Michael Deiter – December 6, 2021
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Monday, December 6, 2021
C/G Michael Deiter
(We watched you begin the rehab process like two months ago, obviously not knowing if you were going to be able to make it back. What’s it like to finally suit up and join the action again?) – “It’s been good. Yesterday is fun. Last week was fun getting back into the routine of getting prepared to play a game. It’s been two months but it seems like it’s been two years since I last played. It was good to get back out there.”
(Did the absence end up being about what you expected in terms of length of a couple months? Did you feel fully healthy yesterday?) – “Yeah. I think it was right on. We did everything perfect.”
(I would imagine for any pro athlete, there’s a rhythm you have to re-establish when you’ve had an extended absence. Did you feel in the swing of things yesterday? Was there some rust do you think?) – “Yeah, I think I was in the swing of things. There was definitely a little bit of rust just because it’s definitely been a while. I had Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to get ready and knock off as much rust as I could get off. After a few snaps, it just felt like riding a bike. There’s still things, like it would be any week, things I can do better, things I did ok. But there’s still a lot to improve on.”
(Obviously you’ve been a part of this unit from the very beginning, even going back to last year when a lot of them were playing as rookies. What was it like to watch them go through their struggles without you and also knowing that center was one of the issues, considering it turned into a revolving door when you went down?) – “It was just good to see those guys, no matter who was playing center, communicate, work with the guy next to him, make sure everyone was on the same page. It didn’t matter who we were throwing out there at any position – they’d be able to work with them, communicate with them and ultimately play good enough to try to help us win. I think all of the guys out there did that.”
(What’s your goal for the final month of the season, not just you as a player but as a unit for the offensive line?) – “To make sure we’re doing everything to help the Miami Dolphins win football games. To not be a group that’s holding us back. To be a group that’s helping us win. That’s always the goal and that’s what it will be going into the last stretch.”
(Obviously you’re a team-first guy and as you said, winning stands above all else. But every player has their own personal story as well. With you, do you feel like these next four games will be the case for you to make to General Manager Chris Grier and Head Coach Brian Flores, ‘I’m your starting center moving forward. There’s no need to look for another one.’) – “I’m not really looking into all of that. I just want to make sure that I play good enough football to make them comfortable with me, no matter what they want to do. As long as I’m making sure – I’m taking it one day (at a time) to make sure the Dolphins can win, that’s all that I’m worried about. Just making this offense as good as it can be. If that means that I can be the guy, then that means that. I’m not really thinking about all of that.”
(Having watched some from the sidelines and then being back in there, I’m curious what, if anything, you’ve noticed relative to positives on QB Tua Tagovailoa, his development and his growth. What are you seeing? What are you observing?) – “He’s definitely playing with a lot more confidence. Just making quicker decisions, having better plans. And that starts with the offensive line giving him the ability to do all of that, to have confidence, not be worried about getting hit a lot. We need to make sure we’re always on top of that. He’s been just way more confident, which is making sure that he’s having way more fun, which is ultimately helping him just go out and cut it loose and have some fun. Obviously he is capable of being a really good quarterback. It’s been fun to watch him just have way more fun and just be confident.”
(The way more fun makes me happy. I like it. Winning is fun. It’s more fun for sportswriters. It’s more fun for players. Is there anything sort of specific that you can think of? A fun moment that you thought was cool from QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “I think just watching him, whenever he makes a big throw. Yesterday when he made that touchdown throw to Isaiah (Ford). When he released the ball, he put his hands up. I don’t know if anyone noticed that but it was not caught yet and he was like, ‘that’s a touchdown.’ I think that little bit of confidence and swagger, that was cool to see him do that because he knew right away that he just stopped that one DB just long enough to deliver that throw and he knew it right when he released it that it was going to be a touchdown. I thought that was really cool.”
(I have this obsession with big men doing Pilates. I don’t know if you’re part of the Pilates crew. If you are, what do you get out of it?) – “I’m actually not a Pilates guy. Rob (Hunt) is a big Pilates guy. I’m more of a yoga guy myself.”
(Do they bring in yoga sessions for you guys too?) – “They used to. This year they haven’t so what I’ve learned over the years, I just have to do it on my own. Hot yoga, that’s the ticket right there.”
(So you want a hot yoga session in the facility?) – “Sure. Yeah, if we could get that done, that would be nice.”
(I’ve been asking your teammates about the leisure activities that you’re into for the bye week here. My question is several-pronged but I’m curious, would that involve a skate for you and have you done that yet? You talked about it back in 2019. Have you had a chance to go skate down here in South Florida?) – “I have not. But I don’t think I would anyway in-season. But in the offseason, I can’t wait to play a little drop-in hockey. But definitely not this week. If anything, I’m going to play some Xbox and maybe later in the week play a round of golf. We’ll see what Tua (Tagovailoa) wants to do.”
(Are you perhaps converted to a Florida Panthers fan now? They’re the top team in the NHL.) – “For sure. I don’t want to be claimed as a bandwagon guy but I’ve been down here three years now, so I’m allowed to be a Panthers game. They’re really good so it’s a win win.”
