Ereck Flowers – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
G Ereck Flowers
(Tell me what it means to you for you to be coming back to your hometown to play NFL football?) – “It means a lot. I grew up always wanting to play down here. Being able to play all three levels in Miami is a really special opportunity. I’m really excited and ready to get this thing started.”
(I know that there is a lot that has been written about how earlier in your career you were playing tackle and it didn’t go as well, then you got moved to guard. What about that switch helped you take off to where you were able to get a big contract?) – “I think the switch plays into a lot of my natural strengths. It really helped to have (Bill) Callahan make that switch. To make the switch with the best offensive line coach in the league, I think I was very fortunate in the situation and the timing and placement and all of that together. I’m just looking forward to taking those next steps and getting better.”
(Do you expect to play guard here in Miami, and if so, is left guard the position for you?) – “They haven’t gone into details. This whole thing – wherever they need me to play, I’ll play.”
(How have you been spending your time recently? There been kind of the lockdown, or stay at home, or whatever you want to call it. We know a lot of gyms are closed. How are you staying in shape? How are you occupying your time?) – “I actually have a Peloton and treadmill in my garage. I have equipment for drills. I have bungies, I’ve got dumbbells. I have pretty much everything. I have most of the things except for a squat rack. I’ve been occupying my time pretty well. Right now, I’m doing the best that I can do. Everything is closed. You can’t go anywhere. I can’t wait for this thing to be over, really. It’s been kind of boring”
(Are you in South Florida? Is that where you are hunkered down? And two, the coronavirus is pretty bad here. Do you know anyone who was affected by it?) – “I actually don’t. I’ve really been in the house every day. I really don’t want it. I’ve really been staying in the house as much as I can and washing my hands. I’ve been down here my whole life. Even when I was in New York, I’ve always been down here back home in the offseason. I’ve just been where I’ve always been, down here.”
(I know there has been talk about the offseason being shortened or canceled. I’m wondering how particularly with the guys in the trenches, a shortened or canceled offseason would impact the 2020 season?) – “I think the offseason is very important for people coming into the league, people going to new teams and people working with new coaches. I think that’s the most important part of the offseason. I think that’s the most important part of the offseason. I think that’s when this serves a huge purpose. It’s unfortunate really because if it’s canceled, you’re going into camp not really getting a chance to really go over your playbook. I don’t know how they’re going to handle that. Usually it’s a trial run before you get to the real deal. You get to know your calls, get to know who you’re playing with, what they like, what they like to do, techniques and using certain blocks. The o-line is different from a lot of positions because there are different variations of what you have to do and different places. That’s just in my experience. I think it’s not really ideal when you’re just getting to a place. If you’ve been to a place, maybe it will give you more time off for your body, maybe more time for recovery if you have injuries or surgery and all of that. There are different sides to it.”
(Speaking of offensive line, that’s been a position this organization has been trying to upgrade for a few years. In your experience, what are the two or three keys to successful offensive line play?) – “Preparation. And that’s from the coaches to the players, in both aspects – being on the same page and preparation. I would say putting the work in, really. Most of the o-line play is muscle memory. There are a whole bunch of things that come into it. I really learned this past year playing next to a Pro Bowl guard, seeing what he does and what he does for his preparation. This past year was my first time – this past year, I was on the line with such good players. You kind of see what makes them so good and what makes the room pretty good. There are a lot of things that go into that. I’d say preparation is the number one thing. Then it’s going out doing what you practiced, really. It’s one thing to practice and then go out there and actually do what you practiced.”
(Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to choose the Dolphins and how they chose you?) – “For me, I loved Washington. I loved being there. I loved my teammates. Their family bonded with my family, and I still talk to them to this day; but it was like playing for Miami was a chance for me to come home. It’s where I’m from, where I grew up and where I’ve been my whole life, and (to do it) at the pro level. For me, it was really kind of a tough choice; but I feel like it was the right choice as far as it’s what I’ve always dreamed of being able to do and where I always wanted to play. I’m just happy I get a chance to go out there and experience it.”
