Jevon Holland – June 7, 2022
Download PDF version
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
S Jevon Holland
(Every coach has a certain style, a certain unique thing they do. Can you talk about Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s unique style of coaching? It seems like you guys have embraced that. Every time you talk to a guy, they’re like ‘He’s a player’s coach.’ You guys will run through a wall for him. Can you talk about that intensity he brings but in his own way?) – “He’s just a good person. It’s not hard to be all in for a coach when they’re a good person. I think that’s the baseline, as low as it goes. He’s just a super cool dude, a great family man and you can tell he’s honest. People just buy into what he says and he’s 100 percent on the same page as him mentally. Everybody is one mind.”
(Just talk about Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s age aspect. It seems like he is very in-tune with you guys. A young cat who knows about social media and he’s kind of hip to the game.) – “I feel like that’s a real old-head thing to ask, not because you’re an old head. (laughter) I feel like a lot of people think that you can be out of touch if you get older but really it’s a matter of if you like things going on on social media or not. It happens to be that he’s younger, it doesn’t really matter if he’s younger. He just is who he is so everybody vibes with him. If he was younger and he wasn’t cool, then he wouldn’t be cool. That’s basically how I see it.”
(What was the priority for personal improvement with you and Safeties Coach Steve Gregory? What area that you decided with Gregory and Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer that you wanted to work on? Obviously you did a ton well last year but was there one specific area you wanted to work on?) – “I think it was just my overall development as a professional. Things will come in practice and as things start to speed up – tackling, angles to the ball and things like that. But for me, conducting myself as more of a professional was probably most of it. That was really me, honestly. They have supported me and pushed me in that direction regardless of what it is. It’s mostly just me focusing that push into a specific area.”
(Do you think you’ll buy into the notion that year one to year two is the biggest jump for players on the field? Do you feel that happening for you this year?) – “I haven’t really gotten to year two yet, so I can’t really tell you that. But I feel like it’s important, yeah. I feel like every year you have to improve. I don’t know what year it is that I’ll stop getting better every year and I’ll be the best I can be, but right now I’m always on the uphill battle.”
(Will you have to think less this year?) – “For sure, yeah. I’m already a year into the league so things start to slow down, just as it did as I started playing more. Yeah, just reacting more is definitely a lot easier. But that’s how college was, from freshman year to sophomore year. You get in there, you’re comfortable, you have your own swag, your own atmosphere. Things start to slow down as you get into it.”
(You mentioned a minute ago conducting yourself as a professional, which kind of surprised me because last year as a rookie you seemed so mature for your age. Is there something that you didn’t do last year that you are trying to do this year?) – “Not really. I just feel like I’m getting older. I’m 22 now, getting up there in age. (laughter) Nah, I just feel like I’m getting older so I should just conduct myself in a little bit more of a mature manner even though it’s already seeming that way.”
(What does it mean to have the group? You didn’t really change much on defense. You said when you started playing, you were on it pretty quick. How much better can this defense be with one more year together?) – “I feel like it can be a lot better. That’s a great question. I feel like as a collective, as a whole defense, it’s amazing that we are all back in one area. That’s really important and it’s rare, honestly, to have everybody in the group back. I’m excited. It’s comfortable in the room. Everybody knows each other. Now that we are going through all these activities and practice and adversity, you get more and more wound together as a group.”
(You mentioned as you started playing more, you were comfortable from the beginning but you really turned it on. How much more comfortable leadership-wise were you once you started playing more? Now, you said you’re old at 22 but you can lead as a 22-year-old in the secondary.) – “I feel real comfortable. I feel like I tried to earn a lot of my teammates respect through my play first. They know that if something happens and I do say something, it comes from a place of love because I want them to get better and I would want them to push me the same way. It’s not necessarily me just yelling at them. That’s how I see leading. Anybody can be a leader. Anybody can say something. Now that I’m like a year in, it’s the same group and they know what I can do, I feel comfortable being able to correct it if it’s a situation that I know that I can help.”
(In your first offseason entering the league, you’re so focused on performing at the Combine and the draft. What has this offseason been like when you’re already on the team and you can focus on football?) – “In the offseason, for the second year, honestly I was kicking it, I’m not going to lie. I was making sure I had fun and enjoyed myself. It’s a long time but you got to plan it accordingly because I still like to work hard and it’s kind of built into athletes to just not stop working because you’re going to lose it if you take a break. I took some time off, enjoyed myself and enjoyed my family. I made sure that I was still getting that work in.”
(Can you talk about the second half of the year for you guys? Obviously, it looked like a different defense at least in our eyes. How much do you guys talk about being that second half of the year unit versus early in the year?) – “I think the second half of the year team is who we are, really. The first half of the year, we were trying to come together. Once we got it together, as you saw, we started winning games, coming together as a defense and making plays. We just talk about it as who we are now and that we can build on that because that’s not the extent of who we are. We can get better. That’s everybody’s mindset, too.”
Mike McDaniel – June 7, 2022
Download PDF version
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(On his favorite sushi) – “Spicy tuna roll… it’s really just a medium for wasabi. I don’t eat fish, but I eat sushi. Makes no sense. Yep. That’s called a child that wasn’t forced by his mother to eat food and then in social settings in his early 20s in Houston, it was like, ‘Hey, this is kind of a cool scene. Raw sushi? Let’s try it out.’ That’s all it was. And then it was, ‘Hey, this is spicy. That’s all I eat.’ Red gravy is my favorite condiment, which is all hot sauce. (laughter)”
(I’m going to get to condiments talk in a little bit. Now probably 65 percent of coaches would probably not give a specific player answer to this question, but I’m hoping and guessing you might be part of the 35 percent that will to this question and give maybe a specific player. So General Manager Chris Grier has had a lot of success in this organization finding undrafted rookies to contribute. Of the group so far that you have – the Verone McKinleys, the ZaQuandre Whites, Kellen Diesches, etc. – who’s flashed to you? Have there been a couple that have impressed you that you’re willing to share?) – “What about the 5 percent that – it’s so hard. Just really think about it for a second how difficult – I say it to the rookies all the time – the undertaking they have where they’re transitioning from a different game and these are grown men that have been earning a paycheck and you’re trying to get reps from them and perform at a high level, so certain positions I think are more akin to show fast and furious. Typically running backs, you get a little more opportunity because it’s a little more natural to what you’ve done in the past – hey, don’t get tackled – and I’ve been very impressed with, I call him ‘Dr. White’ (ZaQuandre White). But there’s plenty of guys – I know my NFL experience has afforded me to know this much to not make too early of a judgment. What you’re trying to do is really establish ‘should these guys, should they have a ticket to the party?’ And really our whole undrafted class, there’s not anybody that stands out whether that’s from an athletic perspective or just what it takes to be a professional football player. That’s a credit to Chris (Grier) and his entire staff, where they brought some young men that are hungry and meet the bar from an athletic standpoint so it’ll be an exciting late summer, early fall.”
(What’s the message you want to leave with your players as the offseason program comes to a close and you go a while without having them in the building?) – “This is a cool, cool opportunity that’s unchartered thus far, and I talk to these guys a lot and have put a lot of thought into this. We’ve had an offseason that we’ve been fully committed. We’ve learned a lot. We’ve gotten better. I think that the coaches have done a great job and the players have really attacked this offseason, which I guess I would equate to the first quarter of a game. I’m comfortable to say the way they’ve worked – I feel like we have a lead in the first quarter. What does that mean? Nothing. How many games are you winning in the first quarter that you lose and vice versa. So we’ve positioned ourselves to compete at a standard that we’ve said from the beginning that we want to compete at. The biggest message is the obligation and accountability that they have to have to their teammates while they’re gone because the one thing that has stood the test of time is if you don’t come back in not shape, but training camp shape, at the beginning of training camp, you make yourself very vulnerable to soft tissue injuries, which puts you two, three weeks behind. And more often than not, when it’s all said and done, players never catch up because that’s how tight of a race it is. So you’re spending time with your family, getting away recharging; but also understanding this moment and what your teammates are counting on you to come back and the Miami Dolphins organization is counting on you to come back in full shape, form and desire so that the cream of our team rises to the top and whoever the best person is at every position, they’re giving us the best chance to win.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa said he’s never had a coach like you from the positivity standpoint. Can you talk about that a little bit? Was like a pillar for you that you mapped out when you thought about what you wanted to be like as a head coach and also is that a conscious effort you take into your strategy?) – “I’d say I’m just a positive person only because the way I see the world is you’re about the things you can affect moving forward and about being present. I wouldn’t say that I was really approaching it like, ‘hey, I want to be the positive coach’ because I don’t necessarily think that I am. I know that’s how people take it from afar, but really I just want players’ sole focus to be getting better at their craft and being the best player they can be. So I feel as though if you’re able to be yourself, that’s one less thing you’re thinking about that’s not getting better and perfecting your craft. So that opportunity cost is something that’s important to me, so I want players to feel like they can be themselves. I also think that a concerted effort in a group forum – hence team sports, just that collective venture – is fun. The grind is fun, although in the present sometimes it doesn’t feel like it is. But more than any of that, I know and I think the players would attest that the most important thing is that they feel like they have an honest coach because I can’t help them if I can’t give them honest critiques; and don’t get it twisted, there are plenty of times in my own way that I’m very, very direct because that’s what players are depending on. But it’s not really about the positive. It’s more about whatever the elixir is to try to maximize a given player’s ability to perform which is a coach’s job.”
(With that being said, where did you adapt your coaching style from? A lot of the guys last week were saying you’re a player’s coach. Every coach has a style. How would you describe your style overall?) – “My style – I think I’ve learned a great deal from every situation. I think that’s kind of the onus on the learner when you’re in a situation. You’re not necessarily mimicking your behavior towards a person. You notice what happens when A happens or B happens. For me, I just want there to be no question from any player what my intent, objective and where my motivation is coming from. So you don’t really pattern yourself after anyone. You get used to that when you grow up as an only child with a single mom. I didn’t really have an example on like, how to be a dude or whatever that is and that’s kind of manifested itself in my professional life where you take things from each and every walk of life that you have. I would say that’s probably different just because I’ve never really patterned myself after anybody. I just kind of – I’m honest with very deliberate intent and a genuine purpose to help players get better and I think you create a culture, not because this guy acts a certain way, but because you’re really a group of people and the people that you employ and the people that you work with, if allowed, they dictate the terms of what the culture is. And that’s what I think you’re seeing on a day-in, day-out basis. I’m not like, ‘Hey guys, have fun.’ It’s more like, ‘Hey, this is your guys’ team. Understand that now, own it and how far do you want to take it?’ And the results are a collection of young hungry individuals that it’s June, so we haven’t played a game. But for where we’re at right now and the way they’re coming together, I’m very pleased at this part of the process.”
(Kind of following up what you said earlier about encouraging guys to be themselves. A lot of times you hear coaches talk about no one’s bigger than the team and team, team, team. Like have you viewed the concept of maybe individuality different as you kind of see a new era of players?) – “No, I think individuality is more celebrated as a culture in general, and I think people are more receptive to that. But don’t get it twisted. The No. 1 rule that we have on our team is protect the team. There is nothing greater than that, but I think you’re a sum of the whole total parts – what you become is an accumulation of the individual pieces. And those pieces, you’re just trying to maximize what you can contribute to the team and I feel like there’s a certain degree of liberty and investment and for lack of better terms, you’re taking that opportunity cost of thinking about how does someone want me to act and applying it to what is my job. And you have to stay within what’s in the best interest of the team. But people shouldn’t have to – if they have honest intent, if they’re accountable and you can count on them and their purpose and drive is correct and of high esteem – then who am I say you should act one way or the other? If I was policed that way, I don’t think I’d be hanging out here standing at this podium waiting for questions about condiments to resurface. (laughter)”
(You have a pretty healthy team. You answered a couple of weeks ago about RB Raheem Mostert, hoping he’ll be ready for the opener. Does it look good for you for how FB Alec Ingold coming off of the Week 10 ACL injury last year as far as being ready for the opener? Are there any other health issues you need to monitor heading into camp among T Terron Armstrong, etc.?) – “All of the guys – our medical staff does an outstanding job. We’ve been very – I wouldn’t say cautious but we’ve tried not to push the envelope. We all have scars and quite frankly the guys that have been hurt are accountable pros that want to play worse than we all want them to play. I can promise that’s a fact. There is nothing that is concerning us at this time. I feel very fortunate. But that’s to the credit of the players because they’re working very hard, but they’re also working very diligently to protect each other while having fast-paced practices.”
(With QB Tua Tagovailoa, I know a lot has been brought up about his arm strength and stuffs, but what are you thoughts on him inside the red zone, inside 30 to 35 yards? What did you think of him watching film before you started working with him and what’s it been like now since you’ve had him?) – “From a football standpoint, we’ve spent a considerable amount of time emphasizing the first and second down portion of our game for a multitude of reasons, one of them being that there aren’t pads on. I don’t necessarily see – as far as his game, I think his skillset in tighter areas only enhances his ability. He’s an accurate quarterback that really knows how to place the ball where he wants it to be placed. All the red zone is to me is the defense is defending less amount of the field, so they are compressed. And we’re still trying to move the ball forward and get into the end zone, so those windows become tighter, the decisions have to be quicker. The work we have done, I’ve been very pleased with it. I would say the one outlier for red zone quarterback play is one of the extremes in mobility. If you have a super extreme ability to extend the play with your feet, typically those guys are ranked pretty high. Or you have decisive quarterbacks that know where to go with the ball. In both of those situations, you’re just taking advantage of space. You can either create it with your quarterback and buy time, or you can create that space with timing and execution of concepts, which is something that Tua has been very good at his whole career.”
(At what stage in the install of your offense do you feel like you’re at after four weeks? And also, how can you gauge the offense, especially the running game, without pads?) – “This being the sixth different team that I’ve been in the same offense my whole career and we’ve just evolved it – this being the sixth different stop, you gain a little wisdom in that. There are compounding variables that you try to weigh. How good is the existing defense? Is everyone starting from the same starting point? Are they taking calculus courses while we’re learning algebra? This is an extreme case relative to the other stops in my career because the defense was very, very productive and returning a lot of talented players. We also had an inordinate amount of additions, so it was a bunch of people learning to play together. With all of those circumstances that my career has afforded me, I feel extremely happy and confident where we’re at. We have just enough taste of what we’re good at and what we need to work on. We have a lot of deliberate pros that when guys are all in it and are thinking about it over the break and spending their summer getting away and recharging, but at the same time, revisiting all of the stuff that they’ve learned, there is a huge leap in those first couple of days of (training camp). Realistically, if I go play by play, player by player, I’m not looking for touchdowns or how many negative plays. I’m looking at how people are progressing and getting better each day against a defense that’s refining their skills. I’m very happy with where we’re at right now, which means absolutely nothing. There are a couple of plays I wish we would make here or there, but overall as an offense, I’m very comfortable and confident going into summer with what we’ve had an opportunity to do and who we’re going against. It’s a tremendous challenge and on both sides of the ball, I think we’ve gotten better this offseason because guys come to work and challenge each other, are talented, high expectations, competitive and try to win the day.”
Mike McDaniel – June 2, 2022
Download PDF version
Thursday, June 2, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(You guys don’t have any dry-fit jackets you can wear?) – “They offer them to me plenty of times during the day.”
(Trying to cut weight or anything?) – “No. Honestly, it’s the best way that I can keep in-tune to what the players are going through because I’m not sprinting around. At least I have an idea of how hot it is otherwise you’ll kind of lose sight of that and then you’ll be doing too many reps, causing soft tissue injuries and all that nonsense.”
(How much do you enjoy walking out on the field? You got a little hop once you …?) – “You talk about a professional dream. One of the things that is a competitive advantage just in life is perspective. I made a lot longer walk to go watch the Denver Broncos training camp and wrote on the inside of helmets. So yeah, it’s enjoyable. The responsibility is real and great. I have to be deliberate in reminding myself that because you can get swallowed up in all the things that you have to do. It’s a lot of fun and it’s a credit to the organization, the coaches, the players. It’s a fun place to go to work.”
(Can you offer us your perspective on the way QB Tua Tagovailoa is practicing? Specifically his downfield passing.) – “I’m really excited about the reps that Tua (Tagovailoa) is getting in this offense. I’m excited about where he’s at. Today was – I talked to the team and I talked to him today specifically about – I’ve just been waiting for those moments where you have a slight obstacle. Tua is very, very critical on his ball placement and he’s a very accurate quarterback as a result. Yesterday, he had some throws that he demands better of himself. Like I told everybody else, today was the first day I got to really evaluate Tua because that is a professional quarterback in the National Football League. You’re going to have things that you don’t execute to perfection. You’re going to have people talking about how you’re not performing and guess what? No one cares. It’s about leading. He had a ton of energy and I was very, very happy with his effort today because it was one of the million reps you need at that position to handle the scrutiny, the pressure and all that stuff. I think his teammates have really noticed a difference in him. He’s opening up. He’s coming into his own in that regard and he’s been unbelievably coachable. He’s let his guard down and we’ve been able to keep his confidence high, which it should be right now for sure, while correcting and getting his game better, which is the ultimate goal for everyone.”
(It’s interesting that you say that QB Tua Tagovailoa let his guard down with his teammates. Is that something that you’ve noticed or something that you were told initially when you got here?) – “Well, it’s projection from – it’s what I’ve been told from a lot of people and then I’ve noticed since he’s been in the building a difference from then and now. Since we first got here, since April 4th started, I’ve noticed that directly and then a lot of people have spoke on it, that we are seeing a different side of him and he’s coming into his own as a young man in terms of his personality. Again, I can’t state it enough, I don’t think people give that position its due for how hard it is. Yeah, there’s a lot of acclaim. You get a lot of free dinners when you go out to eat and things like that but everyone has an opinion and you’re in charge of delivering the responsibility and executing from the snap the football to every player on the offense and doing it with defenses these days are so multiple and they present so many problems. And oh by the way, you’re doing all this and if you are indecisive, you are going to have your helmet hit off your shoulders. There’s a physical part, too. That’s why I’m so pumped. I know he’s gained all the new players on our offense – new to the Miami Dolphins organization that are new to Tua (Tagovailoa) like me – I know he’s gained their respect, that you can feel it. Players know when they’re around good players and it’s been very cool to watch him and the rest of the team really grow together because we’ve gotten a lot closer in these six OTAs, two minicamps and two voluntary minicamps, that it feels like lightyears ago when we first started.”
(Wide Receivers Wes Welker mentioned that there have been sessions early on where you and the offensive staff have gotten together to talk about ways to maximize those weapons you have. How much do you push yourself and how much to you push your offensive assistants as far as creativity in terms of coming up with new stuff? Obviously most plays that are run in the NFL we have seen before. Do you push yourself from a creativity standpoint and have you ever written a play down on a napkin out of curiosity?) – “Because of my specific background and the coaches that I was fortunate enough to be around, being creative and innovative is something that I think is part of the job. It’s natural for my brain to look at things that way to the point that I actually have to be mindful of pulling back that I don’t get bored. It’s something that my previous boss always gave me a hard time with because I’d always be trying to do the next and I haven’t mastered that yet. When you’re trying to install a new system to a group of guys, the bottom line is – you could have the coolest plays that ever existed but if the players don’t execute them, your plays are not cool. Systematically, I’ve been trying to really push forward having a core basis – to make sure all that stuff is, you have a working basis from which you can grow. Outside of that, I’m not really looking to innovate any time until you’re getting through your core portion of the training camp. It doesn’t ever leave. My iPhone note app is my go-to. I’ll write down whatever play I’m referring to and if it’s that abstract and there’s no word for it, I usually just put some symbols. That’s my note taking. Maybe one or two in the morning in bed when my wife is being annoyed that my screen is too bright. (laughter)”
(Symbols? Emojis? What are you using here?) – “I’m talking about underscores. Like old-school symbols. Like front slashes and back slashes. Those types of things. Just create a triangle with a front slash and a back slash. (laughter)”
(As the offensive play caller, how have you enjoyed going against the defensive signal-callers like LB Elandon Roberts or S Jevon Holland or whoever is making the defensive calls? How have you enjoyed the competition between yourself and those guys?) – “There are no player-coaches so they are passing along the play call, but Josh (Boyer) is still calling it. But that’s the fun part of the process. You try to approach it in a way that you can allow your players to play, while challenging them to a degree. It’s impossible not to go through the process of what you’re expecting. It’s always interesting to guess and check with no stakes and be like ‘hmmm, I totally thought this was coming and here is why.’ It can be a very valuable process if you approach it that way. I think Josh and I work very well together and we talk through that stuff. You can see how people view things from the other side of the coin. It’s fun to see how the players respond because every other play you see in practice, when all the players aren’t on the field, guys have the night to prepare. They are sitting there looking at what it is. There, there is no preparation because up until that period, I don’t know what I’m going to call and neither does Josh. That’s a fun process, just like everything else in football. I don’t get that excited when stuff works because I’m like ‘ok, there is going to be a humbling experience coming here soon.’ Which is the nature of our business.”
(I’m sure it is no surprise to you that there are questions about QB Tua Tagovailoa’s ability to go deep. You have two guys who can definitely get behind defenses. Based on what you’ve seen, how confident are you that Tua can deliver it that deep and accurately like we saw today with that one pass to WR Tyreek Hill?) – “So you’re saying that was a good deep ball today?”
(There was.) – “Were you pretty confident they would be completed? There were a couple. (laughter) Here is the thing about quarterbacks that I always think is funny. You can only design plays that the quarterback has time to throw. Generally, within the time of the play, from a historical perspective, you can’t get a receiver down the field past 55 or 60 yards in what we call one-hitch timing. You have to have a prerequisite arm strength to be able to throw it 60, in my opinion; and then, if you’re not going to be able to anticipate, and you have to see something before you do it, you probably need to throw 70 because you have to wait to see it, and then the receiver gets down further and hopefully you have the protection. The way we’ve always operated since 2005 when I got in the league is if the quarterback can see the defense and is accurate, then you see if he can throw it 60 yards. I think he might have had a 55-yarder today. That’s why you hear no cause for concern at all from the players because they know that too. He’s plenty fast and the great thing is that he sees the field. He’s not throwing the ball 85 yards but I don’t see the practical application of a 85-yard thrower unless you have the best offensive line in the history of football and a defense that is too poor to add-on rushers when you’re max protecting.”
Tua Tagovailoa – June 2, 2022
Download PDF version
Thursday, June 2, 2022
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(How would you assess your performance the last two days and how you kind of rebounded today?) – “Yesterday’s practice wasn’t up to the standard that I know our offense can compete at and it obviously starts with me. In particular, there were some ball placement deals that I didn’t particularly like yesterday. I think (today) was a lot better. There’s still some things that weren’t up to par, to our standard. But I think it was a lot better from an offensive standpoint.”
(How hard on yourself do you get about ball placement? Head Coach Mike McDaniel mentioned that. How do you work on that?) – “Yeah, I think I’m pretty hard on myself every time whether it’s throwing a ball where it needs to be or pre-snap operation – guys aren’t set, guys aren’t where they’re supposed to be – because in order for the offense to function, we’ve all got to be on the same page and in order for us to execute at a high level, we’ve got to do things at a high level. So I’ve got to be hard on myself. Mike (McDaniel) is a little different. Mike is always trying to encourage you and trying to keep you going so for me it’s a little backwards where I’m used to being hard on myself and the coach getting hard on me, too, whereas I’m getting hard on myself and he’s trying to tell me, ‘Hey, it’s going to be okay. We’re only in May. We’re only in June.’ There’s a lot more time to grow, but…”
(What’s that been like for you?) – “It’s been cool. It’s been different. Like I said I’ve never been around a coach like this who’s just extremely positive. Growing up, my dad’s always been hard on me. My high school coach has been hard on me. Coach (Nick) Saban has been hard on me and all the coaches that I’ve had prior, they’ve all been hard on me. He’s (Mike McDaniel) hard, but he takes another alleyway, if you will, on kind of teaching and helping.”
(There was a quote yesterday in a story that came out that when you said that you think you’ll be able to push the ball downfield more as opposed to last year because last year there just weren’t really plays designed to do that. Can you kind of elaborate on that and maybe what differences you see with this offense?) – “Yeah, if you’ve seen the third to the last play we had – I don’t know if I could throw the ball downfield still, but by my account I think that might have been a touchdown to Tyreek (Hill). If not, then we scored two plays after that to Tyreek. So however you want to write down any of that to social media or whatever outlets you guys are with, you do so.”
(Can you talk about your timing overall with WR Tyreek Hill and is there a play outside of that that stuck out today that you think shows your timing?) – “It’s pretty cool having a guy like Tyreek (Hill), but you have other guys that are extremely talented, very fast as well that kind of help out with Tyreek being open. You have (Jaylen) Waddle, you have (Mike) Gesicki; so everyone has to cover every part of the field and it should be a lot easier to get these guys the ball. Although playing against our defense, it still gets tough.”
(Back to Head Coach Mike McDaniel, it seems like he’s very in-tuned with a lot of things with this team from him wearing hoodies and sweatshirts and sweating out here so he can mimic that and then even the music – he lets you guys pick music by being the player of the day. Just talk about that, just him being an in-tuned guy.) – “Yeah, swaggy. That’s what I got to say about Coach Mike (McDaniel). I call him ‘Mystic Mac.’ Just like Conor McGregor, this dude, he loves to predict stuff. So call him ‘Mystic Mac,’ but the respect that he has in the locker room, it’s tremendous. The guys love him.”
(You mentioned earlier about the narrative about the arm strength. What do you think about that that every time somebody talks about you, it’s that you can’t throw deep?) – “Like I said, all the bad news I hear from (our communications staff). (They) tell me, ‘Hey, I don’t know if you heard about this, but they said…’ I’m like, ‘Why would you want to bring that up to me?’ (laughter) But (the staff) brings it up just so I’m aware with the questions that you guys are going to ask me. For me, it’s just zone that out. We come out to practice; everyone else – Twitter warriors, keyboard warriors, whatever you want to call them – they’re not out here practicing with us working hard. So I don’t know if you guys recorded that last one to Tyreek (Hill).
(We aren’t allowed to shoot it.) – “(laughter) Well, I don’t know about you, but that looked like money. (laughter)”
(You said in that interview that improving your strength to be able to put more on your downfield passing was an emphasis this offseason. How much was, how critical was that for you as a goal this offseason?) – “I wouldn’t say I put the most emphasis on my downfield throws this offseason just because learning the offense was kind of the biggest thing – getting guys set, motions, landmarks with receivers, timing. I think it works out better that way. Whereas if guys are where they’re supposed to be, pushing it down the field, it’s not something we’re forcing, it’s something that’s there.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that you’ve found your voice here. It seems that you – it’s obvious you’ve found your voice. Do you feel that way right now at this point?) – “I would say I’ve shown glimpses of coming out of my shell with Coach (McDaniel), but – I can be myself. That’s all I can say.”
(You said that you get down on yourself, but you have been the practice player of the day and you’ve gotten to wear that orange jersey. Some of the guys said they could appreciate your music and they said you came out here with some Hawaiian. Just talk about the flavor that you brought to the music.) – “Yes, well I tried to bring a mixture of flavors. I brought some Hawaiian music. I brought some Isley Brothers. I brought some, let’s see, I had ‘Return of the Mack’ – who sings that again? If you guys say the name, I promise you I’ll…”
(Mark Morrison.) – “Oh yes, yes. Heck yeah! (laughter) So we’ve got it right there. We also had some KC and The Sunshine Band…”
(Kodak?) – “No, no, sorry. Sorry. Hey Kodak, ‘gleeful.’ (laughter) But we did have some Bee Gees. We had some Shaggy. We had some country. But I would say I love the flavor, the palate of music that I hold.”
(You talked earlier about having people, coaches, in your past, who were hard on you throughout the years. We like to talk about players having buttons to push and certain players respond to different things, do you respond to people being hard on you or encouraging you better, do you think?) – “I think I’ve been playing football for so long to where the standard has been set for me at such a young age with the way my dad has kind of coached me. Then even at the college setting, I was more afraid of what my dad would have to tell me after the game than Coach Saban. And it still is a little like that in the NFL but for me, I have it embedded in my mind that regardless of how another coach feels about the way I practice or I play, I know what I’m capable of doing.”
(What did it mean to you a couple of weeks ago when WR Tyreek Hill posted all of the practice clips of the downfield passes?) – “He posted them? I didn’t know that. I personally didn’t know that. Were they on the money? (laughter)”
(With letting your guard down, when did you notice you maybe needed to do that and you felt comfortable doing that like Coach McDaniel was talking about earlier?) – “I would say that’s just something that Mike (McDaniel) would always try to get me to do is just open up to him. In the hallway or in the meeting room, he would just pop in. When I’m lifting, he’d just want to chat. (laughter) Every opportunity he got. I ended up opening up a little bit to him.”
(Does that bleed into the way you are with your teammates? Even the media? Does any of that go hand-in-hand?) – “I would say the way I am, the way I share things with him a little is sort of similar to the way I share things with the guys in the locker room. The comfortability with him is getting pretty comfortable.”
(Do you consider yourself guarded?) – “Yes, I do.”
(Why?) – “I’ve always been like that, ever since high school. Yeah, I’m just not one to ‘Hey, we’re friends,’ after shaking hands. I’ve got to really get to know you, really get to understand and feel comfortable.”
(Would you say this is the most open you’ve been since you’ve been here?) – “With the media? Yes. (laughter)”
(What’s it been like learning your third offense in as many seasons? Any fun study habits or anything you’ve kind of perfected at this point just to learn the new terminology and those sorts of things?) – “Yeah, I would say the study habits, I’ve got a white board at home that I just write down all of the formations, I write down all of the motions and I have my brother or a family member or someone that’s at my house tell me the formations and tell me the motions. What I also do is I invite the guys over to my house and we walk through plays, we walk through formations and we barbecue.”
(You give them snacks?) – “Food? Yeah. The snacks don’t work with them. (laughter)”
(Earlier you mentioned the defense. You kind of smirked about how tough they could be to go against. How has that been for you going against those guys and how does that help you improve your game?) – “It’s really good. It’s tough because they know what to expect a lot of the times with what we’re running, whether it’s a play (action) pass, a run play, gap scheme run plays or downfield passing. Third down has been tough for us against them just because of the variations of (cover) zero that our defense has and runs. But that’s what you want. You want a challenge.”
(There’s a lot of talk about the downfield passing but on the short and intermediate stuff, especially with how Mike McDaniel likes for the guys to block up front, how does that change your passing lanes, especially when you’re rolling out?) – “It changes a lot of what we do because we have full flow of the defense because we run the ball a lot with outside zone. We have inside zone. And then when you have guys coming back across – it’s hard for (defensive) guys to key their guys when they’re also trying to read run. So the throwing lanes coming backside, it looks good.”
Terron Armstead – June 1, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
T Terron Armstead
(What did you see when you were watching out there?) – “A lot of energy. A lot of energy. Highly competitive from both sides which is a great thing – kind of training to be in those real-life situations, circumstances. I think everything’s been going pretty good. It’s still a learning curve, of course. A new offense, new players, but positive.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that’s something he doesn’t do until like Week 3 of training camp so here we are in the first I guess minicamp that you had to be at and he’s doing these things. What does that say about his faith and what he’s throwing out there on the field right now?) – “I think the guys’ performance has built the confidence in him that they can handle it and even that period that you’re speaking about, I think it went well. Offensively we had some bad plays, but we also had some explosive (plays).”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel has talked a lot about how hungry the young offensive linemen are on this team and how he wants to kind of build around those guys. What is your perception been working with those guys and kind of how they’ve taken to your teaching so far?) – “It’s been great, man. It’s been great. Just a great room. I’m blessed to be here, blessed to be with those guys. They come, they work extremely hard, open to coaching. They just want to be successful.”
(Do they ask you a lot of questions?) – “Yeah, not too much, though. Not too much. It’s been great.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel talked about the athleticism that that unit has. What have you seen? How do you see that? How do you gauge that?) – “Yeah, you see guys like Rob Hunt, Austin Jackson (and they are) just extremely explosive. Like they jump off the film. So those guys are just tapping into what they are becoming as players, as pros. It’s exciting. It’s exciting. And then the scheme – the offense that we’re running – it allows you to show those abilities and use that athleticism and explosiveness, so it’s exciting.”
(How’s your rehab process going?) – “It’s been good. It’s been really good. Just been getting ready for training camp so we can hit the ground rolling.”
(When you played through the injury last season do you feel like you set your process back or obviously you wanted to continue to play?) – “I’m always in the moment, so I was in New Orleans trying to play. We were competing for a playoff spot, so there was nothing I was thinking about in the future. I don’t think it has anything to do with where I’m at now. I’m just getting fully prepared for when training camp starts, we’re ready to roll.”
(How antsy, if at all, are you to line up with the guys on the field?) – “Oh, I am. I am. (laughter) I’m anxious to get into this offense, this scheme. I think it fits my skillset pretty well, so I’m excited. I’m going to keep saying that word because I truly am. Just ready to get out there and show what I can do in that fit.”
(At the start of training camp, you’ll be good to go?) – “We’re just taking it a day at a time getting all the way right so when we start, it’s up.”
(I asked RB Chase Edmonds if he counts the big runs that he springs in these non-contact practices and he said ‘No, they don’t count. You’ve got to show when the pads come on.’ How do you kind of evaluate offensive line play without full pads on?) – “I disagree because it’s harder to run the ball in this dress and underwear. Defense can shed a lot easier without the pads on, so if you get an explosive run in this dress – it’s not real football, don’t get me wrong – but lanes, like if you are creating lanes, that carries over.”
(Sorry if you’ve been asked before, but how do you take on the teaching role? We’ve seen you on the sideline kind of mentoring some of the young players, but how do you take that on?) – “It’s pretty natural, man. I’m always just looking to help any way I can. I’m at these guys’ service. It’s been that way for the last several years. I’ve been a captain for the last five years in New Orleans, so it’s just a part of who I am as a player. If I get knowledge and information, I’ve just got to share it.”
(You said you’re watching the tape obviously so far. What are you seeing from the defensive side of the football, what they do, to kind of create problems for you guys up front?) – “Dangerous, man. They’re really dangerous. The looks, the speed – there’s a ton of speed throughout the defense. And the pre-snap looks create a lot of challenges – will create a lot of challenges throughout the season. Regardless of who we’re playing, it’s tough. It’s hard to pick up and then just adding players like Melvin (Ingram), the things that he can do, that’s another piece of versatility. I’m excited.”
(Speaking of LB Melvin Ingram III, are you guys going to have a collab in the music any time soon?) – “Yeah, we’re going to do something, for sure. Yeah. (laughter)”
(I was going to ask how the album is coming along.) – “Right now I’m just kind of putting out some singles. I have enough material for an album but I’m kind of slow-rolling right now. I’m putting some singles out there.”
(Got to keep the hype going, right?) – “Yeah, yeah, for sure. I’m trying to have a plan. (laughter) Strategic.”
(You know we’ve always heard that Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s offense is very offensive line-friendly and I know you’ve just kind of been here for a bit now, but have you been seeing that in your transition? Kind of going to the team?) – “It allows the offensive line to be playmakers. It’s a tough job. Offensive line is a tough job. You’re tasked with things that are just difficult to get done, especially against the guys that you’re playing against. But this offense allows you to be directly impactful on a lot of plays and to walk away from a play and feel like, ‘I made a play,’ like ‘I caused that run’ – that’s a friendly feeling.”
Chase Edmonds – June 1, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
RB Chase Edmonds
(How’d it feel to get back out there for the first day today?) – “It felt good. Obviously I’ve got to get used to this heat. But just to be out here with the team, be out here with the guys grinding hard, we’re trying to build something special here. Coach (Mike) McDaniel always talks about we want to build something special and it’s going to be a lot of hard work. Having guys bought into the system, having guys bought into the work, taking care of each other, I’m just excited to be out here with the guys now.”
(What makes you confident that this running game will be efficient and effective this season?) – “I’ve played against it for the last four years. It’s something special with how they disguise everything, the window dressing to make everything look the same. It really confuses the defense and holds the defense to be disciplined and have gap integrity. I think that’s something I’m good at, specializing my zone scheme. I’m excited to get into the zone and work my feet, work the rhythm. It’s a different scheme than what I’m used to. I was predominately inside zone, so working my feet, getting used to the outside zone track, getting used to the outside zone feel, how certain lanes feel. Just working to build something special.”
(Before the contact really starts, is it more mental for you in these particular practices?) – “I’ve always felt that OTAs should be only about a mental emphasis. I feel like with the NFL going to 17 games, it’s a pounding enough. I feel like guys got to come out here, get the playbook down so when we have those six weeks off, it can stay fresh in our minds. Then when we come back for camp, you don’t really miss a step.”
(You had a couple of big runs. Do you count those big runs or does it not count because there is no contact?) – “No, it doesn’t count with no pads. (laughter) That’s my opinion. You separate the men from the boys once the pads get on. I think it’s important for us to get the scheme down, get the plays down, and most importantly take care of each other. In the past season, you’ll lose guys in May and there’s no reason for that. So just coming out here, making sure we take care of each other and getting good solid work.”
(When you go back and watch film, how do you assess it?) – “You assess it by your track, you assess it by the lanes that are there, we’re still playing football. I feel like from my personal standpoint as a running back, it’s not real until you get the pads on. You don’t get to feel the lanes, you don’t get to feel the scheme and the tempo really. The tempo changes so much from pads to no pads.”
(Who chirps the most on defense?) – “Raekwon (Davis) and ‘C-Wilk’ (Christian Wilkins). I was just talking to the guys. We’ve got some dawgs on defense. That’s the first thing I took notice about just being out here is really the physicality and we have a really solid defense.”
(Do you get the sentiment that they are pretty far ahead in terms of knowing the system and where they are?) – “We’ve got a lot of new guys on offense. Everybody is coming from different places. We’re all still trying to get the scheme down, get the plays down. Football is very universal in the sense that a lot of the plays are the same, but the language is just different. It’s really just about changing my language that I’ve been used to in Arizona, what Tyreek (Hill) has been used to in Kansas City, and coming here and establishing that in our mindset. The defense, they’ve got all of their starters back I think, so they already have continuity, are pretty used to everything and they are flowing well.”
(What has this running back room been like? It feels like it goes at least four deep?) – “I like it. We’ve already been hanging around a lot. Good fellowship, always staying with each other. It’s funny because Sony (Michel) was actually my Combine roommate. Like I said, God works in mysterious ways. Five years ago, we were roommates, he doesn’t know who I am, I don’t know who he is, and to come here and be teammates and stuff like that, we are already building on that relationship.”
(What was your off-season training program like?) – “For me, I’m all about my body especially because I missed five games with a high-ankle last year. I was dealing with turf toe that I dealt with in January. I just wanted to focus on my rehab, especially in the offseason. I feel like in the NFL, if you don’t start off fresh, you’re never going to get fresh. For me, it was about building on my health so I could come out here and go full-go and not really have to worry about any limitations.”
(Did you have a perception of QB Tua Tagovailoa before you got here? And do you have one now that you’ve been here?) – “No. I never had a perception of Tua. He’s a great guy obviously. Just coming in here and gelling with him, getting ready to work and building something strong, I think it’s important to take a stride every single day. There are going to be good days, there are going to be bad days, but I think that it’s all about building that stride every single day and taking a step forward.”
(This system is very running back friendly. Do you like it so far?) – “Yeah, I like it. The running back here does a lot. It’s primarily why I came here. I believe in (Coach Mike) McDaniel, especially of the backfield because I feel like I can utilize my special abilities coming out the backfield, my route-running and mismatches on ‘backers.”
(What’s going to be the biggest difference for you running the football in this scheme than what you’ve been used to?) – “Outside zone. For me, in college, I was predominantly inside zone. High school, inside zone. The NFL with Arizona, inside zone. But here (it’s) outside zone. Just getting used to the wider tracks and the cuts are going to be at different angles and the lanes are going to be at different angles. The flow of the ‘backers are different because in inside zone, it’s more slow to fast, where I can pitter-patter my steps. Outside zone here, it’s kind of like you’re riding a wave. Once you hit that wave, you’ve got to hit it and go. I’m getting used to that. I’m getting my feet under me. I’m taking pride in that journey, that challenge, of fine-tuning it.”
(Has the transition been easy for you coming from a Kliff Kingsbury offense and now a Mike McDaniel offense?) – “I would actually say it’s probably going to be harder because Kliff was spread and no-huddle. The scheme is always going to be simpler because it’s more about tempo and speed. We would just have one word and then a play. Here, it’s true NFL pro language. That’s what I was doing my rookie year when we had Mike McCoy as my OC. So just getting used to the language, hearing an entire play call, understanding what part of the play call is talking to me, what part of the play call is talking to the wide receiver, variations and stuff like that. Again, I’m excited for that challenge.”
(Why does outside zone appeal to you so much?) – “I think for me, it’s how they run this offense and how they window dress. I was just saying they make a lot of things look the same. But yet there are small kinks and differences that really open lanes up for us. It really holds a defense to be disciplined and always in their gaps. If the miss a gap, that’s when a lane opens up wide open for me. That’s something that I’m looking forward to and experiencing that.”
Cedrick Wilson Jr. – June 1, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.
(I know you kind of just got here but can you talk about how working with Head Coach Mike McDaniel has been and stuff like that?) – “Definitely with coach, he’s definitely a good guy to work with. His energy provides itself and with the rest of the team, it’s a group of good guys that love to work and when you come to work with guys like that, it’s easy.”
(Coming from the Dallas Cowboys, obviously Kellen Moore was there and you go from one young, offensive-minded coach, to another. Has that sort of transition been good for you?) – “Yeah, it’s good for me in the aspects of I feel like I’m a relatively young player. So young coaches think similar to how I think and go out there and provide good plays for us to run.”
(Obviously when talking about the wide receiver room, you’ve got WR Tyreek Hill, you’ve got WR Jaylen Waddle. What do you think makes you stand out from the wide receiver corps?) – “Besides the two fast guys, I feel like I’m one of the taller ones. I feel like that’s probably the biggest aspect of it.”
(How is it working with QB Tua Tagovailoa and WB Teddy Bridgewater and the relationship that you guys have been growing?) – “It’s definitely good working with both of them. Tua is definitely a little different. I’ve never caught from a lefty but he’s very accurate and the ball is easy to catch. Teddy being the vet that he is, just knowing the game and most of the time teaching us stuff.”
(Can you talk about your NFL career as a whole and where you are right now? Did you ever envision yourself coming here to Miami?) – “My whole NFL career has been pretty much up and down. I didn’t really envision myself anywhere besides playing in the NFL. I didn’t really think about certain teams. I’m happy to be here. I love the facilities and hopefully an opportunity for me awaits.”
(How has Miami treated you? How has the weather been treating you down here?) – “To me, it feels like it’s hot. Everybody says it’s not hot yet. I’ve just got to keep my head up and try to stay out of the sun as much as possible.”
(You’ve been here for the entire offseason. What’s this process about the install been like?) – “I would say it’s been a pretty smooth process. I feel like they help us learn the playbook as much as they can without baby-stepping us through it. They give you the concepts, the teaching concepts, and it’s on you to go home and learn them.”
(Obviously, the defense with all of these starters coming back, the defense is usually ahead of the offense. What has that process been like trying to go against this unit?) – “Different days bring different energies. When we know what we’re doing, obviously it’s a great competition day. On the days that we really don’t know what we’re doing, it’s kind of frustrating for the players and coaches. I feel like we get it figured out later in practice and it’s a good competition.”
(When you don’t know what you’re doing, is that a day that they’re installing new stuff?) – “Usually. Usually when you go out and install, you’re meeting for 30 minutes to an hour and then you’re coming right to practice to run it.”
(When are we going to see an orange jersey in the receiver room?) – “When coach selects who wears it. (laughter)”
(Has that been something you guys have rallied around? Like it’s going to be orange jersey this time around? Is that something you talk about?) – “No, we don’t necessarily talk about it in the receiver room. We mostly talk about making sure we know where to line up and run the plays and execute.”
(With you last year, you got a lot of playing time in the slot. How important is that to continue that development or do you see yourself as an all-around receiver?) – “I feel like I can play both in and outside. I definitely like the slot a little more. I feel like that’s where I strive at and it’s closest to the quarterback so you get the ball easier.”
(Why do you feel that? Just because you’re closer to the ball?) – “Yeah, you’re closer to the ball. There’s more shorter routes. Usually, the quarterback is trying to get the ball out of his hand.”
(Having some time in the offense during the offseason program, what does this system do to help your game out?) – “I feel like it opens up the field with coach being able to call the plays that he knows is going to work. He for sure knows who should get the ball when the coverage shows it and when I know the ball is coming to me, that’s always a good sign.”
(How about being on the field with WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle? How does their speed help your game out?) – “The defense is looking at them the whole time so usually I get one-on-one. That’s my job to win.”
Xavien Howard – June 1, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, June 1, 2022
CB Xavien Howard
(Is the peace sign new? I haven’t noticed that before.) – “Yeah, it’s new. Yeah.”
(What’s the story behind that?) – “I’m at peace right now, man. I’m happy where I’m at.”
(Why is that?) – “Are we talking about football? (laughter)”
(In general.) – “Just football, I’m just happy where I’m at right now. I’ll say that.”
(What’s been the benefit to you of having Cornerbacks/Pass Game Specialist Sam Madison here? How so far has that helped?) – “Man, it’s been great. During the offseason I was talking to Sam (Madison) and Patrick (Surtain); those guys, they’re legendary here so I just want to learn from those guys and just try to pick their brain.”
(How excited are you about this roster? On paper it seems like the best roster in many years.) – “Yeah, I’m excited about it. Right now, you can’t do it based on the roster. We’ve got to go play football at the end of the day. But the roster, it’s up to par. I feel like we can do things with the roster we’ve got.”
(How much did you appreciate getting the contract situation settled this time around?) – “It’s smooth, man. I’m here today. I’m just happy to be here.”
(Guys in your secondary – I was going to ask you about CB Noah Igbinoghene – how he is…) – “Improving? Oh yeah, I’ve been talking to Noah, trying to make him get that big leap and just gain that confidence and like I say, man, just go out there and just play ball at the end of the day.”
(How much do guys try to shine in practice, just that extra bit more just to wear that orange jersey just so they can get that playlist?) – “Oh man, the crazy part – I just ended up hearing about that orange jersey, what it means. Everybody’s been busting their butt trying to get the orange jersey. Hopefully I’m going to be in that jersey soon.”
(Just how did it feel to be back out there today?) – “It felt great to be back out there with the guys. I’m just excited to be around the team, feeling that energy and just happy to be out there ready to learn.”
(What can you tell us about your offseason, what you’ve been up to and where you been working?) – “Spending time with the family more and been working also, so I’m in shape, I’m healthy, everything’s good. I’m just back to playing football now.”
(What’s it like to have WR Tyreek Hill across the way from you now in practice?) – “Man, it’s going to be great. I’m glad I don’t have to go against him on game day, but like I said, we’re going to get each other better. That’s what it’s all about.”
(How important was it to have continuity in the coaching staff after the change at head coach? You have Defensive Coordinator Josh Boyer back.) – “Man, it’s great. I’d say having somebody who knows what the defense – that was on the defense last year and just knows what we’ve been doing and trying to keep that and add a little bit more to the plays.”
(I was going to ask you, have you noticed much difference schematically or is it pretty similar?) – “Right now I feel like it’s similar. Some of it’s different, but we’re just learning right now, the new stuff that they’re bringing in.”
(I know QB Tua Tagovailoa’s worked on his body. Just from the throws we’ve seen, seems like he’s throwing well. Any difference you’ve noticed?) – “Oh yeah, he’s bombing it right now. He’s doing his thing. I feel like he’s just getting better. There’s a lot in there for Tua.”
(And WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. Early observations from any time you’ve been out covering him as he comes over from Dallas?) – “I haven’t covered him yet, though, but I’ve seen he did a lot of things at Dallas. I watched him on film make a lot of plays, so I ‘m expecting that from here now.”
