Mike McDaniel – October 20, 2023
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Friday, October 20, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Let’s talk not one, not two, but three, three cornerbacks. So CB Xavien Howard, I know he tried to work with the groin yesterday. CB Kader Kohou has had the neck, he’s been limited. Those two what’s your level of optimism for Sunday? And CB Nik Needham, do we see him this week? Do we see him next week?) – “Zero, I mean, what? (laughter) They’re great questions. I enjoy the spirit of them. But I know those football players are going to play football very soon. If it’s Sunday, they’ll be ready to roll. If it’s not, they’ll be ready to roll the following week. Again, I apologize, but I mean, c’mon.”
(I know it’s Friday at noon.) – “But honestly, what I can tell you is there weren’t any setbacks from yesterday at all. They’re all progressing at various speeds. Needham, it’s a roster situation that we kind of have to be calculated with. But there weren’t any setbacks, and we’ll see how today goes and then how they’re feeling. Those three players are very – established players in these scenarios are different than guys maybe that aren’t as long in the tooth in play. If you have a lot of experience, you’re less apprehensive about the unknowns going into the weekend. So we’ll do our very best.”
(I wanted to follow up with that. CB Cam Smith, he talked about how he spent a lot of time with the scout team earlier in practice and now is getting some reps with the base defense. How has he looked and what did you learn about him just from these past six weeks?) – “There’s been a lot to learn for me, personally, because I know guys with ability, everyone has their expectations. You’re drafted in the first day or the second day, your vision is of how you’re going to play and you don’t really think of the possibility of like hey, what happens if you have to earn your way on the field. So you learn a lot about guys when they’re practicing and then they maybe don’t get game reps. Well, the most important thing that is absolutely non-negotiable to me is that guys get better. I think that’s hugely important. I know that’s cliché. And then you want to see, what a great opportunity to see if things aren’t falling your exact way maybe that you want, where do you go? Do you point fingers and then get worse at football because, shoot, I’m not going to try because I’m not getting any immediate results. Or do you chop wood at your craft and get better through the process? Well, what I’ve seen from the last couple of weeks is a progression of Cam getting better. So that’s the thing that is the most important thing to me because it’s not easy to be an ambitious football player, have competition like we do and not get immediate results. I’m happy with the way he’s approached stuff. I’ve learned a lot about him in terms of the tough-mindedness that you hope that people have. Where again, you’re not a finger-pointer, you’re okay, I’m going to work harder to get the results that I want. Because of that, he has a chance, as long as he continues to do that, which I have no reason to believe he won’t.”
(Do you have a greater sense of optimism for OL Connor Williams playing?) – “That’s even trickier than the corner situation just because we’re dealing with the residuals of hey, we went and played and the injury was burdened through the play. We’ve been trying to protect Connor from himself and Connor is going to make sure that whatever he does, that it’s with the big picture in mind. That doesn’t mean anything but okay, well, is it at a spot where I know that it’s not going to be worse on Monday than while we’re in the middle of the season? He had some good reps when he was working on the bags yesterday, specifically, that I saw some movement that was exciting. But you kind of have to let that one specifically progress because you’re really day-to-day. Because it’s like, alright, well, let’s turn it up a little bit, or let’s pull it back a little bit. But he’s at a good spot mentally and that’s the most important thing to me because it’s a big picture, whole season kind of outlook that I want to make sure that we’re doing right by him and he’s doing right by himself.”
(Coach we talked to Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith and Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Coach Jon Embree about the fun they’re having in the collaborating of putting together the offensive gameplan. I was curious, from your perspective, how you go about fostering, making it fun to come to work and then also the collaboration of putting together the offensive gameplan?) – “I think perspective is a big part of the job that I have. We’ve all worked – I mean, work is work – but it’s one thing to have a glass half-full boss and one thing to have glass-half empty. We’ve had a lot of reasons to be optimistic. But just in general, I think it’s important to recognize and bring to the attention of everybody involved that, hey, this is pretty awesome because we’re all moving in the same direction. We’re a team that’s trying to solve the same problems and when you do that, without trying to assert credit, or you do it from a humble perspective, it’s fun to be a part of. Because it’s truly – we’re in a team game and the way that we operate here is as a team. Regardless of what problems you have with a given week, what obstacles, maybe matchups that are coming up, or maybe guys that you have injured or whatever it is, those are surmountable if you’re doing it with teammates. I think that idea is something I believe in, but the biggest part of the whole formula is you have the right people to execute that. I think it’s like a lot of things, the result of having a fun place to work has a lot to do with the people that are working there. I can set any tone I want. But the guys have to be ambitious, they have to be the right type of people, hungry to give their players advantages. The end result is coaches and players working together, appropriately I think.”
(Speaking of fun, you were recently featured on NFL Films and when you got announced as the head coach people called you a savant. Now it’s coming into funny and delightful. Did you ever think that you would have that kind of impact to people that are not even Dolphins fans, kind of tuning in and seeing what you’re doing and actually watching the team?) – “I mean, that was a lot right there. I try to stay out of the noise. Generally, when you’re getting a lot of positive feedback, there’s some humility to follow. So I stay out of that, but you hope you’re given the opportunity. I know for me personally, it’s been a life’s journey to try to hope or to try to be in a position to really positively impact people. It’s why I knew that coaching was the profession I wanted to get into was because I was passionate about it. I know if you’re passionate about something, that gives you the best chance to be effective at doing it. But yeah, I really don’t take anything for granted. That’s the fortunate thing of having trials and tribulations in life. That’s why it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have to go through things because I think that’s given me the – I’m very, very fortunate to have the perspective that I have. I don’t take the role, the team, and everything that comes with it for granted for one second. The analogy I would use is the irony in life is are you really fortunate if you grow up as a child with money. On the front end, you think that’s awesome. But then do you really appreciate it? I didn’t grow up with money so being paid as a head coach, I really appreciate. I didn’t grow up with a family, so being a part of a team is extremely important and I don’t lose that at all. All those things, I’m kind of in the middle of a dream, living it, and have a lot of work to do. So to say that I could have forecasted any of this wouldn’t be honest. But I very much appreciate each and every part of it for sure. I’m very, very blessed in that way.”
(It’s been six weeks and of course, results are there for you guys. What makes you feel comfortable about where this team is going? Maybe things that we don’t see on the field, some things that you see off the field?) – “That’s a great question. I like that question because there’s a very concrete, easy answer to my optimism moving forward. It goes back to my favorite, not my favorite, but it’s a top saying of mine. I see better than I hear. And I think what I’ve seen is specifically in the last three weeks, a continued uptick in the deliberate intention and strain and execution in practice. That’s my greatest litmus test, is how are people approaching their jobs during the week, giving you the best chance to perform and execute all of your given tasks on a Sunday. It’s pretty cut and dry, black and white. When teams are treating practice like a game, you have a chance against any team. That’s what I’ve seen from our guys. You worry mightily about a young team and having success. So then your eyes are fully open to their behavior and how they’re approaching their day-to-day jobs. I’m confident in the team because of what they’ve shown me, not what they’ve told me.”
(Is LB Andrew Van Ginkel back today?) – “Yes.”
(Sometimes you hear the phrase, ‘teams learning how to win’. Where do you think this team is? Has it learned how to win? I mean, you’ve won five games so where are you in that process?) – “Yeah, I think we’re learning how to win. Not just because we’ve won, but because we’ve had obstacles and won in different fashions. I think a lot of people forget, I don’t want the team to forget, but I think our first two victories, the defense won the game. Okay, then our third victory we had a ton of points and turnovers that we turned into. Those are different types of games. This past game, we were down 14-0, and then the offense scored and the defense didn’t allow the opponent to score. They didn’t have any scoreboard adjustment until the fourth quarter. Those are different types of games. So I think that’s part of the learning mechanism. I know there’s more to learn for our team, and that’s why you have to approach every game with full intent and see what happens and then get better from it. There’ll be more lessons to learn, so we’re not done learning. But I think as far as where we could conceivably be at, relative to the season, Week 7, I’m happy with what we’ve learned, and we need to continue to learn so that we can be our best when our best is required.”
(How has your defensive front seven done? And is there room to grade on a curve even a little bit, because they’re in the first year of a new system?) – “The one thing that I’m fired up about is progressing as a defense from the entirety of it, really. I think, case in point, we’ve gotten into a rhythm. I think we lead the league in quarterback hits and we’re third in sacks, I believe. And what that is, you don’t get anywhere top of anything unless there’s a growth. I think that journey, you have to be literally relentless if you really want to get the best out of yourselves, out of the unit, and finish the season as far as you can go. You have to continue to progress. So that’s why I’m happy. I guess the bottom line is across the board, I’m happy with where we’re at. But as far today, this practice, this game, and the following, I’ll be happy if we maintain that progression because that’s necessary for you to accomplish what you want. And you don’t do it any other way besides coming to work. We have a Friday practice, and we need to execute our assignments with high intensity. And then you just stack those over and over and over. As boring as it is, that’s the formula. And I don’t think it ever changes.”
(You’ve said something probably a month ago that I found very interesting. You said why save plays when you can just make new plays? Now I wanted to know about when you create these new plays, at what point do you implement them? And then have them ready for execution on Sunday? Is it a week? Is it you’ve been working on this play two weeks ago sharpening it? Or how does that process all work?) – “Well, if we determine a play’s worth, we’re always tweaking plays for a specific defense. But if there’s a new play that as a staff we decide we want to implement, it’s an entire football team, that’s why it’s our offense; it’s not mine or this other person. It’s ours. Because we’ll put the play in and then listen to the feedback that’s directly given to us. Not by like, ‘hey, I like this or not’, but how do the players handle it? Okay, well, if there’s a lot of tinkering that needs to be done with it, we try to tinker with it, see how they respond and maybe apply it for the next week. Or maybe you see it through the week. There’s a lot of different angles. Generally, if we introduce something new, by the end of the week we either throw it out or run it generally if it’s something completely new. That’s not always the case. And then there’s times where maybe in a game you just don’t get it called because the situation doesn’t present itself. There’s been multiple opportunities this season that we’ve been able to have a similar scheme, have the play that we didn’t have or had up previously. And then I’ll run that same play that week because the defense hasn’t seen it, and now the offense has more reps at something that’s new, so it’s always varied. But the bottom line is we’ll run plays that our players will execute at a high level. And once they get to that, all right, call it. And until it’s not that, we have to do a better job coaching.”
Jaylen Waddle – October 19, 2023
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Thursday, October 19, 2023
WR Jaylen Waddle
(How does it feel to kind of have an Alabama reunion? I feel like every week is one, but maybe so more this week with nine guys.) – “It’s going to be fun. We got to practice against them last year. I’ve been watching them from afar, so to play in person, it’ll be fun. Lot of ‘Bama guys out there.”
(I know Philadelphia DeVonta Smith has a hamstring injury, are you making sure to tell him to be out there?) – “Nah, one thing about ‘Schmitty (DeVonta Smith) is he a dawg. He’s going to be out there for sure.”
(Do you have a group text going with Alabama guys? Is it multiple positions? Is it just offensive guys?) – “We have a group chat. Mostly our receiver room, everyone who was in our receiver room, so we talk every day. It isn’t really nothing new for us. We haven’t seen each other and keep in touch.”
(How often do you and DeVonta Smith exchange texts? Do you do it after some games? How often do you guys talk still?) – “Oh yeah, like every day, honestly. When they have a game I can watch and we’re not playing, I’ll tune in, tap in, and he is doing his stuff. Pretty often.”
(Are there a lot of texts going back and forth when Alabama is playing?) – “Yeah, definitely. We’re tuned in, tapped in every week. Good, bad, and ugly.”
(It’s wonderful how both of your careers have worked out well. Was it a tough three months before the draft when every draft analyst is dissecting who should a team take between you and DeVonta Smith? Was that something that you joked about at the time? Because it was every day on draft pregame shows.) – “No, not for real. I was in a whole different place then he was. So we were just rolling with the punches at that time. We got to connect on pro day and ended up doing pro day and cheering him on and stuff. Nah, it really wasn’t weird.”
(There’s a lot of talk about how unique this offense is. I know the short motion that we’ve seen WR Tyreek Hill do kind of where a tight end runs out. It seems like some teams have kind of stolen that, have you noticed that across the league or not?) – “I think everybody motions. We do a lot of different motions throughout the week and throughout what y’all see. It’s a copycat league. If they do something we like, we’ll try to put it in. If we do something that other teams like, they’ll try to put it in. That’s just how the league goes.”
(Do you get a sense of pride knowing teams are seeing what you guys do and have success and try to replicate it?) – “Yeah, you can say that.”
(What’s the biggest on-field skill that WR Tyreek Hill has rubbed off on you in your game just from watching him and learning from him?) – “Yeah, Tyreek is a dawg. He just brings that dawg mentality week in and week out. And that’s what you all see. He just stays locked in, for real, throughout the whole game, through practice and all that good stuff. I pretty much learn from him each and every day.”
(Any sort of pressure you guys might be feeling with Sunday Night Football and the atmosphere you’ll be in? What do you expect?) – “No, no pressure at all. We’re going into a hostile environment against a good team. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be real competitive going in, but I wouldn’t say pressure no.”
(Have you come up with any theories on why WR Tyreek Hill is always cramping?) – “I don’t know. I’ll tell him to drink water. He normally does drink water though.”
(It can’t be that simple though, because I’ve seen WR Tyreek Hill with Pedialyte in his hands.) – “I don’t know. I guess when you’re running that fast, you generate all that power, maybe you just get dehydrated faster than other people, I guess.”
(But you run that fast. I haven’t seen you cramp one time.) – “Yeah, I don’t know. ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill), I don’t know. (laughter) That’s a good question though. The people want to know, huh?”
(How many IVs do you take?) – “I’m really not an IV guy, really. I ain’t really an IV guy. I don’t – no. I’m really not.”
(So you think he’s just leaning on the IVs too much?) – “No, not for real because he’s always drinking, always got water next to him. He knows it’s going to be hot, so I wouldn’t even say that, for real. I don’t know, that’s a good question.”
(Can you take us inside the Alabama swag box that was here a week ago?) – “Yeah, we had the shirts, the hats, the winter gear, beanies. They didn’t send us no shoes, but we had the whole shebang. I just seen somebody else’s box, my locker mate, they sent him just a t-shirt and a hat. I said, ‘We don’t get down like that at the Tide.’ You feel me? (laughter) Yeah, they did us right.”
(When QB Tua Tagovailoa threw the pass to WR DeVonta Smith to win the championship, were you committed to Alabama at that time?) – “No.”
(Were you at the game?) – “No.”
(Do you remember watching it on TV?) – “I do remember watching it on TV. I do remember.”
(What did you think?) – “It was a play, man. It was play to be remembered that’s going to be remembered for a long time. But yeah, that was exciting.”
(What did you learn at Alabama about the best way to approach the biggest game?) – “Really just treat it like any other game. There’s no game that’s bigger than the other one. It’s going to be pretty regular.”
Tyreek Hill – October 19, 2023
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Thursday, October 19, 2023
WR Tyreek Hill
(On cramping last game.) – “I’ve been cramping my whole life. It’s something I’ve been dealing with ever since I was in high school. It’s crazy man. It doesn’t matter how much I hydrate, how much fluids I put in my body, it’s just an issue I’ve been dealing with. Obviously, I’ve been looking for ways my whole entire life to deal with it because I don’t want it to stop me or prevent me from being on the field.”
(How excited are you for a Sunday Night game going into the environment that you guys know can get kind of crazy?) – “I love it. This is what football is all about. Going against a real good opponent, Sunday Night Football, no better stage. I feel like our guys are ready with the way we practiced today.”
(What do you expect that environment to be like over there with the Philly fans?) – “I’ve played in Philly. I mean obviously the fans are going to be fans, regardless of who you play against. Some good, some nasty. I feel like playing this game, that’s what you have to expect sometimes, and that’s what I’m ready for.”
(Did the NFL let the celebration go and not put anything in the mail this time?) – “Yeah, I didn’t see anything in the mail. I’ve kind of been expecting it, but hopefully the NFL won’t fine me this time.”
(Is this a bigger game then any other game or is it just one of 17?) – “It’s just the next opponent. We’re just going to treat it like any other opponent. We’re going to go in there and play hard and do what we have to do to win.”
Frank Smith – October 19, 2023
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Thursday, October 19, 2023
Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(I am a WR Tyreek Hill could win MVP guy. Do you think nowadays, a wide receiver could win the MVP in the NFL?) – “Sure, I’d hope so. That would be awesome for the achievements at the end of the year. However, right now we still got a couple of months to go before we’re worried about all of that. Our sole focus this week, and I know Tyreek’s as well, is getting ready for the Eagles and making sure that we embrace the challenge of this week.”
(I want to ask you about the offensive line. I don’t have to tell you in the past year, we’ve written a certain story about them, and this year that story has totally flipped. The single biggest reason for the improvement is what?) – “The magical powder we throw over the practice field. (laughter) No, there is no one single thing you could really say. It’s a collective group buy-in to what they are trying to do and trying to accomplish, and then going out and upholding to that standard every day. It’s easy to say I want this and then therefore your goal is this lofty idea as opposed to ok, daily improvement requires a deliberate daily focus and intensity to the process. I think that’s just the greatest thing that this offseason and the way we structured it, was allowing the group to really focus on their individual techniques and individual collective purpose to concepts. I think all of that has really played into the factor of them really understanding what we’re trying to do, how we’re trying to do it and then constantly working to improve and growing every day through their knowledge of the fundamentals they are trying to accomplish and then what the intent of the concept is.”
(When you look at the Eagles defensive front, you see what?) – “A very good group that knows who they are. They play together very well. They’ve had a lot of success there. They have their style of play and the way they want to attack an offense. Like we’ve talked about earlier in the year, as you have success in the season, every game gets more important. They are going to be a great challenge for us for what our long-term goals are, but our short-term focus has to be right now on how do we make sure that we’re at our best when our best is required Sunday night.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa is often lauded for his footwork and what he can do getting to different spots, and different launch points in the offense. With the quarterback drops and footwork and timing of the routes in the offense, how do you think his skillset with his footwork help you guys expand offensively?) – “When you have a good understanding of the fundamentals necessary to play your position, it allows you to really play within the timing of the concept in the offense. It allows you to really have a great starting point that you can always build upon. When you look at all sports just in general, whether you’re an offensive lineman blocking, a wide receiver getting a release, a defensive back in coverage or taking a jump shot, footwork and fundamentals translate through all sports. It’s easy to bypass that and go into schematic things or loftier things. But ultimately, all sports break down to core fundamentals and execution within your fundamentals. When you play that way, it allows you to operate at a high level.”
(From the time you guys got QB Tua Tagovailoa to now, how have you guys seen him train and improve that aspect of his game?) – “Every day he approaches everything the way that you would want a quarterback to approach it, with a mindful deliberate nature towards how I want to play through my fundamentals is how I want to play through an entire season. Every day he has a sole focus on that.”
(Was TE Julian Hill’s blocking ability something you saw all along even before he got here or has it just continued to develop since the time you got your hands on him?) – “I think it’s something that we saw as potential on his tape coming out of college of what he could be and how he could really be a value to us at this level. I think between him and Jon (Embree), they’ve done a great job of really working on those things. The hardest thing about playing tight end is all the different spots you’re going to be asked to move, do things. You execute one fundamental and one plan, a completely opposite one another play, and his ability to have that mental stamina to balance all the different things you’re going to be asked to do and execute at that time. He and his approach from the day he got here has been – you would’ve thought he’d been in the NFL before because the way he approached all the little things to try and get better and the extra work he puts in. When you watch how a man goes about his business, you’re not surprised by what follows and for him, it’s no surprise because he’s putting in the work and then he has the ability. He’s another guy that each week you just see him keep growing and growing and improving in what he’s trying to do.”
(It says here 46 degrees, this weather man says northwest winds of 20 miles per hour with gusts up to 30 miles per hour. In your years of experience when it is a little chilly and especially windy, how, in all honesty, how aware does the offensive group need to be about that?) – “The greatest gift is we are here South Florida so at practice some days, we deal with wind just going out on a Wednesdays. I think our natural conditions help us with certain elements. When it comes to a cool day, it’s the same thing as like, when you’re a cold-weather team going to a warm-weather game. There’s going to be elements that you have to either allow yourself to be an issue or you just know that, all right, what’s my true focus and that is on my execution of what I’m doing. But the good thing is with a lot of the elements and stuff like that, windy days we’ve had here and we know how to work through conditions. So ultimately that place, the wind could blow that way, that way, any way; it’s going to be us and how do we execute collectively together.”
(What are the top two or three factors in deciding whether to activate RB Jeff Wilson Jr. this week?) – “Again, it comes down to the end of the week, where we’re at with guys and what we need for the active roster for Sunday. But ultimately, when guys are ready to go and they’ve exhibited what is necessary for Sunday, then it just comes down to what are our needs as far as depth throughout the complete roster. It’s never just as easy as cut-and-dry as, ‘okay, he’s ready to go, so here.’ You have to balance and weigh the entire group and what’s necessary for the game.”
(You mentioned last week RB Jeff Wilson Jr. already looked ready to go. Is he just even more so this week?) – “Ultimately the greatest thing you have when you have a position group where you have multiple – you have healthy inactives – like so at the beginning of the season, that’s the case a lot and it’s just as you get into the middle of the season, all right, if you ever have any guys ready to go and he’s down, that’s a good thing. For us right now, it’s all – it’s never as easy as just one group so this is that. You have to weigh the decisions for the entire roster that Mike (McDaniel) and Chris (Grier) have to do every week.”
(How did OL Liam Eichenberg do?) – “It’s like again, the first opportunity you go out and you have to play in that environment up there, it’s a great learning lesson. Next opportunity, you get to come home and really sink into things. Again, the growth of the position has been great for him and we’re very pleased with what he’s been doing so far. I know that he’ll never be satisfied with the work he’s done because like all guys, you’re always working to be at your best all the time. You’re always going to remember the play or two that you wish you could’ve improved on. But yeah, there’s a whole other body of work of things that we’re really pleased on what he’s been able to do for us.”
(Last week, Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Jon Embree talked about the redzone game plan that he’s a part of and how excited he is to try to get his stuff in every week. Just wanted to get your perspective of kind of the collaboration of the game plan, how much fun it is for you guys to put those together?) – “My favorite day of the week – I think we talked about it last year – my favorite day of the week is Tuesday. Your opponent prep starts on Monday, where you start really, okay, who’s the defense and who are they, how do they play, trying to see how they use their players and what’s the overall philosophical principles of coverage and front and just everything. And then as we get together on Tuesday with Mike (McDaniel) and I, we go through the base plan and it builds and then as we get into third down with the elements of that and then you get into short yardage, all right, inside the 5-yard line offense, and then red zone is the last element of the puzzle along with two-minute. You’re using the resources of your whole staff and everyone has different perspectives towards the experiences they had, so that’s where it’s like how do we all see the same thing. We’re seeing the defense the way we want to attack it. If everyone’s from the same one family, everyone will see it one (way); but since everyone here, we have such a wealth of experience, we see things different ways and how we’ve attacked that defense in a different realm. That’s the fun part and now that we’re going into Year 2, you see us collectively coming together as a staff. You see so much carryover of all of us seeing things. Now we’re seeing things more similarly. We have these concepts in this part of the plan that are now, ‘hey, third-down guy saw it the same way, red zone guy saw it the same way;’ we all are starting to really see the same things of how we want to attack things, which has been a really cool thing that ironically Mike (McDaniel) and I were talking about last week.”
Vic Fangio – October 19, 2023
Thursday, October 19, 2023
Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio
(Are you going through this week with the expectation that you will not have CB Xavien Howard on Sunday?) – “That’s yet to be determined. He didn’t practice yesterday. He’ll be limited today, and we’ll see how he progresses through the rest of the week.”
(When you think of Philadelphia, I know obviously you’re from there. What comes to mind, what memories do you have?) – “Memories? Lots of them. I grew up a Philadelphia fan in all sports. Diehard. When the Phillies were on the west coast and it’d be late at night, I’d hide a transistor radio in my bed and listen to the game on radio, Byrun Saam and Richie Ashburn. So, I was a diehard Phillies fan and Eagles fan growing up. Got my first job in pro football there back in the USFL with the Philadelphia Stars. So, Philly is a special place for me.”
(How much can you take from the experience you had last year with them?) – “Not a lot. I was giving them more information than they were giving me. That’s kind of the way it turned out. If there is any advantage to be had by me being there last year, it is in their favor.”
(What’s the outlook for LB Jaelan Phillips this weekend without giving away any strategy?) – “Yeah, I think it was great that we got him in the game last week. He played, I don’t know, I want to say 25 or so plays. I think that was really good. Hopefully he’ll be better this week. We’re still not going to play him full time, not like he was in the first game. But he definitely is progressing and definitely happy to have him back.”
(What are Eagles QB Jalen Hurts’ strengths?) – “He has no weaknesses. So that’s a strength. I’ve always like him. I told (Executive Vice President of the Philadelphia Eagles) Howie (Roseman) back in ’21 he had his quarterback. Very strong. Obviously, his running ability is tops. Gives them an extra guy in the run game, makes it hard to defend. Excellent scrambler. Great leader. It’s hard to find fault with him.”
(Here comes the obligatory CB Cam Smith question. He got some snaps on defense last week. How’d he do in those? And is he ready for more snaps on defense?) – “Well, he got four last week at the end of the game. They were pretty uneventful, not to his fault, but just not much happened. He’s getting more reps in practice and is progressing, and you never know with our injury situation in the secondary, he could show up.”
(With CB Nik Needham, any sense about if he’s going to be able to help you either this week or in the weeks to come?) – “Yeah, we hope that he can. If not this week, then in the weeks to come. He’s practiced on the scout team the previous couple weeks getting some reps. I’m anxious to see him. Everyone’s talked about him, but I haven’t seen him yet. Hopefully we’ll be able to get something out of him.”
(Last week, you alluded to rust with DT Christian Wilkins. Is it wearing off now?) – “Yeah, that was alluding to earlier in the season, not last week. He’s doing fine. He’s doing good.”
(Going back to CB Nik Needham, he’s played a versatile role in previous years. How do you see him fitting in whether it’s corner or slot?) – “Yeah, that’s a good question. If you’re versatile, it helps. Especially when you start having injuries like we’ve had in the secondary. I see him more as a nickel or a dime or a safety and an emergency corner at this point.”
(Is the ‘Tush Push’ a fair, competitive play?) – “Yeah, it’s fair. It’s legal. It’s within the rules. So it is definitely fair. They just happen to be really good at it because of their offensive line. They have a lot of power and size and athleticism that can get down low and the quarterback’s a load. He’s really a good quarterback sneaker. I think they’d have just as much success with the normal sneak as they are now. But with the push, it’s kind of become their thing. Credit to them for utilizing the rules to their advantage. I think it was 2006 when they said you could push. It took almost 15 years for somebody to incorporate it into their offense in a logical way and credit to them for that.”
(Can you do a rugby deal where you line up guys to push each other?) – “Yeah, I mean it’s been tried. Everybody has tried everything. Their personnel in the o-line and the quarterback, that combination, along with whoever is pushing, is tough. There’s a lot of teams doing it now. They do it the best.”
(Their run game ranks number one in success rate in general. What are the challenges they present?) – “Very challenging. First off, you start with their offensive line. They have really good players in the o-line. It’s probably the best offensive line in the league from a talent standpoint. They have size, experience, continuity. Four of the five starters have been four of the five starters for two, three, four years now. They do a great job. They’re extremely well coached by Jeff Stoutland. They have a good slew of backs that they go running back by committee. And then you throw in, oh by the way, the quarterback might keep it and run it himself. So, it’s a very tough assignment from just their talent level, just the way they’ve been coached. And now you add the running part of the quarterback, yes.”
(Does that last part drastically change in how you defend the run in terms of fitting it up because they can pull it out and run with the quarterback?) – “Yeah, there’s another layer to their running game that a lot of teams don’t have. And that makes it tough.”
(I’m a WR Tyreek Hill for MVP guy. I’m not putting those words into your mouth, but I’m wondering in today’s NFL, could a wide receiver, in your opinion, be worthy of MVP?) – “Yes, for sure.”
(Does Tyreek fit that mold in general?) – “He does.”
(From a schematic or play call standpoint, were there some things you were planning if CB Jalen Ramsey had been available that you haven’t gotten to but will get to, without getting into specifics, once he’s back?) – “Yeah, anytime you have a great player at any position, it will affect the way you call the game and schematically play. He fits that bill, and hopefully we get him back here sooner rather than later. He’s done a great job with his rehab. He’s attacked it like I’ve not seen many people attack a rehab. Sometimes those great players just have that little something in their DNA that they heal faster, and I think he’s one of those guys. But it’s also due to the work he’s put in. Anxious to get him back, but we have to make sure he’s ready to play before we put him out there.”
(We heard coaches and players talk about the impact CB Jalen Ramsey’s had in terms of being in the meeting room every day despite being in rehab. Did you guys feel a boost with him being in uniform yesterday?) – “Yeah, I mean because if you remember, it was the second practice of training camp when he got hurt. And those practices at that point are only about an hour long. And he got hurt halfway through the second one, so really haven’t seen him. And so it was nice to see him out there.”
(Do you know how CB Jalen Ramsey came out yesterday? Is he able to continue on this path today or does he need to back off some?) – “I think so. I haven’t heard anything to the contrary.”
(How big is this Philadelphia game? Is it one of 17, or is it a little bit bigger for some reason?) – “No, it’s one of 17. It’s no different then our last two games in that it’s an NFC opponent. So, the weight on the schedule and standings is the same. It just happens to be played on a bigger stage on Sunday night. But in the final analysis, it’s game seven of 17.”
(I wanted to follow up on the CB Nik Needham questions. He was working on scout team you said the previous two weeks. Is he now back in the base defense, especially when you have sort of an unsettled cornerback situation?) – “Yeah, we’ve given him some snaps. Not a lot. We have another week before we have to make a decision on him. We can use him this week if we so choose, but he’s not had a lot with the defense.”
(With CB Parry Nickerson, what did he do, particularly in practice, that helped him elevate himself?) – “From the day he got here, which he got here right before the Atlanta preseason game I think, and got thrown in the action that game and played well. He’s quick. He’s fast. He’s instinctive. He’s not played much football in the NFL. He’s been around but he really never played much. So, I’ve been impressed with him in practice so I thought he was due an opportunity there.”
(We’re talking about the run game being so stout, but they have two explosive receivers as well. How do you balance that? Is it a pick your poison situation there with the running game versus deep passing game?) – “Well, it is. I thought I had the perfect defense for these guys, but then I realized I had 12 players on the field. (laughter) They’re good. Their receiving group of (A.J.) Brown, (DeVonta) Smith, (Dallas) Goedert, you can match them up against anybody. Then the run game, we’ve talked about the scrambling quarterback. It’s an extremely tough assignment.”
(What’s Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni like?) – “I like Nick. Nick’s a really good guy. He’s focused. Very open. I think he’s doing a great job with the Eagles since he’s gotten there.”
(When CB Jalen Ramsey can return to game action, do you envision that Star role that he played with the Rams or maybe not so much?) – “It’s too early to say. Probably not quite as much as he did there.”
Danny Crossman – October 19, 2023
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Thursday, October 19, 2023
Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman
(Tell us about the thwarted fake punt attempt. Were you guys expecting the fake punt in that situation?) – “We were aware of the possibility of it. When you look at the history of the special teams coach, the head coach, (Johnny) Hekker’s history of throwing the football, in that field position, that down and distance, it was not a surprise.”
(How pleased were you with the response of DB Elijah Campbell and LB Duke Riley to get over there?) – “Pleased. I thought it could’ve been even cleaner. It should have been a couple of yards shorter. It shouldn’t have been that close. But the guy did a great job, great effort, with the strain to make it as close as it was. Trying to win the game. They’re trying to win the game and that’s why you do those things. At the same time, we’ve got to be prepared and you don’t want to chase ghosts, but you’ve got to look at history and then be prepared to play what history indicates.”
(You have a potential record-setting offense, one of the best in the league. When an opponent is facing an offense of that caliber, do you think that they go the extra mile on special teams to try to get themselves an edge?) – “Well, you’ve got to believe they’re going to go the extra mile in how they’re playing the game. Whether it’s in the kicking game, whether it’s what they’re doing offensively, trying to limit our possessions. There’s a couple of ways of doing that, taking possessions away whether it be by fake or sustaining drives by ball control. So there’s a lot of ways to do it. But I think without question, with the offense that we have, the way that we’ve been able to execute up to this point, teams are going to try to take some of that away from us.”
(What do you know about kicking up in Philly at this time of year? I mean, wind conditions, how is it going to be? What are you expecting?) – “We’re expecting just going by the weather, as we normally do tracking a little bit, we are expecting mid-40s, with 10 to 15 mile-an-hour winds. So, yeah, we’ve been in those situations. I’ve been up in that stadium with those situations. Not all our players have, but we’ve had some similar situations of that. I think the best thing is yesterday, last week, even with the heat spell, we’ve had some pretty good wind here over the last week. So that’s always a – you hate to say a pleasurable thing – here it’s pleasurable because last week we needed to cool things down. But it also gives our guys some work that we don’t normally get.”
(What do you see when you look at Eagles WR Britain Covey?) – “Very quick. Courageous. Does not like to fair catch the football. He’s going to try and take advantage of any opportunity he gets. Does a great job with vision and being able to put his foot in the ground and get vertical if you give him an opportunity. But yeah, he’s a weapon, both he in the punt return game, Boston Scott in the kick return game. It’s a good group. It’s a good team from top to bottom. It’s a good group.”
(With guys like CB Cam Smith, in terms of young players who are just carving out a role for themselves on special teams, how is he performing? And then what’s the next step for him to sort of cement himself in that unit?) – “Well, I think it’s twofold. I think number one, he’s getting better every week, which is what you’re looking for because we’re asking him to do things in certain phases that he’s never done. So it’s new. The ability to grow and learn and keep improving, that’s what he’s done and that’s what he needs to continue to do.”
(I want to know about WR Chase Claypool. I’ve seen him trying to get some work there. When you have a guy that moves that fast, that size, how much can that help you on special teams?) – “Well, yeah, anytime you can find matchups where – size and speed are two great attributes and he’s an individual that has both of them. He’ll keep working, at some point when it’s deemed, whatever that role may be, if he’s available, we’ll find something to do with him because he’s a very talented individual. As I said, we’re very happy to have him and we think he’s going to have a good role for this football team.”
(Has anyone ever done the tush push off of a fake punt? Would that be allowed? Are you allowed to push off of a fake punt?) – “Kansas City tried it a week ago on field goal. So yeah, people have added that to the repertoire.”
(Did it work?) – “It did not.”
(It’s hard to pull that off.) – “Yeah, it is. Again, when you look at Philadelphia and what they’ve done on offense, it’s something that I’m sure they’ve repped a whole lot. The rules of the game allow it, so they’ve taken advantage of it and done a great job with it.”
(You mentioned obviously you noticed that Kansas City had done something like that. Other assistant coaches have mentioned seeing other stuff from other teams around the league. I was curious, was that just being a fan that you watched that or do you actually take time to kind of watch what other special teams units are doing?) – “I pull stuff from around the league every week and go through and see what’s happening and see if there’s any trends. Just studying the game and trying to stay up on what’s happening.”
(You pocketed that piece of information for a couple of weeks.) – “Without question. That was an easy one.”
(Have you understood the rhythm and cadence of kickoffs yet, now that we’re six weeks into the season?) – “I think you’re seeing a very similar – up to this point – you’re seeing what we talked about early in the year. I think people are still hitting the ball deep and still trying to get adjusted. You are seeing more fair catches. Every week around the league you see one or two. So people are using that tool, whether it be on short kicks or even deep kicks, people are fielding the ball and catching it on the one or two-yard line and fair catching it. Not always wide, so people are using it in different ways. It’ll be interesting to continue watching it around the league and then specific based to certain teams obviously that are on our schedule.”
(Obviously WR Braxton Berrios is excellent at punt and kick. We haven’t even I think brought up, is WR Tyreek Hill off the table as an option in like a big moment in a big game? Is it just Braxton’s job?) – “There’s no such thing as off the table. It’s Braxton’s job. How games go and along with that, what happens in games and injuries, there’s a lot of things. So nothing’s off the table.”
(WR Tyreek Hill still practices it?) – “He does.”
Raheem Mostert – October 18, 2023
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Wednesday, October 18, 2023
RB Raheem Mostert
(There are “Raheem The Dream” signs now at Hard Rock Stadium. How cool is it to see the fans kind of have fun with it and really support you?) – “It’s pretty cool. I even, if you take a look at this – this is ‘Radio Raheem.’ (laughter) One of the video guys put that in my locker, laminated and all. I was like, ‘Yeah, let me go ahead and cherish these moments.’ It’s fun man, honestly.”
(It’s about to get a lot of fun, obviously, Sunday Night Football. Does it get any bigger than that at this point in the season? How much do you look forward to a matchup like this where really all eyes in the NFL really want to see the Eagles and the Dolphins, two of the top teams in the league?) – “It’s two teams that are 5-1. An unbelievable matchup. I know the stadium is going to be rocking. Sunday night, they’re coming out with the mean green unis (uniforms), and I think those are cold. It’s going to be fun, man. The atmosphere is going to be great. I know that – me personally, I was with Philly my rookie year, and I know what the fans bring, the energy and the boost that they’re going to have for their team. We just have to be able to control the exterior of everything and handle it well.”
(What do you see from Philadelphia’s defensive front?) – “Man, their defense is stout, especially up front. They’ve got a plethora of guys on the d-line that they can just rotate any time and make unbelievable plays. I know ‘BG,’ Brandon Graham, he’s one of my guys, and I know that he’s going to be amped up and ready to go. He’s probably going to talk a little trash, because I know how he is. (laughter) But it’s going to be fun. I can’t wait. They’re a good defense, especially with the linebackers and the backend too. They’re all complementary. They play good ball.”
(Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio was a consultant for that team last year. Has he popped into any offensive meetings this week to discuss maybe things they like to do?) – “No, he hasn’t, but I’m sure he’ll give us some nuggets here and there that are just going to help us improve our scheme and our abilities to go out there and execute at a high level.”
(You mentioned the fans, sorry to go back to this, but playing there, what’s maybe the craziest thing you’ve seen the Philly fans, who are known for being pretty nuts, do?) – “Craziest thing that I’ve seen is just throwing things at players, of course. That’s like routine, but they dig a little bit deeper, too. They try to get into your personal life as well. Fortunately, I’m not the victim of that, but it’s just fans being fans. They have a lot of pride over there, and like I said, I know them very well.”
(You said earlier this season that you feel great physically, especially compared to last year. Is that physical part what points you the most as what has lent itself to your production?) – “When you’re able to stay healthy and do – I’ve put in a lot of work this offseason and even in-season, I’m trying my best to maintain my body. I get vet days here and there, and I like them and all, but you do have to have some giddy up to your game, and I’ve been able to find that rhythm and that pattern and routine. So you just have to stick with that routine, and I’ve been able to do that. As you can tell, it’s been working out for me. So I just have to stick to the script of course and keep things pushing.”
(How about just winning AFC Offensive Player of the Week this week? What was your reaction to finding that out?) – “I found out during the team meeting when Mike (McDaniel) opened up the team meeting with that announcement. Honestly, I didn’t think it was me. I thought it was going to be Tua (Tagovailoa), because he’s been playing so well, and he’s been doing unbelievable things. I believe he was (AFC Offensive) Player of the Month, so I thought he would get that. I’m sitting next to Cedrick Wilson Jr., and he was like, ‘Heem, it might be you.’ I’m like, ‘Nah, it’s Tua. It’s got to be Tua. He’s playing unbelievable ball right now,’ and then it turned out to be me, so I was excited about that.”
(Have you heard on social media from people who are absolutely thrilled to have you on their fantasy team?) – “(laughter) Yeah, quite a bit of people. Fantasy – honestly, I wish I was into it. I’m just so dialed in on perfecting my own craft, as a lot of players are, that I missed the opportunity to be with a bunch of folks to join a league. I should’ve joined Austin Ekeler’s. Austin Ekeler has – I think he’s in fantasy football, and I should’ve asked him.”
(Pick yourself first overall?) – “Ah, I probably would, I’m not going to like. (laughter) I would, I would, I would. You’ve got to. You’ve got to, right? I know Austin (Ekeler) would.”
(Just the idea of 11 touchdowns in six games, when you hear that number, can you get your head around it even?) – “Honestly, I just feel like I’m just going with the flow of things. Eleven touchdowns is actually a lot of touchdowns, now that you think about it, but I just go with the flow of everything. Right now, we’re doing unbelievable things, especially on the offense and it’s fun to be a part of.”
(Does that put stress on you to come up with 11 different touchdown dances?) – “(laughter) No, no, no, because I still have to go back to my celebration, my surf celebration. But I try to coordinate with the rest of the guys in regards to the touchdown celebrations. I asked the group today in walkthrough what’s going to be our celebration this week, so we’ve got a little bit of time. Friday is our cutoff day.”
(Who is the leader of the pack in that? Does Head Coach Mike McDaniel ever jump in with ideas?) – “No, Mike (McDaniel) doesn’t jump in, but I think it’s me, (Jaylen) Waddle, Tyreek (Hill), Tua (Tagovailoa). Tua actually came up with the Remember The Titans (celebration). He didn’t do it, I was like, ‘Bro, what are you doing? Come on, you’re supposed to be a part of that.’ It’s a collective group. Rob Hunt, he comes up with them too, and then Terron (Armstead), Terron pitches some ideas out there as well.”
(Do you have any idea what the single season touchdown record is among all players? Do you know what it is? What is it?) – “I’ve got my eye on it. I know. It’s my number, ‘LT,’ (LaDainian Tomlinson) he did that in 2006. I’m fairly familiar with that record, and it would be an honor to even get close to that. I know I’m in a little hot streak right now, but LT’s record, man, that’s unbelievable. I remember that was his MVP year, and growing up watching his tape and that highlight, man, it’s just remarkable. I mean, I still do to this day. He’s a legend, and I was fortunate enough to meet him when I was in San Fran, and we had at least a 20- or 30-minute chat on the field. Man, it just was remarkable. He’s a special guy. He’s a special cat.”
Jerome Baker – October 18, 2023
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Wednesday, October 18, 2023
LB Jerome Baker
(That Philly fanbase is a little different, isn’t it?) – “Oh yeah, I can’t wait. It’s going to be exciting just to go up there and see their fan base and see how they treat the opposing team. The energy is going to be there, so it’s just about performing now.”
(What is it about that Eagles’ fanbase because they’re pretty passionate?) – “They don’t care. They don’t care what you do, what you say. They don’t like you because you’re not an Eagle. That’s how it should be. They ride and die by their Eagles. It’s going to be a good one Sunday.”
(What do you make of the ‘Tush Push’ that the Eagles are doing?) – “I mean, I think it’s one of the toughest plays to stop. It’s not one of those things where anybody can run it. You really have to have a quarterback who can really do it, have an o-line that’s strong and get low. It works for them. It’s one of those things as a defender you just have to find ways to stop it and you have to have the manpower and will to stop it. All the talk about us getting rid of it, I’m not for that. If we can’t stop it, that’s our job. We have to find ways to stop it.”
(Not to disclose the gameplan, but you guys are aware of it, right?) – “I think everybody that’s a football fan is aware of that play. You have to look at it as if we don’t get them to get 1-yard, we have to hold them back. We just have to play football, play together. We’ll be alright.”
(I know it’s a common term, a measuring stick. Is this one when you face a team like that is leading the NFC East and they’re 5-1 as well like you guys?) – “I mean, at the end of the day, it’s our next game. But let’s be real here. We’re 5-1. They’re 5-1. This is a great test for us to see where we stack up against other great teams in this league. If we want to accomplish the things we want to accomplish, we’re going to have to face some good teams. Is it a measuring stick game? Yeah, I guess you could say that. Is it a game that we must win? Yeah, you can say that only because it’s the next game we have. It’s going to be a good one Sunday.”
(We saw CB Jalen Ramsey out there for the first time today. What was your feeling seeing No. 5 out there?) – “I think the main thing for me was he really cut his hair. Seeing that was kind of crazy to me. But it’s definitely good to see him out there. The passion and love he has for the game, even when he was out, he was still in meetings. He was still coaching guys up. That’s all you can ask for. He was still leading. Just to see him back out there is a testament to the work he put in. He came back pretty fast, so hopefully he can get back right, and you’ll see him out there with us.”
(How did CB Jalen Ramsey look to you? When we saw him out there, he seemed to be moving around.) – “He was moving to me. He went in with the scout team to get some reps in. Looked like he was getting back to it. Of course, there’s going to be some rust. He’s been out a few weeks. But he’s one of the great players to play this game, so he’s going to be alright.”
(Is it surprising in a way? Because meniscus surgery, that timetable is long.) – “That’s just a testament to who he is. He truly put his head down, has God in his life first. He was in that training room non-stop. He got back to it, so that’s just a testament to the player we have.”
(You said CB Jalen Ramsey was on scout team?) – “Yeah, just to get back to it and play some football. He looked good to me.”
