Anthony Walker Jr. – March 19, 2024
Download PDF version
Tuesday, March 19, 2024
LB Anthony Walker Jr.
(You’re a Miami guy, Monsignor Pace High School guy. What are your memories of the last time you played football in South Florida as a high school football player?) – “Yeah, that was the last time I played football there. My senior night game was against Belen Jesuit. Obviously team rival, school rival. Was able to get a win. Like I said, it was the last time I played football down there. I didn’t get a chance to play there in college and then in the NFL, I think I’ve had a couple opportunities but was either hurt or didn’t play that game. So, I’ve played against Miami but haven’t played in Miami. So it’s the first time my family will be able to be closest to me for practicing and games and stuff like that. So it’ll be a cool opportunity and I’m looking forward to it.”
(Were you a Dolphins fan growing up?) – “I was not, I was not. (laughter) It’s weird. My dad grew up and was in love with the Dallas Cowboys. He told me I had to become a fan or I couldn’t live in his house. So I became a fan really quickly. (laughter)”
(As far as you joining the team, how do you feel your impact will make an immediate impact? You were a captain on the Cleveland Browns and you bring some leadership coming down to South Florida. So how do you feel like your impact will transform this defense?) – “Yeah, just for me being myself every day. Being the same guy every day. Intentional about my work, intentional about the details. And I’ll just do that every day. How that feeds off on others and everything like that, only time will tell, right? But I think me coming in and not doing anything outside of my norm, just being the same guy every day, showing up every day, priding myself on being the same person, being the same teammate and letting my work take care of itself. However the chips fall after that, we can’t predict. But all I can control is what I do every day and me showing up every day. I take pride in that.”
(Was your decision hard to join the Dolphins? Or was it just mostly having the opportunity to come back home?) – “It wasn’t hard at all. I stressed to my agent it was very, very important to get me out the cold. I was sick of it. I hadn’t been home in a while. I was in the Midwest since I was 17 years old. It was about time I got some warm weather and when he said Miami and I was like let’s get it done. Obviously being home and all that stuff is great and everything like that, but an opportunity to continue to play this game at the highest level is something that I’ll always cherish.”
(Fill us in on the knee injury. What was the injury? How far back are you now?) – “Yeah. So basically in September 2022, on a Thursday night game against the Steelers, I tore my quad tendon. I missed the rest of the season that year and then rehabbed and came back last year and in Week 12, 13, it wasn’t anything significant. I didn’t think it was or the team didn’t think it was. We thought it was the soreness or whatever. It ended up being a low-grade infection, or something inside the knee, so basically no structural damage, but just had to clean it out, antibiotics and all that stuff. Like I said, I don’t know how it came. They don’t know how it came. It could be anything from the first time I had surgery to anything. Obviously, it was all negative, all my tests were negative and everything like that. So just followed the protocol with the antibiotics and the rehab. And I’m back full go training and everything. So I’ll be good to go.”
(So Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver comes over from the Ravens. What do you know about the Ravens style of defense? Particularly as it relates to the linebacker position and how do you think that aligns to your strengths?) – “Yeah. Very aggressive, very downhill. Obviously playing against them the last three years, trying to go against that defense was almost impossible at times. But again, just the linebacker play is downhill, physical football. Then being able to protect the second level, the middle of the field. I think that’s something that they did really well in Baltimore and that’s something that I pride myself on. Protecting the middle of the field and making sure that if the team wants to attack the middle, they pay for it every time. Whether that’s the run game or pass game. When you have elite corners, elite DBs and an elite pass rush, obviously which Miami does, it makes it a lot easier on the linebackers. So I think if you watch the Ravens, their linebackers were downhill flying, blitzing and everything like that. But they also control the middle of the field and the passing game. You put it all together, that’s how it should look.”
(CB Kader Kohou is wearing number four. CB Jalen Ramsey is wearing number five. Where does that leave you?) – “(laughter) That’s a great question. Something that I’ve been dealing with since I signed with the Dolphins. We’ll take care of it when the time comes. But yeah, I made a joke to one of my friends. I was like, ‘I’m going to ask Jalen Ramsey for number five.’ He was like, ‘He’s going to give you a high five.’ (laughter) But those guys man, you talk about two of the premier defensive backs in the NFL, those two right there. So it’s kind of out of the question with those two. But we’ll see. We’ll see what number I’m able to get. I would love to stay in the single digits. That’s kind of become my forte since they’ve allowed that for linebackers. But if I have to get another number, it’s not a big deal. I’ll make the best of it.”
(There is a lot of talent on this defense. Can you give me your scouting report of the Miami Dolphins defense with all the pieces you have now?) – “Yeah, I think they rush the passer really well. You have two elite edge rushers. Obviously you lose big ‘Wilk’ (Christian Wilkins) in the middle, but again a lot of talent up front. A lot of talent in the defensive back in the room. The linebacker room is loaded as well. David Long is one of my guys. I’ve known him for a very long time now playing against him when he played in Tennessee and I played for Indy, so I’ve grown a relationship with him over the years. I know he is excited for just another opportunity to go out there and play. Jordyn Brooks is another key addition. I’ve been watching him for years in Seattle. Always plays really well, good linebacker football. So I think the team itself is loaded with talent, but that only goes so far. I think I’ve been a part of some talented teams in Cleveland and Indy, and we just haven’t been able to put it all together. I think that’s the tale of football, right? Can you put it all together? You can have all the talent in the world, but can you just put it all together? I think that’s the challenge that we have to embrace and take on, and I think we can do that here.”
(I wanted to follow up regarding the number four jersey in Cleveland. I heard you didn’t even ask for anything in return and you were still handed a Rolex. Tell me how that went down and how is the Rolex treating you?) – “(laughter) The Rolex is treating me really nice actually. But honestly, I mean franchise quarterback, highest paid player in the NFL at that time, why would I even try to make it hard on him? I saw we got that done and I literally text the head coach and equipment and Deshaun (Watson) in a group chat and said, ‘Hey man, you got number four. I’ll figure it out.’ That’s literally how it went. Obviously I wanted him to feel as comfortable and as welcomed as possible. I know he’s worn that jersey pretty much all his life. It was a no-brainer for real for me. I was able to get number five, a number that I had worn before as well. It was all good. And then one day, I was literally during a press conference after practice in OTAs and he handed me a Rolex, which I thought was pretty dope and pretty cool, on top of donating money to my dad’s football team, Monsignor Pace High School, and actually paid for my suits that year during the season. He’s a great teammate and nothing but all love for him. Very appreciative of that.”
(You touched on it a little bit, but wanted to get your thoughts more on the other linebackers there. David Long, joining him, and Jordyn Brooks coming aboard with you as well.) – “Yeah. Again, two elite linebackers that have been playing at an elite level for a very long time. It’ll be good to compete with those guys and see what we can bring to this team. Obviously, David Long has been here. He played really well watching him all last year. Again, Jordyn Brooks, everything he brings from Seattle. Great coverage ability, able to blitz, stop the run, everything like that. So I think we have a really good group that is going to push each other to be better. It’ll be fun to compete with those guys.”
(Just to touch on, you said your dad was the head coach at Monsignor Pace? I’m just curious, when you were playing in high school were there any local players that made it to the NFL that you looked up to or had contact with that helped push you to get to where you are today?) – “Yeah, that’s a great question by the way. Obviously, there’s a lot of talent in South Florida. You think about guys that come way before me that I grew up watching. Me and my dad, our favorite thing to do was to go to high school games and college games and watch the University of Miami and watch Miami Northwestern High School play football and play at an elite level. So, I can give you three guys off the top right now. Sean Spence played at the University of Miami, played at Miami Northwestern, played in the league. Lavonte David was also on that state championship (and) national championship team with Sean Spence in high school. So those two right there, I’m very close to those guys as far as those guys being my mentors. But we’re like best friends now. We literally talk every day. I talk to both of those guys every day. I watch film with those guys all the time. Those are two. Then obviously you have to throw in Teddy Bridgewater and what he means to the Miami community and all he’s done. Again, for me to look up to since I was a kid, to see him play at Bunche Park and then Miami Northwestern then go to Louisville and then all the stuff he does in the community, just someone to look up to that does everything the right way and in a positive manner.
(Larry Little went to Booker T. Washington, he’s a Dolphin alum. He won a Super Bowl. What would it mean to you to win a Super Bowl for your hometown team?) – “Yeah, obviously you play this game and it’s a blessing to play this game. You’re able to do so many things with it if you do it the right way and come in contact with a lot of people. But at the end of the day, we play this game to win. I’m not saying that as a cliché. We play to win the game. For real, we really do. But you play to win the Super Bowl. That’s something that I’ve always wanted to accomplish. For it to happen with me playing in my hometown would be pretty special. It would be great to be apart of, knowing this organization has done it before and they want to get back to those winning ways. To be a small part of that would be great.”
(You mentioned earlier the low-grade infection you had. Was there ever a point before they decided it was low grade where it was a concern for you? Were you hospitalized or anything like that?) – “Yeah, I was hospitalized for a good while. I had no idea. I didn’t know what it was. You think the worse, right? You think, man, will I be able to play this game again? Even worse than that. My dad was there with me the whole time. I was really appreciative of him for that. My teammates, my coaches, everybody kept me in high spirits. The doctors were great and everything like that. So I am very fortunate that it was only a low grade infection and I can continue playing football. But definitely a scary moment for sure.”
(How long did that period last where you were kind of in the dark?) – “Yeah, about six weeks. Yeah, about six weeks. Like I said, I didn’t play the Chicago game and had to miss the rest of the season and then two weeks after that was still there going through that period. There was a longshot that I would play if we made the Super Bowl in Cleveland. But that was the best-case scenario. But we’re good now. Here now. Looking forward to the opportunity to play in Miami and go out and compete with my teammates.”
