Mike Gesicki – August 22, 2018
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Wednesday, August 22, 2018
TE Mike Gesicki
(I wanted to ask you about that catch in the end zone. It got on your shoulder or something?) – “That was just a play, just a normal one. I just ran a takeoff and Ryan (Tannehill) gave me a chance, put the ball up, and it’s just my job to go up and make a play and that’s what I was able to do.”
(How itching are you to get that done in a game?) – “That’s obviously the goal, that’s why you’re out here working. You’re out here practicing so that way when you get out on the field at game time, it’s time to make plays; but you have to be patient with everything. It’s a long process. It’s a very long season and we’re into two preseason games. I’m just excited to keep growing and keep getting better.”
(How would you describe your focus and your goal when you’re able to take the time to do some extra red zone work with QB Ryan Tannehill and QB Brock Osweiler?) – “It was good. It was really productive. Just being able to get those extra reps and being able to just go out there and get that chemistry, that’s something that’s really productive and I think it will pay huge dividends in the future.”
(LB Jerome Baker and S Minkah Fitzpatrick were telling us about the rookie talents. Have you had to sing or do any talented situations so far?) – “The rookies, obviously you have to get up and you have to sing or do whatever you want to do up there, so I went up there and sang. You have to get up there and (say) ‘Hello, Mike Gesicki, my school, signing bonus,’ all of that kind of stuff. It’s just fun and something that everybody that’s not standing up there singing gets huge entertainment out of that.”
(What did you sing?) – “I sang the song from The Hangover when he’s on the piano and tigers dreaming, that song.”
(We asked you about the red zone work. I was watching you blocking down here late. It seems like they were pretty happy with the job you did.) – “Yes. It’s going to be an everyday process. Whether it’s running routes or whether it’s making plays in the pass game, whether it’s pass protecting, run block, whatever it is, it’s not going to happen overnight. I’m just going to keep coming in here and growing, developing, getting better in this scheme and doing everything I can to help this offense.”
(When you watch film, I guess with Tight Ends Coach Shane Day, is he brutally honest? Is he encouraging? What’s it like?) – “Coach Day is awesome. He’s extremely positive, just kind of telling me each and every day that we’re getting better, we’re focusing on the technique and that like I just said, it’s not going to happen overnight. They knew that this was going to be a process and that we were going to have to develop some aspects of my game. I think that the coaches and everybody has done an awesome job teaching me some of this stuff and helping coach me up, and then at the same time, just being patient and understanding that.”
(You’re trying to improve all aspects of your game but what’s been the biggest challenge?) – “Honestly, probably just the mental aspect of everything. Now it’s coming a lot quicker, a lot faster; but yesterday I come in, there’s a bunch of new plays and all of this new stuff going in for the weekend and all of that. So, just kind of being able to comprehend that real quick and then being able to take that out to the field. Honestly, this is a little bit different than college. You’re not getting a ton of reps out here in practice, so when you get those opportunities, you have to make the most of them.”
(Do you find that things that you maybe had to think about during offseason workouts, now you’re just reacting?) – “Yes, absolutely. In OTAs, they would call a formation and I’d be going right, it’s supposed to be left; going left, it’s supposed to be (right). Now, it’s just I’m lining up, I’m playing fast, I’m doing my job, I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. I think that that’s just natural. You’re not just going to come out here your first day in OTAs and know the whole damn playbook and know exactly where you’re supposed to go and all of that kind of stuff. It’s a learning process just like it is a process on the field with the physical tools.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said that as far as you’re concerned, in his mind, the catches will come. What are you telling yourself about that?) – “Oh, yes. I’m not concerned about that at all. We’re sitting here going into preseason three. I’m out there running my routes, trying to win, blocking when I’m asked to, pass protecting when I’m asked to. I know that the catches are going to come. I think that Coach Gase has done a great job in this offense of getting guys the ball, getting guys in space being able to make plays and creating mismatches. In terms of making the plays, in these games right now, it’s not really what I’m concerned about. I’m just concerned about knowing my job, knowing my role, my assignment and going out and executing.”
(How important is starting for you?) – “You’re not coming out here every day just to be a backup or anything like that; but at the same time, you have to come out here with the right mindset, right attitude and just put your best foot forward and then let everything else fall where it may.”
(How did that touchdown catch feel?) – “It was good. It was a good feeling, just going up there. Not even making the play, just knowing that Ryan (Tannehill) has trust in me. In single coverage, he’s going to put it up in the back of the end zone an let me go get it. It’s not so much making the play, I know I can make the play. It’s getting the confidence in Ryan and I think that’s starting to grow and develop, and that’s a cool feeling.”
(Did you talk trash afterwards?) – “No. Believe me, I get way too tired to be talking trash. I just catch the touchdown, throw the ball because I’m going right back the next play.”
(Can you give us a couple bars of ‘Dougie, Dougie, Doug, Doug?’) – “(laughter) I’m retired with that. That was a one-time thing. I’m done with that.”
(Did you catch it on your shoulder pads?) – “Honestly, it was my helmet. I had it on my helmet and brought it in.”
