Christian Wilkins – September 9, 2021
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Thursday, September 9, 2021
DT Christian Wilkins
(Are you looking forward to going to Massachusetts?) – “Of course. For multiple reasons. Massachusetts is home for me. I’m from Springfield, Massachusetts – 413 (area code) stand up. So for that. Also, the first game of the year. It’s always exciting. The start of something new is always fun. I have a lot of family and friends at the game, too, so it’s always exciting to go up to Foxboro.”
(There are a few changes obviously with DT Adam Butler a part of your group. LB Kyle Van Noy, DE Shaq Lawson no longer here. But it’s largely the same group. Now we know LB Elandon Roberts is obviously next to LB Jerome Baker. Does the continuity do you think help at all to build off last year?) – “Yeah, it definitely can help, just guys being comfortable with the scheme and the system and just comfortable with each other; and then that way when you get guys from outside, they can come right in and you can make them just feel like a part of the team and everything. But it only helps so much because you do have to start over and you do have to rebuild the chemistry and you do have to refocus and take it one step further and one play at a time, one practice at a time to get better as a unit.”
(What was your team growing up?) – “What was that?”
(What was your team growing up?) – “Yeah. Yes. It was… yeah, yeah. Big time. But now… (laughter)”
(You can’t even say the words.) – “No, I’m not going to say it. (laughter) But yeah, growing up – diehard. Big time. But happy to be a Dolphin now.”
(I saw you were doing some work at CB Xavien Howard’s shop the other day. You want to tell us about that a little bit?) – “So I lost a bet. My boys couldn’t get it done – Clemson-Georgia game – but I know they’ll get back right. I have faith in all those guys over there in Clemson, South Carolina, that they’ll get back right and do what they need to do. But yeah, lost a bet, so as part of my punishment – but it wasn’t really punishment for me. I had a good time. I brought a lot of business in for ‘X’ (Xavien Howard). Really, I just think it was a marketing thing for him because I brought a lot of business to his store, so that was a lot of fun for me to work there and it was really kind of humbling, too. I feel like everybody should get a 9-5 or work in that kind of environment because it teaches you a little bit and it’s just different, so that was kind of fun for me.”
(Is the key when you go up against a rookie quarterback like you are Sunday to rattle him early on?) – “Again, you’re not necessarily focused on those kind of things. You’re just worried about playing your game. Whatever the plan is, just execute it as best as possible. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing a rookie quarterback or a 10-year vet. You’ve just definitely got to execute your plan and it all starts with preparation throughout the week.”
(If I can follow up, were you personally surprised when they released QB Cam Newton and they named QB Mac Jones the starter?) – “That’s on them – again, I just focus on us and what we’ve got to do and what we got going on here.”
(Have you watched only QB Mac Jones preseason tape? Have you gone back and seen any Alabama stuff collectively as a group?) – “You try to watch as much as you can. You see some stuff. Just try to take away different parts of everyone’s game and just kind of what everyone does.”
(You’ve faced the Patriots a few times now in your career. What is so tricky I guess or what challenges arise when going against this offensive line?) – “They’re definitely just – the Patriots as a team, they’re definitely just really disciplined. And they do what they do and they do it well. So if you’re not on your game, it can be a challenge for you. That’s why it’s important that we prepare the right way each and every day.”
(You appear to be fit. Are you a few pounds under fit? Are you a few pounds under where you were at the start of last season?) – “I’m at a comfortable weight right now. Just feeling good. Feeling explosive and just feeling like I can go 17 games at least right now and just feeling healthy so that’s most important.”
(LB Elandon Roberts also refused to tell me if he lost even five pounds. I tried. It’s hard during the season for me. They feed us well here.) – “I can see that. (laughter)”
(I try to stay around 178.) – “You look a little bit more than that. No, I’m just teasing. (laughter)”
(I know fans are obviously excited to see some of the young players, the next step they take – you, DT Raekwon Davis, etc. Personally being next to Raekwon, spending so much time with him, are you curious how good this guy can be? Obviously we know the tools.) – “Raekwon (Davis) has got a chance to be really good. Just as long as he keeps coming in every day, working to improve and it’s on guys like myself, too, like an older guy to Raekwon. Someone that he – I think he likes me (laughter) and looks up to a little bit – just to bring him along and vice versa. We need each other to be great, but Raekwon has a chance to be pretty good.”
(Going back to offensive line, we’ve heard T Liam Eichenberg and we’ve heard C/G Michael Deiter talk about the difficulties in switching sides and switching positions, but as a defensive lineman, can you ever tell when an O-lineman is I guess adjusting to playing on an opposite side or can you tell when he’s kind of trying to get his feet right?) – “I mean, maybe sometimes. You might just notice ‘oh, you’re not usually here’ or ‘now you’re over here.’ But you kind of just more focus on your game and your technique and doing your job more than anything.”
(Are you participating in the league’s program that allows slogans on the back of your helmet?) – “Yes, I am and I have ‘it takes all of us’ on the back of mine.”
(And why did you choose that? What does that mean to you?) – “Just feel like that’s a good strong message and it goes deeper than just the social injustices. It just speaks deep to me in a way. It takes all of us to essentially make the world a better place, so everybody should just do their part.”
(You guys were improved in run defense as last year went along. What’s the key to taking the next step?) – “Again, just taking it each and every day, just building as a team, as a defense and just taking it one play at a time, one meeting at a time, one day at a time. Just focusing and honing on our crafts and getting better and just focusing and working hard on our technique and fundamentals and then honing in on those each and every day and just applying them to practice and game situations.”
(I did a little project the other day where I looked at all the Dolphins sacks and takeaways from last year and just kind of watched what your impact was on those plays; and it seems like so often you’re taking on double teams or creating gaps for guys to make plays off of you. My favorite part about it was watching the way you reacted to those guys making plays. I’m wondering, was it always like that for you in football from Day 1 where you’re just so selfless and care about the team making those big plays?) – “Yeah, always. As long as I can remember since I was in youth when I was just nothing but head and shoulders. Just always been a thing to incorporate your teammates. You’re part of something greater than yourselves and that’s what I love most about football. It’s not about me; it’s always about we. It’s the ultimate team sport so I definitely just try to apply that and just make those around me better because I know I need them when I’m not at my best.”
(Not going to lie but I watched you celebrate with LB Sam Eguavoen on his four sacks and you punched him twice and they were some serious ass punches.) – “Yeah it might have been more than twice. It was quick. (laughter) I was feeding him. I was feeding him.”
(Do you ever worry about hurting people doing these celebrations?) – “I get a little – in the moment, I’m just a little excited. I’m just a little overzealous; but yeah, I don’t really think about it. I just get excited in the moment.”
