Jonnu Smith – October 14, 2024
Download PDF version
Monday, October 14, 2024
TE Jonnu Smith
(Your family made it out of the storm OK?) – “Yeah, we’re good, man. We’re good, made it out safe, thank God. Some people didn’t though out west, so definitely our thoughts and our prayers with those people, for sure man.”
(Your participation last game, I think it was five catches for 62 yards – whatever it was, are you encouraged that that’s going to keep going? Or do you think that was just specific to the opponent? What do you think about that?) – “You got to continue to build on certain things as an offense and every week that may require more or maybe different roles from some guys, you know what I mean? This is a team game; it’s not about filling up the stat sheet. I’ve said that before, I’ll continue to say it. It doesn’t matter what the stat sheet does if you don’t win – that’s the most important thing, so we’re just focused on winning games and contributing as much as we can. Sometimes you may see that on the stat sheet, sometimes you may not; a lot of guys showed up last game and probably didn’t light up the stat sheet but was a huge part of that win, for sure. So it’s just about winning games in this league, man, and that’s what we’re focused on doing.”
(What have you noticed about how QB Tyler Huntley has picked this offense up and really just found his voice in it over the past couple of weeks?) – “I’ve definitely seen – I think we’ve all seen a big jump from the first week he was with us to the second one, and he’s gotten a lot more comfortable. (He’s) gotten a much better, comfortable spot leading from that position. We were able to go in there and win with him and we’ve showed that we can do that and that’s just the expectation. He’s a phenomenal, phenomenal player but a better person, so I’m glad to have that guy back there leading us.”
(We heard Head Coach Mike McDaniel earlier today say that he expects QB Tua Tagovailoa to come back and play football again in 2024. How much are you looking forward to catching balls from Tua?) – “Man, I think that’ll be very encouraging. Obviously, we have to do business as business is being done and focus on things week to week. Tua is a warrior, he’s a fighter. We already know what kind of player he is; we don’t have to speak on that, but he’s an amazing leader. He’s been here for a while – this is his home; this is his team. Obviously, this organization has committed a lot to Tua. We all have committed a lot to Tua – and not just Tua, but to one another. Obviously, that’ll be an encouraging thing for not us, but Tua – I know how much that could mean to him. Again man, like I said, we’re just kind of focused on what we’re doing now and focusing on Indy and we’re kind of letting the pieces play out how they may.”
(I know you guys don’t want to make excuses and you’re professionals, but it occurs to me over the last couple of months that you’ve caught passes from QB Tua Tagovailoa, from QB Skylar Thompson, from QB Mike White, from QB Tim Boyle and from QB Tyler Huntley. Does that make a difference for the offense?) – “I mean you always want some consistency in the NFL, obviously, but it’s the NFL – you’ve got to adapt. That’s the kind of league that it is, man. It’s 100% injury rate and guys are – we’re all guaranteed to get hurt, it’s just a matter of timing of how long that injury may be. That’s the kind of cards we’ve been dealt with, it is what it is and nobody’s crying about it. Nobody is pouting their faces and nobody is giving up. We’ve still got every expectation right in front of us. Everything is just kind of zeroed in onto this week, so that’s the main focus and that’s what we want to get to so we can get a win in Indy.”
(You’re a great athlete. If you had to do it all over again as a good athlete, would you choose this sport again?) – “(laughter) Man, I think it didn’t even have much to do with me, God blessed me with – I wasn’t 6’8”, you know what I mean? I wasn’t 6’8”. If anything, I grew up in Philly, so boxing was something – I’m a huge boxing fan, I love it. After football, that’s my favorite sport, and that’s something that was kind of there in me growing up in Philly, you know what I mean? Obviously, every kid in the neighborhood boxed, so that was something that I kind of daydream about still. But I mean, I ain’t blessed with a Mike Tyson hook either, so this is where I’m at. Although I think I could have developed into a nice, solid heavyweight, but this is where I’m at and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
(Do you ever talk to T Terron Armstead about boxing? You ever talk boxing with him?) – “T-Stead? No, I haven’t, man. What, is T-Stead a boxer, a big boxing fan?”
(Yeah.) – “Me and T-Stead have talked about a lot, but we haven’t talked about boxing thought. But yeah, I think T-Stead, where’s he from, D.C.?”
(Illinois.) – “Illinois? OK, because I know D.C. is another big boxing town. That’s why I was saying that, but I haven’t yet. You might have sparked something there.”
(I don’t know how much of a fan he is; I know he boxes.) – “Oh, T-Stead box? A lot of guys do. Like in the offseason, especially offensive linemen, defensive linemen because you got to use your hands. There’s a lot of carry over with that, definitely a lot of carry over with that. And surprisingly, that’s something I haven’t implemented yet into my offseason plans, just because it’s more kind of offensive line, defensive line related with the hand use, as much as you use the hands. It would be more beneficial for them. For guys that just do it to kind of stay in shape in the offseason, it’s just more of a stamina thing. But after I’m done playing, might try to hop on a card and fight Jake Paul or something. Everybody’s doing it man. Everybody doing it. (laughter)”
(How’s the chin?) – “The chin is good – it’s all in the neck, you know what I mean? It’s all in there and I got a strong neck so it’s all in there. I got a pretty strong chin so I’m going to see what’s up, may check something out after that, man.”
(First game back for WR Odell Beckham Jr. a couple weeks ago, what did you see from him? What was it like to have him back?) – “It was big to have him back. It was big to have him back – he’s going to be a big piece of this offense, man. Not worried about one game, obviously. We just got to continue to be ready when our number is called, and that guy right there is going to give us a big lift. So excited to have him back, excited to see him going and excited where we’re headed.”
(What do you think of your alma mater having its stadium renamed Pitbull Stadium?) – “Yeah, that was crazy right there. Shoutout to Pitbull. I don’t know what to tell you on that, but shoutout to Pitbull. I was actually just there the other day watching the St. Thomas-Chaminade game and it’s funny looking up, because I practice in that stadium – man, I practiced on turf for four years straight. We weren’t Alabama or Oklahoma; we didn’t have that money, so at the time – they got a grass field now. But when I practiced there, it was just straight turf. Obviously I was in that stadium every day, so when I went back there Friday night, seeing Pitbull Stadium, it was a little bit different but shoutout to Pitbull, man.”
