Kenny Stills – May 24, 2017
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Wednesday, May 24, 2017
Wide Receiver Kenny Stills
(How does it feel to be back out there running around with 11-on-11. Is the offense better than you left it or in about the same place after that playoff game?) – “We’re trying to move on from last year and just build on what we did. I think we’re in a great place. We’re just going to continue to come to work every day and try to put good practices together.”
(We just talked to TE Julius Thomas. What is the first thing you noticed when he came out?) – “Just a veteran mindset we get from Julius (Thomas). Being that he’s been in this offense before, it’s not like we’re having to teach him anything. We know he can go out there and he’s kind of just catching things in stride.”
(The expectation was that in Year 2 of this offense, most of you guys would take that next step because of comfort and familiarity. Where do you see that translate the most?) – “Just being able to play fast. I think that’s one of the biggest things (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase stresses with us is going out there and flying around. The fact that we know our responsibility, we know our job (and) we’re more comfortable out there, we can fly around and play this game at a high speed, high tempo.”
(Was there one part of your game that you wanted to improve this past offseason?) – “I wouldn’t say there’s one thing. Obviously there’s always things we can improve on and so I’m just trying to continue to be a complete wide receiver and help this team any way I can.”
(How much does it personally mean to you, the financial commitment this organization has made to you?) – “I don’t know how to answer that.”
(Can you put into words how you embrace that?) – “Obviously I’m happy to be back here. This is where I wanted to be and this organization has done a good job of keeping all of our players here this offseason, for the most part. So that’s important to us and like I said, I wanted to be here and so I’m happy that we’ve moved on from that.”
(How does QB Ryan Tannehill look both in throwing sessions before OTAs and I guess these two practices?) – “He looks great. You guys saw the stuff he was doing last year before he got hurt. He’s one of the hardest-working guys on our team and so he continues to build on everything that he’s doing at the quarterback position and leading this offense and this team.”
(RB Jay Ajayi said with the running back group that they’re working on being more complete and being more complete without the football. Is that a point of emphasis with the wide receiver room as well?) – “Yes. You’ve seen the receiver group down the field blocking in those games where we weren’t really throwing the ball as much. (Wide Receivers) Coach (Shawn) Jefferson really stresses us being complete wide receivers and tells us all the time, ‘No block, no rock.’ That’s something we’re always focusing on and we’re trying to help this team any way we can.”
(Many of the combined numbers obviously for you and WR DeVante Parker and WR Jarvis Landry were very good last year. Can those numbers rise even more do you think as a group of three?) – “I’m not here to predict anything, but we’re here working and trying to build on what we had last year. If we can stay healthy, we know we can do something big.”
(When you made your public stance last season, did it impact your decision at all that the organization supported you from the top to do that? Or would you have done it either way?) – “It was a relief that we knew that (Owner) Mr. (Stephen) Ross was going to be standing behind us; but no, it was something that the decision that we made it was going to be something we were doing regardless. And that’s no disrespect to the organization or Mr. Ross, but it’s something that we felt strongly about and so we stood by that decision.”
(And where do you stand on that going forward now for the upcoming season?) – “I guess we’ll see when the time comes. I’m doing my best to continue to work and make an impact in the community, and I feel like that’s the most important part about what I’m doing right now.”
(Do you think things have gotten at all better in last 12 months?) – “As far as what?”
(Obviously the issue that is very important to you.) – “I think here locally we’ve done everything that we can and we’re going to continue to do that. The ride-along that we did last year with law enforcement is something that we’re going to try to do again this year and something that we’re trying to expand on throughout the league, and so I just try to focus on the positive things that we’ve done here and try and spread the message to other guys and other teams.”
(As long as we’re on this topic very briefly, I believe you protested a trip to Israel. Is that correct?) – “I just backed out of a trip to Israel.”
(Do you feel it’s important to make social statements or be socially aware or conscience? Or how do you view situations such as that?) – “I mean I try to do my best to just do the right thing in all situations and that’s how I handle it. I’ve gotten more involved this past year and that’s something that I just … I can’t hold back on because it’s something that is true to my heart and so that’s kind of how I handle every situation I come across.”
