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Durham Smythe – December 16, 2020 Download PDF version

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

TE Durham Smythe

(How do you handle this week, dealing with TE Mike Gesicki’s injury and also knowing you’re probably going to have an increased role?) – “I think at this level, you kind of have to go into every week with the same mentality. That’s something that I’ve tried to do since college, just know the entire game plan, every role within our tight end room. From that standpoint, it’s kind of status quo in terms of knowing everyone’s role.”

(That injury looked pretty ugly with TE Mike Gesicki. In the moment, I’m sure you felt for him. Did you give him any words of encouragement and how is he doing now?) – “Yeah, definitely. He’s in high spirits. In terms of logistics of everything, I have no idea. You’ll have to talk to the other guys. But Mike is a guy who is always high energy. He was in high spirits and nothing has really changed. You love to see that.”

(What do you think your evolution as a pass catcher in the offense, specifically this season, helps in your role and also helps the offense, specifically in these last three games? You’ve got 16 catches, which doubles the amount you had in your first two seasons.) – “I try to be a guy who is reliable in the pass game. Not being a 4.4 or 4.5 (40-yard dash guy) like Mike (Gesicki) and some other guys, you won’t end up with 60 or 70 catches in a year; but when the ball comes your way, you’ve just got to be reliable – a safety blanket type thing. That’s what I’ve tried to do over the last 14-15 weeks is just when the ball comes my way, catch it and be efficient in that regard. That’s kind of the mentality, that’s what it’s been all year and that’s what it will be going forward.”

(I wanted to ask you about TE Mike Gesicki’s season as a whole. You guys were drafted at the same time, him having higher expectations being a second-round pick. For him to turn in the production he has this season, with the one-handed catch and being a reliable outlet for the offense, what can you say about the way he’s progressed here during your time here together?) – “First of all, you mentioned the second-round, fourth-round thing and I tell him every day that they made a mistake in that regard and it should’ve been the other way around. I stand by that. (laughter) That was obviously an organizational mistake but I guess it’s worked out in the long run here. (laughter) I’ve known he’s had this in him since we first got here. He’s progressed a lot in terms of strength and understanding the game and things like that but he’s always had this ability. I knew that from day one. This year he was able to show it on a consistent basis. Things that I’ve seen for the last three years, everyone is starting to see now. Actually, I was just talking to him a little while ago. I know Pro Bowl voting (ends tomorrow) and I’m doing everything I can to get that guy in because I think he’s more than deserving of it this year. It’s been fun to watch and I think it will only continue from here.”

(With as well as TE Mike Gesicki has played, if he’s not able to go this week, how do you replace that level of production?) – “Like I said earlier, I think it’s just – Adam (Shaheen) is kind of the same way I am. I think we go into the game every week with the same mentality and that’s I understand Adam’s role, I understand Mike’s role and he understands ours too. Nothing really changes from that standpoint. We’ll be the players that we are. Like I said, we try to be reliable when the ball is thrown our way, be efficient in the run game and things like that. I think from that standpoint, we’ll approach this game like we have the other 14.”

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