Mario Williams – March 9, 2016
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Wednesday, March 9, 2016
Defensive End Mario Williams
(On what attracted him to signing with the Dolphins) – “I think the biggest thing (about) my decision to come to Miami was the coaching staff; to learn the faces there, being able to meet the new guys, the new coaching members and everything. I was able to have a lot of information on a lot of our guys that are there from other players who played underneath certain coaches and things. But the direction that the organization wants to go in from top to bottom was huge. Meeting with the owner (Stephen Ross), it was really shocking to me… I can say I’ve never… I’ve never ever been in the room with an NFL owner and it was like talking to somebody who is 30-years old. He was cool to interview with. I want to say he’s 75? 65, 75? I know it was something like that. But to be part of something with someone who has so much enthusiasm – so much energy and passion towards the team and then it trickles straight down to the last guy – the outlook is definitely determined as far as every coach that’s there, every player. Everybody knows where they’re going and what direction we want to take it. So, that was huge in having a mindset that we are definitely in this to win. We’re making moves; we’re doing this. We’re going to get that, definitely, if they came for me.”
(On playing with LB Kiko Alonso) – “I think the biggest thing with Kiko… I definitely look forward to playing with Kiko again. He’s a natural football player. He can keep that ball up. There was no problem at that. I think the biggest thing is the plays he’s calling in the huddle. It’s kind of funny, because we always gave him a bunch of crap when I played with him before. He had that mouthpiece in and we might be on a long drive or something like that and he’d try to call a play. We were like, ‘What? What?’ It was really funny actually. I definitely think he has a high motor, and he’s definitely going to be going after the ball.”
(On whether he talked to current Dolphins players before signing with the team) – “Yeah I got to touch base with (DT Ndamukong) Suh for a second. Things were moving pretty quick and fast. Everything happened as far as timing, it seemed like it blew by. But getting to understand how things are done in Miami, I feel the mindset and where we want to go, what we’re planning on doing, obviously, I felt like I could be a big part of that. I had the opportunity to talk to a player that I played with before in Houston – (DT) Earl Mitchell. He was actually coming back from a trip, and I was fortunate enough to catch up with him on the phone. Collectively, we’re all in and just ready to get after it.”
(On his time in Buffalo and if it came up in his discussions with the Dolphins) – “I think the biggest thing in talking to the Dolphins has been they kind of give you confidence because they bring the excitement and a level of energy that I feel like I’ve never had before. When I look at being a Dolphin and knowing that wherever somebody is from, it’s going to be shown who Mario Williams is. Obviously, we got to talk about certain things, and we all have to come to an understanding. There’s nothing better than knowing, now, that I’m a Dolphin and how things are going to play out and (how I will) be used in the system… with my fellow teammates that everything is going to be fine. It’s going to be right back to where it needs to be.”
(On what his attributes to the Bills’ low sack numbers) – “Speaking on my behalf, I had a lot of good years, had a lot of good coaches and good teammates and (have) been on a lot of different teams and been fortunate enough to be able to get after the quarterback and so forth. As far as anything else goes, I feel like, obviously, last year was… There were a lot of setbacks. But nothing feels better than knowing that as a Dolphin, I’m going to be able to go out there and have an impact and be a piece of the puzzle to help the Dolphins get to a better place and to win games and be in good situations.”
(On if he feels he has a lot to prove in his NFL career) – “Every day I wake up I feel like I have something to prove. Like I was saying, you have bumpy roads. We all do. There’s nobody that can go out there and have a smooth path that is perfect. But I can honestly say that road is still going. We haven’t hit the end in the road and that’s what gives me so much excitement. It’s beyond believing. I can’t wait. It’s almost like one of those things where the first time you came to college, the first time you played NFL football, it is that same feeling. I don’t even look at age or whatever. I actually think I’m young. And I feel that way and I know as far as my body, every year, I’m stronger and faster than I was. What comes along with playing in the league for this amount of years is the knowledge. It’s almost unfair for certain… to a certain extent whenever somebody has the mental of what’s going on and understands those things but still has the same attributes that they did before.”
(On the level of his conviction about coming to Miami and why he did not take his visits with other teams) – “I had a lot of things planned and places to go to after. I’ve come to Miami before, of course, but whenever I came on a visit and was able to put down what everybody – the owner was in town – and the level of excitement and confidence that I had from them, it was one of those things that was almost a no brainer. It’s a great place to be for a defensive player to get after the ball, to get after the quarterback. It’s a great group of guys. It was almost like there was (inaudible). Fortunately I had to pull for some things and live some things but at the end of the day, everything got done and I’m a Dolphin now.”
(On how playing in a 4-3 suits his talents as opposed to playing in a 3-4) – “Honestly, when you get down to it, to what they have me doing, I think for a 4-3, it really doesn’t… to me I think they are both beneficial in their own ways. It’s just all about utilization. And I know (Vance Joseph) and his mindset as that coordinator. It’s going to be… the dogs are going to hunt. Guys who get after the quarterback are going to get after the quarterback.”
(On if he has talked to DT Ndamukong Suh or DE Cameron Wake yet) – “Yeah, I talked to Suh earlier. I talked to him about the transition when I was up there, as far as defensive players go. I actually got to talk to (QB) Ryan (Tannehill). That was the first time that I’ve actually spoken to him without being on the football field against him. But that was the first time I have actually spoke to him in person so that was cool too. And then of course, (C Mike) Pouncey and that was another… that was on the offensive side of the ball so it’s kind of one of those things that you can pick their brain about the general flow of things, as far as being there in Miami. Whenever you get a chance to actually sit down and talk to more defensive players that have been there and are in the same situation you kind find out a little more.”
