Jordan Poyer – May 21, 2024
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Tuesday, May 21, 2024
S Jordan Poyer
(We were just taking to S Jevon Holland. He talked a little bit about how he’s been trying to pick your brains. You’ve been in the league for a long time. What’s it been like working next to him?) – “It’s really cool, man. New experience for me. Obviously I’ve been playing on the same team for seven years, and now coming here with a new group of guys, it’s been really fun to connect with them on and off the field. Jevon is a great player. Talented as heck, smart as heck. Any way that I can to help him be the best player that he can be, that’s what I’m coming here for. To help this team win essentially football games.”
(Obviously these can be voluntary. Did you want to just endear yourself to the team, is that why you’re out here?) – “Yeah, I think a lot of success come from just the communication part especially on the back end. If you want to be successful you got to know who you’re playing with essentially. You’ve got to know the guys on and off the field. In the fourth quarter, I want to know the guy I’m playing with. I want to know about his family. You learn to trust each other that way. That’s essentially why I’m here. I don’t necessarily have to be, but I want to be. I’m excited about this opportunity, and it’s been a good OTA so far.”
(What has been your impression of Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver’s defense?) – “I absolutely love it. Obviously playing in the league for 12 years I feel like I’ve seen most of the defenses or I’ve played in a lot of the defenses. Obviously some nuances with terminology and details and whatnot, but it’s a really exciting defense. We’ve got some good players upfront, in the linebacking corps, and then on the backend. Again, I just want to come here and do what I can to help this team become better and help them win games.”
(What was your view of the Dolphins from afar and is it different than what you’ve experienced so far?) – “That’s an interesting question. Obviously being on the other side for seven years I’ve seen them grow. From when (Ryan) Tannehill was here and all the way up until now where they have as an explosive offense as they’ve had. Obviously a new kind of scheme on defense, but just the growth they’ve been able to have. Seeing that from the other side, a lot of respect obviously for Mike McDaniel and what he’s been able to do here. And then just the players that they have here. I’ve been friends with a lot of them for the past couple of years. So really coming here was pretty easy, and they’ve all welcomed me with open arms. It’s been a really cool transition and I really enjoy being here.”
(What has been your impression of Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver and his coaching style?) – “I love it. I was actually with ‘Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) in Cleveland back in 2013, a long time ago. I was actually with Coach McDaniel there, too. Brian Duker was there. ‘Ryan Slo’ (Ryan Slowik) was there. It’s kind of aging me a little bit, but that was the staff back in 2013 in Cleveland. We weren’t very good, but it’s crazy how full circle it comes around. I’m super proud of ‘Weave’ for what he’s been able to accomplish in the league from playing and now as a coach working his way up as a defensive coordinator. And then the rest of the coaches are really good coaches. Honing in on all the details and just continuing to get better.”
(What’s your thoughts on all the turnover the Bills have gone through this offseason?) – “They’ve gone through a lot. I’m excited to play them twice, that’s for sure.”
(How is Head Coach Mike McDaniel different than when he was in Cleveland in 2013?) – “I didn’t’ really get a whole lot of interaction with Mike (McDaniel) when he was in Cleveland. But obviously hearing his story a little bit; a lot similar to my story with alcohol and finding a way to come out on top of it and finding a new direction. His story for sure has inspired me throughout my career, and then just him as a coach, he’s a players’ coach, extremely smart and he’s somebody that you want to play for.”
(What was it like to see the boys from Buffalo again this past weekend?) – “It was cool. It was kind of a surreal moment. There are not a lot of people I don’t think that get to go get a sendoff in a sense. I spent seven years out there. Loved every moment of it, loved my teammates, my coaches, the fans. But it’s a really cool opportunity for me to be here now. I get goosebumps thinking about playing them twice a year and just the idea of winning the AFC East and hosting a playoff game and winning that playoff game. I remember what it was like in 2017 when we were in Buffalo and the Bills hadn’t been to the playoffs in x-amount of years and then we finally got there and then we finally won it. It turned the whole city upside down. You can feel the buzz in Miami about this football team everywhere you go, ‘Hey man, you guys can do it.’ So if you do it, this city is going to go upside down. And then you get on a roll and whatever happens after that we’ll see. But at least getting there, winning that AFC East, beating Buffalo twice. I’m excited about that.”
(What did you tell QB Josh Allen when you were in front of him? What do you tell QB Tua Tagovailoa when you see him?) – “I love Tua. I love Tua. That’s one of the big reasons why I’m here. He is who he is. And Josh is – I’ve been his teammate for seven years. I’ve seen so many plays that he has made. You could argue Aaron Rodgers, Tua, Josh whoever you want to argue. At the end of the day that’s my dawg. I love Josh, I cannot wait to play him. But I love Tua, too. This offense is a high attack scoring offense. My job on the other end is to get Tua the ball back as fast as I can to let Tua score some points.”
(Did you get the sense late in the season that that might be your last run together in Buffalo? That that was probably the end of it?) – “I did but didn’t. I still had a year left in my contract. I didn’t really know how that was going to go down. It really all happened so fast. I was in Costa Rica on vacation during the time when I got cut. Then essentially a couple of days later got signed in Miami. It really all happened so fast. I didn’t know necessarily what to expect. I knew Micah (Hyde) wasn’t going to come back at least for right now. He might come back. But for me, I just wanted to continue to play football again. I know I can still play at a high level, I know I can still help teams win football games. I essentially watched Miami for the last seven years and I live 20 minutes away in the offseason out here so it was the perfect fit, and I’m excited to be here. Extremely excited to be here.”
(What was it that made that relationship between you and S Micah Hyde both on and off the field so special for the time you were together?) – “We had a lot in common the more we got to know each other. Obviously married, kids. We met each other through a mutual friend that I played with in Cleveland. He played at Iowa, Christian Kirksey. I played at Cleveland with Christian Kirksey. I ended up going to California for one offseason and ended up meeting Micah in 2016 before we got to Buffalo. I could tell meeting him then and obviously watching him as a player in Green Bay. I’ve always had a lot of respect for him. But just talking to him and meeting with him and then we got to Buffalo we both just looked at each other in the eye and promised each other that we were going to change this culture. We were going to change everything about it and we just went to work. I sense that similar camaraderie with Jevon (Holland). Jevon is a young player and he just wants to work. I want to be here to help him as much as I can to become the best player that he can be so in a couple years when I’m sitting on the beach retired after the Dolphins have maybe won a Super Bowl or two. I can be like, ‘Yeah man, that’s my dawg right there. No. 8, you see him, we came up a little bit together.’ Whatever I can do to help this team win football games, that’s why I’m here.”
(You mentioned QB Tua Tagovailoa. Do you ever mentor guys through contract situations? Do you guys ever talk about that or do you kind of just let agents deal with that?) – “I think agents. I think you just let agents handle that out. That’s more personal type stuff. When it kind of happens it’s a big hug, congratulations and let’s get to work.”
