Mike Gesicki – November 9, 2021
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Tuesday, November 9, 2021
TE Mike Gesicki
(I know a couple weeks ago when you guys were playing the Falcons, we asked if you had talked to TE Kyle Pitts at Tight End U. I’m just curious on TE Mark Andrews on the Ravens, were you able to talk to him a little bit and if so, what were your impressions of him?) – “I haven’t spoken with him since that event but he’s obviously a great player. He makes a ton of plays. I’ve gotten the chance to watch him play. I believe it was a Monday night game against Indianapolis a couple of weeks ago and he went off. He went crazy. He’s a great player, is able to affect the game in a lot of different ways and I think it’s going to be a good challenge for our defense.”
(You have been playing great the last few weeks, the entire year. Do you feel this is the highest level that you will reach in your career?) – “I hope not. Me and the way that I work and my routine coming in here each and every day, just trying to improve, trying to get better. I hope that I’m not even scratching the surface yet. That’s why you play this game, you go out and you have an opportunity to make plays each and every week. You’ve got to make the most of them when they present themselves.”
(I’m curious when you practice one-handed catches in practice, do you do an equal number with right hand and left hand?) – “Yeah, absolutely. Every day after practice our equipment manager, Jon Swede, shoots me the JUGS. We’re always out there pretty late so I appreciate him doing that. We do a bunch of different positions, catches and things like that. Right hand, left hand – I work them both because you never know when that opportunity comes. It’s not like you think about it. It just happens.”
(Do you feel you are as efficient with the left-handed one-handed snag or maybe a little more right-handed?) – “Yeah. My right hand is my dominant hand but I’m working to get the left as strong.”
(Do you have a favorite or most difficult one you’ve had since you’ve been in the league?) – “Honestly, I saw it on TV that they gave, I think it was my second one, was the one that was talked about. I think the first one was better. I guess I’ll leave that up to everybody else to decide.”
(That was the one on the sideline, right?) – “Yeah.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores has been saying all year that this is a resilient group, a group that believes, a group that believes it’s close and all those things. When you show up to work yesterday after a win, was there a little more tangible bounce in everybody’s step?) – “I think his message after the game was to enjoy it for the night and once we got back in here yesterday, touched on the game, what we need to improve and all of that kind of stuff and what we did well. Then it was right back to work. It’s obviously a very, very short week so it’s unique in that aspect – different than other weeks. So we couldn’t really hang our hat on it for too long. We’re already on to Baltimore.”
(WR Mack Hollins said after the game that your body hurts less after a win. Is there validity to that?) – “Actually, I do agree with Mack on that one. Things just feel better when you win, especially after a couple tough losses. To bounce back and get a win is definitely a positive aspect of that.”
(Even for pros, every game is on TV but being prime time, is that a big deal?) – “Yeah, I think it is a big deal. Obviously, you take every game the same way but I think it’s exciting. You’ve got a chance to go out there, there’s only one game on on Thursday night, so everybody is going to be watching and you’ve got to go out and make the most of your opportunities.”
(In support of QB Tua Tagovailoa, do you say anything to him when he deals with this finger injury that detoured maybe what he wanted to do this year?) – “Yeah, obviously you’re there to support him but I can’t give him my finger. (laughter) I just let him heal up and do everything that he has to do and hopefully he can get back out there as soon as possible.”
(Trying to get an idea of what WR Will Fuller is going through with finger. As a fellow pass-catcher, if one of your fingers isn’t healthy, how much does that impact your ability to catch the ball?) – “Obviously there’s different injuries and things like that. I’ve dislocated fingers and stuff like that. Right afterwards it’s sore, hurt, whatever. You need your hands to catch the ball. I think it’s pretty self-explanatory.”
(Do you ever think about the 2019 Ravens game?) – “I tried to not remember much from it. They’re a very good team. They’re extremely physical, well-coached, explosive in all three phases of the game and it’s going to be a great challenge for us on Thursday night.”
(I know you said you try not to think about that game but how much different of a place is this team in now than you were then?) – “Yeah, I think we’ve grown a lot in those three seasons or two-and-a-half seasons, however long it’s been. Obviously every year is a new year. That’s just kind of – I can’t even compare this team to that team, whether it’s good or bad.”
(As bad as that afternoon was, was that the type of game that maybe stuck with you guys longer than…) – “No. We’re not like coming in here saying, ‘Do you remember 2019?’ You could probably pull up something when the Dolphins played the Ravens like in 1992. That’s in the past. We’re not really motivated by that.”
(The Ravens weren’t even around then.) – “(laughter) There you go. I got nothing for you on that.”
(What stands out, I guess, with QB Jacoby Brissett when he’s in there about what he brings as a QB?) – “He plays with a lot of fire. He plays with a lot of fight. He does a very good job of leading. He gets guys lined up, gets guys in and out of the huddle, does a good job of communicating. Then he’s willing to take chances and put the ball where it has to be. I love playing with him. I love playing with Tua (Tagovailoa). I think we’ve got a very good quarterback room and I’m appreciative of both of those guys.”
(I know when you watch film, you’re watching the other side of the ball of course. But just as a fan, where do you think QB Lamar Jackson is right now in the echelon of really good ones?) – “I mean he’s obviously extremely high up there. He’s an extremely talented player. I think I saw last week he had the most rushing yards and then obviously being a quarterback – but the most passing yards. He’s obviously extremely talented and can affect the game in many different ways. He’s obviously going to be a big challenge for our defense but one that I’m sure they’re excited to go up against.”
