Christian Wilkins – July 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
DT Christian Wilkins
(So Day 1, new coach, shorter practice. How’s the feeling out there overall as a group?) – “Good. Just a good place to start. Day 1 of training camp. That’s how I feel with a lot of different things, guys shaking the rust off, high energy, everyone’s excited to get back out here. So you know you’re just chomping at the bit and we finally to get be out here and practice so it’s a lot of fun. New beginnings for a lot of guys and stuff, so we’re excited to see what we can do as individuals and as a team.”
(What have you seen from him? Obviously you’ve been under Head Coach Mike McDaniel for a little while now with minicamp and now today. What has surprised you about him or impressed you when it comes to his coaching?) – “Nothing that really necessarily surprised me, but the most impressive thing is he’s the same guy every day. He loves what he does. He brings that same energy every day. Same demeanor, same mindset and it’s infectious and it’s contagious and it’s nice to be around so that’s been the biggest thing I’ve noticed about him.”
(CB Xavien Howard talked about the defense, or him as a whole, sometimes he doesn’t get the respect that he’s supposed to. He says Miami players for some reason don’t get the respect. Not that you have to prove something this year on defense, but do you feel like, ‘Hey, you know what, we need to show the division and the rest of the league that we’re here?’) – “I just definitely feel like if we take care of the things we can take care of – a lot of guys were away training this offseason working their butts off and then just like I said earlier, excited to be back here, get together. So if we just bring it every day and we do the little things right, do the common things in an uncommon way, we’ll command attention of the world. So we just focus on the things that we can do, doing the little things each and every day.”
(What are the advantages to having – you’ve been doing it for a while through OTAs and everything, but the shorter practice? Just a high-intensity shorter practice?) – “Yeah, exactly. That’s exactly it. When we’re out here, we’re working. We’re full-throttle, going and you can’t even get a second to look up, breathe – ‘oh, shoot’ – like no, we’re going. We’re moving, we’re constantly working. So that’s different and it’s a lot of fun and it gets us in good shape in this Miami heat and everything.”
(I take it you prefer it this way, right?) – “It’s good, just short and sweet and it means a lot. So while you’re out here working, your mindset is just different. You’re not just doing busy work or just kind of standing around or looking for things to do. It’s like every minute of practice and every second of practice has a purpose.”
(How do you process this heat day-by-day? You’ve been here for a little bit. How do you because today’s nice…?) – “Yeah, it’s not bad. This is – I ain’t ever had a training camp day like this, it feels like. So this is nice. I’ll take this. I’ll be happy with this. We know as we go on it’ll definitely be hotter, but I have an advantage just being here for a few years, so I know what I need to eat, what I need to drink in order to come out here and be effective. But I think it’s definitely good for us and makes us work harder and we’ve just got no choice but to go through it. That’s part of training camp.”
(If I can have an off-topic question. RB Travis Etienne is coming back after having a layoff last year. Have you talked to him at all about that?) – “I’ve seen him a little bit this offseason. I’m excited for him and the things he’ll do this year. That’s still my brother, one of my college teammates, so I’m always rooting for those guys. Every last one of them. So I’m excited to see what he’ll be able to do.”
(What do you think the league is going to see out of him when he’s fully healthy?) – “Well, really just he’s a guy who – it’s good to see that he’s putting in the work. I feel like a year away from ball kind of just changed his mindset and not saying he didn’t have a good mindset before, but I feel like at least from what I’ve seen and what I’ve talked to him, it just seemed like he’s putting it all together and that’s good. So it’s up to him what the league will see, but I think in years to come he’ll be pretty solid.”
(And how does it feel to specifically talking about you guys being disrespected, the Madden rankings came out a few weeks ago. You got disrespected. CB Xavien Howard got disrespected. How does it feel for you to just have that edge coming into this season? It’s just a game. It’s not the real game, but…) – “Yeah, I mean you always have an edge. If you don’t find ways to motivate you or aren’t self-motivated, you don’t last very long in this league. And every little thing does help. But then again, you can’t pay attention to a lot of those things. Just come out here, work, do what you do, be self-motivated, grind and let everything else take care of itself.”
Jaelan Phillips – July 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
LB Jaelan Phillips
(How was it to get pressure on the quarterback on the first day? I saw you get a couple of pressures today on the far field.) – “I’m just glad to be back, always trying to work my moves, always trying to make it to that next level. Definitely good to get back. It feels great out here. I feel blessed. I’m real excited”
(There are a bunch of quality edge guys on this team with you and LB Andrew Van Ginkel, DE Emmanuel Ogbah, and LB Melvin Ingram now. We saw you opposite Ingram quite a bit today. What’s it like playing opposite of him?) – “Mel is someone I’ve been watching for a long time, ever since I was in high school, really. He is a great leader. He’s been mentoring me some, taking me under his wing. I’m really grateful to have him on the team, for sure.”
(Is there anything from a communication standpoint that you need to work on with LB Melvin Ingram in case you’re with him as opposed to LB Andrew Van Ginkel? Obviously you’ll be playing opposite of both.) – “It’s just building that bond, that familiarity. We just met each other a couple of months ago, but you can already tell we have that bond. We have a great relationship, joke around with each other, so it’s really fun.”
(How would you compare where you are now starting this camp as opposed to starting your rookie camp?) – “I’m a little more comfortable, for sure. Obviously being in the system for a year, having a whole entire offseason where I’m not prepping for the draft and doing all of that stuff. I definitely had a lot of time mentally to focus on the playbook and make my keys and reads and everything.”
(How jacked were you for the start of camp with the way you finished last season?) – “I’m just so excited. Never satisfied. Last year was a great learning experience. I’m definitely looking to build on that. I’m excited to have the opportunity to come out here and get better.”
(Not often do you get to see defensive rookies come back who’ve had outstanding first seasons. How much confidence does it give you to have such a young core like that?) – “It’s really the whole defense. We’ve got a lot of guys coming back returning from last year. Being able to build on what we did last year is going to be great for us. I really feel like that’s my family. I’m really blessed to have them.”
(What was it like with a new coach, new practice, new look this year? Practice was a little shorter. What was it like today?) – “You could definitely feel the intensity. We’ve been doing this since OTAs. I think we’re kind of used to working with Coach (Mike) McDaniel. Like I said, I’m so blessed to be out here. I’m just excited.”
(What about Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s influence? He takes a selfie with the media this morning. What has he been like, what has he shown you, and what surprised you about him being a head coach, like ‘Wow, I didn’t expect that from a head coach?) – “He’s true to himself. He’s the same guy every single day. He brings a lot of excitement, energy and passion. He really cares about what he’s doing and he’s super knowledgeable. Having a guy like that as your coach definitely inspires greatness.”
(How many pounds less did you end up arriving at today compared to the start of camp last year?) – “I can’t remember. I was a little heavy last year. I’m sitting at a healthy weight right now feeling real good, real comfortable and fast. I’m feeling good.”
(Knowing how lighthearted and personable that Head Coach Mike McDaniel is, is it almost compounded even further when you might get a criticism from him or if he’s telling you something that’s not necessarily a positive? Do you almost compound it as something to heed or listen to because if he sees it then it must be something that’s going on?) – “Yeah, Coach McDaniel keeps it real. You know that if he’s telling you something, that’s because he cares and it’s constructive criticism. Hearing that from him, there is this whole saying that if coach stops talking to you, that means he doesn’t care. It’s definitely always good to hear that criticism and take heed to that.”
(Coming in after a breakout season here in this new era for Miami, how does it feel for you to – what’s the excitement?) – “The excitement is for the city, it’s for the fans, it’s for our team. We haven’t won a playoff game in 20 years. Our goal is to have the most team success as possible. I think we’re all excited for that opportunity. We’re all out here working our hardest every single day, getting closer, creating that bond and just going after it.”
(With the season you guys had, you’re potentially in the same position kind of like CB Xavien Howard to be here for a really long time. Would you be ok with that?) – “Absolutely. I love the Dolphins. I love Miami, I love the Dolphins, I really feel like this is home for me now. I’m just focusing on this year, focusing on day-by-day, and whatever happens in the future happens. But I’m excited to be here now.”
Xavien Howard – July 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
CB Xavien Howard
(How important is it that Head Coach Mike McDaniel gives vets an opportunity to ease into camp from a physical standpoint?) – “It’s a great mindset to have. I feel like you have to take care of the vets. They’ve seen a lot of ball. All of the mental reps you get in and the physical reps, they come in but it’s mostly mental with the game.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that practice is a little bit shorter maybe than what guys are used to but high-tempo, high-intensity. Do you like that approach?) – “Yeah, definitely. We’ve got to run to the ball mostly. I feel like with the short practices, we’ll get some good work in.”
(As long as you’ve been here, how much work have you really truly needed in the summer, training camp and preseason?) – “Like I said, it’s all mental. You need the work. You’ve got to get the reps because that’s when you get soft-tissue injuries and stuff like that, when you don’t put the work in. Physically, running to the ball, just doing anything like that running, especially in the Florida heat. You can’t beat that.”
(We saw good plays today from CB Noah Igbinoghene and from CB Trill Williams. What has each one of those guys shown you?) – “It shows that they’re growing and improving. That’s what it’s all about, especially in the cornerback room. Making plays on the ball and improving each day.”
(How much nicer was it coming to camp this year as opposed to last year when your contract situation was up in the air?) – “I love being around the guys. I feel like it wasn’t a big difference. I just love being around the guys and taking care of business.”
(Obviously it’s not the real game at the end of the day but the Madden ratings recently came out. A lot of people were talking about you being disrespected. How does it feel for you to lead the league in interceptions and be here as a veteran for so many years and…) – “I’m used to the disrespect. It just adds a little more motor to it. They always disrespect the players from Miami. I don’t know what it is. We’ve got to do the unthinkable to get recognition here. It just adds motor to it. It just adds fight to the motor.”
(On Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s positivity) – “He’s always been positive. That’s one thing I see from Mike McDaniel is being positive and bringing that energy. That’s what it’s all about, especially from a head coach. When you see it from a head coach, it trickles down.”
(I know Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that CB Byron Jones hopes to be ready for Week 1 and that’s his plan. Are spirits good? Obviously he’s not able to be out here today.) – “Yeah, spirits are good. I feel like on that question, you’d have to talk to Byron about that.”
(On who got an interception in today’s practice) – “That was Trill (Williams). Noah (Igbinoghene) had a breakup.”
(What are you seeing from CB Noah Igbinoghene this year that may be different from previous years?) – “I feel like he’s locked in right now. It’s the first day. It’s a long camp. We’ve got to get better each day. I told him, when he made a play on the ball, I said ‘Man, do that every day.’ If he has that mindset to take one day at a time, I feel like he can be prepared and be ready to play.”
(How excited are you to see what S Jevon Holland can become?) – “Man, I feel like the sky is the limit for that guy. You can see him fly to the ball. Everything you see him do, you feel like he’s been here like 10 years. I don’t expect anything less from him.”
(We’re working on a project about who the toughest covers are. Which wide receiver, as you look at the schedule, are you like ‘I have to gear up today?’) – “I respect everybody I play against. You can’t sleep on anybody. I feel like if a guy sees me as a matchup, he’s going to bring everything he’s got to try to embarrass me and do everything to me. I haven’t looked ahead at the schedule but I feel like each guy every week I’m going to have to bring the best A-game.”
(Maybe not necessarily this year but in the past, is there a guy where you’re like ‘Yeah, I’m proud of myself because I held my own against this wide receiver?’) – “Not really. Nobody, really. (laughter)”
(Defending this offense, how much more difficult is it going to be with these backs, with WR Tyreek Hill, with WR Cedrick Wilson Jr.? Is it going to be enormously more difficult for opposing defenses to defend this offense?) – “Like you said, you’ve got to worry about Tyreek, the running backs, Jaylen (Waddle), Cedrick. I feel like there’s a couple of guys on the offense that I feel like we’ve got a lot of weapons that can help Tua out a lot.”
(You’re not too far from Sam Madison and Patrick Surtain on the team’s cornerbacks interceptions list. Have you talked to them at all?) – “Not about that. That’s one thing I’m looking forward to this season is finishing at the top.”
Alec Ingold – July 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
FB Alec Ingold
(What does a fullback do to earn the orange jersey?) – “I think it was just the entire offseason – coming back from the ACL (injury), signing with a new team. There are a lot of early mornings out here. So it kind all added up to getting back on the field, not starting on PUP, being with the guys and all that work to kind of get to this point and start with everybody fresh.”
(I thought you killed it in the conditioning test. I was like, how does a guy get orange jersey Day 1?) – “I think it was the whole offseason. So it was pretty cool to have Coach (McDaniel recognize that. That’s what you work for. This is where I wanted to be on Day 1 eight months ago, so it feels good.”
(How significant was it for you to not start camp on the PUP list?) – “I think it’s massive. I think anytime you join a new organization, a new team, you want to show that you’re going to work hard, you’re going to do the little things right, be detailed and just kind of start with that right foot forward. That’s all you’re trying to do. A lot of things had to happen, man – from the surgery, to the support staff, to this whole transition. I’m very grateful for all of it.”
(Does the knee feel totally back to normal or not completely yet?) – “I mean, I wouldn’t say we’re at 100 percent yet, but I know we can get there. And I think that’s where we have the plan in place with the staff to be able to get there. So, man, it’s just hitting the ground running and getting going.”
(What’s your sense of when you’ll be involved in 11-on-11 drills? Do you think at some point in the next two or three weeks?) – “Yes, I think it’s all part of our plan. So as soon as we progress, we’re kind of measuring it every single week. So as soon as I know how I feel, we’re talking, communicating and then we’ll be able to roll from there.”
(How important is it that this offense has success for the life of a fullback?) – “(laughter) It’s everything, right? You’re a part of that. The fullback’s job is to be on schedule. You want the offense to be on schedule. You want to be on the field. You want to make sure that there are no long down-and-distances where you’re off the field, off-schedule or stressed out as a team. That’s my job, to make sure we can all stay on schedule, pick up all that dirty work and whatever we need to do to just make sure everyone is in rhythm and everyone can get their piece of the pie. Obviously, we have a lot of playmakers on this field.”
(Do you feel like you guys represent a dying breed in football?) – “Yes, you have to be proud of it. Anytime you strap up as a fullback, everyone on the field knows it’s this set of plays. There’s not a whole lot of tricks up anybody’s sleeve, but it changes the dynamic of the football game. The fans know, the people in the press box know, the football players know it’s going to be physical and that’s what you have to be proud of every single time you step on the field.”
(Any question about you being ready for the regular season opener in your mind?) – “No.”
(On these backs, impressions of RB Chase Edmonds, impressions of RB Raheem Mostert and impressions of RB Sony Michel, if you don’t mind going through those three individually?) – “We’re all coming into a brand new room. To be able to collaborate, to work together, to be able to add your own coaching points from across the league and add whatever we need to do as ‘Coach E’ (Eric Studesville) installs our techniques, it’s unbelievable. Raheem (Mostert) obviously being a part of this offense before, he’s like the dad of the room, making sure everyone knows why we’re doing what we’re doing. ‘Coach E’ being able to speak on things proudly and with conviction knowing that we have a guy who’s been there, in the shoes, who’s done it before. You have Chase (Edmonds) who’s coming in, he’s the guy – he’s the bell cow. You just see all that shiftiness out on the field that you get really excited for. And then Sony (Michel) as well – a Super Bowl champ – having that experience, been on the Patriots to the Rams and been in multiple rooms. So all three of those guys coming into a brand new room, myself included, you want to bring that expertise. You want to bring that knowledge. You want to be able to elevate the level of practice every single day.”
(How much were you chomping at the bit as you were watching the offseason program and rehabbing?) – “Man, way too much. It was – it’s what you live for. You’re a football player. You love playing football and that’s where you want to be. You want to be in between the lines, so I’m glad to be there.”
(Was there anything that you and RB Raheem Mostert exchanged in terms of conversations of it’s good to be back, actively involved in practice?) – “No doubt. To see his tweets going, blowing up and all that stuff, you can definitely relate to that feeling of uncertainty, of not knowing. To have all that work for however long it takes, to know inevitably you will be back between the lines, that’s the mindset that guy has and that’s something I carried with me through this injury, too.”
(We heard Head Coach Mike McDaniel say that he was impressed with the energy and the focus that the team had upon return. What did you notice about the team’s mentality after summer break?) – “I think there’s always going to be energy juice, like everybody is going to be hyped. Everyone is excited to be out here, but then it’s the focus, it’s the discipline, it’s being on the keys, it’s showing up in shape. It’s all the little things that transform into a good practice to start off. Now it’s the challenge to bring it into the film room, be able to do a walkthrough and then be able to emulate it again tomorrow. So first day, yes – everyone can feel great. But I think what he’s talking about is the controlled energy (and) controlled aggression to be able to come out here and be able to be assignment sure and be able to do your job. “
Tua Tagovailoa – July 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(How did it feel to be back?) – “It was good. It was good to be back with the guys. It really started from yesterday. Being able to see the guys, we were able to see some new additions in our locker room with games that are competitive. We’ve got a little ping-pong set in the locker room. We’ve got some darts. We’ve got cornhole. And they also have a half basketball court – shooting only because obviously we don’t want guys getting hurt. But I think it’s really cool as far as the bonding time with one another throughout this training camp.”
(Whose got the best shot on this team?) – “I’m not too sure. They say the receivers are the best shooters on the team, but I don’t know. They haven’t seen the quarterbacks shoot. (laughter)”
(Whose face of these guys goes on the dart board first?) – “(laughter) Well, I haven’t seen too many guys play on the dart board, so that has to say something about our team. I don’t know if we’re a good dart board team. (laughter)”
(Coach said that he wants you to be less hard on yourself sometimes … Can you describe what that means for you? Has that always been a trait of yours?) – “Yeah, I would say being hard on myself has always been a trait. I think for any competitor, that’s the way we’ve grown to become as professional athletes. I think everyone is hard on themselves at a certain extent. For me, I know my capabilities, so when I’m not playing up to it or living up to it, it gets frustrating. I think everyone on the team feels the same way when they don’t do their job the way they are supposed to do it, because overall it either benefits the team or it doesn’t.”
(T Terron Armstead mentioned that they don’t put pressure on you. But do you feel pressure on yourself? Do you put pressure on yourself?) – “I would say I never put pressure on myself, but it comes with the position. Pressure is always there playing this position and playing in the NFL. I think for any professional athlete, everyone can attest that it’s unadded pressure. We put that pressure on ourselves to compete every day to be our best, to do things the right way, and to try to do things the right way consistently.”
(How would you assess your first practice?) – “With what (Head) Coach Mike (McDaniel) said, I’m always hard on myself. (laughter) I will never say I had the best practice or it was a great practice. I think overall, it was a good first day of practice. Obviously there are things that we can work on. But it’s the best when you get to come back, you get to get back out on the field, throw to the guys, see coverage again, get back into the groove of things. I think once you get back into the rhythm, that’s when things start to click on both sides of the ball.”
(We heard Head Coach Mike McDaniel say he was impressed with the attitude and energy of people coming back from summer break. What have you noticed about that mentality coming off of the long break?) – “I think everyone is excited but I think one thing not to be lost in translation is a lot of guys were working throughout the offseason. I’m not one on social media, but coach had a presentation he shared with us yesterday. He took a screenshot of everyone that posted their workouts. He showed all of them and it was dang near half the team. I wasn’t on there because I don’t take pictures enough to post the on my social media. (laughter)”
(You couldn’t lift one from your trainer?) – (laughter)
(Between your trainer and WR Tyreek Hill, you were getting plenty of social media love?) – “I think it’s more Tyreek from what I hear. (laughter)”
(Coach talked about your role as a leader on this team. How would you feel about captaincy this year? How would you feel about being a team captain?) – “I think when it comes down to it, whether I go up to speak on behalf of me wanting to be a captain, or the team just voting and there are just candidates, I think it comes with my position to always be a leader. For me, I’ve always said I’m not the kind of person to get in front of people and scream and lead in that way. But I try to lead with my actions and try to lead in a way that helps our team get better. That’s by building relationships with the guys. It also helps when we’re able to compete in ping pong and cornhole and all of these other games that we have in there.”
(What’s it like getting the public support from WR Tyreek Hill? He has been all over the place blowing you up.) – “It’s cool. Tyreek is someone that has established himself well in this league and to have the support from him means a lot. I’m glad to have him as my teammate.”
(With WR Jaylen Waddle this offseason, have you seen any growth or have things picked up things playing next to him so far?) – “Jaylen playing next to Tyreek?”
(Yes.) – “Well, I think all of the guys picked up on something little form every person that has come through the building with us. Tyreek is not one to think he knows it all. Guys that are way younger than him, he takes advice from them and he asks them questions, and I think that’s cool. He creates that atmosphere for every receiver in the room that you’re never too good to not take coaching from even your guys.”
(On the ball up the sideline to WR Tyreek Hill at practice today, it looked like the ball came out pretty early on that. How much confidence can you get from a guy that can win so early, and how much does it help you anticipate earlier in your progression?) – “I think our throws are always dependent on the coverage. It was man. They tried to spin the coverage running – I think it was some kind of lurk coverage. We spotted it and I knew Tyreek was one-on-one outside and I gave him an opportunity and he made the play.”
(What is it like having the competition with QB Teddy Bridgewater out there? What is it like having him in the quarterback room?) – “I think it’s amazing having Teddy. I’ve been very fortunate to have guys that are older than me, more experienced than me in the room. My first year with ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick), my second year with Jacoby Brissett, and now my third year I get someone who is relatively close friends with Jacoby in Teddy. I think it’s cool. You can learn anything from everyone at anything. It’s been cool to have Teddy.”
(When you hear WR Tyreek Hill say thing things or word gets back to you, are you like ‘this again?’ Or ‘what did he say now?’ What are you feeling the reaction to when you hear things he says about you positively?) – “I would say that’s just Tyreek’s personality. He’s going to speak how he feels at that very moment. He just believes what he says every time. If he feels he’s the best at this, he’s going to let you know out there on the field. If he feels someone is talking too much and he wants to go against them, he’s going to let them know what he’s going to do to them. That’s just his personality. I think it’s fun to have that kind of personality on the team. For me, again, it’s awesome to have that kind of support from someone like that.”
(We know everyone faces adversity. Head Coach Mike McDaniel said before this that he’s shared some of his experiences with adversity throughout his career with you guys. What do those exchanges mean to you as far as development for you guys?) – “With those kind of conversations, I think it’s best to keep them private. I never want to share anything that I feel coach wouldn’t want out. I think that’s probably for him to share. But I think everyone has their own motive for playing this sport. A lot of us grew up loving this sport, a lot of us grew up playing it since we were little. But a lot of us have families that we’ve got to take care of and we use this sport as an avenue to help us for after football.”
(How new does all of this feel this training camp? The new offense, the new teammates? I know there’s new teammates every year but there’s a lot.) – “I think every year feels like a new year. Football season never feels like it ends. If it’s the offseason, you’re training. Even if you don’t want to train, you’ve got to go do something – paddleboard or play something to keep active. To me, every season feels like a new season.”
(What kind of foundation, as you guys are picking up this new offense, did spring practice do for you guys to start at in training camp?) – “I think it set a really good foundation. It helped that a lot of the guys showed up to our OTAs. We got to really work on things that out here probably wouldn’t look as good if guys didn’t come out to OTAs. A lot of the timing, just figuring out the offense and a lot of the intricacies and details that Mike (McDaniel) wants us to work on and understand. We got to do that throughout this offseason and we’re looking forward to all of that showing throughout this training camp and the season.”
(Expectations have been so high for you at every point in your athletic career. Pee Wee, high school, drafted into the NFL. Now it seems that maybe more than ever there are people in the media, coaches, executives, who are questioning your ceiling, even your ability. How do you process that? How do you feel about that? How much of that is a change for you?) – “I don’t know any of those guys. If that’s what they have to say, then good for them. That’s probably a good thing for them to say to draw people for clickbait or whatever that is. To me, if I can’t hear you, then you’re not that important to me. If you’re in my circle and I can hear you and what you’re saying, then obviously you have to be extremely important to me. If I can’t hear it, then it’s probably not important.”
Terron Armstead – July 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
T Terron Armstead
(We finally got to see you really getting some more extensive action on the first day of training camp. How did it feel and what was the goal for today?) – “It felt great, man, being back out playing football – the game we love, the game we enjoy. It felt real good just getting in the rhythm, getting the play call, getting up to the ball and then just trying to execute as fast as we can.”
(Did you find yourself kind of pacing yourself, it’s kind of like the first day of school, you don’t want to get too excited but you also want to start off with some good intensity. Just how do you balance that?) – “Definitely excitement all the way up. That excitement level is all the way – probably an all-time high, really. Just getting in this offense, being out there with those guys and team reps, getting that action. So definitely like you said, just trying to stay in the plan and keep working, building up instead of just trying to knock it out of the park the first day.”
(On how much work he needs in training camp to be ready) – “It varies. It varies. I’ve been doing it for a little while now, so this will be my 10th training camp. I always just get to a spot where I feel like I’m ready and that can come a couple weeks, three weeks, whatever. So it just depends on the work, the reps, and then I’m getting used to a new system, new guys next to me, so it might take a little longer.”
(With your experience, how do you plan to help and be a leader to all the other younger guys on this offensive line?) – “Yeah, I just let it come naturally. Let it come organically. I don’t try to force anything on anybody, but anything I see technique-wise or from my knowledge or experience, I’m always open to share and these guys ask a lot of questions. They’re seeking the knowledge and looking for ways to find little techniques and things like that.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said that finding juice on Day 1 is easy, juice on Day 2 is easy. What have you picked up about him that has told you that he’s going to be the type of guy that can sort of keep manufacturing it through Day 9 and Day 17 and Day 38 and that stuff?) – “It’s him. It’s just him. It’s his personality, the way he lives his life. Big personality, big energy guy. He’s never faking it. he’s never trying to create that enthusiasm. It’s just naturally him. So I don’t think he’ll ever have a problem bringing the juice.”
(You talked about coaching up some of those young guys on the o-line. What have you seen from them? Has anything impressed you from those younger offensive linemen?) – “Absolutely. Absolutely. Just the will, the intent. We’re coming out here to improve. No level of complacency, no level of comfort. We’ve got to get used to being uncomfortable and thriving in those situations, help us win games. So all those guys, I’ve been impressed with their level of work, the time they’re putting in before and after in the meeting room. Everything. It’s just a really impressive group.”
(The line has struggled here for several years. You’ve been around these guys now for a couple of months. How can you assure Dolphins fans you’re finally going to be able to fix this offensive line?) – “Just watch the game. Just watch the game. It all starts in practice. It all starts with us putting the work in. We will improve. That’s no doubt about it. I have zero doubts about that. We’ll be better in a lot of areas and it’ll never get to a place of perfection, but that’s the goal. We’re always striving to be perfect. But we’re going to have bad plays. We’re going to have mishaps. That’s part of the game. But trying to have that built-in response of try to control and impose our will day-in and day-out.”
(How do you compartmentalize knowing that the balance of the offense is on the five guys up front? You don’t get to run, you don’t get to pass if you guys don’t get to do your job?) – “Yeah, that’s every day. That’s every snap. We control the game. We control the success of the offense, so that’s never changing. That’s all 32 teams. We embrace that role and responsibility.”
(This morning Head Coach Mike McDaniel talked about the process of getting you some periods off, some reps off to preserve you for Week 1. I was curious about your reaction. They approached you with that kind of sports science plan and your input on the idea of your training camp regimented schedule?) – “Yeah, I definitely appreciate coming out the gate those guys having a set plan. In the last few years, I’ve kind of had a little bit of a load management situation while I was in New Orleans. This was more detailed, kind of structured, so I know exactly what to expect. I think it’ll be extremely beneficial for me.”
(Do you think that the idea of more work in a shorter practice is also beneficial for you and the rest of the team out here because Head Coach Mike McDaniel talked about changing the schedule a bit this year and going harder but for a shorter period of time?) – “Yeah, it’s a difference between running plays and getting work. As long as we’re working, getting actual work, we don’t have to be out here three hours. You can run plays with poor technique, poor execution, you can do that six hours but it’s for no reason. So as long as we’re being effective and efficient with our time, I love it.”
(Obviously it’s a big year for QB Tua Tagovailoa and what he can do in his development. How do you, yourself as a leader and the offensive line as a whole, how do you guys kind of affect Tua positively and kind of make it easier for him to kind of excel this season?) – “It’s a big year for all of us. We’re all looking to improve, get better, extend our careers. And with that, with Tua being our leader and being our nucleus, we can all help him, he can help us. So there’s no added pressure on Tua. The protection has to be better for him and it will. He has more weapons now than he ever has. We’re looking to improve. It’s just Day 1. We’ve got a long way to go to become what we see the potential to be and it takes everybody. It’s not just one person.”
(When you signed you mentioned possibly getting QB Tua Tagovailoa hooked up with Drew Brees considering their similar styles. Did you ever get that done?) – “I’m going to do that right now when I get off the field. Group text, both of them, right now. You’ve got my word. (laughter)”
Mike McDaniel – July 27, 2022
Download PDF version
Wednesday, July 27, 2022
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(With the players coming back and the coaches coming back, can you describe the energy you feel in the building today and this week going into the first day of practice?) – “There’s always energy in the National Football League collectively. Your lifestyle adjusts so much in the break, so there’s always energy. This group in particular, I was very excited about how they came back in terms of the mission-oriented, day-to-day operation and getting better, but a thirst and a competitiveness. They’re fully understanding how much they owe their teammates, the organization, the fans and they’re owning it. I can feel the energy. It should be good today.”
(With CB Byron Jones on PUP and DB Elijah Campbell, we know they won’t be out here. A – do you expect Byron to be ready for the start of the regular season? B – anyone you think will be fairly limited for the first few days of camp, whether it’s T Terron Armstead or WR Cedrick Wilson Jr. or anybody else?) – “Similar to Raheem Mostert, Byron (Jones) is kind of approaching it the same way where he’s fully expecting to get himself ready for Week 1. We have to be very cognizant of competitors and making sure that they don’t do harm to themselves and the team by rushing anything. I’ve been very happy since I’ve been here and in this organization with a lot of things. One of those things being our training staff and how diligent they are, how they personalize things and they try to get players ready at the pace that’s best for themselves, which is the best thing for the Dolphins. So, we shall wait and see.”
(Anyone limited, like T Terron Armstead?) – “As it relates to veterans, I think it’s very important that you just don’t make an abstract, ‘OK, we’re just going to limit this guy,’ or whatever. There’s a handful of guys that will be practicing for a portion of practice. The two you just named (Byron Jones and Elijah Campbell) are the only two who are not practicing. But the veterans that we have different reasons for monitoring will be involved in practice in different portions of the practice that best suits what they need to work on and what they need to protect themselves from. We’re fortunate to have – there was a lot of hard work that went into that, and we’re going to have all of our guys out there. We will adjust every player’s rep count on a case-by-case basis, day-in and day-out.”
(What do you envision your version of a training camp to look like, day-in and day-out, the way things operate?) – ‘Sorry, I didn’t quite digest and now I’ve digested. (laughter) I think it’s something that there’s a common denominator. I’ve talked to the team about it. There’s a common denominator with teams that I’ve been on that have been very successful. It’s not that things don’t get hard. It’s not that there’s not adversity. It’s not that everything goes well. It’s a diligent approach to each and every day and teammates recognizing, invariably, Day 1 – juiced, Day 2 – juiced. They’re evolving. What organically evolves within the team is that peer – I don’t want to say pressure but more like accountability – where there are going to be some guys that don’t have the juice on next Tuesday. The vision that I have for the Dolphins and the team that we’re building through the summer and into the preseason is that teammates take responsibility for the energy. When somebody is down, the standard and the demand to bring them up is very present. So, that – it’s a long process, but the good teams embrace that. It’s pretty masochistic, but it’s fun. It’s what we do, and it wouldn’t be worth as much as it is if it wasn’t very difficult.”
(Can you give us an example of that? Like what you’ve experienced in the past?) – “An example would be I remember our second year in Atlanta, we had high expectations. We started the season 5-0 and ended 8-8. We actually signed Mohamed Sanu (Sr.) in the offseason and we were fired up for the season. We had a great OTAs and then we went into training camp, and I think it was preseason (Game) 3, back when there were four games, and we had, collectively as a team, a disastrous game. We were down. It refocused us to the point that we utilized that adversity, a staple of every successful team and players, you utilize that adversity to your benefit, because you know it’s coming. I’m not sure if we were 4-0, but we started out pretty good after that. But if you just would have sat there and been like, ‘Well, all this hard work and we have this?’ As a matter of fact, it was here in Miami. ‘We have this garbage game that we played and just kind of got embarrassed. What’s all that work for?’ That’s where people are faced with a decision. Do they say, ‘F this. This is too hard. I’m not getting the immediate results?’ Or do they bow up? That’s what really every practice, within every period, that’s what I’m looking for, is not if adversity happens but when it does, how do people respond.”
(What’s your philosophy when it comes to the intensity of training camp and practice length. Are you a guy that wants them out there hitting non-stop?) – “Well, I’m not sure if you guys know this, but reps help in life. The problem is that you can’t – you have to be – your job is to maximize the athlete at his craft. So my personal philosophy, the one that we’re imploring here, is that we have full speed, effort and intensity on all the plays in practice. To do that, we don’t do as many reps as maybe – practice wont be as long as maybe you’ve been around previously. But it’s all because it’s built towards there’s no such thing as just going through the motions. When we practice, we want to practice with an intent and a purpose and a speed and a veracity that separates ourselves from the rest of the league. That is hard to do. There’s a lot of people working (and) there’s a lot of talent. So the one thing that this team, we built a standard in OTAs, and my expectation in training camp is that this team, their standard is to practice hard and they’re trusting me that I don’t overload them. I need to challenge them. They don’t need to be comfortable, but I’m not in the business of making players worse. So, it’s that fine line that you try to decide, and you adjust as you go, doing your best to do the best for them.”
(To go along with adversity, before you were talking about – can you talk about how open you are to share stories about your journey and personal adversity through the coaching ranks with players, especially at this time of year when they may not make the team or they’re fighting for a job?) – “As a head coach, I don’t think you have nearly the access to individuals. It’s funny, you get in the business because of your passion for football and your love for helping individuals. But then you’re kind of spread thin in terms of personal time with each individual, so I think it’s important, for connection purposes, for me to share things so they can get to know me and we can have that experience. There’s some vulnerability in that, that I think players respect. But for them to do what they do and for them to lay it on the line the way they do – you guys are great people, but guess what, if a guy plays bad, you’re going to say some disparaging things. They have to wear that, that pressure. All of that is so much, and I hold it in such high regard that it’s just a little thing, that’s what – rabbit pellets? – just telling my story. But I think that’s something they deserve and I have no problem doing.”
(What’s the message for QB Tua Tagovailoa in regards to how you want him to specifically approach camp practices?) – “I think it’s deliberate intent on each play. The quarterback’s job is exhausting, in terms of you have to know a lot of things. He recognized that in OTAs and put in more time this offseason than I think he has with football in that regard. So what I really want to see from him is that Tua (Tagovailoa) is super hard on himself, which is a good thing, but anything in excess isn’t the best thing either. He’s very – he holds himself at a high standard, so I don’t want that to impede when things don’t go the way he wants. I don’t want that to impede the next play. So I’m looking – I said it about the whole team, but specifically with the quarterback, he has such a natural football presence on the football field that who cares if there’s one read this way or that way. Again, like every quarterback, it’s not if but when. So those short-term memories, that’s what I think you can really work on in the training camp right now and moving forward as the leader of our team.”
(What kind of opportunity is this for CB Noah Igbinoghene with CB Byron Jones and DB Elijah Campbell out?) – “Oh, it’s a tremendous opportunity. That’s what the team needs to be the team that we all want it to be, which is that people recognize each and every rep as an opportunity, and you utilize it to your best advantage. More reps against Tyreek Hill hasn’t hurt anybody unless they have confidence issues. (laughter) Those types of things – you’re on an island as a corner. You have to have a short memory, and it is – you’re not facing the direction that the offense is trying to go. You’re trying to guard an elite athlete. It is difficult, but this opportunity is only going to help him moving forward, so I’m excited for that.”
(Who did you consult with when you were designing your training camp plan? Did you consult with other coaches who have done it before? Maybe some of your mentors or was it mostly Kyle Shanahan?) – “That’s one of those fortunate things about my process and my journey is that I was afforded the opportunity to be in-step with Kyle Shanahan in so many different spots, and we were bouncing around all over the place so this is my, I think, sixth time doing this process. So I was pretty familiar with the process, but I was also pretty convicted in how to approach it from the starting point where the foundation to build that doesn’t constrain you and allows you to grow in whatever way that your team is able to and whatever things that we’re able to do against the defenses that we play against. Having the versatility to become whatever is best to threaten defenses. That’s what’s important to me – a foundation. At practice, you’ll see the foundational stuff that we’re working on and that’s important and you will see that during the season, but there will also be a lot of other stuff that if we do it the right way, we can grow into and evolve to our skillsets.”
(Has anything surprised you about being the guy steering the ship, running the show? Anything surprised you?) – “I think I’ve said it before, but no one ever really gave it – either I was a bad listener or they didn’t give it due justice – how all of a sudden you’re in this position that you’ve worked your whole life for and a lot of times against all odds to a degree; and then you get there and it’s like, ‘all right, now it’s time to depend on everyone else.’ That’s something that I think no head coach is able to have success without an immense amount, an immense amount, of people that you’re depending on that it’s really just a gigantic trust fall in that regard. So I think how many people I depend on and how many people it takes to do the job of winning football games; I don’t think I could do it justice with how meaningful and interesting and – I don’t know, there’s some humility in that, too, where you’re just a part of the people all together trying to do one thing.”
(How and when do you decide on captains and how do you use them as a vehicle to connect with the team?) – “It’s interesting. I’ve been waiting for somebody to ask me about a captain. I don’t decide the captains. I think the point of a captain is to be a leader on the field for the other players. I appreciate democracy in general and I think that the players are the best ones to tell you who they want representing them, and we’ll do that after we decide the 53 (man roster).”
(How do use them as a vehicle to connect with the team?) – “Well, I try not to ‘use’ anybody. (laughter) I think especially on a team when there’s so many young hungry committed players that who they decide – like I’m not really that worried about who they decide, who they vote to be the captain. But I’ll know this – that to get votes on this team, you have to be extremely hard-working. You have to set a standard and demand a standard around you. And in that way, I think that captains are vessels. They’re examples. When you’re dealing with a captain, you can set the tone with how things you want to operate. As a coach, we end up saying a lot of negative things – that can be perceived negative. So a lot of times people don’t want to hear – they want to hear ‘I did awesome.’ So captains specifically are great to utilize where no, our job is to coach. Quite literally we’d be doing you an injustice if we didn’t bring up negativity. Embrace the coaching because generally coaches don’t waste time coaching players that they don’t believe in. So it’s a privilege and by that way and whoever our team votes, I’ll be very, very confident that I can lean on them in that way. Otherwise they wouldn’t have been voted by (their teammates). There’s a lot of possibilities. There’s a lot of guys. I could see it going different ways, so I know the cream will rise to the top in that regard.”
(If T Terron Armstead is going to be out for a certain amount of time, how do you see your left tackle and right tackle positions kind of working out in training camp?) – “Like I said, he’s practicing today. And when he’s not doing a period or two because of our scientific approach to making sure that he’s at his best Week 1, it’s just more opportunities for our plethora of athletic young linemen across the board. And I wouldn’t really even say it’s just who’s the left tackle. Whoever is playing left tackle, that means they’re not playing another position – maybe right tackle, maybe right guard. So it opens – that’s an opportunity for everyone to take advantage of when he’s not holding it down on the left side.”
(With the addition of WR Mohamed Sanu Sr., I guess why now? What is he bringing to the offense and does he maybe face less of a learning curve just given that he’s kind of been with you at two other stops?) – “I think its not about what necessarily we needed as much as it was about an opportunity to add a veteran that I know from this being my third stop. I think it is one of, it’s like almost a coaching sin to get ahead of yourself and think, at least in my opinion, I think you owe it to players and the team to compete. So what does that manifest moving forward? I can’t really say in that regard. What I do know is that we have a very, very young team. I’m not sure if you can stamp this, but I believe I, at one point in the offseason, I read that we were about 60 percent Year 3 or less. So a guy that knows how to do it, that can set the tone, who’s a physical player, who has passion for the game, I think that just adds value to the team regardless of the position.”
(It seems like QB Tua Tagovailoa has his own personal hype man in WR Tyreek Hill. This past week he said he is the most accurate quarterback in the NFL. I’m not going to ask your thoughts on that. I’m just going to ask your broadly your thoughts on Tyreek being so out there, outspoken, about Tua’s ability?) – “Yeah, I think as a coach, you really appreciate when people believe in each other, and you guys will get to know Tyreek more and more as we progress. But one thing that I didn’t know before having the opportunity to work with him is you’re looking at probably if not the No. 1, he’s right up there as one of the most competitive players I’ve ever been around in my life. And part of how Tyreek has become who he is, is because he is brash, extremely convicted and competitive and that’s his driving force. And if Tyreek is saying it, it’s because he believes it. So all that led me – I do have some wherewithal. I understand that that’s an aggressive statement, but I can promise you that Tyreek didn’t get to where he is by thinking that he was an average receiver. It’s because that’s how he thinks and they’re developing a great, great relationship and rapport. So we all know – I know what you guys know – is that Tyreek believes in his quarterback, and that’s a good thing, and they moving forward will continue to work together to make that relationship as good as it could possibly be.”
(In your experience installing wide-zone blocking scheme, how long do you expect for it to take for the o-line in particular to grasp, fully grasp?) – “It’s not as much ‘grasping.’ It’s applying techniques and points of emphasis on every play. So you get flashes of it. Generally our expectation is that we can communicate it in a way where they can understand the vision, how it’s different and the point of emphasis. Now doing that and applying that to all sorts of different structures and players, that’s another thing. So you can have three or four good reps, but to run the ball effectively, you can’t have a weak link and if you have a false step against a good defense like we go against every day, they make you pay if you’re off a hair. So it’s more ingraining, logging all those deliberate reps so that you become really as consistent as possible because that’s the way you, in this league with all the athletic talent and lack of space, the way you run the ball well is that everyone is tied together including the running back and the quarterback to the run game and that people are more consistent than the people defending them.”
Robert Hunt – June 7, 2022
Download PDF version
Tuesday, June 7, 2022
G/T Robert Hunt
(Obviously you haven’t had T Terron Armstead out there for team drills, but do you like where the line is right now with OL Connor Williams telling us that he’s playing center and obviously T Liam Eichenberg at left guard? How does the unit look to you? Are you optimistic that it is going to be a better unit than it was last year?) – “I think we look good. I think we are all out there competing to try to win a spot. Nobody is settled in or penciled in at any spot. We are going out there competing and trying to get better and yeah, to try and have a better year than we did last year, paper-wise. I think we had really good guys in the room last year too; but no, I definitely think everybody is working to improve on themselves and improve to be something that nobody expects us to be.”
(Have you started campaigning Head Coach Mike McDaniel for the ball?) – “Nah, I can’t tell you. You got to wait and see. Honestly, I can’t tell you that. Sorry. (laughter)”
(Things are always said about a player’s coach. Can you talk about Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s unique style of coaching? You have coaches that are screamers, you got guys that are motivators. What is it about Head Coach Mike McDaniel that makes him so unique in his coaching job?) – “With Mike (McDaniel), I think we all just get Mike. Mike, he’s a younger guy. He’s cool. He’s got a swagger to him. He’s just out there trying to win. You can tell he wants to win. You can tell he’s got our back. We are going to trust that and move forward and try to put a great product on the field.”
(Have you ever had a coach like that growing up in your career?) – “I’ve had some good coaches in my life. I can speak to (Billy) Napier and all those guys. Mike (McDaniel) is just young. Mike’s younger and I feel like we can just relate to him. He’s good. He knows his (expletive) and we just got to trust that. We are going to trust that.”
(Although T Terron Armstead hasn’t been out here practicing yet, has there been an impact that you’ve felt with him talking to the guys?) – “Yeah, Terron has helped a lot of our guys out, especially us young guys. He’s out there at practice working with some guys. He’s in the meeting room telling us what we can do, what he’s seen. He’s been doing this for a while so what he says, we definitely take heed and we listen to it because he’s done it. He’s been an All-Pro, he’s been to Pro Bowls, he’s been everything that we want to be in life pretty much. Everything Terron says, we take it in and we listen.”
(What’s the one thing that T Terron Armstead has told you that has changed you?) – “For me, I don’t know. He tells me a lot of stuff. Some little technique stuff that I can work on to really take my game to the next level. That’s just something that I’m looking forward to, to keep working on this summer and also when camp comes. Hopefully in the season, it’ll roll over.”
(What’s the offensive line’s offseason program for when you guys break camp? Y’all going to be pushing trucks or something?) – “Nah. I mean some boys, that might be their routine. My routine ain’t going to be pushing no trucks, though. (laughter) My shoulders ain’t good enough for that. I don’t know man. Boys are going to be in working man, doing what they can do. A lot of guys will be here in the room so we will still be able to see each other, talk to each other, see what we see, come out here and do some work. It’ll be good.”
(The competition in the trenches between o- and d-line – what’s the focus without pads? What do you work on without actually being able to hit?) – “I think everybody is working on – and that’s what I can tell about this team, I think it’s a little different right now. The guys are working without pads on and you can tell, guys are definitely fitting their gaps right, guys are coming off the ball, flying off the ball. We’re doing it in a controlled manner. When pads come on, pads are just on. That’s all it is to it. I think guys are definitely getting good work on the offensive line and defensive line.”
(When people say you can only put so much stock into it until the pads come on – it sounds like no…) – “I think that’s what I kind of believe. Right now, what’s special with this team is I think what you see right now is going to be what you get. Some guys are different, though. I think what you see right now is probably what you’ll get. With the pads, there will be a little more of that, but right it’s steel to steel. Just run off the ball.”
(There has been a lot of talk about QB Tua Tagovailoa coming out of his shell. What have you noticed about him this offseason?) – “I think he’s always been like that. I think it’s probably your first time (seeing him like this). He’s a guy with confidence, man. He’s a guy that believes in himself and we believe in him too. I love it, man. I see it, you know what I mean? I believe it and I trust it. We all do. Good for Tua man, I’m glad he did that.”
(What’s been the biggest part of the transition to that wide outside zone for you guys?) – “I don’t know if there is a transition. We just work from last year from an inside zone to a duo to power. Like everything is going here and then people can get a beam on that. Right now, we are trying to make everybody defend the whole field. Guys are just trusting what the coaches are saying, putting down and we are trying to pick it up and we are just running off the ball. We try to run out and like I said, make them defend the field. We’re running way out here, in here, so we got them guessing and it’s a beautiful thing. It’s the type of offense I ran in college. I respect it a lot. I love it.”
