Jesse Davis – January 10, 2022
Monday, January 6, 2022
G/T Jesse Davis
(I guess to start off, your immediate reaction to the news that Brian Flores was fired? Were you surprised after the way the team finished the season?) – “Yeah, I think a lot of guys were probably surprised. Anytime that happens, it’s not fun. I think surprised is probably a good word to put it.”
(Beyond surprised, what other emotion did you have, were you disappointed, did you think ‘Coach Flo’ was a good coach?) – “I think it’s sad – it’s a sad feeling for everybody. Any time that happens it’s kind of unsettling, but it’s a business, and unfortunately we’re all under that circumstance as well, so you just kind of put your best foot forward, and wish everybody good luck, and move on. We all wish ‘Flo’ good luck on everything he does. He’s an awesome coach.”
(I wanted to get into how the season finished, obviously G/T Robert Jones started for you. Not that it’s your first time having a young player replace you, but what was that process like trying to get him ready and keep the unit focused?) – “I think Robert Jones deserved some time, too. I think everybody does and I think he did a good job. I think him stepping up for that role was awesome for him. I tried to help him as much as I could. He went out there with courage, and I thought he did a really good job. Just being in that situation, it’s a business; it happens. It sucks for me, but I’ll move on from it, I’ll learn to get better and improve myself as well.”
(Basically going back to OTAs you were wearing the brace, you have the knee issues. Did you have regrets about not getting that knee cleaned out or addressed in the offseason before training camp? Or did you feel like it was okay the whole year?) – “It’s just the wear and tear on it. I manage it, and I did some stuff in the offseason. I didn’t think I needed it scoped or anything. We have good trainers to help me with it, and after the games it kind of wears and tears on you, and during the game it wears and tears. But I don’t think it was an issue for me moving forward or anything. I think playing on a high-speed position – tackle, it is – it can beat you up a little bit. It’s just load management for myself.”
(What are the qualities you would like to see in the next head coach for the Dolphins?) – “Everybody has kind of the same outfit. I think ‘Flo’ Brian Flores brought a lot of good qualities to this team. Competitiveness, and toughness, that falls into my category. Whoever they hire is going to be somebody who falls under that same kind of mantra. It all ends up being scheme and how players react to certain coaches. I think ‘Flo’ did a great job, and the chips really didn’t fall where we wanted them at the end of the season.”
(How did you find out and if any of the players have the chance to talk to ‘Flo’, and sort of what that was like?) – “I think we all found out the same way everybody does this day in age, which is Twitter or see it on the news or whatever. I think I was doing my exit physical or something and then you come out of the room and whoever is talking about it, and you’re shocked. I’m not sure how everybody else found out about it, but it’s probably a similar deal there.”
(I’m sure every player, and every media member had their own impression of ‘Coach Flo’s’ personality, and approach. I’m wondering your perspective, now that it’s over, and you’ve been around for three years. What was your thought about Coach’s personality, leadership style approach, and if it worked?) – “’Flo,’ he’s intense, and he gets after you when you’re not doing your job and that’s what a coach does. Some days you may not want to hear it, but most of the time that’s what you need to hear. I think the guys that are in the building and on the team, they respond pretty well to it or they wouldn’t have been there. You’ve got to have thick skin with him. It’s tough love. If you’re not doing your job you’re going to hear about it. If you’re doing your job, you’re not going to hear from him. I think he brought out a lot of good in everybody, and I think the way we responded in the second half of the season when we got everything rolling a little bit, I know we weren’t very consistent on offense and this and that, but I think guys got better. That’s the bottom line.”
(How much did the knee issues hamper you this season in terms of your performance?) – “I wouldn’t really look back on my knee issue or anything. I think every o-lineman has got one. It’s just how much you can load manage it and get through it. I don’t think it’s going to affect me moving forward or anything. I think it’s just me having confidence in myself and trusting myself more than I should out there, but I’ve got a lot of room to improve on myself.”
(Were you ever at 100 percent during the season?) – “Was anybody? I don’t know, I feel like I was.”
(Since ‘Flo’ was there the three years, you guys had four o-line coaches, maybe three OC setups, what factor do you feel like all of that change had on the offense, and maybe the lack of progression on offense?) – “Since I’ve bene here, I think I’ve had seven. It’s been different techniques, different coaching styles, different schemes, everything you can think of. I think that contributes to a lot of things, and it’s how well you take to the coaching, how well, how well you understand stuff, if you’re a fast learner. Ideally you want the same guy coaching your guys, letting one voice in the room coach your guys. I think a lot of that has to do with a lot of things, but at the end of the day we have a job to do, and you better learn or you won’t stick around.”
