Austin Jackson – August 6, 2022
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Saturday, August 6, 2022
OL Austin Jackson
(How good of a measuring stick are the joint practices with the Bucs going to be for you specifically and for the team?) – “For me specifically, I’m excited about the joint practices. Definitely get another look at more of a game day type of practice, a little bit more intensity. I think we have pretty intense practices as it is, but it’ll definitely be fun to get out there and practice with some other teams.”
(I almost get the feeling you’re dying to show people what you’ve improved in the last couple of years. Last time we talked to you, we talked about how good you felt, your offseason. You felt you had a great offseason.) – “Yeah, I wouldn’t say I’m dying, but it’s definitely something I want to prove to myself also. My own expectations of myself. I have pretty big dreams. I’m going to live up to them. So it definitely started with a great offseason, a better routine. Yeah, I’m excited. I’m excited.”
(Any part of you want to shut the doubters up?) – “No, I just play football. I just play football and everything else comes from that.”
(Yesterday you were able to get T Terron Armstead in with the offensive linemen – 11-on-11. What did that feel like when you had him on the other side?) – “It was good. It was good. I feel like he brings a great level of intensity and focus to the team. We all work very well together. We’re very like-minded. I think he brings a veteran type of leadership, too. He definitely brings a lot of experience and decisiveness.”
(The adjustment from left to right side. Do you figure it’s been more of a challenge from run-blocking standpoint or a pass-blocking standpoint, changing sides?) – “I would say the biggest adjustment is playing in the scheme, not necessarily the position change. This type of scheme has its own certain rules for running and blocking, so definitely learn both. The transition’s been fun though for me. I’ve just been taking every day like a great opportunity to get better at something, get better at multiple things, so it’s been great.”
(You mentioned dropping some weight last time we talked. How have you felt that kind of tangible impact out here so far in practice?) – “Yeah, so I was able to maintain a lot of my lean mass and add more but also slim down and I think that’s helped me a lot more quicker, more in shape, even stronger.”
(How much of a handful is LB Jaelan Phillips practicing?) – “Oh, he’s a beast. He’s a beast. He’s a monster. He’s fast, strong, smart. Great player.”
(Have you seen him take a leap Year 1 to Year 2 or is this kind of what you expected him to be all along?) – “Yeah, he’ll definitely make a leap. He’s always been the type of player he is, and that’s progressing. Definitely he’ll make his leap. He’s definitely faster and stronger. All the things.”
(Did you ever go up against him when he was at UCLA?) – “No, he didn’t play that game. He was hurt that game and then he ended up going to Miami two years later after that. I actually did play against him at the Army All-American game when we were in high school. We were on the West team. Great dude.”
(OL Robert Hunt was telling us a couple days ago that he loves the outside zone scheme. Says “I’d like to play the rest of my career in this scheme.” Do you yet have a feel – I mean we’re still in early August – do you have enough feel for it yet to know if you like it as much as Rob Hunt does?) – “Oh yeah, I love it. I love it. I can tell he loves it. This is the scheme he’s played in in college. He’s really adept at it, so I’m lucky to be next to him as someone who’s been able to play in it and do well in it because I love it, too. It’s definitely a great system. A little bit of an adjustment, but the adjustment is bright.”
(You go to the other side of the line, the opposite side of the line, and flipping everything; is that a big deal, a big challenge or are you able to just … entrench yourself into flipping things?) – “My competitive nature makes it easy to stand up and say, ‘I’ll be a right tackle.’ Easily. But there’s a lot of work that comes with it. You don’t just show up. There’s a lot of work that goes into it, training my body and my mind to operate at the other side.”
(We’ve seen RB Chase Edmonds have some big runs out here in training camp. What have you noticed about his game? What really stands out?) – “He’s fast. Very fast and he’s a great runner. Picks the right holes. Pretty great.”
(What do you think about USC joining the Big 10?) – “Oh, I’m excited about that. I’m excited about that. SC (University of Southern California) is definitely get a lot of ops, a lot more – you know, we want those primetime games. We need more primetime games so that’s one thing I’m also excited about. I think in the Pac 12, I played at like, 7:30 every night on the West Coast. So I’m definitely excited and it’s going to be a great transition for USC.”
(Now you understand why we don’t watch a lot of West Coast, right?) – “Oh yeah, I don’t watch West Coast games either anymore. (laughter) It’s too late.”
Christian Wilkins – August 6, 2022
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Saturday, August 6, 2022
DT Christian Wilkins
(How much pressure do players – not just you because I know you take it seriously – put on themselves when they are the playlist guy?) – “I think it’s a lot of pressure because you’ve got to set the tone for the day. But you’ve also got to show yourself. You’ve got to be yourself a little bit too because guys are always hitting up other guys, ‘Oh, what should I do? Is this a good one? Is that a good one?’ So I think guys take it a little more serious.”
(So there’s conversation?) – “Yeah, there’s a little bit of that. Everyone listens to something different. You’ve got to be yourself with it but also I’m a man of the people so I like to give people what they want.”
(I didn’t hear anything for DT Zach Sieler today.) – “Nah, Zach got it last time. (laughter)”
(It was important for you to start with Public Service Announcement.) – “Yeah, that was good. And that was actually – I can’t take the credit for that. That was ‘Big Jenk’ (John Jenkins). He sent that to me. I feel like he’s been having a heck of a camp. He hasn’t had the orange jersey yet but he’s been more than worthy of it, especially this last week or so. So I was like, ‘Jenk’ give me a hit and he chose a good song to start it off with.”
(There was a prediction yesterday right at this podium from T Terron Armstead who said I know DT Christian Wilkins is already a really good player and statistically he’s going to explode. Terron may not have known that your 89 tackles were most among defensive tackles last year. He probably was talking about more sacks, tackles for loss. Is that something he’s mentioned to you, and is that a priority for you – tackles for loss, sacks?) – “Just really playing within the scheme and then making plays when they come to me. I’m always trying to be a dominant player on the field, but also do it within the scheme and do it within the realm of things. It means a lot from ‘Big T’ (Terron Armstead) because he’s a heck of a player and has done it for so long in this league. I got a lot of respect for him and he’s a great vet to have on the team. I’ve got a lot of respect. He’s helping those offensive linemen get better and he’s helping us get better too. He brings it as well when he practices. Just talking to him, what do you see here or just different things. Just chopping it up and talking a little bit. It’s good to have him around.”
(You were busting the moves too while practicing at the same time.) – “Absolutely. This was my day.”
(Is there any doubt you’re the best dancer on the team?) – “Ok, I can vibe. I can jiggle a little bit. I can do my little thing.”
(OL Robert Hunt? We saw the worm to start off practice.) – “I’d like to say I’m the most fun dancer. There’s probably guys, legit dancers, who can really do it. But I’m the most fun. I’m going to enjoy myself. I’m going to have a good time. And other people are going to enjoy it too.”
(Something that impressed me today was the lateral speed the defensive line showed. You have WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle running end-arounds and getting to that edge. Is that a strength for the defense you think?) – “That’s the standard really. That’s been a point of emphasis for us. We set the tone with that on the d-line, just running to the ball. As d-linemen, if you set the tone running down the field on a big play, no one else has an excuse. That’s the standard. That’s how we play around here. Pursue the ball always, and good things will happen.”
(What’s it like trying to chase WR Tyreek Hill on an end-around?) – “Those dudes are fast. They are fast, but it’s good. I’m humbled running after them, but I also feel – it’s a little embarrassing because he’s always going to pull away. But I still think I‘m decently fast for what it’s worth.”
(Do you guys defensively sit around and compare what you’re practicing against this year and compare it to last year? The speed this year compared to last year seems like it’s night and day.) – “We’ve got good schemes and we’ve got good players. We bring it every day. It’s fun to compete against each other. The different things we do offensively, the one-on-one matchups we may have, whether it’s at receiver and corner, in the trenches or wherever. We got a lot of good matchups. There are good, fun competitive practices.”
(I love watching you re-trace your rush man. It’s like sometimes they throw the ball away and you’re running 30 yards down field to get the football. Do you exaggerate that for any reason or is that just what you do?) – “That’s just kind of what I do. That’s the way you’ve got to stress yourself and restrain yourself so you can get your conditioning up so the game is easy. That’s what practice is for. You’ve got to harp on those little things and that’s how I play in the game. When the ball is away, I’m trying to go get it. That’s my standard and how I do it. It’s a tone-setting thing and no one else has an excuse if one of the bigger guys on the defense is doing it.”
(You’re a man of the people. How does it feel when you hear the DT Christian Wilkins chant?) – “It’s all love. I appreciate the love and support from the fans and everything, and I have a good time with it. It’s all love. I enjoy it all.”
(Do your teammates give you a hard time for how you reciprocate it?) – “Not really. They’ve learned to expect the unexpected with me. It’s kind of, ‘Yeah, that’s Christian. He’s going to do what he does. It is what it is,’ kind of thing.”
(From a defensive standpoint, obviously the first week you guys were vanilla. There were no pads and the offense was getting off. Then you start to put in some of these blitzes and exotic looks and the tide kind of changed. When do you know that you guys are ready defensively?) – “It’s really a day-by-day thing. You’re never like a fully finished product. You’ve always got to bring it every day and that’s kind of our mindset. The leaders lead and everyone else follows. We just have to bring it. There are always wrinkles and things we might adjust or whatever. Really, it starts with the leaders and just bringing it and having that mindset that you’re never really complete as a defense. You’re always looking to improve.”
(Have you noticed anything different out of Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer this year?) – “He’s the same guy. Josh is a heck of a coach and it means a lot to him. He brings it and has a high standard for us defensively. We all follow his lead there.”
(LB Jaelan Phillips mentioned how this team scheme offensively really tests your eye discipline with the reads. I’m curious your thoughts on that as someone who plays on the inside.) – “They do a lot of good stuff on offense. It’s good for us. It makes practices fun, competitive and you always got to be ready for it all.”
(There’s obviously a job to be won with DL Adam Butler unfortunately no longer here. You’ve got big DT John Jenkins and you have others. What has DL Ben Stille shown you?) – “Ben is a good young talent. He has a good mindset, he loves the game, he brings it and he is smart. He really understands what we’re trying to do. He still young and trying to figure it out, but he’s been pretty solid definitely so far as a young guy. It’s been good to see.”
(Did you see DL Ben Stille do the worm?) – “I did and it was a little stiff. It wasn’t quite like I could do. He stole my move. But I’ll give him some props. He tried his best. But it ain’t touching my worm. It’s all good. I’ll give him credit.”
(Did he steal it or was it an homage to you?) – “I don’t know. He didn’t give me a shout out or nothing like that so I have to talk to him about that. (laughter)”
(Are you excited for joint practices next week?) – “That’s going to be a lot of fun. Obviously you know what kind of team Tampa has been in the past and the type of players they have. It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it definitely. Being at this point in my career, four years in, I have a little bit of a different mindset when I go into the joint practices. As a young guy, you’re still like trying to figure it out. ‘Am I good enough? Am I not?’ Now you just have a different mindset and different things you want to attack and work on when you go to those joint practices. I’m definitely looking forward to that challenge.”
(Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark told us earlier this week that you and DT Zach Sieler, the way you guys see a play that doesn’t go right, you come off and make the corrections ahead of time. I’m curious your perspective on that evolution of your game in Year Four?) – “I definitely work hard on my craft and try to understand what it is I have to do and what our offense is trying to do and things like that. Zach has been so big for me in my career. That’s my guy. That’s my best friend on the team. He’s a smart player. We see thing really similarly. Kind of things he may miss, I can pick up for him and vice-versa. He’s been great for my development as a player and we bounce things off of each other and talk about schemes. We are at that point where we know if we mess up, we’re like ‘Ok, this is what happened.’ It’s not as much of we’re coming over and like, ‘What was this? What was that?’ We can correct ourselves and we take a lot of pride in that.”
Jaelan Phillips – August 6, 2022
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Saturday, August 6, 2022
LB Jaelan Phillips
(When you guys add all of those blitzes, do you feel and look like yourselves as a defense?) – “Yes, I think we’re constantly striving to get to that point where we’re really feeling dominant as a defense. So every day is an opportunity to get better and I think we’ve all been working our asses off. It’s exciting to see everything come together, for sure.”
(How do you judge what’s the next step for this unit, for the defense?) – “Shoot, I just think continuing to work on our techniques and assignments and just honing everything in and just being able to play as a cohesive unit. I think that’s the biggest thing, being able to come together, really show our love for one another, running after the ball, all of that.”
(How good of a measuring stick are the practices against the Bucs going to be?) – “I think it’s great. It’s the first opportunity going against another team, so obviously that’s always exciting. I think preseason is early still. We’re still early in training camp. So definitely a lot of growth to be had, but it will be fun to get some opposition, for sure.”
(Personally, how much do you want to see yourself improve when you get out there on the field and show that you’ve grown from Year One?) – “I’m constantly trying to improve. I’m very critical of myself, and I have a very high standard, so I’m really never satisfied with how I’m performing and I’m always trying to continue to get better and be the best player I can for this team.”
(What makes you feel now you’re going to have a better year than you did last year? What comfort zones do you have that you didn’t have last year?) – “I think just coming into a second year, being more comfortable with my surroundings, with the defense, with the mental fatigue of being in the league. I’m just trying to come into my own as a player. I think I’m constantly learning every single day. I’m still hitting adversity and having to overcome that. It’s a beautiful journey. I’m just glad to be on it.”
(Was there any wear down last year in your first year? Because a lot of guys when they go from college to the NFL, they kind of wear down and then they kind of do something else in the offseason to kind of prepare for the marathon of the NFL. Was there anything that you had to adjust this offseason compared to last year?) – “Well last year, training for the Combine and training for Pro Day, it’s a completely different type of training. You’re training for the 40 (-yard dash), for the bench test and for vertical; you’re not training for getting out here and playing. So just having more time to try to hone in the different stabilizing muscles and different aspects of my body that I wanted to improve on, I think it was a great offseason, for sure. I worked really hard.”
(You mentioned wanting to be a more all-around outside linebacker. Where do you feel you made your biggest strides?) – “I’m just, like you said, trying to be the most well-rounded backer that I can be. It’s obviously great to be able to rush the passer, but we also need myself and the other outside linebackers to be able to set firm edges and play every single down. So I think I’ve just been working really hard on, like I said, being more consistent. I still have a lot of room to go, but I definitely feel like I’m getting better.”
(How has Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer handled this new year? Obviously, you had a defensive head coach this year and it’s the opposite this year, so it’s totally his show on the defensive side. What have you seen out of him as a far as a coach?) – “I think he’s just really confident and assertive. He really instills into us that camaraderie that I talk about and just being able to play together and play fast and hard. So he’s definitely comfortable in this position, and we have all the trust in the world in him, for sure.”
(Have there just been new wrinkles? Or do you think we’re going to see some wholesale change?) – “I guess you’ll have to wait (and see). (laughter)”
(There’s this core of a defense where you and S Jevon Holland joined DT Christian Wilkins, DT Raekwon Davis, CB Xavien Howard on the back end, LB Jerome Baker, so many other players in this core. What do you think your guys’ defense together could really do for this team?) – “Obviously our goal is to win as many games as possible. We’re constantly striving to, I keep reiterating this, but just get better as a defense. I think we have our own standards. I don’t think we’re trying to set expectations or set any specific goals. We’re just trying to do the best that we can and really just continue to improve.”
(One of the themes I hear from the guys up front is reading blocks. I’m curious, going up against this offense, do you feel like it kind of accelerates the way you train your eyes to read those blocks?) – “Oh, 100 percent. This is probably one of the toughest offenses that we’re going to go up against, just in terms of schematics. So being able to train that this early in camp is really crucial for the rest of the season. Yeah, (Head Coach) Mike McDaniel is a hell of a play-caller, for sure. (laughter)”
(What has Outside Linebackers Coach Ty McKenzie been like as your position coach? It seems like he gets after it.) – “Yes, man, (Outside Linebackers Coach) Ty (McKenzie) is intense, but he’s goofy, he’s funny. We’re really close. He really cares a lot about his job, cares a lot about his family and about us – we’re kind of included in that family category. I’ve loved my experience with him. I just think we’re going to continue to grow closer and build our bond.”
(One thing on Outside Linebackers Coach Ty McKenzie as well, Jaelan, I was going to ask you. WR Jaylen Waddle was asked this yesterday about Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker. What’s the advantage of having a position coach who played in the league like Ty did?) – “He can just teach from experience. I think sometimes that’s a lot more useful, just because he knows exactly what we’re feeling, what we’re going through and the techniques that have to be used to be successful. So I think that having a coach that played in the league is very invaluable.”
(You talked about showing love for one another. That’s something that Coach Campanile talked about as well. What does that mean to you? What does that look like? He talked about not being afraid to show love.) – “We always say that you can measure your love for your teammates by how close you are to the ball at the end of the play. Really all that’s about is just not playing just for yourself, you’re playing for your brothers around you. We’re all fighting for our livelihood. This is how people feed their families. So to really love and trust your teammates is to go out there and put it all on the line for them and for the organization as a whole.”
(You talked a minute ago about how challenging it is to line up against this offense. What is it about this offense that makes it tough on defenses?) – “It’s just very multiple. They have a lot of movement and a lot of things that are specifically meant to mess with your eyes. So being able to read your keys is one of the most important parts of our position and the defense as a whole. So when your keys are moving around and adjusting and they have trick plays here and there, it’s just a lot of processing. But I think ultimately this is going to make all of us a lot better as a defense.”
(Now to the important question, what’s the pressure like when you have the playlist?) – “When I have the playlist?”
(Yes. I don’t think you’re a double playlist guy yet.) – “Not yet, not yet. Striving for it though.”
(Oh, OK. What’s that pressure like? Like when you get the call, how much work do you put in? Or do you have a pre-set playlist?) – “I mean, I definitely had a couple of bangers on the top of my head when I first got it, but you always have to try to appeal to everybody else. But man, I’m constantly not trying to worry about what other people think, so I’m going to play whatever I love. Y’all had seen it last time, it’s a lot of Kanye, a lot of Kid Cudi. I’ll throw some old school stuff in there, too. I’m listening to some Burna Boy now, some Afrobeats. So it’s definitely eclectic, I love it.”
(How much pressure did the teammates put on you?) – “I mean, they definitely talk a lot of trash. Even if it’s good, they’re not – just because it’s me, they’re just going to talk trash, especially all the d-linemen.”
(So do they talk trash during practice or is it after practice?) – “If a song comes on that they don’t like, they’re going to let you hear it for sure. That’s for sure. (laughter).”
(So how was OL Liam Eichenberg’s day?) – “Oh man, I don’t even remember what he was playing. It was unmemorable. That’s all I have to say about it. Probably a lot of country. I like rock music. I kind of like country, like Morgan Wallen is a good artist, but for the most part, I like classic – I don’t want to discriminate against my country lovers, but that’s just not my thing.”
Tyreek Hill – August 6, 2022
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Saturday, August 6, 2022
WR Tyreek Hill
(Today is Hall of Fame enshrinement day. How much have you thought about possibly being in there one day and how you would look in a gold jacket? Have you thought about that at any point?) – “No. I don’t really try to think about any of that. At this point in my career, the only thing I’m really thinking about is just winning games and doing whatever I can for this team. That’s really it. When that day comes for me to get into the Hall of Fame, I’ll be thankful. I’ll be grateful for just being listed or even being considered to be in those categories. That would be great. But for right now, I’m just focusing on what I can control and that’s my career and that’s me going out there and balling and doing what I can do.”
(Did you have, growing up, some of those Hall of Famers that you looked up to?) – “I mean, yeah. But honestly for me, my biggest thing looking up was my granddad. I always looked up to my granddad. For me, my granddad was my greatest hero. He didn’t make it to the NFL or anything but he would teach me the things that I do every day which is work hard, out-work anybody on the field, compete and challenge yourself every day, and be a better human being than the day before. My granddad, shout out to him.”
(One thing I found kind of interesting is that you played everywhere on the field. In Kansas City, you were used a lot in the slot. WR Jaylen Waddle and WR Cedrick Wilson Jr., both of those guys have also been used in the slot. Just from your perspective, what advantages and disadvantages are there to being in the slot as opposed to working on the boundary?) – “At the end of the day, everybody is in the NFL. There are some weak spots on the field. Considering the slot is typically the – I feel like it’s maybe not the weakest spot on the field but considered like cornerback No. 3. But that’s why you play for great coaches. They know how to use you. They know how to put you in positions to make plays. I feel like I didn’t play slot that much. I feel like I’m an outside receiver. Maybe not your traditional size, but I get the job done. I do what I do.”
(The celebration you had with WR Jaylen Waddle yesterday, who thought of that? And how did that come about?) – “That’s the AB. ‘Put that S on.’ Shout out to AB, doing his thing, making music right now and transitioning from football to making music. Any way I can support anybody that I know, and somebody that played the game at a very high level, me and J-Dub (Jaylen Waddle), smaller guy, similar frame just like us, we’re going to ‘Put that S on.’ (laughter)”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel is big on giving established veterans load management and time off. You’ve been going hard in practice all throughout training camp, but why was that so important for you?) – “For me, I’ve just got to take time for my body because I’m a fast guy. I feel like all of the fast guys get certain injuries. I feel like that wasn’t really like a load management day for me. I had a little slight ding-up. I’m not really going to get into it. But I truly think those days are important because playing in Miami, the sun can weigh on you, as you can tell. It can take the fluids right out of your body. It puts so much soreness in your hamstrings and other muscles that you have in your body. Those days are very important, so it’s really up to us how we approach those days.”
(When you’re out there practicing, you’re going hard.) – “Oh, yeah. I always go hard. It doesn’t matter. I don’t care about none of that. I don’t care if I’m injured or not, I’m going to go hard. When I’m on the field, I’m going to give my teammates my everything. That’s what I do. And I expect the same thing from them, which I know they’re going to give me the same thing back.”
(You’re only a couple of days removed from joint practices with Tampa. Do you get the sense that guys are really itching to go up against somebody else on the field?) – “As far as us? Or them?”
(As far as you guys facing another opponent, do you sense the guys are getting antsy for that?) – “Yeah, man. I’m really sick of going against ‘X’ (Xavien Howard), man. He’s been locking me up in practice. I’m really eager to go against somebody else. Somebody that I’ve played twice. I really can’t wait to get to Tampa and I know the guys are very eager to get down there as well to play. Everybody is excited.”
(You lack no confidence. What is it that powers that confidence?) – “Family. Just who I am as a person. I feel like I’ve always been this way. But for me, you’ve just got to know when to show it and know when to just be yourself. I just feel like growing up my whole life, I’ve always been the fastest. I’ve always been a (expletive) talker – in track and basketball. Once I made it to the league, it kind of carried on. Then I began to make plays. Then I began to talk a little bit more. That’s probably why they got rid of me in Kansas City because I was talking.”
(Does the talking force you to live up to it?) – “Yeah, man. I feel like if I don’t talk, I don’t perform, because I perform better under pressure. That’s just my mentality. I feel like if I’m relaxed, if I’m just chilling and just vibing, then I go with the flow. But if somebody is engaging me and talking trash. Like say for instance I’m going against a DB and he doesn’t say nothing to me the whole entire game. To me, I’m like ‘Ok, we’re brother-in-lawing it.’ But if he’s sitting there and talking trash to me and doing what he’s got to do, in my face every play, then I’m going to challenge him back. I’m going to do what I’ve got to do.”
(How do you think your talking leads to confidence for your teammates as well? When they see you barking, they want to follow you and have a standout play just like you. How do you think that rubs off with everybody?) – “I feel like it rubs off in the right way and like you said, it rubs off on everyone. Tua (Tagovailoa) has even been talking trash, so I think that’s great for his confidence moving forward, going into these big games that we’re about to play. I’m just like a match. I just get the thing started and everybody else just finishes it.”
(Can you give us examples of QB Tua Tagovailoa and his trash talk?) – “Y’all have seen it. It’s kind of subtle but it’s here and there. I’ve seen the interviews you’ve all done with Tua. He kind of showed his confidence a little bit.”
(What inspired you to start your podcast and what have you learned from the experience so far?) – “The experience has been great. Just being able to meet different individuals, learning about their backgrounds and hearing their story. The reason I really started it is I just wanted to give a players’ perspective. That’s really it. I truly, when I do stuff, I do it from the heart. I really want to hear about people and I want people to understand who we are as football players, because most people see us as individuals with helmets on our head. My thing is I try to get different people. I don’t care how many followers you’ve got. I just want to get you on there to talk to you and hear your story. Then you’ll be able to relate to it a little bit. That’s really why I started it.”
(Do you feel like it enhanced the relationship with some of the teammates you’ve had on like WR Jaylen Waddle and QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “No, I really don’t think so. I feel like our relationship was going to be there regardless of whatever because our personalities just gel so well together.”
(Yesterday, WR Jaylen Waddle had said that the thing that stands out most about your arrival here is your professionalism and your approach to the game. I was curious what you can say about the way that he approaches the game?) – “It’s the same way. I can kind of put us in the same category. When I was at his age and at his time in his career, I came into work every day. He works hard and doesn’t make excuses and does what he’s told. And when another guy got the ball, he played for that guy no matter what. So if I’m getting the ball, he’s blocking for me. Or if Raheem (Mostert) or anybody else, or if Tua (Tagovailoa) got the ball, he’s doing what he’s got to do to make plays for this team. That’s all I can ask for from a young guy trying to learn, trying to make it and trying to do what he can to support his family or whatever. Shout out to ‘J-Dub’ (Waddle) for that.”
Terron Armstead – August 5, 2022
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Friday, August 5, 2022
T Terron Armstead
(First off, how did it feel being back? I know you’ve had some load management for maintenance, but how did it feel to get back out there, especially in team drills?) – “It felt great man. It’s fun. It’s a fun game. Getting back out, I’m feeling well enough to get out back out and participate, being with my guys, competing against the defense, it was fun.”
(I was curious, I know you said you did a similar maintenance program in New Orleans, but how does that – knowing that you have a ‘day off’ from practice, how does that make you change the process? Do you do anything differently to make sure that maybe the mental side of the game is still sharp there?) – “That’s the key word – process. Understanding all this is a process, this entire segment of a season is a process where we’re building up to get to peak performance and be ready when the real live action starts. So if you’re not doing full 11-on-11 drills, you have to attack that process in a different way – that’s weight room, that’s training room. So whatever the task is that day to improve, just taking care of that.”
(You obviously have nothing to prove. You’ve proven you’re one of the better players in this league. Now getting here, you have a whole new fanbase. What do you feel as an athlete you have to kind of re-prove to the people who have never seen you on an every-Sunday basis?) – “I appreciate that. I think that’s probably the tough part of the sport or professional sports, is that every day you have to prove yourself. Your career, whatever you’ve done, it really doesn’t matter up to this point. You have to come with it every day, and that’s the hard part of greatness and sports success is that consistency. Getting to that level every day, whether I know or you know that I can go out and do it and perform, you have to come with that mentality every day to show and prove.”
(How do you compartmentalize when they’re constantly measuring all of you by the salary that you make, what cap space you take and all those kinds of things?) – “I don’t really know where that takes place. In the building, in the locker room and on the field, we all go out and try to perform with one goal in mind and that’s to win. So we’re not discussing salary caps or anything when the play is going on. We’re just trying to perform, execute and get the job done.”
(What’s been your impression specifically in team drills going against that defensive front? Obviously there’s a lot of continuity. It seemed like they were blitzing you guys a lot. What’s been your impression of that?) – “Man, real active group. Real active group. Highly talented. A lot of skill. Adding Melvin Ingram to that group is, I think, extremely underrated. He’s an amazing player and has been that way for a long time. A guy like Christian Wilkins who has been highly productive but hasn’t been that notable as far as popularity, he’s going to have a – I’m projecting that he has a standout year, more so in the stat line than ever before. (He’s an) extremely talented player, intelligent player, real good hands and feet technique. Man, Zach (Sieler), another one – extreme technique. (Emmanuel) Ogbah, I’m a fan of those guys.”
(Next week when you get to go scrimmage against the Buccaneers, a lot of people talk about whether it’s practice or preseason games, a lot of people say you get more work out of those kinds of scrimmages. For players, do you feel like you get more out of those kinds of scrimmages than you do a regular practice or a preseason game?) – “The type of the work we put in out here is high level. It’s high level, and (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) demands that. So the level that we get to and compete at every day, you’re not going to get much different. You might see different styles of play, different schemes, but we get after it. We get after it out here. I think it’s great and will translate when we go to Tampa. I played those guys twice a year for nine years now, so I know that team, the defense, and they come with it – a championship caliber team. So it’ll be a good time, good chance to get in and go technique verse technique, scheme verse scheme. But as far as the level and effort, nothing is going to beat what we’re doing out here.”
(At this stage of your career, do you need much 11-on-11 work in practice or many preseason snaps to feel ready for the opener?) – “It always – it kind of varies. You never want to put a count on it (and say), ‘I need this amount of reps.’ It’s a feel. It’s a feel. So you’re getting that rust knocked off, technique, getting your eyes, hands and feet where you want them to be, that can take however long. Ideally, I want to be able to feel like I’m ready, like I’m game-ready and season-ready as early as possible. But I’m not there yet.”
(Have you ever played with two guys like WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle and the kind of speed that they have on the outside and the cutting ability that they have? I just wonder how corners are going to be able to stay with both those guys?) – “I’ve never seen it. I’ve never seen the likes of Tyreek Hill alone. The explosiveness, the zero to 60 in 2.5 (seconds), he’s a Model X. And Jaylen (Waddle) too, those guys are extremely talented. Their burst is insane. Them, Raheem (Mostert) and Chase (Edmonds), we have a lot of weapons. We’re just trying to get those guys an opportunity to make plays.”
(As great of a player as you’ve been, obviously you’ve had some tough luck, too, unfortunately with health. Is that something you think about ever in terms of, “Boy, I would really like to play every game in a season?” Is that something that ever crosses your mind?) – “Absolutely. Absolutely, this is my job. This is what I do for a living. This is how I feed my family. This is how I make my life. So that’s – ideally, all I want to do is play. All I want to do is play. Unfortunately, we don’t always get to do what we want to do. My injuries have been a result of a lot of different things, more so compounding, coming back too early and all those good things. (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) and the rest of those guys have been conscious and cognizant of everything that I’ve dealt with previously, but I’m trying to get on that field every day, every play. This is what I do. I love it.”
(Is it almost a … to stay healthy in this league?) – “Listen, there’s a 100 percent injury rate in the NFL. It’s just a guarantee. Now the severity, the magnitude of the injury – you try to prehab, do all this preventative work that I’m definitely tapped into – the nutrition, the mobility, all those good things. Do everything that you possibly can do, then it’s control what you can control.”
(How difficult has this been to take a cautious approach to your practice participation and just be guarded and careful about it?) – “I wouldn’t say it’s a cautious approach because once you’re in there, you have to go. You have to go. I think it’s being smart and not just jumping right in, especially coming back from some offseason work and getting healthy. If I was just coming in fully, fully healthy, I think my rep count would be different. It was more so of a ramp up with the different studies and science and health, technology. This has been proven to be most effective.”
Jaylen Waddle – August 5, 2022
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Friday, August 5, 2022
WR Jaylen Waddle
(The contacts, what exactly do they do?) – “These are prescribed, so they are like regular contacts, but they put a tint on my eyes for the sun and things like that.”
(It’s just literally to see?) – “Yeah.”
(What’s it feel like to hear all of these kids scream your name?) – “It’s good. I’m going to go over there and hang with them for a little bit before I go to meetings. It’s pretty cool.”
(Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker, what’s unique about him and his approach to coaching?) – “It’s a different approach because he actually played and he had success in this league. You really take into consideration what he’s telling you because he did it before. It just makes it hit home a little better.”
(How would you describe Welker’s personality and approach to teaching and connecting with guys?) – “I think he’s just himself. Out here and in meetings, he’s himself. He’s not going to sugarcoat nothing. He’s going to tell you if that was a bad play, that’s a bad play. That’s all you can ask for from a coach, honestly, is to give his true opinion.”
(Coach Welker told me that Head Coach Mike McDaniel taught him how to make really good coaching tapes. And that he can make a tape that tells a story of how a play is installed to how it works. How helpful are those coaching tapes?) – “It’s good. It makes it full circle, especially if you mess up and he shows you a play that you get the same look from the defense – kind of how it’s supposed to be. So he paints that picture in your mind so the next time you go out there, what to expect and how you’re going to treat it.”
(When you self-scout yourself from last season, what do you look at and say this is the one thing that I wanted to make sure I focused on this year?) – “Honestly, my yards after catch is something I realized that I wasn’t that productive at last year. That pops out on tape when I look at it.”
(Is that more about breaking a tackle, making a move, where the ball is placed?) – “All of that goes into consideration, but honestly, I put it upon myself to try to make someone miss and get up field.”
(What do you remember about the very first time you met QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “That was a little while ago. I remember he was quiet. He was like four lockers down from me at Bama and he kept calling me the wrong name. He kept calling me Jason. I don’t know why. (laughter)”
(On those reps against CB Xavien Howard on one-on-ones, how does that help your game?) – “Personally, I think ‘X’ is the best corner. I’m not just saying that because he’s on my team. But if you look at what he’s done in this league, he travels, he goes and plays man-to-man, so I feel like it’s good to go against the best to up my game. We’re both from the same city so it’s a little H-town throwdown.”
(Is there trash talk?) – “It can get there. But nah, we’re just out here trying to get better.”
(What have been your impressions on the rookie receivers? WR Erik Ezukanma and WR Braylon Sanders in particular?) – “They’re great. Honestly, they always come in, they are willing to work. They don’t have any problems. If they have a question, they are going to ask the older guys. They might ask me. If I can help, I try to. But normally I steer them to going to Wes (Welker) because he’s going to give them the exact detail of what it is they want them to do. I really like them wanting to have more knowledge of the game and come out here and work every day.”
(What’s the one thing that you think you’ve taken from WR Tyreek Hill that you think you could incorporate into your game?) – “I think just his approach. I think I have a pretty good approach to the game, but his approach every day. He takes every day as a new challenge. He’s really a real deal technician when we’re in meetings and things like that. He’s a true professional. I think I can take that and learn from it.”
(WR Robbie Anderson said that when he was in Carolina with QB Teddy Bridgewater, Teddy really helped him make the transition into becoming a pro. What is your relationship like with Teddy and what he brings to the team?) – “Actually, I got to grow a relationship with Teddy outside of the facility this summer. Just me throwing in his neighborhood. You know he’s from down here. He’s honestly just a great dude off the field more than on the field. Honestly what he does for his community down here and how productive he is around here is inspiring. I think so. As far as on the field, he’s the OG. He’s going to see the coverage and tell you what he saw and give you his true opinion.”
Andrew Van Ginkel – August 5, 2022
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Friday, August 5, 2022
LB Andrew Van Ginkel
(I’m curious the process of finding out you’re going to get the orange jersey for the day. How does that happen?) – “It’s exciting. You get a text that says that you were the practice player of the day, so when I got that, I was happy and just knowing all the hard work that I put in really is paying off.”
(What makes you more nervous – having to put together a quality playlist or going up against T Terron Armstead in pass protection?) – “That playlist was pretty tough. (laughter)”
(You didn’t have one, just an emergency break-glass-in-case-of-orange-jersey playlist?) – “No, I didn’t. Off day yesterday so I got a few extra minutes to spend on it.”
(Was that all your playlist or did you take some votes in?) – “No, it was all mine, yeah. Just kind of all over the place, but songs I enjoy.”
(We’ve talked a lot about changes to this offense. As a defensive player, how has this offense kind of tested you and the rest of the defense so far in training camp so far?) – “Oh man, it’s been great. We’re seeing looks that normally you don’t see this early in training camp. It really tests our edges and tests our gap defense, so as long as everyone is doing their job and working hard to improve, that’s how we have to approach each day.”
(What do you think you’ve got to prove this year? Obviously you’re working to try to get a multi-year deal at the same time.) – “For me, it’s just being myself. Go out there and compete each and every day and do what I do best and run to the ball, do the extra little stuff that people don’t always recognize.”
(We’ve heard so much about T Terron Armstead helping out the young offensive linemen. Does he ever give you tips coming off that edge, things you can do to help your pass rush game?) – “Not yet. He hasn’t practiced a whole lot, but as soon as I go up against him and see the certain looks that he gives, I should ask him.”
(Have you put on some weight?) – “No, I’m about where I was last year.”
(I know there’s a lot of continuity on defense and Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer said that really the core of what you guys do is going to be the same, but obviously you never want to stay stagnant. I guess just what percentage of the defense is maybe a little bit different or have you put wrinkles in so far?) – “It’s a lot of similarities to last year. Everybody is going to do their job. We’re going to be fundamentally sound and honestly, it’s pretty similar to last year and everybody’s just got to attack their job.”
(And so far, what impact have you seen LB Melvin Ingram make on the team so far?) – “Just his leadership and then the way he attacks each day. You can definitely feel him when he’s out there and just watching practice, he makes plays all the time so it’s really exciting.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that because the defense is so good, he doesn’t always have to be as aggressive because he can kind of count on the defense to slow things down. How does that feel for you to hear something like that and to know your unit is…?) – “Yeah, it’s exciting. The standard here is high and we come about each day trying to uphold that standard and if it’s not good enough, all of us players on defense, we know that we have to come out and attack the next day and get better.”
(Do you feel you’re kind of, as a unit – not self-policing, but you kind of can give that feedback to one another?) – “Yeah, for sure. We can tell right away if it’s not good enough. If we don’t set the edge or if we give up deep balls or give up splash plays, we don’t expect the offense to gain a yard so whenever they do that, it’s definitely not to our standard.”
Mike McDaniel – August 5, 2022
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Friday, August 5, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(There are a lot of – obviously with as much talent as you have at tight end, receiver, running back – there are going to be a lot of players who want the ball, touches, playing time this year. When you and General Manager Chris Grier were evaluating which players to re-sign or sign, how much did you talk, if any, about each one? Would this guy make waves if he doesn’t get as many snaps as maybe he has in the past or feels like he deserves? Is that ever a consideration when you and Chris evaluate players and specifically with tight end, you have a bunch of players who have had a lot of NFL snaps. Not all of them might get as many as they have in the past. Was that something you thought about with TE Mike Gesicki, TE Durham Smythe, etc. in signing them?) – “You adamantly discuss each and every player that you’re re-signing and I think competitors, by nature, compete and they, in general, have a yearn to have the ball. But then I try not to have preconceived notions necessarily about how players are going to respond or whatever. That’s what you do as a coach. You show how each and every play affects other plays, how things can snowball, how some days you won’t have any (opportunities) with regard to playing the ball down the field and some days you will. So it’s really not a matter of trying to avoid that. It’s kind of setting the vision of what good football takes, what type of sacrifice it takes and there’s never been a team that hurts because of too much competition.”
(What’s your approach in preseason games? Because I know typically coaches – they kind of level up and then sort of level down maybe a little at the end in terms of using starters. How much work do you want to get the guys during that and at what point will you pull back maybe to avoid injury or that kind of thing?) – “I think it’s a tough balance – an inexact science that you try to handle on a case-by-case basis and what the team needs, understanding that every time you’re playing football, there’s always a risk in that. There’s an inherent risk, but there’s also – preseason is a valuable time to hone your skills and having 11 people work together for the regular season. So realistically I don’t try to shortchange. We have three practices before we head off to Tampa and practice against them, and I try not to get ahead of myself and say, ‘Okay, this person first of all is anointed the starter. Second of all, how much are they going to play?’ That’s something that I think it’s important to wait until you get there before you really decide exactly how long each individual player will play because there’ll be starters that end up playing in Preseason (Week) 1. There will be starters that won’t. I don’t think that preseason is very valuable, but you’re also trying to figure out who is going to be on your team and we take that very seriously.”
(I wanted to ask you about the news that came out recently about Steve Ross and tampering and courtships of a coach and Tom Brady. What do you say to the team? Obviously I don’t know how much it impacts people who are actually on the field on a daily basis, but when they see themselves as an organization be discussed in the news and it involves possibly their head coach and it involves their quarterback, what do you say to them as a group?) – “You said a key thing in that statement where you’re not sure if it involves the people on the field, so that right there, the most important thing as a head coach is that that’s your entire focus. So you can say a lot by saying a lot or not saying anything at all. We have an incredible challenge in front of us as the 2022 Dolphins. I think the players are owed complete and utter focus on that, so I think there’s power in not giving legs to something that doesn’t really affect those 2022 players that really deserve full and undivided attention. I think that’s something that you can – the biggest thing is that players have an objective that day. Players are owed a lot by coaches for what they sacrifice, so I wouldn’t do them the disservice by spending any time on things that aren’t 100 percent focused on what’s important to them and their job at hand, which is making a football team and then being held accountable for their efforts moving forward on game days.”
(Is there any concern at this point regarding CB Byron Jones and his status for the start of the regular season?) – “No. The concern is with him continuing to progress. Right now that isn’t a concern for us, but it takes a full commitment each and every day for that to hold true, so right now we’re confident in how he’s rehabbing. If there’s a setback, then we’ll be concerned, but until then, we feel pretty good about it.”
(We had Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker the other day, who said something interesting about how he thought he sucked his first year as a coach and he’s come along since that time. You’ve talked a lot about developing players and for a coach that’s come along this ride with you a little bit with Wes, I was just curious about your process of cultivating coaching development?) – “That’s an important, important aspect of the job. I think Wes is really – he channels his inner player on that one and I think he was being a little hard on himself. But I think that speaks to what he’s kind of invested in, in the whole process, how far he’s come. But that’s always ongoing. That’s very important for me, as a leader of the football team, is to make sure that the players are getting resourced by people that are getting better at their craft. To always seek new and different ways to communicate with people and handle those relationships in the best way possible. So I think it’s just attention. I think it’s positive reinforcement on things that are working. I think it’s solution-finding and just really investment into the assistant coaches by myself to improve on things that really don’t work.”
(What was the thinking in just releasing DL Adam Butler with a failed physical as opposed to PUP or keeping him around? Because he was a useful piece last year. And did the fact you have confidence in other defensive tackles on the roster – DT John Jenkins, the young guys, factor into that?) – “Absolutely he was a useful piece. It takes a village in the NFL organization, and I don’t fancy myself as a CBA expert. Luckily, I have CBA experts down the ball as a resource, so certain things within the injury really kind of forced the hand in that direction and yes, we are very, very confident in a lot of the young players that we’re developing and I’m very confident in that room in general.”
(From your former experience, do you have a favorite part and/or a least favorite part of the art of the joint practice and how that works?) – “My favorite part is the competition. You’ve been going against each other for – I mean, shoot, I think it would be like, 120-some-odd days since we started in OTAs or in the offseason program. So that break-up is much needed. So it’s very, very useful in that regard where you get to go against an opponent – somebody else – for the first time and that’s super valuable. And you get exposure to different schemes on both sides of the ball, which is very valuable moving forward to the regular season. My least favorite part? I guess it’s honestly, I love the opportunity for the players in the preseason game. From a coach’s perspective, it’s kind of annoying because you’ve kind of used your bullets in practice so you kind of – it is a little challenge to not adjust from practice, which kind of gets you out of the whole process of what you want to show and what you don’t want to show. So that whole gymnastics, the fact that we have to play a game, is a very necessary evil that is important to me for the players’ opportunity. But from a working day-to-day deal it’s kind of annoying from a coach’s perspective.”
(The NFL confirmed that this team, at some point, was interested in another quarterback in QB Tom Brady. Do you feel like that motivated QB Tua Tagovailoa at all since he was still on the roster at that point? Is he the kind of quarterback or person at this point that needs reassurance in the team’s confidence in him?) – “No. If you’re a starting quarterback in the National Football League and you don’t think that there’s competition always, then that’s not the way to look at it. You look at it like you’re going to go attack this job and it’s your job to show everyone exactly who’s the best person for it. Whether or not Tua (Tagovailoa) himself feels X, Y or Z, the only thing I know is what he speaks to me about and that’s how confident he is in the way he’s playing and his skillset. I know his teammates are very confident in what he’s developing, so that’s a cool process to be involved in. I haven’t seen anything from Tua that would lend me to believe that he’s affected in the slightest by all the stuff that goes on that he can’t control.”
(How smart is S Jevon Holland? For such a young player, I notice you always come around to him and you spend a little bit of time with him, at least.) – “Oh, yes. (laughter) It has been really, really cool watching Tua (Tagovailoa) and him compete. And that’s an odd thing to say, like in regards to a safety versus a quarterback, but he plays all over the place, he communicates the defense from the call from the sidelines and he’s a student. I think Tua respects that, and they have kind of a nice competitive bond going. It speaks to how football smart he is, how to – the things that he does on the football field are super exciting for the Miami Dolphins moving forward. He is athletic and has a lot of skills, but none of that even matters if he doesn’t have a brain for football and a commitment to football like he does.”
(Obviously, the game has changed a lot publicly from 20 years ago with players using social media to kind of express their thoughts and that kind of thing. I was just curious, from your perspective, how you sort of believe in players expressing themselves publicly if they’re unhappy with something or something along those lines. Is that something that you as a coach want to monitor?) – “No, I think it’s a very important thing for players to understand, and that’s that it’s pretty black and white, your arguments and your feelings, and you express them the best on the football field. One thing that I’ve talked to the team about is I see better than I hear. So all of those things can be expressed, and it’s your job as a coach to kind of show how to handle any sort of adverse emotions and project it into your play, and how you can show your teammates you know exactly what you’re doing, show your they can count on you and show your teammates that they’re better off with them than against them.”
(Are you concerned with the quarterback-center exchange? You’ve had several high snaps. Are you concerned a little bit with that with OL Connor Williams?) – “I would be concerned if he didn’t work at it. That will – even with guys that have been doing that for an extended period of time, shoot, Alex Mack last year, that is something that when you’re asking players to do various things post-snap out of the shotgun, you have to kind of learn how to negotiate the accuracy of those. I would be concerned if he wasn’t working at it. I am very, very confident in how far he’s come. He’s earned that because of his ownership of the position that he’s trying to go and take, and I think the rest of the team is pretty confident that that’s not necessarily an issue. There are a lot of snaps that are on target as well.”
(What’s your history on that adjustment? Because a lot of times when the guy is going from center to guard, it’s not as hard. But when he’s going from guard to center to handle the ball, what’s been your history when you’ve made a player make an adjustment?) – “What’s cool is we have a plethora of offensive line coaches as you guys know, but I have firsthand experience with (Offensive Assistant) Mike Person as a player doing the same thing. Those are things that definitely come to – aren’t lost and that you’re thinking about, so it’s been cool. A little known fact, (Offensive Coordinator) Frank Smith was a center for Ben Roethlisberger in college. We have a good amount of center experience within our coaching staff and that is something I think players can really lean on and is very helpful, and that’s why I haven’t really been that concerned about it because I do have history with moving guards to center and understand the little bumps in the road along the process.”
(OL Michael Deiter, any sense of timetable?) – “He’s feeling better. We’re trying to be pragmatic and not be greedy, so expect him sooner than later. It’s not sometime this week. We’re taking it day-by-day intentionally, but also trying to battle him because he is competitive as all get out. And then the second question?”
(Which I can now cancel, in fact, because with OL Michael Deiter coming back soon, you would seemingly, and you and General Manager Chris Grier would know this far better than us, but with Deiter coming back soon, you would seemingly have enough with OL Connor Williams, Deiter, OL Cole Banwart, OL Adam Pankey. So I’m willing to cancel the second part of what I asked if you have to get to a meeting.) – “Oh, well um, thanks? (laughter) We have bullets everywhere, so we’re – adversity is an opportunity. There’s been some great snaps for a couple other players because of his injury. I really challenge guys to take advantage of opportunities and utilize those practices to their benefit. There’s never too much versatility an interior offensive linemen can have, so that’s why we’re pretty comfortable being pragmatic.”
