Jonotthan Harrison – December 14, 2023
Thursday, December 14, 2023
OL Jonotthan Harrison
(Are there any Florida Gators in the locker room that we know of?) – “I don’t even fully know. I just got here. I’m still trying to learn where the bathroom is right now. (laughter)
(Is there anybody in the locker room that you know, as a player or coach?) – “Yeah, I played with (Chosen) Anderson and Braxton Berrios up with the Jets. (Parry) Nickerson as well. And then, (Justin) Ellis, I was with on the Falcons this past training camp. So yeah, I know a couple of people, a couple of familiar faces.”
(What was meeting QB Tua Tagovailoa for the first time?) – “I expected kind of a more chill, like Islander vibe. That’s exactly what he is. It was a great conversation off the bat. We started working on some cadence.”
(What were you doing when you got the call?) – “The honest truth? I was sitting on the couch with my wife and we we’re about to eat some food and watch some Netflix. (laughter) I’m being completely honest. I enjoy training and staying in shape so I’ve been doing that regardless. It’s kind of ingrained in me just to always be ready. I was this close to being like alright, I guess I’m not getting my 10th year. I got the call and here I am.”
(How hard is it to just jump right in? I mean, you haven’t played football in what, four years?) – “I’ve been on teams. But like actually playing, yeah we’re talking about four years.”
(So you’ll have the opportunity now. What does that mean to you?) – “It means a lot and I’m going to do whatever it takes to help contribute, do whatever they need me to do. I’ve been getting some reps at center. It’s been a while since I’ve been on a team that’s allowed me to play some center. That’s my bread and butter so I’m really excited. The locker room is great. Everyone is very welcoming. Nice and warm. I’m just looking forward to getting to work.”
(So obviously the starter is out for the year, unfortunately, OL Connor Williams, who was playing very well. OL Liam Eichenberg has filled in capably at times this year. But what have you been told as far as coming in and trying to compete to start? What have you been told in that regard?) – “That’s the mentality regardless. No matter what your role is, whether you’re practice squad, whatever, your mentality is to compete to start. That’s all it is. Come in here, just get up to speed and we’ll go from there. So that’s all I’m focusing on, just learning the playbook, learning some names around the building and just getting up to speed. Whatever they need from me, I’m here.”
(Tell us about the surprise of getting the call, because it sounds like you were kind of resigned to, well, I won’t be active this season.) – “Everything was just a whirlwind at that point. And the funny thing is, today is Thursday. I got the call on Tuesday. Today, I was actually supposed to fly down here for a baby shower. So then I was like, alright, let me just get a bag together and get out of there. But it was very, very exciting to get that call. Very exciting to be active on an active roster again. Like I said, I’m just ready to do whatever, whatever they need me to do.”
(Were you in Lake County or where were you staying?) – “I was about an hour and a half northeast of Atlanta. I recently moved from Arizona to the Georgia area. I was transitioning to training, like strength training offensive and defensive linemen. Then yeah, I got the call and just had to set everything down and take off.”
(So that’s your future, training athletes?) – “Yes, yes it is. It’s something I’m very passionate about. I feel like I can offer mentorship as well as developmental skills.”
(Is there a point in the last four years where you considered just walking away from football entirely to focus on training or some other job?) – “My goal from day one was to get 10 years. I told everyone, all my family. I’m like, dig, scratch or claw, I’m going to get 10 years. I was really disappointed to get released after training camp. We’re in the middle of December right now and I was like, alright, well, maybe I’m not getting it. It’s a reality. It is what it is. They say that the NFL door closes fast, but it opens right back up as well, clearly.”
(So what’s the rule? If you get four rostered games, does that count as an accrued season?) – “I want to say it’s three.”
(So what was the plan if football didn’t happen to work out this year? What was the next move?) – “The next move was to train, to train offensive and defensive linemen. Obviously, I’m an offensive lineman so skill-wise, I can train offensive linemen. But I was partnering with a former teammate up in Georgia. We were kind of tag-teaming it, helping a lot with strength training kids to adults, working with a couple of USFL guys. So that’s what I’d like to do post-career. But clearly that’s on pause for right now.”
(Which of the teams that you’ve been on in recent years use the zone scheme that the Dolphins and of course we know the 49ers use?) – “Actually, there was a lot of carryover from the Falcons. A lot of carryover from the Falcons. The terminology might be a little bit different here, maybe the technique on how to get there. But schematically, there was a lot of carryover so picking up the playbook has been fairly. It’s been a lot easier than I expected.”
(How many snaps do you think you might get a chance to do with QB Tua Tagovailoa so that you can get comfortable with each other?) – “Practice wise?”
(Yeah, moving forward.) – “I think obviously, they signed myself and Matt Skura. So I feel like they’re going to just keep rotating us so we can get whatever work we need, just in case they need us.”
(Are you still going to make it to the baby shower?) – “No, I’m not. This is work. It’s actually on Sunday, so I’m not making it. (laughter) But yeah, all my friends and family, they’ll be watching cheering, supporting. This is my hometown team. I was born in Plantation.”
(And grew up in Lake County?) – “Yes, I grew up in Lake County. I moved up there for fifth grade and on. Just went like another hour and a half north to Gainesville.”
(Does that mean you’ve been a Dolphins fan up until fourth or fifth grade before you moved upstate?) – “Yeah, I was a Dolphins fan I’d say until the NFL. Then I kind of stopped being a fan of teams because it’s night and day when you’re in the locker room, in the business.”
(Mike Pouncey was a legend in this space.) – “I know. I know.”
(Do you know the Pouncey guys?) – “They were my mentors. They were my big brothers in college. I was just trying to resemble how they play, so that’s kind of all I know. A little nasty, twitchy. I definitely looked up to them in college. I still looked up to them in the NFL. They had phenomenal careers. Obviously, my career isn’t the same caliber as theirs, but hey, I’m here.”
