s about.”
(In terms of being that 12-year veteran, being the old head, what comes with that when you’re on an NFL team in an NFL locker room? What’s the responsibilities of that?) – “I think just sharing the experience. Like I said, playing against this team over the past few years, you kind of get a sense of, ‘OK, if you get on top of this team, they might fold,’ and there are some teams that are – this is just being honest, so what is that that happens in those moments where we get hit in the mouth? What happens in those moments so we’re like, ‘Hey, we’re good. Let’s bounce back. We’re good. It’s a 60-minute game, it’s a long game.’ I’ve been in games where I’ve been up 24 points and end up losing. I’ve been in games where we’ve been down 21 points and end up winning. So it’s just continuing to just play, play the game. The game is going to come down to the last series, the last play, so just keep playing and don’t get stuck into that play that you didn’t make or don’t get stuck into X, Y, or Z of the past. Let’s just keep playing, keep staying together. That’s the biggest thing too, is just being able to stay together as a team, because this is a team game. It’s not just one guy, it’s everybody. So being able to stick together through those adverse moments, through those ups, through those downs and just staying on that line all the way through the season.”
Jaylen Waddle – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
WR Jaylen Waddle
(I asked WR Tyreek Hill about you guys. You, QB Tua Tagovailoa, and OBJ (Odell Beckham Jr.). The four of you guys working together. What’s your excitement level about that combination working together?) – “It’s exciting. Anytime you have a lot of playmakers on the field added on to the amount of playmakers we had last year is going to be crazy. It makes it fun. It’s going to be fun and exciting. Plays everywhere to be made. It’s going to be good.”
(Did you see QB Tua Tagovailoa today? If so, what was your interaction with him like?) – “Yeah. I chopped it up with him earlier today. It was pretty regular. We saw each other two days ago. So it wasn’t anything crazy.”
(What’s it say about his character that he didn’t want to hold out, that he wants to be here WR Tyreek Hill says he expects him to practice?) – “Yeah. He’s going to be here. He likes being around the team, the guys and he’s going to be out there practicing, playing, doing whatever.”
(Do you get concerned that it might be a distraction the longer the contract talks are going on? He’s an emotional guy, is that a fear that maybe it becomes an even bigger thing than it is right now?) – “No. Tua is one of those guys that really loves the game, really likes being with us out there. I don’t think it’s going to be a distraction.”
(What are one of the goals for you this season? For yourself personally as you continue to grow in the game?) – “Just go out there and just continue to be myself. I really don’t have goals. Just go out there, play consistent football, make plays when they call my number and go out there and compete.”
(How does WR ‘OBJ’ (Odell Beckham Jr.) kind of help all of you guys get open?) – “Man, I think OBJ is going to be a great addition. He’s got a lot still left in the tank. He’s going to go out there. Feels like he has something to prove, and he’s going to prove it. We’re going to help him prove it too.”
(Have you guys gotten all together and worked with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Yeah. We were all in town in the offseason. We all got together and linked up.”
(WR Tyreek Hill mentioned that you guys were going to work on trying to sustain drives and not just get the home run every time out. What does that mean to you—that approach?) – “Yeah, kind of. I like to score, so whichever comes first. One-play drive, 11-play drive. We can do it all. We’re going to try to do it all.”
(What is this time of year like for you guys? Especially you going into year four?) – “Yeah man, it’s time to go. Play, practice, be consistent every day. It’s going to be a fun time, a fun camp. All of us just going out there and competing.”
(Did last season leave a bad taste in your mouth with all the injuries, and then the Kansas City game? Does it make you hungry?) – “Last year is last year. We left that there. It’s a new team, a new year. We got a lot to prove.”
(What can your tight end combination of Durham Smythe, and Jonnu Smith give you guys situationally? Like third-and-1, goal line, red zone, seam route. What are the situations they can help you guys in?) – “A lot. It’s definitely going to put the ball in a different playmakers hand. Not just have the ball go to me or ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill) the majority of the time. Just going out there and extending the defense. Making them have to play honest defense.”
(Have you checked out the speed of this rookie running back and what have you seen?) – “Yeah, Jaylen (Wright). All of them Jaylens (laughter). We can run, it’s just in the name. Of course, that’s another playmaker that we’ve got. Thanks for adding him.”
(You don’t have a way of differentiating the Jaylens?) – “Everybody has kind of their nicknames. I think we’ll have to come up with a nickname for him because we have the same initials. So, it’s going to be a nickname-driven team for sure with all of these Jaylens.”
(WR Tyreek Hill just told us that QB Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t want to miss his window. Is there a sense that this team is built? Is this your window to go and win at the highest level this year?) – “Not really. We’re not like a old team. Obviously past years are past years. But it’s time we go out there and really showcase our abilities and make a run for it.”
(Why do you think this year will be different?) – “Another year. Another year under our belt, another year with (head coach) Mike (McDaniel), another year with the offense. A lot of our core guys are back. We’re trending in the right direction.”
(You signed a big deal this offseason. What has changed for you in your personal life over the past… we will call it three, four months?) – “Really nothing honestly. Nothing at all. Nothing.”
(No big purchases, no new house, new car?) – “No. Nothing. I’m telling you.”
(No businesses?) – “Not yet. I’ll let it sink in for a little bit. Nothing at all.”
(You’re not on the defensive side of the ball. But LB Shaq Barrett announced his retirement. Did you get to know him at all? Were you shocked by that news, or did you kind of have a feeling it could happen?) – I didn’t. I really didn’t know Shaq like that. I know he was a great player and had a great career, so happy retirement to him. We talked maybe once. But great career.”
(The NFL and NFLPA have discussed adding an 18th regular season game. We would kind of like it if there were two byes. How do you feel about that potential setup?) – “There would definitely have to be two bye weeks. My personally, I would hope there will be two bye weeks if they extend the season. Maybe one less preseason game. Or maybe even cut out the preseason. I don’t know how they would do it. There would definitely have to be something added on. A bye week, cut out a preseason game, or something like that.”
(Is 18 games too many, or is that a fair amount for players?) – “Depends on what they take away. It just depends on what they take away. If you’re going to add, you’ve got to take away something. I would hope.”
(Is there anything that you appreciate that you didn’t coming into the league? Either the work, or the mentality, or anything?) – “I would say the time. I was just talking to my people the other day, ‘we’re going into Year 4.’ It seemed like just yesterday I was coming in.”
Tyreek Hill – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
WR Tyreek Hill
(What is your expectation for training camp regarding work with QB Tua Tagovailoa, getting the three receivers and Tua together with “OBJ” [WR Odell Beckham Jr.]? What are your expectations there?) – “I’m excited. I haven’t been this excited since the birth of my first daughter and being able to work with Tua, being able to work with (Jaylen) Waddle and also ‘O’ (Odell Beckham Jr.); it’s been a pleasure, man. Obviously, God has blessed me to be on some great offenses – some in Kansas City – obviously the time we won a Super Bowl with myself, (Travis) Kelce, (Sammy) Watkins, ‘D. Rob’ (Demarcus Robinson) and the list goes on. But just this group here alone, man, it gives me the same feeling. All of the guys are ready to work. All of the guys understand that there is only one football and there will be plenty of opportunities throughout the game for all of us to touch the ball and Tua understands that. So, he doesn’t have any pressure to deliver a target here or deliver a target there. It’s all about moving the ball and keeping our defense off the field as much as we can and having a target like ‘OBJ’ opens up all of that. It opens up a lot of windows for a lot of people so I’m very excited, very excited.”
(Speaking of Tua, how do you think he’s feeling about not yet having his deal done? Have you seen him yet? How’s he feeling?) – “Tua, he’s in great spirits. Obviously, I can’t speak on his part about the contract situation because that’s his business – his personal business – and as his teammate, as his brother, I try to stay out of that. But as far as how he feels as far as mental health standpoint, he feels amazing. He’s very excited to be back in the building with all of the guys, so it’s great to see him out there. Still coming in to work, still about his business without having a deal done and it’s just been awesome, man. Just having him around. Just his presence means a lot to a lot of the guys, especially me, so excited.”
(Do you think he’ll practice?) – “Yes, I believe he will and here’s why. I believe he will practice because Tua, he’s very competitive. He would not tell you that, but he’s very competitive and he’s a guy that doesn’t like to fall too far behind and he understands that we have a really good team, and he doesn’t want to miss his window. Like I said, we’ve got a great offense. Our defense is really good, it’s looking really good this year so he understands all of that, so I believe he’s going to practice.”
(What do you think the next level for this offense is? You guys obviously have great speed on the outside. What happens this year to go to another level?) – “For us, going back and just looking at all of it from a veteran standpoint, I feel like we have to be able to stay on the field. Third downs are huge downs for us. For us, it’s either boom or bust. We’re one of those teams that if we don’t have the long ball, it’s like, ‘ah hell, here’s [going to be] a long game.’ So for us having a target like ‘OBJ,’ having a guy like Jonnu Smith on our team that can help extend those drives; are going to be huge. Even having a healthy (De’Von) Achane, having a healthy (Jaylen) Waddle, having a healthy myself, having a healthy (Raheem) Mostert; helps all of that. That’s one thing I know that, that’s what we took head-on as an individual group, as an individual offense without the coaches. It’s like, ‘hey, here’s what we’re going to get better at.’ Outside of what the coaches got, here’s what we think we need to get better at to help this team moving forward. So, I think just being able to extend drives, have those 12-play drives, have those 10-play drives versus having a five-play and under drive where it’s like, ‘oh, he hits Waddle on a 75-yard post.’ And it’s like, ‘oh, strike up the band.’ And it’s like, bruh, we can’t do that every game unfortunately. We can’t. As fast as we are and as much as people want to tell us how special we are, we can’t do that. We’ve got to be able to have good drives, so that’s what we believe we’ve got to get better at.”
(I know the team goals have to be the first thing on your mind, but last year you made no secret that you had a personal goal, set the bar extremely high. And for a lot of the year, you were ahead of that pace. Where are you this year? What is your goal and how achievable is it?) – “I will say for me, last year is last year. Obviously, it was great for me to come out and say X, Y, Z, ‘I want to get 2k, I want to do this and that.’ That’d be great. Grand scenario, that’d be great. But I feel like at the same time I have to understand that the position that I’m in and me being one of the leaders and just singling out an individual goal like that—because I had time to go look at it and talk about it with my family; and that’s very selfish of me. So here moving forward, individual goal I’ve been talking about this whole entire offseason with my teammates and with my family is, I would want us to, A: win a playoff game. I would love that. We’re going to start with that. Then moving forward continuing to build on that, we’re going to move to the Super Bowl. It’s one step at a time. If I’m able help this team do something special as a team goal, I would definitely count that as an individual goal as my own. And that’ll feel good. That’d be something that I could live with for the rest of my life. So that’d be great.”
(So 2,000 is off the table?) – “I’m not saying it’s off the table, now (laughter). But I understand how the season goes. Teams prepare to take me out of games. They prepare to take (Jaylen) Waddle out of games, so there could be situations that I have good games. There could be situations where I have bad games, but let’s not scratch off the 2k yet, all right? If it comes, it comes. God will bless me.”
(How much did that – that tackle speaking of 2k – that tackle against Tennessee that…) – “The hip-drop, right?”
(Hip-drop and horse collar, to me, it was a combination. How much did that affect the season for the team? The offense was never the same and then you getting to 2,000 – you would have had it, right, if not for that? Or what do you think? How much did that tackle change…?) – “Here’s what I think; I feel like football is football. If you ain’t being dirty, grabbing guys by like, the facemask or anything, that’s crazy. I feel like at the end of the day, that guy, which was Sean Murphy-Bunting, was just doing his job. His job was to tackle me to the ground and he did a great job of it. I feel like I’ve been in this league long enough and I understand different movements to help me avoid different things like that. I can do a better job of protecting myself. And the NFL trying to ban it and trying to do all this other nonsense, I feel like at the same time, I’m against it – because I’ve been playing football my whole life. And I played on the defensive side of the ball, and I understand how hard it is already to try to tackle a guy, especially if he’s moving fast or if he’s running right at you. You’ve got to do anything you can to get him down. It’s hard. Being on the other side of that, it’s like, bro, I just don’t know what to say, man. It’s going to be a great year for offensive players, I feel like—If that is a rule. I don’t know. It’s definitely going to be tough. But like I said, I could have done a better job of protecting myself. He did what he had to do, which was his job. As you see, there was no ill intent. He came right over, like ‘you good?’ ‘I’m good.’”
(How do you protect yourself against a hip-drop tackle?) – “We call that the Tyler Lockett Method. And the Tyler Locket Method is fall to the ground or run out of bounds (laughter). That’s no shot at Tyler Lockett. That just means that he does a great job of knowing situations and understanding what’s around him.”
(He’s got a whole highlight reel of …) – “See, you know what I’m talking about. You know what’s crazy? My son actually showed me the highlight reel and I was like, you know what? I may actually have to start doing that. So shoutout to Tyler Lockett, showing younger guys how to stay in the league longer. That is a great way to teach guys.”
(You’re now 30. I heard you on one of your platforms say that you did stem cell and how much it helped and that it helped you. What have you done to try to extend your career and also how long do you see yourself continuing to play?) – “Stem cells have been great. I just got back from Antigua, actually yesterday, from doing stem cells and it’s been amazing. Just helping me regenerate some of the cells in my body and giving me the correct blood flow that I need. So that’s been great. And as far as training, I feel like I’m going to be training my whole entire life because I feel like each and every year I’ve got to prove something to people. Because a lot of people feel like I’m not supposed to be doing what I’m supposed to be doing because of my size and my stature. But it’s like – Tom Brady said it the best – you don’t have to be the best or you don’t have to be the strongest or the tallest but as long as you stay consistent in what you do each and every day, you’ll be all right. And I feel like that’s who I’ve been my whole entire career. I show up to meetings, I bust my tail in the offseason and I’ve done everything right in the football space. And that’s helped me achieve a lot of things—because some of what Tom Brady has had to say. Because he was a late-round draft pick and I was also a late-round draft pick. I don’t know why I said that, but I don’t know – football to me is, I don’t know. It’s one of those things, my son is getting older. Obviously, he’s starting to play sports and he’s like, ‘Dad, I want you to come to more of my games.’ And it’s like the more I hear that, the more it’s like, man, it’s about time for me to like, I don’t know. So I don’t know. Who knows about when or where I make decision on when I want to stop playing, but I definitely know I want to be in my kids’ life because every offseason I get all of my kids and it’s truly a blessing to have that moment with all of my boys and be able to help develop them into some great young men the same way that my dad developed me. So I don’t know, I don’t know.”
(Do you think your contract will be adjusted or extended before the season?) – “I don’t know. To be honest, I have no idea. Obviously I let Drew (Rosenhaus) and the team handle that situation. And the only thing I told Drew was like, ‘Do not get me traded. Last time you did this, you got me traded.’ So that’s been my only thing to him. I want to stay here in Miami because obviously this is where family is now. Everybody loves it here. Family loves it, wife loves it, kids love it. So obviously I love it. I love playing for Coach (McDaniel) and the team. My teammates are awesome so I wouldn’t want to leave. The fans are awesome, too. I just love how the fans hold us accountable every day on Twitter. So we’re getting better, I promise you. We’re not just sitting around drinking smoothies. We’re getting better.”
