Danny Amendola – April 17, 2018
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Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Wide Receiver Danny Amendola
(Why Miami? What else was out there for you and why did you decide here?) – “It’s a great place to play football. I’ve played against these guys for a long time in our division and we’ve got a strong division. It’s a great place to play. I love what (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase does. I’m excited to be a part of this group.”
(What are your impressions of Head Coach Adam Gase?) – “He’s a great coach. Obviously he’s been in the league for a long time and been doing a lot of great things. Just being here for a couple days, I can tell these guys really respond to him and they play hard for him.”
(We asked CB Bobby McCain – with a smile – on Friday how it was, the first meeting between you guys and he said everything was cool. From your standpoint, how was that first meeting with Bobby?) – “We’re brothers now. We play on the same team, so we’re going to fight together and I can’t wait to get out there and start working with him and start pushing each other and start getting better.”
(What do you feel like are some of the keys to being a good leader and a good teammate?) – “Just expressing your knowledge for the game, what you’ve been through and what you’ve learned along the way. We’ve got some young guys, got some old guys and the leaders are going to step up. Whatever I can do to help this team win is what I’m going to do.”
(How much time have you been able to spend with QB Ryan Tannehill since you got down here?) – “A few days. We’ve thrown the ball around a couple times. We’re always talking, always picking each other’s brain here in the short time that I’ve been here. He seems to be a great guy, a great player. I watched him play when he was in college when he played receiver, when he played quarterback. I know what kind of athlete he is and I’m excited to be a part of a group playing with him.”
(Who’s got better hands, you or QB Ryan Tannehill?) – “He’s a good quarterback. That’s all I know. (laughter)”
(Recently you talked about Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick. You said he’s one of the greatest coaches of all time, sometimes he can be a bleep. You don’t see ex-Patriots say that about Bill. I think you meant it in a very respectful way, but could you expound on that, and why did you feel the freedom to be able to say that?) – “I’m just focused on the Miami Dolphins, trying to get better every day here in OTAs and focused on forming a bond with my teammates here and I’m really focused on the future.”
(Is it weird coming from the Patriots to the Dolphins? You guys have been rivals for so long. It’s got to be a little awkward, no?) – “No, I love these colors, so I’m excited to be wearing them and I’m excited to be a part of this group.”
(You and a lot of the other veterans who are accomplished in the NFL were brought here, in part, to show leadership. How do you balance that with being the new guy? Is it harder to just come in and be the guy and show everybody when you haven’t been here?) – “When the time is to come for me to lead, then I’ll lead. Right now, I’m just trying to flow and get the playbook, trying to learn, trying to adapt to this organization, to this facility and the way things are going. It’s my second day in the building. Everything will work itself out.”
(What does it mean to you to be rewarded with a quite substantial contract at this point in your career?) – “I’m excited. I’m excited to get out there and play football. It’s what I like to focus on. Obviously, there’s a business aspect to this game. Sometimes it works out for you, sometimes it doesn’t. I’ve been on both ends. I try to keep it consistent with playing good football and trying to be there for my teammates.”
(You’ve been on the other side for a lot of Dolphins games. What is it that this team needs to be better?) – “Just continue to improve every day, try to embrace the grind and create an atmosphere around here that’s conducive to winning. We’re excited to be … I know I’m excited to be here, and we’ve got a great group.”
(When a player comes into a new organization and if you’ve had success against that team, do you ever tell coaches, ‘This is what worked well against you guys or this is what didn’t work. This is what you guys are doing well.’) – “I’m here to listen to my coaches and listen to what they have to say. I’m here to be coachable and follow directions. If they ask me, then whatever I can provide, whatever kind of information I can give to help my team win, that’s what I’ll do.”
(How much do you know about your fellow wide receivers either personally or on film – WR Kenny Stills, WR DeVante Parker and the rest of them?) – “I’ve obviously, watched them play for a long time and it goes back to college for a couple of them. (I am) familiar with some of the new guys in the room, too. We’ve put a lot of good ideas on paper these last two days and we’ve got a great group. I’m excited to get on the field and get working with them.”
(Is the idea of running some of the routes that WR Jarvis Landry had success with somewhat appealing to you, that role in this offense?) – “Every team in the league has the same concepts, really. It’s just a matter of getting out there, getting them repped, getting familiar with your teammates, creating a rapport if you will, and then just getting out there and getting reps.”
(How quickly do you think it will take for you to learn this offense considering this is the third offense you’ve been in?) – “I’ve been in three or four of them, I believe. It’s all new verbiage, so it’s going to take some time to learn the language and learn the vocabulary. The system and the way things work pre-snap and within the play are similar to a lot of places I’ve been; but to learn the language, to learn the verbiage, it’s going to take a few days.”
(Did the idea of playing your old team a couple of times a year factor at all in your decision?) – “Not really. I wanted to go … I wanted to play for a good coach, a good team and a good city, and here I am.”
(You’ve had some memorable plays in the biggest moments. I’m wondering is there some sort of key to being the guy who makes the plays in pressure situations?) – “It just all comes down to preparation and being ready when your number is called. Really, no matter what month it is, what down it is, for me it’s just all about preparation. Whenever your number is called, just be ready.”
(As former, fellow Texas Tech players, did you have any kind of relationship with WR Jakeem Grant before you got here and what do you think of his game?) – “I have. I have known him and watched him play for a really long time. He’s a great player. He’s strong. I found out he’s an exceptional athlete these last two days. He’s fast. He can do a lot of great things. (He has) a lot of upside as a player. I’m really excited to see what fellow Texas Tech Red Raiders are going to do this year.”
