Elandon Roberts – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
LB Elandon Roberts
(I wanted to ask you about coming to the Dolphins. In the league, players make their choice based on opportunity and salary. You also have a former coach in Brian Flores, so how much was this decision based on Brian Flores and how much of it on playing opportunity and salary?) – “Through the process, it was all good. Just being a former player for him in New England and knowing what he’s about and stuff like that, it just felt comfortable to come and whatnot. Just knowing how good of a leader he is on and off the field, how much he cares about you as a player. Ultimately it went into my decision to become a Miami Dolphin and I’m 100 percent all the way in. I can’t wait to get down there and get started.”
(Describe to me what a – and I quote – ‘run through a [expletive]’s face mentality’ is.) – “It’s just in you. As a linebacker, you’ve got to – sometimes a lot of people are in your way or you’ve got to – At the end of the day for a linebacker, you have to make a tackle. So it’s a ‘do what you’ve got to do’ mentality. If you’ve got to do that, then you’ve got to do it. It’s just a mentality that I go by.”
(You were part of the Patriots’ long reign in the AFC East … is there potential now with the players that departed for an opportunity to unseat them?) – “We just have to come in every day and take it one day at a time. We can’t really look at what’s out there. All we can do is control what’s in our facility. That’s taking it one day at a time, learning our teammates, getting in and seeing what (Head Coach Brian) Flores and the staff wants out of us. That’s all that we can control.”
(I know you played with LB Kyle Van Noy and you’ve seen a lot of the pieces that were signed here on this defense. I wanted to ask you if you can still score on this defense now as it is right now?) – “Of course. I think everybody can score on defense. That’s definitely something fun to do. Creating turnovers is a part of defense. Of course I think every team in the league wants to do that. I think if we are able to get over this situation that we are going through and we all come together as the Miami Dolphins – we’re going to take it one day at a time as a team and as a defense, and try to create those habits.”
(I know you went to an HBCU. There was supposed to be a HBCU combine this weekend at the Dolphins facility but of course it was cancelled. What I want to know from you is it tougher to make it to the NFL when you come from an HBCU? If you think that is the case, why is that the case?) – ”I only went to an HBCU my freshman year. I didn’t graduate from there. I graduated and did my pro day with the University of Houston, so I really can’t answer that question. But I do think that NFL scouts around the league do a great job of finding you wherever you’re at, whether it’s HBCU, D-II, even if it’s NAIA, they do a great job of finding talent all over.”
(Were you surprised that QB Tom Brady left New England and what do you think about the new era they have in New England?) – “I just feel like Tom made the best decision that was best for Tom. I really can’t talk to deep into Tom and his decision. He’s a great guy and a great teammate.”
(What is your mindset given what we’re all going through right now. How are you able to stay in shape, and what’s you level of confidence that you’ll be able to gather with your new teammates for the offseason training?) – “Right now with what’s going on, I’ve just been staying in the house controlling what I can control. Just doing little thing within the inside of my house. Just trying to make sure I’m doing the right things to make sure this thing can get settled down and whatnot. I can’t (wait to) get out there to Miami and get with my teammates and learn each one of those and we can start taking this one day at a time.”
(How has this experience been for you? Obviously going into free agency, you would probably visit some teams before you make a decision. Was it harder going into this without being able to go and visit the teams and piggy-backing off that, how are you are keeping in shape?) – “I can only talk about my decision. For me, it was pretty comfortable because I was already comfortable with ‘Coach Flo’ (Brian Flores) out there in Miami. I didn’t think I needed to take too much of a visit. It didn’t hinder my decision because of the situation. Knowing Coach Flores, knowing what he’s about, knowing what kind of leader he is – I knew everybody in that organization. It’s going to be the same type of mentality he’s on because I know what type of leader he is, so it didn’t make it that difficult for me not taking a visit.”
(I know you don’t want to talk much about QB Tom Brady leaving, but you caught the second-to-last touchdown pass from him in New England. Can you even picture what an AFC East would look like without that guy?) – “I think the AFC East right now, for me, is taking it one day at a time with the Miami Dolphins. When we’re over this situation that we’re going through, to get there and meet my teammates, meet the staff, and even meet the people that help around the building – because that’s the people that make it easier on us – when I’m able to do that, then we’re able to just take it one day at a time and do what we need to do to control what we can control.”
(You were a captain in New England. How would you describe your leadership skills and how do your teammates think of you?) – “Me, I honestly think it’s just being yourself. Come in here every day, be the best teammate you can be, be the best person you can be in the building, and stuff like that. That’s it for me. Just always being myself and doing what the team needs me to do, and being the best teammate I can be.”
(What is your main reason for joining the Dolphins?) – “My number one reason, like I keep saying, is Coach Flores. He just made me feel so comfortable with coming down and knowing what type of leader he is and the type of staff that’s here already. That was my number one main reason and whatnot. I’m 100 percent bought in. I can’t wait to get down (there) and I love that I’m a Miami Dolphin.”
