Ryan Tannehill – December 9, 2018 (Postgame)
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Postgame – New England
Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill
You knew it all along, didn’t you?
RYAN TANNEHILL: Yeah, we had them right where we wanted them (laughter). Defense did a good job just like we talked about, just hold them to a field goal down there. Came out, got exactly the look we were looking for, like, ‘Hey, this is a perfect look.’ As soon as we lined up, we knew we had it. Not really surprised with how things turned out. Guys did their job and we got in the end zone.
Were you able to run down and celebrate?
RYAN TANNEHILL: Yeah, I was kind of trailing along. (The) play kind of got messed up. Kenny (Stills) was able to … I saw Kenyan there. I’m like, ‘Pitch it! Pitch it!’ He pitches it, ‘KD’ (Kenyan Drake) came back inside – I kind of had a great view of the whole thing – came back inside, then I saw him and ‘Gronk’ (Rob Gronkowski) about 10 yards away and I was like, ‘Gronk is on the field! We got this!’ (laughter) It was pretty amazing. I was following behind and I kind of just turned around and collapsed just with the emotion of the whole thing.
Do you work on that play faithfully every week or is it just once in a while? How often do you work on that? Is it every week, every once in a while you guys work on that?
RYAN TANNEHILL: It’s a play we work occasionally, not every week. We have a walk through that we’ll do it in every couple of weeks or so just for a desperation situation like that. We do it on air, though, so you never really know how it’s going to turn out. I told the guys in the huddle, ‘Hey, once we complete this thing, get downfield, because it’s going to turn into a pitch thing.’ I didn’t think it was going to be one pitch and Kenyan take it the rest of the way. Usually if those things work, it’s multiple throws back across the field until someone can make it happen. Just unbelievable effort. Our guys never quit and I think that showed on that play.
Describe the range of emotions from before that play to the craziness after.
RYAN TANNEHILL: Honestly, I’m really exhausted from the emotion of the whole thing. Got into the locker room and I just felt like collapsing almost just from the emotion of fighting through, giving ourselves a chance. Thought we were going to have another shot. They ended up having a great drive down the field. Defense held. They kicked the field goal and we have one play, so you know it’s a long shot. Just the emotion of that, and then obviously the elation of seeing ‘KD’ (Kenyan Drake) get in the end zone, it’s pretty much as drastic of emotions as you can get right there of knowing you don’t have much of a shot, to winning the game.
What went through your mind when you got accidentally stepped on? Can you take us through everything involved related to that?
RYAN TANNEHILL: Right before half?
Yeah.
RYAN TANNEHILL: I was trying to spin out of the pocket and somebody stepped on my ankle, rolled it pretty good. Came in, got X-rays. Looked good, so taped it up, buttoned it up tight and got back out there for the second half.
You couldn’t have felt very good coming out in the second half with that. How did you make your way through?
RYAN TANNEHILL: Honestly, it feels like crap, but it is what it is. You’ve got to be able to fight through some things like that. Training staff did a good job of tightening it up and giving me a wrap and a spat and felt good enough to go. I kind of went out and tested it a little bit right before we started the second half. Did some drops, did some play-actions, simulated moving the pocket and felt like I was going to be able to evade a rush and get the ball off. I know if I could do that and hand the ball off, then I would be in good shape. Gave it a go and it worked out.
How about you guys offensively: you got a lead, lost the lead, came back, took the lead, always staying within that one-score situation by coming back. For an offense that struggled the last couple weeks, what were you able to do and why were you so successful offensively?
RYAN TANNEHILL: Really we answered. They score, we go back down and score. They score. We score. Really proud of the guys and the way that we answered. You play a good team like that, they are going to score points. Whenever they score points, we march right down the field and scored, as well. Guys were confident the whole day. Everyone had a great look in their eye in the huddle. I don’t think there was ever a question that they were going to be able to move the ball or get in the end zone. Really excited with the way the guys played. Obviously, there were a few plays that we need to clean up. Had a couple more opportunities out there, but guys just kept fighting. Kept fighting and gave ourselves a chance at the end.
What was the play call on the last play?
RYAN TANNEHILL: We call it Boise. Just stole it, basically, from Boise way back in the day when they were in that … I forgot what bowl game that was against Oklahoma. But theirs was a little cleaner than that I think. They didn’t have to dip and dodge and pitch quite as much. It worked, so I’m all for it.
You didn’t have to do that much but you didn’t have everyone getting engaged in yours?
RYAN TANNEHILL: I guess that’s true. Not that I know of, anyways.
Are you going to get the ankle checked further to find out what the deal is, what the damage is? Do you know the assessment of what happened on it?
RYAN TANNEHILL: No, we don’t know the full extent yet, obviously. We’ll take a better look at it tomorrow and go from there.
Are you looking at games one at a time and all that?
RYAN TANNEHILL: And all that.
However, would you say given the fact that if you had lost this game, it was going to look very ugly the rest of the season. Was this a season saver that one play?
RYAN TANNEHILL: It could be. Definitely could be. We know the situation we’re in with this team. Before this game we’re sitting at 6-6 and on the outside looking in. We know every game from here on out is pretty much a do-or-die situation. We’re not immune or ignorant to the fact of the situation that we’re in. We knew what it was. I think that one play at least keeps us alive and gives us opportunity moving forward.
Offensive line was kind of messing with Ted Larson for being 40 yards downfield and making the block. They were chanting his name, they were in the locker room. Did you notice Ted downfield and did you expect Ted to be downfield in that situation?
RYAN TANNEHILL: I didn’t notice specifically Ted. I was kind of following behind everybody as we made our way down the field just to be a last-ditch outlet if the ball had to come back to me. I told the guys, ‘Once we complete this ball, get down the field.’ That’s something we work on in practice. Just a testament to the guys sticking with it and keeping playing because without that block, he’s probably not going to get in the end zone. So, a big-time play by Ted.
As far as Ted Larsen’s season, he seems to be almost a metaphor for this team in the fact that he’s kind of been beaten up a little bit but he comes out here and makes this play. Do you have any insight on what kind of season it’s been for him with the neck and the stinger and all that kind of stuff?
RYAN TANNEHILL: He’s played through a lot of adversity. He’s not the only guy. We’ve had a lot of guys that have been banged up. Lost a few guys in the O-Line early. Ted comes in, plays, gets banged up, he’s out again. Then Jake (Brendel) is in, Jake is out and Travis (Swanson) is back in and Ted is back in. It’s been kind of crazy just with the faces changing on the offensive front and the rotation that we’ve had. But it’s next-man-up mentality. Those guys do a great job of preparing and being ready. Whenever their number is called, they are going to step in and give it everything they have. Really proud of those guys.
Before this, what was the biggest miraculous play to end a game you’ve ever been involved in before? A&M?
RYAN TANNEHILL: A&M, we threw Hail Mary at halftime. Completed it, but it was halftime, so it doesn’t quite have the emotion of this. This is definitely far and away the winner of that.
Was there any question at all as to whether you might try to heave one into the end zone from where you guys were on the last play?
RYAN TANNEHILL: Not from Gase, no. I asked him what the last play was and he called that one, so that’s what we were rolling with.
Could you have reached the end zone from there?
RYAN TANNEHILL: I don’t know where we were at but it was a long ways.
Where did you think you need to get to, the 50? Is there a number where you need to get to where you can be?
RYAN TANNEHILL: It’s not the 50 (laughter) We’ll cross that bridge when we get there.
You said you’ve practice that play. Did you practice it this week?
RYAN TANNEHILL: We actually did practice it this week, I believe. We practiced it on Friday in a skill walkthrough. The o-Line wasn’t there. Oh, we scored, obviously (laughter). The o-Line wasn’t with us. It was just the skill positions. We ran it in the walkthrough and ironically it comes up and wins us the game. So it’s pretty cool. That’s why you practice, right?
You said on the field, ‘We got this.’ Why did that thought go through your head?
RYAN TANNEHILL: Because you’re never going to quit. I’m never going to quit. Even if the odds are stacked against you and it look looks grim, you’ve got to keep fighting. There’s no quit in me and there’s no quit in this team, this locker room. You have to keep fighting till the clock hits 0.0. We say it all the time, Bobby (McCain) spoke to us last night and was talking about, ‘We’re going to face adversity in this game. This team doesn’t quit. This team always responds,’ and we did today.
What was it about Rob Gronkowski’s presence on the field that made you feel good about that?
RYAN TANNEHILL: (Kenyan) Drake runs a 4.3 and ‘Gronk’ (Rob Gronkowski) probably runs like a 4.6 or 4.7, so feel good about that match up.
