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Chris Brooks – August 30, 2023 Download PDF version

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

RB Chris Brooks

(How does it feel to make the official 53-man roster?) – “It feels great. It’s a blessing to be here. I want to be a great teammate and do whatever I can to help this team.”

(Who told you? Was it Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Eric Studesville, General Manager Chris Grier, that you made the 53? Was there someone who told you?) – “I just walked into meetings and came in and they said congratulations fellas. I just assumed I was on the 53.”

(I know DT Brandon Pili was saying Coach Mike McDaniel was saying “this is our group.” Did it really resonate with you that you made a NFL team?) – “For sure. Then again, you have to take every day one day at a time. The most important day is right now. Just be present and do whatever I can to help out and get better.”

(When you woke up yesterday, you thought what?) – “I thought that I hope I have a good day at practice today and do whatever I can to get better at something today.”

(It would have been very human to think, there are five really good veteran backs in this room. How am I possibly going to make the team? Tell me did that thought ever go through your mind in the dog days of training camp?) – “No. I thought more in a day-to-day mindset. I feel like if you look too far ahead, you get really anxious and get kind of nervous. I just thought, ‘What can I do today to get better?’ and ‘How can I learn from these guys?’”

(Can you take us through the entire journey of not getting drafted, that low, to the high of yesterday’s news?) – “I feel like not getting drafted, I wouldn’t really look at is as a low. I would say it’s an opportunity. It’s an opportunity that not many guys I have. I can either take advantage of the opportunity or I can just let it go to waste. And I chose to take advantage.”

(What was it like when you weren’t getting those opportunities in the team drills and then had that 95-yard touchdown that day and eventually got more involved?) – “I think that the mental reps were just as important as the physical reps. I think that was probably the most important aspect of all this is taking advantage of those mental reps. Almost like I’m in it, getting those reps right then. I think taking advantage of those was a very big deal because anybody can get those same reps on game day.“

(Prior to the Dolphins calling and General Manager Chris Grier giving you an offer, did you have any relationship at all with Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Eric Studesville from March through April? Or was there anyone with the Dolphins that tried to cultivate a relationship with you pre-draft?) – “No.”

(So was it a surprise when the Dolphins called and offered?) – “I would say so.”

(And you picked Miami why?) – “It’s a great spot. I get to learn real football from ‘Coach E’ (Eric Studesville). He’s a great coach. I’m blessed.”

(Did he call you that night when they made the offer, that third day of the draft? Or had you not really talked to any Dolphins coaches by the time you agreed to terms?) – “I hadn’t really talked to anyone.”

(Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Eric Studesville has coached for a long time, coached a lot of good running backs. What was the most important thing you were able to learn from him?) – “The most important thing I’ve been able to learn from ‘Coach E’ (Eric Studesville) is learning conceptual football and breaking it down to a foundational level. I think once he breaks it down to a foundational level, we’re able to learn, read and do things when we play football.”

(What did you feel was most important to show Associate Head Coach/Running Backs Eric Studesville and show Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “Just to show them that I love being a great teammate, I love to work and am here to get better.”

(Had you been to South Florida before signing with the Dolphins? Did you have any Miami connections at all?) – “We played the Hula Bowl down here before. That’s in Orlando. I don’t know if that is near here though. Probably not. That’s the only time I was in Florida though.”

(So you’ve basically made home the Dolphins facility the past few months?) – “Yeah, since May. Since rookie minicamp.”

(You definitely have a lot of skills. What would you point to is your skill that you feel best about coming into the NFL?) – “Coming into the NFL, I thought my skill was physicality. I probably feel the best about that. I’m working on branching off and getting all the other skills.”

(What’s the best reaction you got from a relative or friend over the news from yesterday?) – “They were really happy and congratulating me. I thought that was great to have that love come back to me.”

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