Shaq Lawson – October 16, 2020
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Friday, October 16, 2020
DE Shaq Lawson
(What was it like sitting out, watching the team perform such a good performance against the 49ers, and how hard have you worked to get back?) – “Those guys went out there and executed last week. It was great to see those guys do great out there. I missed my brothers out there. I wanted to be out there with those boys; but unfortunately I wasn’t. But watching those guys last week, man, just gave me juice and stuff.”
(Just as a follow up to that, what type of competitiveness does DT Zach Sieler bring on the line? Obviously we’ve seen him more and more over these past few games.) – “Zach (Sieler) is a guy that works hard. The first day I met Zach – he works hard, he’s about his business, he brings high energy every day. I just like his work ethic. Having him around, especially around young players, is great for all of us because we can feed off Zach.”
(Do you expect to be able to play on Sunday?) – “Shoot. I’m taking it one day at a time. Just taking it one day at a time. Hopefully. I want to.”
Bobby McCain – October 16, 2020
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Friday, October 16, 2020
S Bobby McCain
(You’ve been here about as long as anybody on the team now really. I wanted to get your take on where this team is in terms of a long-range vision – I know you’re looking at the Jets game on Sunday – but I want to get your take on where you think this team is in terms of its long-term building toward being a perennial contender.) – “I’m going to be honest, man; we’re just trying to take it one day at a time right now. I’m not looking too forward into 2020. I’m not looking too forward into 2021. We’re really focused on the Jets and we try to keep those long-term thoughts and where people think we’re supposed to be, where we think we’re supposed to be, to a minimum and just try to focus on getting one win this week. So sorry, I can’t answer that question.”
(You obviously feel good about all the guys you’ve played with as teammates, but do you think as the secondary is right now with you and S Eric Rowe and CB Xavien Howard and CB Byron Jones, obviously CB Nik Needham and CB Jamal Perry in slot in nickel packages; is this the best you’ve ever felt about this group in terms of what you could be and what you are?) – “Definitely – we’ve definitely got trust in one another. I’ve got a lot of trust in those guys. Those guys have got a lot of trust in me and doing our job and being where they’re supposed to be, so as long as we work collectively and we work together, we’re all on the same page and we all make sure that we’re playing good football, eliminating bad football; it’ll be fine for us.”
(I wanted to ask you to kind of piggyback off that question. You had CB Byron Jones, CB Xavien Howard and yourself out there for more than 50 percent of the snaps for the first time this last Sunday. Just kind of wanted to get a temperature check as far as where you think the communication is between the three of you guys and yourself in that secondary.) – “Pretty good. Pretty good, man. We communicate a lot. We communicate well with each other. I try to make sure everybody’s on the same page. We all try to make sure we’re in the same – in the right calls, so we can execute the right plan. That’s our job at the end of the day, is to talk to one another and communicate and defend the deep part of the field and tackle well. That’s all in our job description.”
Robert Hunt – October 16, 2020
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Friday, October 16, 2020
G/T Robert Hunt
(What was Offensive Line Coach Steve Marshall’s recap of the game to you in terms of how you did? What was he happy with, and what areas did he want you to improve on?) – “Everybody was excited about the win. That was pretty much the main focus. Everybody was excited about the win. We definitely, on that right side, all of us can improve on some things. We try to focus on the things we can improve on, just little nicks and knacks, whatever that is.”
(Was practice any different this week for yourself, knowing that you got the start this Sunday? You know you’re going into this week with that group versus last week where there was some not sureness to who was going to be playing.) – “No. I think that we all practice the same. I think that practice has been really good the last couple of weeks. I think we’ve been preparing really well. I think we just continued to do that this week. I think we had a really good week or preparation.”
(At what point did the jitters go away about making your first start? Or did you not have them because you’ve been on so many overloaded power packages?) – “I can definitely say I was – I wouldn’t say nervous, but it’s just a feeling you get before the game. I figured I was going to be playing a lot of time. I wouldn’t say nervous, but little feelings in my stomach. I talk myself up. I’m a guy who talks myself up, so I talked to myself and when it was game time, it was game time. It was there then, so I couldn’t do anything about it, but try to play well.”
(Looking at you and G Solomon Kindley on the right side, they say that for the left-handed quarterback, the right side is the blind side. I feel like with you and Solomon, I feel like QB Tua Tagovailoa will probably be protected really well as you guys develop here. Was there a point where you and Solomon looked at each other and thought this is the future of the Miami Dolphins right side of the line, me and him? And if we continue to keep playing, and developing this could be a bright future for both of us?) – “No. I wouldn’t say that, I wouldn’t say we think about it. I think everybody just tries to compete well and play hard and protect anybody, whether it’s (Ryan) Fitzpatrick or Tua. I think everybody tries to do that. Of course, I think me and Solomon did have fun/ I think we did have fun. I don’t think we like, ‘this is us right now.’ I think we were just in the moment, and we were trying to play well, and I think we did that.”
(Obviously you can play guard as well, but do you see your long-term future as a tackle in the NFL? Is that where you would prefer your future to be?) – “I’m the type of guy that wherever the coach needs me to play, or needs me to stick in, I think I’ll stick in there. I think I can play tackle well, I think I can play guard well. I think it’s a blessing that I was blessed with and wherever our coach or anybody needs me to play, that’s where I’ll stick.”
(What would you say is the next step of the development of this young line?) – “Just learning the game and getting better each week. Each week we can learn new things, just watching our veterans and watching the older guys and watching ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) and how he prepares. All of us – with time, this line will mature and I think we’ll be fine just taking it day by day and trying to learn from everyone.”
(You’re one of the few guys in football who has experience playing with a lefty at Louisiana. What was that like, and just knowing that in the future, you’re going to be doing that here? Does that experience help playing with QB Levi Lewis out there in Louisiana?) – “It’s crazy. I really didn’t even think about it. While I was playing, I didn’t think about, ‘oh, I’m blocking for a lefty.’ It never really hit me. I was just out there blocking, trying to do my job the right way. I think that’s going to be my – I think I’ll have the same mentality for however long I can play this game. No matter who I’m blocking for, just when I can block, just do my job.”
(Some say for rookie offensive linemen, pass blocking might be a little bit easier than run blocking might come first in a way. Has that been the case for you? Has run blocking been a little bit more of a challenge? Have you, T Austin Jackson and G Solomon Kindley talked about that?) – “No, we haven’t talked about it. I think as a player, you know your strengths and weaknesses. I think I can run block well, and I think I can pass block well. Coming from college, I did a lot of run blocking, so I’m very comfortable with that. I think as time goes on and as I keep improving and we all keep improving, I think I’ll do well at pass blocking.”
Brian Flores – October 16, 2020
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Friday, October 16, 2020
Head Coach Brian Flores
(Do you expect LB Kyle Van Noy and DE Shaq Lawson to play Sunday? And also, if DT Davon Godchaux goes on IR, do you know yet who is going to be replacing him on the 53?) – “Yes, Godchaux is going to go on IR this evening. We’re still working through who we would potentially bring up or flex, so that’s where we’re at on that front. Shaq and Kyle, they were limited today and they’ll be listed as questionable. We’ll just work through that. It may be a pregame workout. We’ll just see how they progress today, tomorrow and up until game time.”
(I was reading something where one of your players, DT Zach Sieler, participates in some extracurricular activities. Just your thoughts on your players’ other interests outside of football, and I know he has aspirations of hunting. The second part of that question is do you have any aspirations of joining him on some of these extracurricular activities of hunting. I know you’re a city boy like myself, so I just wanted to know.) – “Well, being a city boy, you would probably know my answer to that one. (laughter) I’ve never hunted. Look, I support our players and whatever they do off the field. I know Zach’s got a lot of interests off the field. I think it’s part of why he’s the person that he is, which he’s fun-loving, a joy to be around, tough, competitive. I’m sure he’s a competitive hunter. I mean I haven’t had very many conversations with him about that because I don’t have much to bring to that conversation. I’ve never been hunting. But yeah, I support all of these guys and what they do outside of football. I think that’s a big part of who they are. They’re not just ballplayers. They’ve got lives and things outside of football. Maybe I’ll go out there one time with him and he can show me the ropes from a hunting standpoint; but like you, I’ve never done it before.”
(We know what was going on yesterday and that you made a run obviously at RB Le’Veon Bell. Was there any point when you had kind of the juices flowing and you thought you had a real good shot of landing him? Where were you on all of that?) – “I mean my juices are flowing trying to get prepared for the Jets. That’s kind of where all of my energy has been. (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and our personnel staff, (Assistant General Manager) Marvin (Allen) and (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore), they handle things of that nature; and really I would say during the week, it’s not even worth talking to me about because I’m doing red zone or two-minute or the run game or some situation. I let those guys handle it. I get updates throughout the day on whatever it is. That was the big story yesterday. But I wasn’t really too involved in that, to be honest with you.”
(I have a follow up on DT Zach Sieler. Yesterday we were talking to him and he informed us that he lives out of an RV during the regular season. So a two-part question, were you aware of that? Did you know that some teammates visit him at the RV? And in any of your past experiences coaching at any stint, had you heard of a player living in some type of temporary housing like an RV? We just thought it was a really cool story.) – “I did know about the RV. This is the first player that I’ve been aware of that has an RV. Again, Zach is – we love him here. I think he embodies a lot of the characteristics we’re looking for. Everyone makes decisions on where they want to live. We don’t have any – I’m supportive of whatever he wants to do. I don’t really have much more to add.”
(Although General Manager Chris Grier, Assistant General Manager Marvin Allen and Vice President of Football Administration Brandon Shore handle the front office kind of things, RB Le’Veon Bell still decided between Miami and Kansas City. What does that say? You guys were able to land free agents in the offseason and big-time players are deciding with you in the mix. What does that mean for you that big-time players are considering your team and maybe the direction that you guys are going towards?) – “Again, Chris, Marvin and the personnel staff, they handle most of that. I would say it says a lot about the job that they’re doing. But again, right now I’m just trying to figure out a way to continue to prepare and get ready for the Jets. That’s where my focus is. That’s where it’s been really the entire week. As far as what it says, I really don’t have a – it’s not really something I’ve thought about. My focus has just been on the Jets.”
Solomon Kindley – October 15, 2020
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Thursday, October 15, 2020
G Solomon Kindley
(I wanted to ask you about your strong offensive line play alongside your buddy G/T Robert Hunt. But first, we just learned moments ago that DT Zach Sieler, No. 92 defensive lineman, he lives in an RV. Did you know this?) – “I had no idea. (laughter)”
(What do you think? Do you want to go visit?) – “I had no clue. I would love to go visit and see how he’s living and see how it is, because I’ve always seen them growing up; but I never really knew anybody stayed inside. I thought they just traveled with them and everything. I never knew that.”
(What was it like having your fellow rookie G/T Robert Hunt right next to you all game?) – “It feels good. We’re both blessed for the opportunity to be able to come play football and then not only play football, but play at the highest level that we always dreamed about. We just have fun because we practice the way we do, and our mindset stays the same throughout everything that we do, so it was just fun playing on the field with him.”
(I want to build on the previous question, but first – the media, are we allowed to call you your nickname? I think it’s a pretty cool nickname. “Big Fish.”) – “Yeah, you can call me the nickname. (laughter) You can call me ‘Big Fish.’”
(All right, “Big Fish” when you were out there on the line this past Sunday with G/T Robert Hunt, you’re only a few games in, but were there any points in the huddle or when you’re going up to the line, where maybe you offered him a word of advice or anything just as that was his first game?) – “Throughout the whole week, we always talk to each other even if he wasn’t playing ,as in if anybody goes down, he’s got to step up and get in. So we always talk to each other about this assignment, how do you see this look, how this defensive line’s rotating; pretty much throughout the week, we look at film and we do every little small – we do small stuff with each other at home. Like we’ve got tests that we do throughout the week, look at film throughout the whole week so we can get comfortable and the game can be slow by the time we get there Sunday.”
(You said “at home.” I wanted to ask if you and G/T Robert Hunt live together, but I guess the real question there for me is also with you guys kind of next to each other on the right side of the line, is there anything – any point where you kind of looked at him or kind of thought “man, this is the future. This is what we’re supposed to be doing here. We’re here with the Dolphins?”) – “I can’t control that. I’m just playing football. If we keep playing good, the sky’s the limit for us and we’re just going to keep being humble and keep doing the things that the Miami Dolphins brought us in to do; but yeah, that’s my guy. That’s my boy and I love playing with him.”
(Some of my favorite offensive line breakdown people on social media and whatnot like to talk about the way you punish jumpers and the way you finish your blocks and drive guys to the ground. I’m curious where you developed that mindset and that mentality and how you’ve been able to take that over now from your college career into the pros?) – “Pretty much me growing up, my history how I came up and how I lived, it just puts me in the position that I am how I am today. I always want to finish. I always want to drive, so I take it from real life and on the football field because like it is, it’s real life. I never want to be one of the persons that coach can pick out – ‘he’s slacking, he’s missing his block’ or ‘he’s not doing this because he didn’t give enough effort.’ That’s my biggest critic ever. That’s like my biggest critic ever. I never want to do that, so I make sure anything I do, I finish to 100 percent.”
(To your knowledge, have you or T Austin Jackson or G/T Robert Hunt gotten any trash talking from defensive linemen during games? Has anyone said like “something, rook?” Something like that. Have you gotten any of that?) – “Not that I remember. I remember playing against Buffalo. I don’t know who it was; but somebody said, ‘get after the rookie.’ You know, you know. It’s typical when a rookie’s playing football; but other than that, nothing really.”
(Was it in the movie “The Blind Side” – I think that’s what it was called where [Michael Oher] ran the opposing player backwards, backwards, backwards, backwards like 50 yards down the field? I feel like you are [Oher]. You and G/T Robert Hunt could have a contest to see who could push the opposing guy the furthest down the field? Is that something like…?) – “No doubt. Me and Rob (Hunt) – his first game – me and the assistant coach, ‘Coach Lem’ (Assistant Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre) we were like, we’re going to see who’s going to get the most knockdowns, who was going to get the most pancakes. That’s like a good goal between your partner next to you because if I’m trying to do my best and he’s trying to do his best; that means everybody’s best is going to keep going up. So I love that. I love that competition with him.”
(“Mr. Big Fish,” what can this offensive line be? What do you think the vision here is and what do you think you guys can do on the field as you get more time to kind of develop?) – “Like I said, our group is a bunch of humble, hard-working people; and if we keep doing that, we keep our head on straight and staying focused, the sky is the limit. Keep God first. Everything else will come as it’s supposed to.”
(I just want to clarify. I made a mistake. It was Michael Oher who also played at Ole Miss. Have you ever actually seen the movie or no?) – “Oh yeah, I love ‘The Blind Side.’ My little brother Chris Kindley, I call him the little guy – ‘S.J. (Tuohy).’ We’re definitely like ‘The Blind Side.’ We used to always think that we were ‘The Blind Side’ growing up our whole life.”
Zach Sieler – October 15, 2020
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Thursday, October 15, 2020
DT Zach Sieler
(How has year one and a half with the Dolphins been? How has your progress as a player been? I think we talked to you a few weeks back. You keep making these splash plays. How has your season been coming along and what has impressed you most about what you’ve done?) – “For me, it was just learning the new ways and a new team. That was the end of last year. Then going into this year, just kind of progressing and learning how to use the scheme to my advantage each week.”
(I wanted to get into a little bit about your backstory. I know you talked about it when you wre in Baltimore some but it’s a pretty remarkable story. You were 175 pounds at Ferris State? Did you have any scholarship offers at all?) – “No. I walked on at Ferris State I was 220 (pounds) my freshman year and 217 (pounds) going into my second year. By the time I left, I think I was 295 (pounds).”
(This is your first time getting a chance to see the New York Jets with the Dolphins. I’m just curious has there been any extra hype around the game since It’s such a big rival for the Miami Dolphins?) – “It’s a division game, so we’ve got to play just like any other week; but we’re ready to go. We’re preparing just like we do every week. We’re excited.”
(Was there someone in your past that kept you motivated, focused and believing that this one day would be a possibility? I’m not a mathematician but the odds were like a billion to one.) – “Yeah, I was the first one drafted form my college actually. I think the fall of my freshman year of college, true freshman year. I wasn’t playing or whatever. Two more walk-ons came on for spring ball. We became really close. We said let’s get after it in the weight room. We didn’t have a strength coach. We didn’t have a nutritionist. We just got in the weight room and watched YouTube videos and learned how to lift, and get bigger and go from there. I think between my one year, I put on like 30-40 pounds. I was up to 240-250 by spring of my second year. There was a handful of guys. We called the misfits, just a bunch random dudes. We would just go down there and our gym had no windows, no A/C or anything. We called it the dungeon. We’d just go there and we took pride in it.”
(I’ve seen you play inside and out, especially with DT Davon Godchaux out. Tell me about the approach you take to the assignment when you’re inside versus out?) – “Obviously things happen faster when you get down low, the closer you get to the center. But for me, it’s just wherever I’m at preparing wise – end, 3-tech, nose guard, zero shade, outside – it’s just making sure I look at the player across from me as in the offensive lineman I’m going against, and learning their keys. So not just focusing on one guy, but focusing on all five of them, so I’m ready for whatever happens and whatever the game plan may call for.”
(We just talked to C Ted Karras a minute ago and he talked about the players on the team genuinely being excited for other guys when they make a play. I noticed that watching the broadcast copy, guys just losing their minds every time you make a big play. I’m curious where that comes from and how that starts for a team, where they get so excited for one another and really care about each other like that?) – “I guess it kind of comes from the top down. The coaches preach family and they preach be excited for anybody, because if somebody makes a great play, that may give you an opportunity later on in the game for you to make a big play. For us, it’s just an excitement. We’re going through this together, we’re a team, we’re a family. Just keep grinding and keep celebrating those big plays.”
(Since your arrival down here in South Florida, have you learned at all if there was a connection or a reason or a person who decided to bring you here?) – “No. I couldn’t tell you that. I just know my agent called me at 4:20 or 4-whatever that one day and said ‘hey, you’re going to Miami.’ So I showed up down here and do what I do.”
(Have you put down roots here? It seems like you’re living the transient life. I think you were a seventh-round pick, a waiver wire guy, I believe. Do you have an apartment? How does it work? You’re certainly a part of the team’s plans now, but you couldn’t have known that going into the season?) – “Y’all are going to laugh; but I actually stay in an RV during the season. I’ve done this for two years now. I have a fifth wheel I stay in during the season. (laughter) I actually had roots, and I do have roots in Sebring, which is about two hours from here. I know I’ve been asked about the ranch. That’s kind of my home base, I guess you could say. I have family in Michigan and I love going back to see them; but in season, I stay in an RV. For me, that works, I love it. It’s simple, it’s easy, I can get up and go postseason and just do whatever I need to do, wherever I’m training, I can park it and train there.”
(We need more clarity. Where does the RV park? Have you hosted your teammates in the RV, and have you gone on a road trip in it?) – “I’ve had players over to hang out, for sure. Yes, campgrounds or RV parks are nice spots. I’ll find a little spot and setup there for a few months. Florida is great because everyone comes down here in the winter to live, so there are plenty of spots, especially right now.”
(What’s it like in the RV community? Does anyone know you’re a professional athlete?) – “I love it. No. I usually try to keep that a little lower. Some people learn or whatever, and usually everyone is great. When you think about it, guys that are in our campground, usually they are vacationing. So everyone is happy, everyone always waves, it’s not the typical people living their daily lives. Usually they’re on vacation. It is kind of weird getting a new neighbor three or four times a week. (laughter)”
(Do you think at some point you might actually get a front door and a roof?) – “Yeah, I might. The girl is trying to get on me to do that. (laughter) She’s sick of taking care of the dogs back home by herself.”
Ted Karras – October 15, 2020
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Thursday, October 15, 2020
C Ted Karras
(How much did you know about DT Zach Sieler coming in and what have you learned about him since and what’s it been like practicing against him?) – “I remember last year (with the Patriots) preparing for the last game of the season (against Miami), they had this guy who kind of came in mid-year and was playing really well, played with really high effort, and he’s continued that this season. He’s been very productive and he’s a great teammate and a great guy, and I’m really excited for him. I’m rooting for him to continue the way he’s been playing.”
(My question for you is about the two coaches in the offensive line room with Offensive Line Coach Steve Marshall and Assistant Offensive Line Coach Lemuel Jeanpierre. I just wanted to get your perspective as far as how those two guys balance each other and having both Coach Marshall’s experience but also Jeanpierre’s playing experience and how those two guys work together in that room?) – “Collectively, we have coaches in the room with a lot of NFL experience and I think it’s serving us very well, especially having a young o-line. I think it’s a testament to how hard these young guys are working and ‘E. Flow’ (Ereck Flowers) and Jesse (Davis) and I and all the vets, too. I think we have a really good room and I’m really excited, but we’ve got to keep preparing like we have been and going and putting out our best performances when it counts the most.”
(We’ve asked you so much about T Austin Jackson and G Solomon Kindley because they’ve been playing and thanks for being kind of like the veteran spokesman and filling us in. I appreciate it. So G/T Robert Hunt makes his first start. What did you notice about how he approached things and handled himself starting a game?) – “I thought he did an excellent job. Obviously we went out there and scored 40 points. We’re not going to be able to do that without a right tackle doing his job, and I thought it was great. Any time you go into your first NFL start, it could be, I guess, too big for some guys; but not for Rob Hunt. He came out there and played really, really well, and we’re going to need him to continue to play really well moving forward.”
(You referred to the Dolphins-Patriots game at the end of last season earlier. I wanted to ask what does it feel like now for you being on this side of the Dolphins and their franchise reboot? What is it like five games in? Do you feel like a tide is maybe starting to turn with your guys’ season and what do you think about Head Coach Brian Flores and everything he’s kind of implementing onto the team?) – “We’re a day at a time. Winning last week was a good start, but we’ve got to take care of business this week, then we’ve got a bye. I’m having a lot of fun. I love all the guys on this team. It’s been a great start to the year. Obviously we left a few things out in a couple of the early games, but we’re going to continue to work our hardest and prepare and then go out there on Sundays. That’s the only way to turn any tide, is to go out there and perform your best on Sunday, so that’s what I’m focused on every day.”
(Sort of along those same lines as what you just mentioned – you’ve been part of an organization that knows how to build for success, not just for this Sunday but for the long-term. What do you see in the program that’s put together here in Miami that might give you confidence that there’s success built for the long-term here?) – “I think it comes down to the guys we have in the locker room and we have guys that work hard and want to do things right and care about each other and hold each other accountable and genuinely enjoy playing the game of football. It’s a pleasure to come to work every day with guys in this locker room – many, many close friends – and we get competitive and we want to do our best for each other. You’ve seen a little bit of that on the field these past couple weeks, but we’ve got to keep showing that and emphasizing that part of the game.”
(I guess you weren’t here I guess last year, but now you’re getting to see up close maybe how it’s like playing with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. I wanted to ask what is it like in the huddle or on the field when he’s on like he is?) – “It’s extraordinary. He’s an extraordinary man. I am very fortunate to be able to suit up with him and I do love it when he can turn a third-and-8 scramble into a first down. That’s a luxury as an o-lineman. It’s been a lot of fun playing, and I’ve learned so much from him already, and I continue to learn every single day and as we grow and continue to create continuity and comfortability with each other.”
(What have you noticed in terms of personalities, if there’s a common trait, among the three guys that the aforementioned QB Ryan Fitzpatrick affectionately calls the knucklehead rookies – G/T Robert Hunt, G Solomon Kindley and T Austin Jackson?) – “Great men that want to do the right things that are eager to learn and, I guess, ‘ego-less’ and trying to get better. Obviously a very, very talented group – all highly drafted – and guys that came in and just want to listen and work and do the right thing and help the team win in any way they can.”
(I wanted to ask you about a matchup this weekend with Jets DT Quinnen Williams. He was once the No. 3 pick in the draft and right now he’s top 10 in both ESPN’s pass-rush win rate and run-stop win rate. I just wanted to ask you about the challenges he presents for you on the interior offensive line.) – “Starting with him, but the entire Jets front seven poses a significant challenge to us as an o-line, and we’re going out there and working hard and we’re going to have to be at our best on a lot of guys. Talk about guys like Steve McLendon, (John) Franklin-Myers – guys all over the place that are really good – (Nathan) Shepherd, (Folorunso) Fatukasi. Their whole d-line is formidable and we’re going to have to be at our best and playing at our top level on Sunday at 4 p.m.”
(RB Le’Veon Bell is a free agent. Just generally what do you think of his talent and his skill?) – “I think he’s been a great player for a long time in the league. I don’t know anything about the situation that he had up in New York, but I wish him the best. I never like to see anyone lose their job in this league, so I’m wishing him the best. I know he’s a very talented player and I’m sure he can help an NFL franchise win some games.”
DeVante Parker – October 15, 2020
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Thursday, October 15, 2020
WR DeVante Parker
(As you think back to your time with N.Y. Jets Head Coach Adam Gase – obviously you’ll see him on the opposing sidelines – do you have good feelings about it? Just your thoughts on working with him during the time you guys were together.) – “My time with him was pretty good. (There was) that little situation that happened but that’s in the past. I’m just focused on our team right now and what we’ve got going on.”
(I wanted to ask you, how do you guys feel the early starts to the games, especially in Jacksonville and San Francisco, have helped you guys come out with those wins? How have those early starts helped you guys?) – “It helped out a lot. Just coming out fast, that puts fear into defenses and puts their tail back behind them. We’ve just got to keep that up and keep it going, and we’ll be fine.”
(The Dolphins are one of a number of teams that are calling about RB Le’Veon Bell, who is a free agent. If he would end up in Miami, what would he add to the team? What do you know about him as a player?) – “I know he’s a good player but like I said before, I’m just focused on our team and what we’ve got going on. I’m not too concerned about any of the other stuff.”
(I know the game was a few days ago but I wanted to ask you about the one play where it was third-and-goal from the 22. If I remember correctly, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick threw you a touchdown pass. It’s not very often where a coach or a play caller or a quarterback kind of goes for the touchdown on third-and-22. What do you remember about that situation and if Fitzpatrick said anything like he was going to throw it to you?) – “I just remember getting lined up and ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) tells me as I’m going past him to just run a go. I said, ‘Alright, I’ve got you.’ Then I ran it and it turned out pretty good.”
(How would you assess this team and the way it has been built for long-term success compared to when you first arrived here?) – “I would just say the coaches are putting us in the right situations to make plays, and we’re making them. That’s just the biggest thing we’re doing right now, and we’ve just got to keep that up.”
(Earlier this summer, you had mentioned that one of the things you are working on in your game to try to take it to the next level was rounding out the route tree, like comebacks and stuff like that. I’m just curious if you have an update for us in how you feel you’ve progressed in that area?) – “I’d say that the last game we just played – I think I had one against the Seahawks. I think I had a pretty good comeback. I would say it’s looking pretty good as of right now.”
(You mentioned the coaches are putting you guys in good positions here to have some success. After the 49ers win, do you kind of sense that the tide is probably starting to turn for you guys in all three phases, for the betterment of the season?) – “If we keep coming out and playing how we’re playing, there’s going to be some good stuff to see from this team.”
(With the locker room being different this year, I’m not allowed to observe things like whether or not you have hung out at all with the three rookie offensive linemen. Obviously you’ve gotten to know them on the field. They all seem to be pretty good. Just collectively, what have been your observations about the three rookie offensive linemen and how they handle themselves?) – “I’d say they’re all doing a great job in there. They’re holding their own out there and it’s a big part of our passing game that we’re having right now. I know they’ll keep that up.”
