Transcripts

Calais Campbell – January 1, 2025 Download PDF version

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

DT Calais Campbell – Good Guy Award Recipient

(Each year, we give out a Good Guy Award for professionalism and courtesy toward the media. Ever since Head Coach Mike McDaniel got here, there’s been a good number of players every year who get votes, and this year something interesting happened – one player got an awful lot of votes. In fact, one player got all of the first-place votes, which means the media actually agreed on something. And so I am delighted to say, congratulations Calais, you are our Good Guy Award winner for 2024, and here is the hardware to prove it.) – “Thank you. Wow, that’s pretty sweet. Thank you very much, I really appreciate it. I do. I’ve played this game for a long time, and I’ve tried to do my best by it, I try to play it the right way. I come from an era where the only way to communicate to the fans is through the media, and so I feel like you guys are my voice to the outside world, to the fan base and so I appreciate you guys being there for me and helping me communicate and just show love to this game that I love so much. It’s pretty cool, especially it’s pretty cool getting all the votes. I know there’s a lot of good guys on this team; I get to work with them every day and a lot of guys that are worthy enough to get this award, but it’s cool that you guys see me in that light. I try to play the game the right way and be professional about it all the way through, but this really means a lot to me. I appreciate it, thank you.”

(How many do you have?) – “I don’t know how many I have, but I have quite a few. Got to be like six or seven, maybe this is my seventh. Maybe more, honestly.”

(We would really like you to come back next year.) – “You know, I got to see how many I have and see if it might make sense to get one more of these bad boys. (laughter) Yeah, I really do appreciate it. This has been a rollercoaster of a year, but it’s been still a really good year. And who knows? We get in that bad boy – wooh – definitely going to be a story worth telling.”

Jaylen Waddle – January 1, 2025 Download PDF version

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

WR Jaylen Waddle

(How did practice go today?) – “It was good. It was good, feeling good. Practice was smooth, man. Fast and efficient.”

(How does QB Tyler Huntley look from the first day he got here to now?) – “Comfortable. He looks way more comfortable, more confident. He just understands this offense a lot more just being here the weeks he was. He looks comfortable and confident.”

(What do you think of his ability to run and scramble? Like in the fourth quarter on that key third down run?) – “That’s part of his game, something that the defense has to be accountable for. It’s just another weapon that we have on our side that the defense has to be accountable for. It’s a great ability to go and extend plays and make plays when given the opportunity to. It’s great.”

(CB Sauce Gardner didn’t play the first time you played the Jets. How much of a difference can he make?) – “It makes a big difference, he’s one of the best corners in the game. It’s going to be a tough matchup. They got a real good defensive corps with linebackers and d-line. They play on a string together, it’s going to be a tough matchup. I’m looking forward to it.”

(Do you have any friends on the Kansas City Chiefs? The Dolphins need them to win. I don’t know if you could send anybody like a little gift basket or something.) – “No I don’t. My boy ‘Shee’ (Rashee Rice) but he’s out right now.”

(They’re like 11-point underdogs, going to rest some starters. What have you learned about anybody can beat anybody in this game?) – “We’re just focused on the Jets, let the rest take care of itself. Our main goal is the Jets.”

(What does it mean to play meaningful football in January? It’s still Week 18.) – “It means a lot. We started off 2-6 and look at us now. It’s a long season. We came a long way, the team grew in different ways with people being in and out the lineup, being banged up. It allowed the team to grow. Playing meaningful football in January, it means a lot. This team really stepped up to the plate, stepped up to the challenge all year, I’m proud of it.”

(What is an under the radar reason you guys were able to turn it around from 2-6 to a possible winning record?) – “Just belief. Go out to work each and every week – win, lose, draw – with the same mindset. We’re just not really result-orientated, we just work and compete on Sundays.”

(I know you saw WR Tyreek Hill returning punt the other day. Do you ever want to get back out there yourself?) – “Not for real. There’s no need just because I see ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill) do it. It’s something that he did early in his career that he’s great at. He knew that the team needed every play, and we especially want him with the ball in his hands, any way we can get the ball in his hands. So him going back out there just shows how much he wants to win and wants to put this team in position to win.”

(The mentality of how you guys started to where you guys are now, still a chance for the playoffs. What’s been the message from your teammates so far being able to get the job done on Sunday with hopefully still the chance to get to the postseason?) – “Just go to work, man. Have a great week of preparation, go out there and control what we can control. We’ve got a tough opponent ahead of us, just bring your hard hats. They are going to play hard; we’ve got to play hard. Come with it.”

(How’s the knee and do you expect to play this weekend?) – “I’m feeling better. I’m practicing, so I’m feeling better.”

Tyrel Dodson – January 1, 2025 Download PDF version

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

LB Tyrel Dodson

(How satisfying was that to go when you were waived by the Seahawks, to come here and wind up winning the AFC Defensive Player of the Week?) – “It’s not satisfying at all. I’m not satisfied until I go down as the best ever to do this and that’s the goal I have in my mind. I don’t know how I’m going to get there, but I’m going to keep working to get there.”

(You having a game like that on Sunday, does it just feel like you’re in the zone? You’re always finding the ball with 15 tackles and then you get your hands on a pass too, intercepted.) – “I was just playing football. I was finally in a defense that everyone’s on the same page, there’s no gray area, it’s black and white. I know where people are going to fit, I know how the d-line’s going to play. It’s fun when you come and play in a defense like that. ‘Coach Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) has done a great job. I know this is his first year doing it, but I’ve been in the league for six years and I’ve been in a good defense in Buffalo and he’s doing a great job.”

(You showed some nice mitts with that pick, do you have wide receiver or tight end in your background?) – “Yeah, my mom would say I got it from her and her softball skills. (laughter) But yeah, I practice catching the ball, different angles. Leslie Frazier, my DC (defensive coordinator) in Buffalo, we’d do ball skill drills, so that’s when I came here, I brought it over here. Do it after practice, do it before practice, do it whenever I can.”

(Sorry to ask you this, but on the other side of the play though, you got flagged. Did your coaches tell you afterwards, “Tyrel, great pick, but keep the helmet on?”) – “Yeah, I honestly don’t know. It was such an emotional moment for me. I can’t do that to the offense, put them behind 15 yards. Yeah, it can’t happen again.”

(What was going through your head at that moment?) – “I don’t know. (laughter) Just pitch black going through my head, man.”

(Anything in particular you admire about LB Jordyn Brooks? Obviously, he’s had a terrific year playing alongside him.) – “Yeah, ‘JB’ (Jordyn Brooks), man – you’re talking about Jordyn Brooks because (Jordan) Poyer’s my boy. (Jordyn) Brooks is amazing. Watching him from afar and being in Seattle, being next to him – I knew he was good; I didn’t realize he was this damn good. He’s playing at an All-Pro level. He comes to practice every day. He takes care of his body. Jordyn Brooks is the definition of an All-Pro.”

(What do you think of the voice he is in the locker room too? I saw the postgame video of breaking guys down. What do you think about that?) – “Yeah, he’s just a spiritual guy and that’s where we connect on our faith. Being big Christians as we are, he’s just always – when I first got here, I was sitting outside eating lunch, and we talked for like, an hour. So it’s been cool to get to know him, get to know all the guys that are in the room – ‘A. Walk’ (Anthony Walker Jr.), Duke Riley, little ‘Chan’ (Channing Tindall), ‘D-Jack’ (Dequan Jackson) and all those guys.”

(You had 15 tackles the other day. He routinely puts up 100-tackle seasons. I’m wondering, when you have that many hits in a game, what’s it feel like the next day?) – “I mean, I feel pretty good. I could have played the next day. Just taking care of my body and also haven’t gotten those reps as I would if I would have started. I felt pretty good, but a couple years, come ask me that. I’ll probably say, ‘I need a couple days off.’”

(Is that more being the hammer than the nail situation?) – “Yeah, being the hammer, yep.”

(Aaron Rodgers kind of had a great day against you guys last time. What have you guys learned from that matchup and what are you focusing on Sunday?) – “Yeah, ‘A. Rod’ (Aaron Rodgers) had a great day, but we let him have a great day. We missed tackles, we were out of fits, just as a whole defense. So we’ve got to tackle better. Any of you guys all know – if you don’t tackle well in the NFL, you’re not going to win. So it comes down to that – tackling and just bringing your A-game. We’re in the cold, who cares? Just bring you’re A-game. Like I said in Green Bay, you’ve got to bring your big boy pants.”

Zach Sieler – January 1, 2025 Download PDF version

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

DT Zach Sieler

(It’s hard to believe the turnaround that you guys have had to now and still a chance. Last week of the regular season. What’s the energy right now? What are you guys feeling knowing that you control what you can control, but the chance is still there?) – “Absolutely. I think last week was a great game. I think all three units played really well together and to be able to run off of that into this game and hopefully take it up to MetLife and hopefully everything falls into play and we play next week. It’s super exciting to come from 2-6 to here. It’s a testament to the team, the resilience of these guys and just the attitude we have around here. So I’m excited for this weekend.”

(The MVP award, what does that mean to you?) – “It means a lot. It was really exciting to hear that today from (Mike) McDaniel and the team. Obviously coming from where I came from – I know we’ve talked about that plenty of times before – it’s a blessing. It’s truly God’s gift to me to have such an incredible career down here and such a journey with the Dolphins coming from the waivers and them empowering me over the last five years now to be the player I am today with coaches and the staff and everybody. It’s been really incredible, so it’s a blessing.”

(What was the scene like when you learned that you won the award?) – “We were in the team meeting, so (Mike) McDaniel was going through a few of the awards that they’ve got and then to pull that up, it was really cool. A lot of guys were cheering and a lot of guys that I’ve played with for a lot of years. (Emmanuel) Ogbah has been here for a long time, Benito (Jones) was here back when I was first here, we were still at Davie. Obviously, Calais (Campbell) and a lot of those guys, it was exciting.”

(How much confidence did you guys get last week from watching QB Tyler Huntley play?) – “Awesome, it was great. I think ‘Snoop’ (Tyler Huntley) killed it. He did a great job up there. I know that meant a little more to him up there, and it was awesome to be able to do that and just see him play with that confidence. And I think again, it goes back to the three phases where seeing the offense click missing a couple pieces which is tough, but it’s next-man-up mentality. It’s what we preach all year and to have the season we’ve had and to be able to get through that and go from 2-6 to 8-8 and hopefully 9-8 this weekend and then hopefully even farther.”

(Go back to being waived. Did you ever envision this?) – “I mean, obviously it’s one of those things – shoot, I didn’t envision NFL when I was D-II. I walked on at Ferris and obviously it’s something I always pictured, but it doesn’t seem real until you start getting closer and closer. It just shows you pray about it, you work hard every day, you put your head down and it’s what I’m going to teach my son and it’s been what I’ve been taught over the years, to just keep working. You don’t look at the outside noise, you don’t look at ‘Hey, he’s not good enough,’ ‘Hey, he did this wrong or this wrong’ or ‘it’s been three years and I still haven’t touched the field at Ferris’ and you five years, so to be able to do that is just incredible. Then to come here down from Baltimore and just, ‘hey, you know what, let’s go play.’ It’s been incredible and just slowly climbing to get to where I’m at and with the guys that I’m with, it’s just incredible to go on this journey with them.”

(You also had a really good year last year. Maybe it flew a bit under the radar because you were teammates with Christian Wilkins who is a big personality, takes up a lot of oxygen. How satisfying is it to get the recognition especially now he’s no longer with you that anybody who might have said “well, it helps playing next to Christian”?) – “No. (laughter) Yeah, obviously I miss Christian (Wilkins). He’s an amazing player. Loved playing next to him, but I think it’s awesome to be able to do this this year, and to be able to play at this level and continue to play at this speed with whoever is next to me. It’s been an incredible journey, but it’s also a testament to the guys that came in and played with me. Look what Calais (Campbell) has done this year, Benito (Jones), (Da’Shawn) Hand, a lot of guys that have stepped up and just some guys haven’t had a lot of opps. I know Calais has had more opps than anyone, but a lot of guys hadn’t had a lot of opps to be able to play the games they’re playing and their level they’re playing at is incredible. So I think it’s an awesome testament not just to the d-line, but just the defense as a unit and all of us together.”

(We also voted DT Calais Campbell as our “Good Guy Award” winner. What do you think of that choice? Do you approve of it?) – “No one better. There’s no one more deserving to come and have the impact that he has on the locker room and the team on not just new guys or younger guys, but older vets. To see him – what I’ve learned from him this year has been instrumental – and I’m a seventh-year guy. There’s guys that are 10 years, 12 years that are learning stuff from him, and just to be able to do that so quickly on the team in camp and have such an immediate impact is just a testament to the player and the man that he is today.”

(I heard you’re a really big Kansas City Chiefs fan this week.) – “My wife is from Missouri, actually, so I think I have to be a little bit, right? (laughter)

(Have you had any conversations yet with DT Calais Campbell yet trying to convince him to stick around another year and to make it with the Dolphins again?) – “I love Calais. I’d love to play another year with him. I know that’s a decision for him and his family, but I might poke the bear a couple times. (laughter)

(Was there anyone that said something in the meeting today that made you laugh or anything that stuck out after you got word that you were MVP?) – “Honestly no, a lot of guys just cheered. It was a grateful moment. A lot of the guys were very excited. Obviously you get chirped here and there after that and all that stuff and obviously it’s the Dan Marino (Most Valuable Player Award), right? So that was pretty cool with Uncle Dan, to follow that one. But yeah, it’s been awesome.”

(And Dan Marino said what to you, have you seen him?) – “I haven’t seen him yet.”

Tyler Huntley – January 1, 2025 Download PDF version

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

QB Tyler Huntley

(Are you going into Sunday’s game in your mind as starting again?) – “Man, just like every week, I’m just preparing to be starting or preparing to just get in whenever my number is called and just being ready when it’s time to be ready.”

(Head Coach Mike McDaniel told us you were going to get the bulk of those first-team reps with QB Tua Tagovailoa still dealing with the injury. How much does it help you getting more of those reps knowing in the beginning of the week knowing you could probably start?) – “Definitely, just being able to get the reps of the plays that’s going to be called in the game, you’re able to get a feel of things and know what you like and what you don’t like. Just being able to step in and already feeling comfortable that you’ve ran these plays before.”

(I asked Head Coach Mike McDaniel about your demeanor, and I said to him, “It doesn’t seem like he ever getting rattled. Is he the best guy to have in this position right now?” And he complimented you and said you never waver, you’re always steadfast. Where does that come from?) – “I’ve been playing football since I was like 4 years old, 3 years old when I first picked up a football – you could fact check that one with my mom. I don’t know, she tells me all the time. (laughter) But I’ve been playing football for a long time, and at the end of the day, it’s football. Being able to just know what you’re doing, it gives you the confidence that you need.”

(Last week when you guys won, you gave the team confidence heading into this week. Obviously we don’t know the situation going down on Sunday, but how important is it to keep that momentum going knowing that you guys still have a chance to make it to the postseason?) – “Just being in the position that we’re in, if we just continue to win, we’re making that where we’re going. We’ve just got to continue to play how we’ve been playing the last couple of weeks, clean up the mistakes. I feel like a team can’t step on the field with us when we’re doing the right thing.”

(You’re a local guy. The Jets-Dolphins rivalry means a lot to a lot of people down here, so for you to potentially lead a Dolphins team into the playoffs by beating the Jets, are people hitting you up? How much does that mean to you?) – “I don’t know how much on the hitting up side, because I’m not too much of a phone guy. I don’t got too many social medias on my phone. I think I’ve only got Facebook on my phone. (laughter) Just to get our team in the playoffs man, that would mean everything to this organization – just the type of season that we’ve had and where we came from and just where we need to go, we just continue to just grind and win and then it’s going to take care of itself.”

(I asked Head Coach Mike McDaniel about how the threat to run helps quarterbacks, and I asked him whose the best threat to run quarterback that he’s ever had – do you know who he mentioned?) – “Who?”

(Robert Griffin III in 2012. How do you think your running skills compare to vintage RG3?) – “Oh, I ain’t got it, I ain’t got it. Compared to him, he’s got it. He came out running a 4.38 or something like that. (laughter) ‘RGIII’ was different coming out. I just try to use my legs whenever I really, really need to. I try to sit in there and just complement our receivers. They’re some fast guys, so I just want to try to spread the field a little bit for them.”

(I thought you were maybe going to pull a spin move in the fourth quarter on that third down run. It looked like you were about to pop a spin move, do you remember that one?) – “And I went down? I was a little winded, I’m not going to lie to you. (laughter) Calling those plays and just trying to operate all game, I was a little winded. I was trying to give ‘Brew’ (Aaron Brewer) a little time to get a block, but at that moment I was tired, so I just went down.”

(WR Tyreek Hill said “slide.” Did you play baseball? You got that slide down?) – “I didn’t play baseball, but I think I’ve got a little slide in me.”

(What’s the biggest game that you’ve started in the NFL? Obviously this is Week 18, chance to go to the playoffs, anything close to this?) – “It’s so crazy, my second start was against Aaron Rodgers at Ravens – Green Bay. Came down to the last few points, last drive. We lost by one point, but I felt like that was a big game. At the time, I think they only had lost four games that year. I can’t remember, but they were a great team. Yeah, that was a pretty good game right there.”

(What has QB Tua Tagovailoa been like? Is he in your ear? I see him like working with your footwork and stuff when you guys are beginning of practice. What’s he been like?) – “He’s been amazing. Just being that he doesn’t know if he’s going or not, just being able to just be out there with us, just give us the tools that he has just being in the offense for so long. His footwork is flawless and being able to see him do it just makes me finetune mine.”

(Obviously you know how big QB Aaron Rodgers is. What would it mean, especially considering you lost that first game, what would it mean to go out there on Sunday and get a victory against him?) – “I think he didn’t give me the jersey the first time because we had lost to him, but I think after this game, I hope that he gives me that jersey. (laughter)

(Would you give him yours?) – “Yeah, I definitely will. I definitely will.”

(Do you have any good friends on the Chiefs?) – “Yeah, Marquise Brown, I got a couple people over there.”

(Send Marquise a little text?) – “I know he’s going to do his thing. Everything is going to play out, we’ve just got to do our part.”

(Head Coach Mike McDaniel complimented you by saying that not knowing if you were going start let alone play, you’re always prepared. The way the guys rallied around you in Cleveland, what does that do for your confidence?) – “It definitely helps with my confidence, and I know it plays even more for our team just knowing without the first guy, me being able to step in and just be able to do what I was able to do, I know it gave this team enough confidence to be able to go out there this weekend and go handle the game.”

Mike McDaniel – January 1, 2025 Download PDF version

Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Head Coach Mike McDaniel

(Will QB Tua Tagovailoa, today and tomorrow, be a full participant, a limited participant or a non-participant in practice?) – “I guess that would be a limited participant. Today, I’m approaching it as though I think Snoop (Tyler Huntley) is starting today. And obviously, the team it’s very easy for us to adjust as the week progresses but I think you have to approach it a certain way and then that’s an easy adjustment that we’re definitely open-minded to considering our timeline last week.”

(Before we go any further, today being the last Wednesday of the regular season, I know it’s awards day for you guys, and it is for us too. We give out our Good Guy Award later today and a lot of players got votes but one man stood way taller than the rest. So this is a good opportunity to thank you and the coaching staff and the communications staff, the cafeteria staff for your help this year). – “I appreciate it. I appreciate you guys, the jobs that you have to do, and it’s not always easy, but I try to do my best up here and I appreciate you guys caring.”

(Anything else on T Terron Armstead? I know that practice is later on today but are you getting more optimistic about his –) – “I’m optimistic that if he’s not on the field in the game, it’s because he can’t. So we’ll give him the rest, and he’s really focused on the team and doing everything he can. What’s cool about ‘T-Stead’ (Terron Armstead) is that he’s done a great job of balancing as a competitor and just doing what he loves to do. The frustrations with injuries could consume somebody, but he’s made the team better each and every day and really shows how important the team is and the locker room is because even when things are frustrating – he’s frustrated coming out of a game, he in turn, when he does come out of a game, he is locked into every play and then talking to guys between series. It’s a big deal to have your captain act like a captain in great times and in tough times. So I’m optimistic just by his nature, his ability to do his job, he will do everything that he can. So I am optimistic in that way and that’s why I’m pretty hopeful every time that we have a week where he’s working through it and getting some stuff on Friday and then giving it a go. He’s one of my favorites.”

(DT Zach Sieler was voted team MVP. How would you describe his importance to this roster?) – “He’s a captain in more ways than one. He’s a captain in how you conduct yourself. You want an example of how to flourish in the National Football League, how to go about the daily process, how to invest in your own game, he is a prime example. But it’s not just in how he does stuff, it’s how he performs and makes plays each and every week. It’s been since I’ve been here; he continues to find ways to elevate his game which is why he’s such an important part of what we do from a football team perspective and in particular, defensively. Some of the stuff that he does allows you to play different coverages. That’s a pretty impactful player when your ability to do your job as an interior defensive lineman can give a defensive play caller freedom on non-pass exclusive downs to play all sorts of different things based on his ability to do his job and affect both run and pass. So I can’t say enough good things about that guy and he continually lives up to the ‘C’ on his chest. He starts the season making plays and he ends the season making plays, that’s just what he does.”

(I’m doing something on the grind and what players go through at this time of the year. We know what QB Tua Tagovailoa goes through and what T Terron Armstead is going through, FB Alec Ingold two years ago with the broken thumb and the cast. What do you see from guys at this time of the year in the NFL trying to make it through the season and get to the playoffs?) – “The season is long and tenuous. Not like trying to generate tears from the audience of, ‘oh, how hard you have it,’ it’s just simply, you’re six days a week every week for like six months is basically how it plays out. So in this time, you really get a sense of people’s true love for football and team, because you really at this point, to continually be able to produce and invest, it takes more time to recover from a game, more investment. You’re on the heels from your six days a week for six months and you’re having to add hours to that. So you can’t really hide at this point in the season, if you’re kind of into football, or you’re kind of into the team, it exposes itself pretty quickly. At the same token, you also see guys like Alec Ingold’s thumb a couple of years ago was a great example of he was playing – I remember, I think we were in New England and Skylar (Thompson) threw him a pass on accident and he had to dodge it because he only had one hand to catch. I really don’t think – I at least know from my perspective, I played high school and college football, but I had no idea what a tall task it is to perform regularly at a high level and really what that investment takes. It separates the parity in talent really across the league, where the guys that can truly have the endurance and the drive to go above and beyond at this point in the season. The more of those players you have, that’s how you win in December, January and into February football. Specifically the guys spending the hours in the training room on top of all the meeting time and all the all the other things that are asked of them and their lives, you really have an appreciation for their love. And just as a coach, it makes me have more of an appetite for the hours we keep because you have guys investing, everything’s relative, and how many hours they invest on top of what you sacrifice ever week and Sunday. It’s inspiring and really makes me lash myself for feeling tired, to be honest. We have a lot of those guys, and that’s the only way you dig yourself out of a hole in a season, is all those types of people coming through when it matters most.”

(Have you had a few quarterbacks since you started your coaching career with the ability to extend plays that QB Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley has?) – “Well, let’s go back in the Rolodex. I think 2012, Robert Griffin III was the Rookie of the Year. He extended some plays and was fast while doing it. He comes to mind just in terms of really making – it has an effect on defensive play callers. One thing that you don’t see as much when guys are able to extend plays and then convert third downs on the ground on an extended play, you don’t see two-man nearly as much because you have to account for the quarterback or you see some more spot-drop zones. And it’s also as a coach, you learn to adjust for that playmaking style – distribute eligibles in a certain way and then also embrace the out-of-timing of a play. I think that’s something that Tua (Tagovailoa) has developed in his game. He’s made a lot of plays off-schedule and so you just get used to that being a really shining spot in their game and embracing that and trying to lean into that when appropriate because it’s an effective tool and something that’s really hard to defend.”

(Does QB Tyler Huntley have a green light to steal third base whenever he wants? You know what I mean – takeoffs, spin moves, whatever he’s got to do.) – “I don’t like, just in general, I don’t like quarterbacks trying to be running backs 100 percent. So there’s a time and place to be aggressive for yardage, but you still have to distribute the ball each and every play to all your other teammates and make a lot of decisions so you have to protect yourself. But he knows that I positively reinforce all plays that are made, so if he sees something and is aggressive to it, generally I’m supporting that because he does that in the right times. But I think he’s done a great job working in the timing of our offense and then when maybe a throw is at risk of a turnover or it just doesn’t feel right to him, he’s done a good job not hesitating and utilizing his full skillset.”

(QB Tyler Huntley’s demeanor – he never seems to get rattled and he’s always, you see him on the sidelines, when things are going well, he’s smiling, he’s happy. Is that the right quarterback to have right now in this situation that you are in?) – “I think it’s very appropriate because you could make the opportunity into something that is stressful or burdensome and it shouldn’t be. He’s prepared a lot. There’s been a lot of preparation that went into that Cleveland Browns game, I’ll tell you that, and so he should be confident in his skills and he is. I think that was something that was pretty evident and obvious, how he boldly took control of the huddle being a couple weeks in earlier in the season. That was one of the things that really, really stood out. There’s an ‘it’ factor you talk about with quarterbacks where you can galvanize and get people to believe that they’re safe to or primed to have success with him leading. So I think he absolutely fits the bill for the timing of his ascension into playing and I think it helps him a lot in terms of dealing with the unknown as well where you don’t overthink whether or not – last week he didn’t overthink whether or not he was playing, he prepares as though he’s going to play and as a result, he’s prepared when he plays. And I think that’s not easy for everyone, I think some people need to know exactly, ‘OK, how’s this week going to look?’ And when you’re dealing with injuries at times, you don’t have a road map, and that hasn’t made him worse. He’s flourished in the unknown and just taken care of what he can control and is prepared each and every day which is what his teammates definitely regard and respect.”

(As you guys get ready for the Jets, the regular season finale, what are you looking forward to with this week knowing that this group of players, you guys still have a chance and they’re still buying in, they’re still ready to hopefully control what they can control?) – “First and foremost, I was excited for my first Jets question. I love it and that’s because as coaches and this team, that’s where our focus has been firmly on. I just really like the way that our football has progressed during the season, and this game is another opportunity to put our best foot forward. We absolutely have an opportunity to play in the playoffs and we know that our part of the bargain, that opportunity does not exist unless we take care of it. There’s so many good players with reasons to play and put together a great game for the Jets that they really require all of our attention and focus because that’s our objective and that’s what we can control. You’re excited for the opportunity to play in 2025 and I think our team is in a very positive – you wouldn’t know they’ve been listening to me for six months straight. They are pretty eager to go practice today, and I can tell that they feel that they have some more football to play and they want to do everything that they can control to make sure that opportunity is taken advantage of, if given.”

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