Jevon Holland – September 4, 2023
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Monday, September 4, 2023
S Jevon Holland
(What does the captain ‘C’ once again mean to you?) – “Same as it did last time. It’s a lot of weight on my shoulders, but it feels good to know that the guys trust me. Go out there and lead.”
(How does having a relationship playing with the Chargers current quarterback back in college, how does that kind of ramp up the matchup for you going up against him?) – “Just like being friends, kind of like playing anybody else. Like if we play the Vikings and I’m playing against Troy (Dye). Whether I’m going against him, actually offense-defense or defense-defense, special teams, doesn’t really matter. Old teammates are old teammates, so I enjoy going against them. Always fun dialogue within the game, too. So it’s always enjoyable.”
(You spend a lot of time talking to Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio. I see Vic come over to you all the time. How much responsibility do you feel as the safety to lead the defense? And I can imagine some of those conversations are about that.) – “I mean, I feel all the weight on my shoulders. I see everything because I’m back there. So if somebody’s misaligned, if something happens wrong, I want them to look at me so that I can help them correct it. That’s what I signed up for. That’s the kind of person I want to be, kind of teammate I want to be. And being a captain, you can kind of see that guys see me as that – somebody that can kind of get everybody in order.”
(There was an open competition throughout the season to see who would start alongside you. Just curious, with so many different guys back there training camp, what did you do, if anything, just to make sure that you’re on the same page with every single player that is next to you back there?) – “Communicating with all of them in the same room so everybody hears kind of where my mindset is, how I’m communicating, how I play so that we’re all comfortable with each other. I think Vic and ‘Notty’ (Renaldo Hill) and Joe (Kasper) have done a great job just filtering everybody around so that everybody gets comfortable playing with everybody else. And yeah, that started in OTAs. We were all rotating, getting reps and whatnot. So I think you know, when whoever is in there whether it be Brandon (Jones), me, Verone (McKinley III), DeShon (Elliott), Elijah (Campbell) when he gets back, everybody’s going to be ready to go out there and ball.”
(A lot of times the offensive players talk about how much more comfortable they are in Year 2 of this system than they were last year in Year 1. You guys are in Year 1 of a system. Is it tough to kind of stay patient because you know that next year, you’re going to know a lot more about the system and be a lot more comfortable. In light of that, is it tough to be patient with where you are, with where your feet are right now?) – “Tough to be patient? I mean not necessarily. If you will be more patient, the more you’ll know. So like with time, you’ll become more patient, but I’m just trying to learn the plays if that’s your question. It’s not tough to be patient, though. Being patient is the ultimate goal. So when you get to that point you’re just patient. It’s not hard to be that.”
(We’ve heard that Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio pops into every position group’s meeting rooms and interacts with every position group. I’m curious what that experience is like to have a defensive coordinator who’s that plugged into every position on the field.) – “I would hope he is. He’s the DC. I mean it’s his job. It’s his job to know everybody’s job because if something goes wrong, I’m going to look to him. I’m looking at my position coach, but I’m looking at Vic (Fangio) like, ‘This your defense you curated it out of thin air some time ago. I hope you know what I’m supposed to be doing.’ So I think it’s good. I don’t think it’s like – I’m not like starstruck, ‘oh my God Vic’s in here.’ I’m just like, ‘okay, appreciate it, coming in here making sure everything’s going well.’ That’s kind of how I see it.”
(When did you know that Justin Herbert, or first know that he was a special player and that he had that special ability?) – “It was my freshman year in college. We were running sprints, and he was beating everybody or in the front. Because I was running full speed and I’m looking. He’s with the bigs because he’s a large individual and then he was running with everybody else. I was like, all right, this dude is special and his arm talent is crazy.”
(Speaking of college, what’s more impressive: Oregon putting up 81 or Puddles getting I think it was 550 push-ups on Saturday?) – “Puddles, 100 percent. Portland State is whatever, but Puddles doing that many push-ups. I don’t know who that guy is in there, but he’s off the juice for sure. (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel – September 4, 2023
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Monday, September 4, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(The Chargers probably were the first team to have a good deal of success against QB Tua Tagovailoa in your offense in terms of stopping him in the middle of the field. He was 10-for-28 as you know in that game. How much have you thought about that game over the last nine months? And without obviously revealing any game plan things are there things that you feel confident about that you can go do to sort of counter that Chargers Head Coach Brandon Stanley plan that had some success last year?) – “It definitely comes up over the course of the offseason at least one-seventeenth of the time, divvied up amongst the other games, but there’s things you learn. You always have to be careful about making too many absolutes. A lot of times those are game-specific situations whether it’s your health, the opponents’ health, where you’re at the in the season, what you’re good at, what you’re bad at. Bottom line was I thought they did a great job last year in those two teams – last year’s teams. They did one of the better jobs all season, but this is a new year really is the way I kind of look at it. You do learn certain things about individual players, maybe play calling, degree of tendences. But Week 1 has a great way of kind of equalizing that because you have all these things on your side of the ball whether you’re offense, defense or special teams that you’ve been working on to unveil. So there’s a little balance of that. We will be watching last year’s game, but not with too much weight relative to the guys we have now and what we’ve been emphasizing this offseason.”
(Maybe Passing Game Coordinator/Secondary Renaldo Hill can tell you everything.) – “I’m going through the motions this week. (laughter) No, we obviously have Renaldo (Hill) on staff so I think he’s quick to jump on the sword and say all of the bad ideas were his and all the good ones were Brandon Staley’s. Or maybe it’s the opposite, who knows. It’s another connectivity spot that we have so many of them week-by-week in this league, but it was good information from last year. I thought they did a good job last year and excited for this year.”
(Who is your backup quarterback and why?) – “This was a difficult one. Informed him late last week – we’ll be going with Mike White as the backup to start the season. I feel super fortunate in our situation. It was kind of what we were hoping for as we’ve learned the hard way that you need available players on your roster just in general and I thought Mike White and Skylar (Thompson) competed all the way until the last rep and when it really came down to it I thought they both made just cases, but for our football team and really adhering to what a backup quarterback needs to do, they’ll all be active each day, but to be able understand our system in such a short period of time that Mike White did and the command that he exudes in the huddle and you’re solving an imperfect puzzle as a backup quarterback where you don’t get any of the reps during week and have to master your situation, your craft rep-less. So I think relying on Mike White’s veteran experience and really all the growth that he did this offseason made me feel pretty comfortable with that.”
(I wanted to clarify. You said all three will be active. Do you mean on game day or just on the active roster?) – “They are on the active roster and there is a new rule where – so I guess I’m saying both. Am I?”
(Yeah, because they put a new rule, I guess the quarterback doesn’t necessarily have to be on the game day roster.) – “I guess I was saying both, but in light of the new rule, it definitely makes it certain of it. But yes, I was saying all of the above and neither at the same time.”
(How were they successful at taking away the middle of the field last year? I remember at the end of the game you seemed to have a real respectful conversation with Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley. I don’t know whether that was about anything about the game or…?) – “It wasn’t like they reinvented defense; it was more that their guys understood their issues in each individual coverage and really played in a competitive spirit. I thought there were a lot of 50/50 balls that went the way of the Chargers last year and I just really thought overall that the team itself took that game with seriousness and you could see a unit that was well-coached and well-schooled at the opposing team’s offense in this case. So I just thought they were very competitive and did a very good job challenging things that we were trying to do that particular game.”
(You have three starters and one key contributor that are dealing with injuries. I’m wondering if we could cross off that T Terron Armstead, WR Jaylen Waddle, S Brandon Jones and RB De’Von Achane?) – “Expecting to see Brandon (Jones) and De’Von (Achane) today, as well as (Jaylen) Waddle. He got him some reps that last practice. And then don’t expect to see (Terron) Armstead today, but he’s progressing well.”
(I’m just curious with S Brandon Jones it’s kind of a process where it’s kind of shelf for a little bit to bumps and bruises. Do you feel comfortable if he gets a week of practice that he’s able to play and contribute in Week 1?) – “Yeah, I think I’ll feel comfortable after today’s practice being able to assess Wednesday’s and you really have to go day-by-day with guys that are coming back from injury so you don’t get ahead of yourself and start pushing them in adherence to a schedule that you made, like, last week. It’s that much more important that you assess it each and every day, but I think the reps in practice are all that Brandon (Jones) has had the opportunity to take and in those situations he’s gotten better and at some point he’s going to have to play in the game and we have no preseason games left, so at some point he will be playing fresh off of practicing and we’ll assess how much that is later in the week.”
(The list of the team captains came out. Was that a player decision, your decision with the rest of the coaches, and how did you guys come up with the seven names that are now the captains for this season?) – “So that’s something that we do – a player-driven vote that the locker room really comes up with, which is one of the reasons it’s such a special honor to each and every one of those guys because it’s voted on the most important person of opinion in the building and that’s their peers in the locker room.”
(It’s been a while since the AFC Championship Game has been hosted on these grounds. I’d say about like 1992. If you think about it, football is starting to be played back all over America and especially here in South Florida. The Canes (Miami Hurricanes) kicked things off Friday. The Orange Blossom Classic was Sunday. You think about starting the season on the road, how much emphasis would that give you all to protect home field so when it comes to that time to have the opportunity to host..?) – “I think it’s a good reminder because our first game is not on our home surface and there’s things that are residuals because of that. You’re talking about owning the snap count and having to go on silent offensively and vice versa for the defense. I think, inherent, I didn’t really think of it that way. But inherently that is, if you don’t like this scenario, not being able to hear offensively and it being quiet as a mouse defensively, then you do have the opportunity to change it with regard to postseason play referencing. But that’s way down the road. We’re just trying to orchestrate ourself for Week 1 against a team that’s going to be very much prepared and so we better be prepared ourselves.”
(Going back to last year’s Chargers game, that was kind of the start of a skid for this offense that you guys never really got to work out of before QB Tua Tagovailoa was hurt in the Packers game. I’m just wondering how much of a motivator that stretch was for you guys this offseason as you get everybody back to full health?) – “I think the season in its entirety was motivating enough. Not just one particular game. I’m sure from an individual standpoint, players often harbor those individual matchups, those ‘hey, it’s man-to-man coverage and I’m covering you and you’re running this route.’ Those types of things you develop, you kind of have a memory of. But overall, as a team, we’ve been focused on the Miami Dolphins every day since we’ve gotten back together in 2023. I’m pretty positive that up until this game, then after this game, most of the guys are going to be focused on the Miami Dolphins as well. Not making more of one individual opponent. It’s more about us and how it relates to us. I’m sure there’ll be a couple, ‘hey, I’m going to get you this time, you got me last time.’ That’s kind of the case with all these NFL football games.”
(Is T Isaiah Wynn left guard one this week?) – “He will be getting reps this practice week and he may or may not be getting reps in the game.”
(Week 1 is kind of a chaotic week around the NFL in terms of not having a film to go off of. How much do you have to lean on the rest of your staff to be able to kind of make those in-game adjustments?) – “I think the best the best staffs are the ones that, it’s not just one voice and the more we’re around each other, the more we understand what each one of our pros and cons, skills and maybe things that we can help each other out with. That’s an ever-moving piece. The strongest ones are the ones that can really utilize each other for the benefit of the whole group and not just each and every entity. So I look forward to that. I could feel it in the preseason. It was one of the better orchestrating coaching staffs that I had been on in the preseason, so I’m excited for the residuals of that moving forward this year.”
(Since you open against the Chargers and since they put out a video in the offseason, and I don’t think you’ve been asked about it. What was your reaction to that video?) – “Huh? I don’t know what you speak of. The schedule release? A lot of creative people doing creative things in 2023 which is pretty creative.”
(I know you’re from Colorado and there’s been a lot of movement in college football. Big weekend of college football, too, as well. What are your thoughts on…?) – “The Colorado State Rams? (laughter) No? Prime? You can’t say it’s not entertaining. Any time that you – I have a lot of respect and regard for people that knowingly have no problem putting a bull’s eye on their back and then following through. As a competitor and in the coaching profession, I appreciated that win for the Colorado Buffaloes and Boulder. It was a rough year they went through last year. So if there’s another team that deserves a win, that’s the Colorado Buffaloes, so that was good for them.”
(Week 1 is unique and that you’re not coming off a game, you have a practice on a Monday, generally you don’t do that during the season. So when are you giving the players – I know you’ve been working on the Chargers for a while, but the game plan? Is it still the normal Wednesday or is this week a little different?) – “You try to get guys into a routine as soon as possible. They’ll get their in-season Wednesday on Wednesday, and you try to make that as consistent for all the guys which you find benefits over the course of the season. So when you do have an extra day, you try to make sure that you’re operating on full cylinders, offensively defensively and special teams. That means your timing’s right, your communication is right and your executions fast. You try not to get too ahead of yourself because for us it’s still about our game and where we’re taking it and kind of holding off to do the full Wednesday prep for Wednesday.”
Kelvin Joseph – August 31, 2023
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Thursday, August 31, 2023
CB Kelvin Joseph
(Being traded is never easy, picking up and uprooting and just coming to a new city. But what has this experience been like for you?) – “It’s a blessing just to be here, to still be in the league. I mean, I’ve just got to embrace it and be ready to play.”
(Have they talked to you about what the expectations are? When General Manager Chris Grier talked about you he said they were looking for a nickel and some special teams help. Is that what you feel like you can contribute to this team?) – “Yes, sir. I know I can contribute to that, but the role is not really identified yet, but Noah’s (Igbinoghene) position, that’s where I’m capable of being.”
(Do you remember if you met with the Dolphins in the pre-draft process, either their coach or their defensive coordinator?) – “I think so. Yes, sir.”
(I’m trying to remember, when you were drafted, who would have been the head football coach? Was it Head Coach Mike McDaniel or Brian Flores? Probably Brian Flores.) – “I’m not too sure. I don’t remember. I’m just happy to be here.”
(Have you spent a lot of time in South Florida in your lifetime?) – “Not a lot of time, just vacation.”
(Tell us about your special teams experience. How extensive is it?) – “Just being available and wherever coach wants me on the field to make a play, I’m going to go do it.”
(Did you play it in college?) – “No, sir. Not really, not much. I can say that.”
(I was talking to Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman about coaching guys up who hadn’t played in college. Tell me about the challenge of learning special teams in the NFL kind of on the fly.) – “Going in with the Cowboys, C.J. Goodwin, he was a good mentor to me. So, just taking it all in, and being able to showcase what I can do with my talents and put it all together. Just having mentors and having the coaches that believe in me and knowing that I can do what I can do and I went out and did it. I’m going to keep on.”
(Is that a tough challenge to undertake or it’s kind of football and you learn it like you would learn any other job?) – “It’s football and it was kind of tough because I was focused on playing defense. But it’s a part of the game, so special people do special things on special teams. I guess I’m one of them.”
(I watched the rap video that you made. I don’t know a lot about rap, but I thought it was pretty good. What do you love about music?) – “It just helps me vent. Different hobby besides just football.”
(Is it something that one day you would like to do a concert? Have you ever done a concert or made a full album?) – “No, sir. I’ve made a lot of music though, but I haven’t done a concert. I’m not looking to take it that serious. Just focused on the football right now, then all that can be later.”
(There are a lot of guys in the locker room who make music. LB Jaelan Phillips has made music. T Terron Armstead has made music. LB Duke Riley has released – you’ve got to look up Duke Riley. Do you know Duke Riley from LSU?) – “From LSU, yeah.”
(Have you ever heard his music?) – “Not yet, but I’m going to look into it.”
(I’m going to Tweet out both of y’all’s songs, maybe see who gets more votes.) – “Yes sir.”
(Forgive me for not knowing this, but did you play much in the nickel and slot at LSU or your first year in Dallas or did you only start playing nickel last year?) – “Last year in Dallas. Really, this year in the offseason. It’s my first time and it’s been smooth so far.”
(What skills do you have which you think would make you effective playing in the slot?) – “Aggressive, getting to the ball, tackling, whatever you need.”
(There’s always this expression in sports for high draft picks, maybe who don’t get a ton of playing time with the first team, that a “change of scenery” can help. Did you believe in that sort of thing?) – Yes, sir. I played a lot. I feel like I’m just in the right place where somebody needs me to showcase my full potential.”
(I was asking one of the corners about you. He said you were “fast as hell” which is good. What’s the fastest 40-yard dash you’ve run?) – “4.28.”
(This is a fast squad. Do you realize how many fast guys are in the room?) – “It’s a challenge. It’ll make me better.”
(Tell me about playing slot. I know sometimes guys say there’s a lot of traffic and have to fight through and navigate your way through. What do you think about the slot versus the boundary, the difference?) – “You’ve just got to be aggressive as hell because you’ve got to make that tackle. When them linemen come getting on you and you have to get them off you. It’s pretty different from outside because it’s a lot more contact.”
(Have you been a gunner?) – “Yes, sir.”
(What makes someone good at that?) – “Just being able to fly around and make plays. Put the defense in good field position. Get the ball back to the offense.”
(You have a seven-time Pro Bowler as your position coach in Cornerbacks/Pass Game Specialist Sam Madison. You have Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio who’s a legend as a defensive coordinator. Do you think those two guys can help you maximize?) – “Yes sir. I can see it already. Just putting it all in the playbook. Just being ready so whenever my name is called, I’ll be able to make plays.”
Alec Ingold – August 31, 2023
Thursday, August 31, 2023
FB Alec Ingold
(How are you feeling?) – “I’m good, I’m excited. Today is one of those days where you don’t really know how it happens, why it happens, but it kind of all happens at once at the same time. I’m extremely humbled, a lot of people to thank. You have just an absolute attitude of gratitude for this whole organization to trust you. I feel like that’s the biggest thing is whenever you can get your trust from teammates, players and organization, the people you go to work with every day, that’s the biggest seal on anything, stamp of approval. So yeah, man, I’m excited to be here. You guys are stuck with me four more years, stuck with some fullbacks. It’ll be good.”
(What comes to mind when you reflect back to your injury in Las Vegas to today and kind of the work that went into all of that to get yourself in this position?) – “There were some dark moments on the rehab table, trying to straighten out those legs and be able to walk again. Then you’re on the street trying to find a new opportunity, new job. To come into a place that supports you and the way that you can believe in yourself and really just amplifies and empowers you to be the best version of yourself, I think that’s what I fell into and got extremely lucky to be here. You just show up to work every single day with the guys in the room, doing it for something bigger than yourself, and all of a sudden, the time flies by. The growth happens, the plays happen on the field, and then you’re able to kind of grow into that potential which has been extremely rewarding and fun journey up to this point.”
(When did you hear of the news, because it seemed like it broke during practice? Was it like as you were coming off the field? What was your immediate reaction?) – “Yeah, it was right in between meetings and practice. It was one of those things, I had to call wifey, had to call my parents real quick, let them know something was happening and then go to work. That’s the compartmentalization of football – you can’t sacrifice or let your head be anywhere but where your feet are at. So it was a fun day at practice today, getting on the field running around with the guys. I get a long weekend to soak this one in and then get ready for Week 1. So it’s pretty cool timing.”
(I know you said that you’re still trying to wrap your head around how this all came together. But what can you tell us? How did this all come together? Is it as quick as it sounds?) – “Yeah, it really was. It’s in the back of your head whenever you’re heading into a contract year that whatever motivating factors can get a player ready to play a season, you want to use it to the best of your ability. So whether that’s playing time, whether you have individual goals, team goals, financial goals, all of it kind of plays into an offseason that you want to put together. In a contract year, it’s almost like your back is on the wall a little bit. When you have that pressure, when you have different circumstances popping up where it’s not as stable, or it’s not as certain, I think that’s where that uncomfortable nature kind of forces people to be the best versions of themselves. I keep talking about that all the time, but I truly believe that that’s a thing. So having an agent, putting a team together personally, so that I can just worry about doing what I love to do, which is hitting people, catching the ball, running for my guys. That’s really how it all came together. Yeah, it was just as quick as nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing all the way, and then all of a sudden, you snap your fingers, it’s time to go and sign a contract.”
(How do you handle that label that I’ve already seen on Twitter, highest-paid fullback in the NFL. How do you handle something like that?) – “Labels, dollar amounts, values that other people can put on you, I don’t think in the slightest that impacts the way I show up to work and the way I do my job. I’m a process-oriented guy, so no matter what the salary is, no matter what the signing bonus is, you’re going to get the best out of me, because that’s the human being that I am. Now do I get that financial stability in the place that I get to put my all into and a community that I get to be a part of for four more years? Heck, yeah. So I’m going to go all in, even that much more, because there’s not one foot out the door. There’s no other thoughts besides being a Dolphin. I think whatever title or tag or circumstance that you can throw on a highest-paid this or highest-paid that, it can’t impact the process and the way you show up to work.”
(When did you realize that Head Coach Mike McDaniel really likes fullbacks in his offense?) – “When I first got here and all we were watching was 49ers clips all the time, and I was already all over that ‘Juice’ (Kyle Juszczyk) tape, watching it forwards, backwards, up and down. Being able to go through a full year of this offense and this system, to put your fingerprint on it, to be able to watch yourself go through all of those things for this offseason was amazing. And then the opportunity to be able to like ‘Okay, this is what we did in the game that worked. This is what didn’t work,’ and really improve off of that. So it did not take long, it took me about a day. But it’s cool to be a part of this offense, to be a part of a system where a coach appreciates the different skillset that you can bring.”
(Can you take me through your teammates’ reactions when you told them you were getting an extension?) – “The running back room was the first to know which was really cool. To be able to go to work with those guys every day, and to be able to share that moment with those guys was special. And then it’s the guys you’re sitting at the lockers with after that. The big smiles meant the world. Just to know that they care about you, and the way that you show up to work impacts the way they show up to work. Being accountable for those guys, I get to stay being accountable for them, and be here for them. I think that’s the coolest part, is the relationships that we’re going to be able to build.”
(Talking about the running back room. I’ve asked them a couple of times what Head Coach Mike McDaniel told the backs, and I’m assuming you that he wanted to run the ball more last year. Are you looking forward to maybe running the ball a little bit more this year?) – “Heck yeah. Always, we can run the ball as much as we want, and whenever those opportunities come you never ask for them. But when the ball is in your hands you get to do something with it. I think that’s the mantra of this running back room. It’s going to be a committee deal, and we got a lot of good ones that all have their own wrinkles, their own skillset which is amazing. To be able to block for a bunch of guys that care about ball, that are smart, they know what to do, how to do it, they’re going to do it with relentless effort. We’ve got a room with a big diverse skillset that’s going to be fun to play with.”
(How would you categorize the talent level for all of those guys? The strengths for RB Raheem Mostert, the strengths for RB Jeff Wilson Jr., the strengths of RB De’Von Achane?) – “It’s really a spectrum of talent with experience, with speed, you have physicality, you have downhill, and one of my favorite things that Raheem (Mostert) talks about is he was able to turn his speed into power. You talk about him mentoring a guy like De’Von with all of his experience. Now you have got a guy who is running 4.2 that is crazy fast, he’s teaching him how to turn his speed into power. It’s all of that experience in the way that this room works. It’s super cool to see the selflessness in the committee really working together. I haven’t been around a group where we’ve been as tight as this one is right here, on the field and off the field, and it’s really cool to see those guys springboard each other, and give each other tips on how to play ball.”
(Different subject, but this team was in some exploratory talks of assuming a certain college teammate of yours. What was reaction to watching that unfold?) – “It was crazy. I was following along just like everybody else. I haven’t played with ‘JT’ (Jonathan Taylor) for a handful of years now, but just know that he is a heck of a human being. He’s one of the most humble guys that I’ve ever gotten to play with in college. Really happy for that dude and obviously it’s a tough situation, but like I said you get to fall back on the guys you get to work with every single day. Our running back room is pretty solid. It’s fun to see those guys get to go out and showcase their talents and their abilities. Whenever ‘JT’ gets healthy I’m sure he’ll do the same.”
(I know you said the means won’t affect how you work outside, but are you going to celebrate, are you going to go out, do you have a plan?) – “We’ll see. Wifey has work tomorrow morning, 5:30 a.m. she’s getting up, she’s working hard and we’ve got some dogs to take care of, and we’ve got a long weekend. I need to get healthy, and recover, and all that stuff. Maybe after we win some playoff games and play well and win some games, then maybe we can celebrate after that.”
Braxton Berrios – August 31, 2023
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Thursday, August 31, 2023
WR Braxton Berrios
(Prediction for tomorrow night’s Hurricanes game?) – “A win. Any way, shape or form. A win. Let’s get started.”
(I know you’re busy, it’s crazy. Any chance you’re going to be able to make it out to the game or is that something?) – “No, not this one sadly. Not this one.”
(Is it good to be able to have a chance or a better chance to get back to games now being back closer?) – “It’s amazing. They asked me if I would be an honorary captain at one of the games and I said absolutely. We just have to see what our schedule is like on Saturday, what time their game is. So yeah, it’s going to be exciting and I’m ready to be a little bit more involved in the program now that I’m down here.”
(What has it been like for you being back with the hometown team, so to speak? I know you said you never really left and that people seeing you, welcome back, stuff like that?) – “It’s been incredible. I grew up a Miami Hurricanes fan and that’s where I wanted to go to college and I was able to live that out. And I also grew up a Miami Dolphins fan and to be here now and to literally be living out my second dream as a kid is incredible. This city, this town, these fans – I got very close to them for four years in Miami and especially that last one and I take a lot of pride in being here and representing the city of Miami.”
(To follow up on that, is it a little bit different now you’re preparing for a game? It’s not training camp anymore. It’s different, isn’t it?) – “Yeah, absolutely it’s different. I think our preparation is really good in training camp. I think we take the field every day with a purpose in mind, but now it’s the real deal. It’s not preseason. Your record doesn’t get wiped clean. It’s there forever.”
(So you’re back home and everything is flowing the way you want it to?) – “Absolutely. Life is good.”
(A lot of times when a player is outstanding in one area, they can kind of get typecast and you’re known as a return specialist who’s very good at that. Is it in the back of your mind to establish yourself that much more as a wide receiver as well?) – “I think that was a big point of this camp and hopefully I did a good enough job for a long enough time to establish that. And the only thing that matters is what this locker room thinks, what the people in this building think and that’s the only thing I’m concerned about. I hope I did a good enough job there.”
(Take me through some of the process that was involved in getting you to this point as a wide receiver.) – “It’s everything. It’s six years in the NFL, going on six. It was four in college and then in high school I kind of played everything. So it’s figuring out what I need to get better at and that’s an ongoing process. It’s across the board and every offseason is I think a different emphasis point and again, it’s figuring out where the offense needs me, where the QB needs me to be and when they need me to be there and the most efficient way to get there.”
(And what’s it like if you’re lining up and you have No. 10 on one side, No. 17 also beside you…?) – “Yeah, it’s like, I’ve got to run fast is what it’s like. (laughter)”
(I mean seriously, you don’t want to mess up the timing when you have guys like that.) – “No, I wasn’t joking. (laughter) There was nothing funny about that, but it is true and honestly it’s been incredible learning from them. And again, there’s some things that they do that there’s not many humans on this earth that can replicate just because they’ve been blessed with some abilities – pure speed – that you can’t replicate. So some things you tip your hat and you say, ‘that’s you and that’s your game and nobody else is taking that.’ But there’s other things that you can absolutely learn from them and it’s been incredible watching them and learning from them.”
(So how much more sharp do you have to when you’re…?) – “I don’t think it’s more or less. I think the level of detail is high regardless and again, those guys are going to do what they’ve got to do and they’re going to do their job and you’ve got to make sure you do the same.”
(And what about Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker’s role in helping you develop? What is he stressing to you so you work on it?) – “It’s not any one thing. We stress details because I think the margin for error in this league is so small, and it’s so hard to win. And so the main thing that we’ve stressed is details. Like I said, being where you need to be when you need to be there, on your landmark at the times. If it’s steps, if it’s a depth, whatever it is; really stressing the details so that everybody is on the same page.”
(What should we expect from you as a return specialist?) – “I guess we’ll find out. (laughter)”
Andrew Van Ginkel – August 31, 2023
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Thursday, August 31, 2023
LB Andrew Van Ginkel
(On adjusting to the new defense) – “Obviously none of us have played in this system. So the more you can take in, there’s a lot of different verbiage and terminology that you have to go through. You have to work out the wrinkles within the defense, and I think (Defensive Coordinator) Vic Fangio has done a good job teaching us and telling us different tools that we can use and how to be prepared for games.”
(Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio is like a wealth of knowledge.) – “Yeah, he is. Everyday you can gain something. We meet as a whole defense, so you’re learning defensive line stuff, you learn corner play. You see the big picture and how the defense works and how we all play off each other.”
(How much are you going to relish the challenge of playing two linebacker jobs this year? Is it extra work? Is it something you’re looking forward to?) – “Yeah, for sure. Obviously the more you can do, the more you can help the team. I’m just accepting my role no matter what it may be. Obviously, it’s a challenge. Outside to inside ‘backer is a lot different then going from inside to outside. There’s a lot more information that you have to take in. You get to see the bigger picture of the defense and how the offense is attacking you. It’s definitely helped me learn the defense and have a better understanding of what we’re trying to do and be in the right place.”
(When they called you in March before you signed, did they bring up inside linebacker at the time or did that not come until after you re-signed?) – “That’s something that came up a little later. Obviously, (Fangio) saw something in me and he was an impact in trying to get me back here. Maybe he saw it in me the whole way which is why he wanted me back.”
Mike McDaniel – August 31, 2023
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Thursday, August 31, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Obviously things can change. With RB Jeff Wilson Jr., I know Monday, the thinking was that it wasn’t too serious and he could have played. What happened to him or what subsequently was determined to require the injured reserve placement of Jeff Wilson Jr.? And do you expect him back in October or November?) – “Those timelines are individualized and we kind of let the people go through the requisite rehabilitation. Really, it was kind of a sneaky situation for Jeff Wilson because it was a midsection injury compounded by some finger issues. Then really, we just made the assessment that he couldn’t protect himself and really be himself the way we know him to be. Time is the best healer. Knowing Jeff, his true passion in life is to play this game so he’ll do everything he can. I definitely wouldn’t be surprised if he would make a return this season. But we’ll let his body tell us.”
(Knowing RB Jeff Wilson Jr. the way that we do, how did he take that news? Was he crushed? Did he take it in stride?) – “I think he understood exactly the thought process. His injuries are not ideal for someone that in their job description, someone’s trying to tackle them every play. I think he just wants to be back on the field himself as the best version of himself, which he’s capable of doing. It’s one of those things that through our conversation, he totally understood where we’re coming from and he’s just focused on when he is back on the field, how he’s going to be prepared, like the true professional he is.”
(How ready physically and mentally do you think the rookie RB De’Von Achane will be when the Los Angeles game comes?) – “We shall see. I think it’s sooner rather than later. In regard to next week, we have four opportunities to sharpen our axe, as it would be. I would expect him to get some prep work before that game. Timelines are always fluid. But with regard to him, I think him and his teammates are very confident in his competitive play and he’s been playing football for his whole life. The good news is he got a ton of reps in the spring and training camp, so I’m not too worried about that with him.”
(Same thing for RB Salvon Ahmed. I know you said he’s day-to-day, but is he on track to be able to return to practice next week?) – “I would anticipate seeing him today in practice, and if not today, if there’s any whisper of a potential setback, then the beginning of next week. We were being very deliberately cautious with him as he has proven his growth on the field, both in practice and the preseason games.”
(And DB Elijah Campbell avoiding injured reserve, are there encouraging signs that he can return sooner than anticipated? And same thing for CB Justin Bethel?) – “Yeah, that’s kind of the reason that they’re not on injured reserve is you’re expecting them sooner rather than later, in the first quarter of the season. Exactly what game, what time, will be to be determined but we feel like they didn’t necessitate any sort of injured reserve consideration after doing our due diligence.”
(Can you talk a little bit about WR Braxton Berrios and what you saw with him throughout training camp and now what you expect out of him heading into the season?) – “I think the league is very aware of him as a returner and he proved to us every practice in his opportunities why that’s the case. From a coaching perspective, what’s been real fun to watch is his development and ascension within the offense. He’s always been a good football player, but at this time in his career, he really understands the timing and spacing of this offense. Especially for a first-year player, I think it did help that he was in a similar system with a guy that I worked with in New York. I think there’s a rapport that has been developed with the quarterbacks and him that makes me excited for the upcoming future. I know he’s excited, as I can see his smiling face every day in team meetings.”
(Was there a factor that stood out in the decision to keep TE Julian Hill over the young tight ends?) – “Yeah, I think it speaks more to what we think about Julian than less of Elijah. I prioritize earning your position at work, and (General Manager) Chris Grier does, too, so that was an intense competition that you get a lot of moments to evaluate. It wasn’t a crazy distinction. Again, it’s not to speak lowly of Elijah. It’s really about Julian’s ability to really come from a small school and develop each and every day to the point that we thought that he earned the trust of his teammates and the coaches of how he competed and how he fit within the team. But that was a close competition. But, again, it’s an inexact science, the whole draft process in general. You can go one or two ways when you’re making those type of decisions and we are steadfast on allowing the players, while they’re here, to make those decisions for us.”
(You mentioned in the past all the clerical, non-football aspects that come with being a head coach. Now that you have a game plan to draw up and get to go put a whistle on and coach football, how pumped are you for the first regular season game next week?) – “It never gets old. You feel that same momentum build just because it’s such a long process. You’re identifying things that you can work on, you’re identifying the people that can best put players in position for success, then you’re going through free agency and the draft, then you’re practicing religiously day-in day-out for this opportunity. So there’s a lot of buildup. Every year, Week 8 feels pretty similar. Every year, Week 1 feels pretty similar. You get used to the habits that come with the NFL grind that is the NFL season. But there’s still that build up. There’s still that unique feeling that you get Week 1 where it’s like, wow, this is this is why you do it. There’s a lot of hours comprised of preparation from a meeting room standpoint, from all the things that are required of an NFL player, coach and team, and then it’s just a culmination of it. So it’s a pretty exciting process that never gets old.”
(A follow up about the locker room. We got in there yesterday for the first time this season. I’m going to assume you like your process of mixing up groups. What did you see either obvious or subtle as a benefit of doing that last year?) – “Well, I thought that every team is different. So I try to look at everything from a clean slate each and every year. And what I did feel from my own really educated guesses, and then from exit interviews from the players is that the desired effect was to intermingle the team to have the team more connected. One of the big things that goes on in the life of NFL player is you’re constantly funneled with your position group to different things during the day. Whether you’re going to a group meeting, and you generally sit next to each other or close to your coach, or then you go to a position meeting, which is just your position. On NFL Sundays, position groups don’t win games. Teams do. So the more that you can get connected to your teammates, the better. If you really accumulate all the time spent in the locker room at your locker, if you accumulate that at the end of the season, it’s a ton of time. So guys know more about each other and that’s kind of the whole idea behind it. You invest in your teammates, while not on (phone) screens. And fortunately there as coachable as you guys are. (laughter)”
(Do you personally do the seating chart or does somebody else?) – “I do.”
(Do you take anything into account?) – “Oh, a lot of things. And what I did learn this year is that there’s not a decision that I can make – it’s like not in my body – to just copy and paste. So there were different things that inspired certain locker room assignments. It was very different knowing all the guys so much better than I did last year. So there’s different impulses and directives that I don’t even tell those guys why. So I think I’ll stop at that.”
(You talked a little bit about RB Jeff Wilson Jr. and RB Salvon Ahmed and RB De’Von Achane earlier. RB Raheem Mostert is the other guy in that room and he’s been pretty healthy this offseason. What have you seen from him as he prepares for a healthier year than maybe he had last offseason?) – “Outstanding focus. I couldn’t highlight a guy in a better light. He’s someone that’s directly heard a ton of noise for months and months and months. It’s almost like every day that it’s loud, you see extra focus, and that epitomizes the journey of an NFL player. We’re in a very fortunate business to be able to do the things we do on the stage we do and be compensated the way we are. However, it comes at a cost, and that’s a lot of people having opinions that directly or indirectly relate to you, and you can’t control that at all. I think the sooner that you open your eyes to that, the better. So to have a guy like Raheem, who I’ve had such a cool journey with, and to watch him work, is the exact thing that you have to do in this business at some point in time. Look, we’re all earning our day to day and not entitled to anything, and he shows exactly that with how he carries himself. I’m so proud of him as a professional. Just another reason why I have such a strong human connection with that player.”
(I know last Sunday you were waiting to inform QB Mike White and QB Skylar Thompson who would be the No. 2 before you let us know, but there’s also some kind of unclear spots in term of left guard, starting safety and cornerback. Have you made decisions? And if so, are you able to share that with us?) – “That’s why we practice. You can look at one of two ways; you can look at it like, ‘Oh, there’s some unclear circumstances with the position,’ or you can look at is as, ‘Well, there’s a couple guys, at least, at those positions that are deserving of one spot.’ So it’s not typically the way you draw it up, but at the same time, it’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Those things, they can go all the way up into the season. There can be rotations, or it can be solidified today, tomorrow, the next week. You just go with the best intent, and we’re fortunate to have a roster of depth. It’s not because there’s lacking in our particular situation that that’s the case. It’s more that there’s competition that’s very, very close, and you want to do right by the team and the individuals.”
(How do you want these guys to approach these next three days off? Do you tell them, “Get off your feet?” Some of the guys said they’re going to keep on working, because they don’t want to ratchet down to ratchet it back up.) – “I think that it’s a balance of both. First and foremost, I want to protect the team, and that goes along the lines of everything. That’s kind of why I use that phrase, because part of protecting the team is to make sure that you’re in the premier spot to go through the rigors of the NFL season, and that’s tailored to each and every person. There are some guys that are worn out earning the job that need the rest. I think that’s player to player, but I think overall, the only way you can kind of surmise that is how your game and where you’re at affects the rest of the team and each and every person within the organization and the fan base. You hold that responsibility in high regard. It’s case by case. Some guys do need to stay off their feet, because of the rigors. Some guys need to stay in shape, because that’s their edge that they’ve built up on and they don’t want to lose.”
Julian Hill – August 30, 2023
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Wednesday, August 30, 2023
TE Julian Hill
(If I were to go to Campbell University for this first time, what would I notice? What would you recommend I do?) – “A lot of trees, a lot of open farms and cows. I recommend that you go visit Campbell University. That’s really the excitement of Campbell. Buies Creek is a long way from Miami.”
(I know you had a couple knee injuries your senior year of high school. Other than Campbell, what do you remember were some of your recruiting options?) – “I had some ACC schools, come C-USA. I played quarterback in high school. I was a pretty highly recruited quarterback. I had some Sun Belt schools. It ended up not working out obviously, so Campbell gave me an opportunity and I ran with it.”
(The background with the Dolphins, at what point did they start showing interest in you? In February or March, did Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Jon Embree sort of develop a relationship with you back then?) – “Yeah, leading up to the draft, so many frequent teams are calling you. As the draft got closer and closer, that’s when the Dolphins became interested. My agent told me and I thought it was a great fit. I always had my eye on the Dolphins. Nice weather. (laughter) I like their system. I like Coach McDaniel and how he runs things, and of course just getting a chance to work with Coach Embree from who he’s coached in the past, it was a no-brainer.”
(I know that to play in this offense at the tight end position, you need to be an effective blocker. I just told TE Durham Smythe I haven’t studied your blocking film yet. What will I notice? What’s your approach to blocking?) – “I love it. I take pride in being a half o-lineman. (laughter) I love the trench warfare or whatever you want to call it. Whatever name it has, I love getting physical and I think that that’s where it allows me to buy time to develop my route running. A lot of guys – you’ve just got to be willing and have a willingness to block and I have that. I love to show effort in the run game. I love to get physical, like I said, and I think that’s the beautiful thing about it.”
(From a receiving standpoint, what tight ends do you think you might have a similarity with and that you’ve studied on tape with similar games?) – “I like the Jets’ Tyler Conklin. I just like him. We’ve got a similar style of play, same size. I like watching Tommy Tremble from the Panthers, just his mindset. He was a young guy as well, same size, and how he gets in and out of breaks. Of course, George Kittle – he’s the one who was a superstar in this type of offense. How he gets up field, how he slashes the defense, all of those types of things. Those three guys are the main guys that I take a look at and take notes on.”
(What’s something that Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends Jon Embree has said or shown you that really stands out? Like every time you’re out there, you kind of have it in the back of your mind.) – “It’s a mindset. Everything you do is a mindset. He preaches that. He doesn’t like when we don’t have that mindset going onto the field. Really that’s the only thing. He preaches it in the film room, he preaches it on the field – mindset, mindset, mindset. So mentality.”
(This locker room, this team and this organization has track record of adding undrafted free agents who have a lot of success, such as CB Kader Kohou who used to be there. DT Brandon Pili has made it, which is good for him. Did you feel like a long shot when you first got here?) – “Of course, definitely. (laughter) I knew since I walked into that meeting room, I understand I’m at the bottom of the depth chart, but I knew it was an opportunity. That’s all I needed, just a (foot) in the door. Every single day I’m going to continue to work hard. I’m just honored that they decided they want me to be one of the pieces, and I know every day, it’s an interview every day. So I’m willing to take that on.”
(How did you find out that you had made it? Did anybody say something to you? Did General Manager Chris Grier?) – “Yeah, it was Coach ‘Embo’ (Jon Embree). It was the day after the deadline, he told me congratulations. A lot of other guys, a lot of older teammates that have been around here came up to me and said, ‘Congratulations, can’t wait to work with you throughout the season.’ It was just a big moment. God is good.”
(Is it happiness? What sort of emotion is it to make it as an undrafted rookie?) – “It’s huge. It’s huge. I called my coach from Campbell because nobody has even done it from Campbell before. It’s just an honor, like I said, just to be one of the pieces of the puzzle. I’m really excited to chase this ring with these guys and earn it every day.”
(What did Campbell do to prepare you for this opportunity?) – “Humble me. (laughter) ‘Coach Mint’, Coach Mike Minter, he played in the league for 10 years. Just knowing his mindset, he played for the Panthers, the mentality he had, what it takes to be an NFL guy, he kind of molded that into me while I was at Campbell.”
