Jaylen Waddle – November 24, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Nov. 24, 2023
Postgame – New York Jets
Miami Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle
On the importance of scoring early…
“I just think every time I go out there, scoring early, scoring late, you know that’s key, but we try to go out there and execute on every drive and get points.”
On the lift that the defense was able to give the offense…
“It means a lot, sometimes offense helps our defense, defense helps our offense. Defense is playing lights out. They haven’t allowed much the last couple of weeks, so going into today we really wanted to challenge ourselves to match their energy.”
On what it means for both him and Tyreek Hill to have over 100 receiving yards…
“We try to go out there and perform every week. Sauce (Gardner) and D.J. (Reed) are two of the top corners in this League, so going into the week, got to prepare. Luckily for us, we have two of the best corners that we face on a weekly, with (Jalen) Ramsey and X (Xavien Howard), so really get us prepared throughout the week to face top corners like Sauce (Gardner) and D.J. (Reed).”
Tua Tagovailoa – November 24, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Nov. 24, 2023
Postgame – New York Jets
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
On the Hail Mary pick six…
“Yeah, that was crazy. I don’t think I’ve seen something like that before to end a half. Normally the guy either goes down, takes it to the half, or he’ll return it to a certain point and then get tackled. But to see Jevon (Holland) take that, that was definitely game-changing. That was very good that we could end it with points in that sense going into the half.”
On his interceptions…
“Mike (McDaniel) calls the plays, we’ve got to go out there and execute them. I didn’t execute them. That’s what that was. Very, very disappointing in how I did that drive, those two drives, at the end of the half. Just can’t do that, and put our defense in some tough situations, but our defense came through. But, needless to say, coming into the second half, I was very proud of how we were operating offensively. When we did get opportunities from the defense, we stayed in a long drive and ended that with points. Very proud of our O-line. Very proud of our run game. And very proud of this team. It’s hard to win road games, especially against a team like this, a division game. Very proud of our guys.”
On the balance of being confident in the offense and being more cautious…
“Yeah, I think it’s doing much more than what is asked. Trying to be a little too aggressive on certain things. You just can’t do that. With that pick six, I basically—to look at it this way—kind of kept them in the game. Our defense played phenomenal up to that point and throughout the entire game. I just can’t do that.”
On if something changed in the offense during the game…
“We just went back to what we said we wanted to do. We wanted to establish our run game. We wanted to get those guys moving lateral on the back end. When we had opportunities to take our shots, we tried to take our shots. But I think our O-line, our receivers, our running backs, I think they did a phenomenal job on third down understanding what needed to be done in those situations and converting.”
On where he feels about his game going into the stretch run…
“I feel good about my game. I’m not satisfied whatsoever about what I’m doing right now. I know I have to continue to get better with that. Throughout these late stretches of having these games, we’re going to need better ball from me. I need to do that.”
On heading into the stretch run…
“Yeah, the sky’s the limit for us. Whatever we want to accomplish, everything’s right there in front of us and we basically turn it on fate here in this league. So, we just have to continue stacking those wins.”
On how he’s feeling physically…
“I feel good. I feel as good as I think anyone playing in the league is feeling right now in Week 12, Week 11, whatever week it is. As good as everyone else is feeling, that’s how I feel.”
On the cut on his arm…
“I didn’t notice it happen until I came to the sideline. That’s probably due to adrenaline. But, getting to the sideline and one of the guys came up to me and said, ‘Dude, you’ve got a big gash on your arm.’ So we got Kyle (Johnston) to try to get it cleaned up and then patch it up so we could go back in (inaudible). But, it’s what comes with the game. Everyone comes out of the game with nicks and bruises.”
On when the cut happened…
“I think it was when I tried to run for the first down in the red area. I think it was a third down or a second down and I tried to run the dude over.”
Tyreek Hill – November 22, 2023
Download PDF version
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
WR Tyreek Hill
(Did you watch Hard Knocks?) – “Yeah. My wife made me watch it.”
(What was your impression of the show, and also who is responsible for nacho-gate?) – “First, I was very impressed. At first, it was something that I didn’t want to do but my mom and my wife kind of insisted that we do it. The nacho thing, it was definitely her fault. She got back to the car and her and my mom were like, ‘Yeah, it was his fault the whole time.’ I watched the thing and I was like, ‘you hit out of his hand, though. You had me hot at this dude.’ And now I see the video and it’s like, you feel me? (laughter) It was funny though. Once I saw it on Hard Knocks, I was laughing my ass off. She told me when she got to the bathroom she had to put water in her hair. She doesn’t really like putting water in her hair because it will turn curly. I was laughing my ass off.”
(What is it like seeing yourself mic’d up like that? All the grunts, and sounds, and stuff you don’t even notice when you’re out there playing, you’re watching yourself do it.) – “I’ve never known me to grunt when I was running. It’s crazy. When I was watching it, I was like, ‘damn, I grunt when I run?’ It sounds like I’m hurting when I’m running. It’s cool though. To see how those guys are capturing everything is absolutely amazing. I’m glad to say that I’m blessed to be a part of it, grateful to be a part of this Hard Knocks story. Whenever we look back at this 20 years from now, we can say, ‘man, we used to do some crazy stuff back in the day.’ It’s absolutely amazing.”
(Is the hand Fortnite ready?) – “Yes. I believe my hand is Fortnite ready. I tried to play a few games last night, but I got off because I wanted to watch a little bit of Hard Knocks.”
(Can you talk about going against CB Sauce Gardner?) – “Yeah. They got a real good secondary over there. Sauce, and D.J. Reed. Two Pro Bowl caliber guys, All-Pro guys. Two of the best competitors in the league. It’s going to be a fun game. I feel like a game like this really sets the standard for us at the receiver position and our room. Nobody wants to watch film, and you’re getting clamped up. It’s definitely going to give us something to talk about in the receivers room after this game, being able to go against Sauce. I feel like we kind of got the advantage though (because) we get a chance to go against two of the best on our team, ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) and Jalen (Ramsey).”
(The no peace-sign moment with the ref pregame, how often do you have meetings like that with the refs?) – “That’s never happened with the referee before. That’s never happened with the referee before. That was just something the NFL wanted to just get out there on camera. (laughter) It’s crazy. I just played along. I just played into their little game. Just don’t fine me for saying it though. (laughter)”
(Did the refs do it for the Hard Knocks cameras?) – “Exactly. (laughter) The ref was doing it for the cameras. Bill Vinovich is an OG ref. What are you doing that for the cameras for? (laughter) You’re an OG, bro. You can’t be doing that. (laughter)”
(Is the peace sign banned?) – “I don’t think it’s banned. I don’t know. I think it’s suspended for the moment. Not banned. It’s just suspended for the moment. We’ll just say it’s suspended. (laughter)”
(You’re playing in the first Black Friday game ever. Normally on Thanksgiving, everybody is eating turkey legs after if you get player of the game. What do you think Amazon should do for players of the game on Black Friday?) – “I think they should fly us all to Disney World so we can eat turkey legs. The whole team. Whichever team wins. (laughter)”
(What do you think of QB Tua Tagovailoa taking his cornrows out?) – “I told Tue he should’ve left his cornrows in, because I was liking him having the cornrows, and him having the swagger to just wear a durag under his helmet. That was next level swagger. But the next step for Tue would be to get him a grill. A gold grill. That’s what we are working on now. (laughter)”
(Can he make the play calls with that?) – “Yeah. It may fall out, but he’ll be alright. (laughter)”
(With everything going on with the Jets, how hungry are you guys to go in there and just take care of business?) – “This is a great opportunity for us. Especially with the way things went on Monday Night Football with the Chiefs, this puts us in a real good spot. It’s up to us to take care of business. We can never overlook anybody. The Jets are a real good team. They’ve got a real good defense. They’re still trying to figure things out on offense but that’s just every team. Every team is trying to figure things out. We’re also at the point of trying to figure things out on offense. But back to the Jets, they got a real good team, a real good head coach, and we just got to go in there and take care of business. We can’t overlook them.”
Terron Armstead – November 22, 2023
Download PDF version
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
T Terron Armstead
(How challenging is this short week for you guys?) – “Yeah, it’s tough. It’s tough. It’s part of the game though. Everybody has got to do it. The Jets are going through the same process as they’re getting prepared, so no excuses or anything. It’s definitely tough on the body though.”
(Thanksgiving, what are you most thankful for?) – “For the present. Being here, being alive in this situation, blessed to be afforded this opportunity, this platform, a healthy family, healthy kids. It’s a long list to be thankful for.”
(First Black Friday game. Normally on Thursday, players of the game get a turkey leg and a whole big presentation. What do you think for Black Friday – big screen TVs?) – “Yeah, they’ve got to hand out some big screens, some laptops, iPads. (laughter) They’ve got to give you something – something.”
(Do you guys save – as far as celebrating Thanksgiving with your family and friends, are you going to wait until after the game? Or is that something that you’ll cram all into tomorrow then Friday?) – “It’s unique because we’re the traveling team, so it makes it a little more difficult. My family actually left this morning. So we’ll kick back this weekend. Probably the o-line might do a Thanksgiving dinner together after the game.”
(On Hard Knocks, your o-line dinner was featured. What’s your favorite part about you guys getting together?) – “The camaraderie. I get a chance to know these guys off the field. We rarely talk football. We might talk about the coaches, some stuff they said or called. But outside of that, we really just get to know each other, talk about other interests and off the field concerns, issues, problems, joys, activities, all that.”
(How have you felt with your knee over the last two games since coming back?) – “Just staying on top of it. Staying on top of it. Go out there and try to do my job at the best of my ability, continue to get more and more comfortable as I get more and more reps, which has been good. It’s been good, I feel like I’m progressing and getting better as I get more snaps.”
(Did you get to see any of Hard Knocks last night?) – “I didn’t see the episode. I did not.”
(Have you heard anything from your teammates about it?) – “No, not yet. I haven’t seen anything or heard much about it.”
(You guys are just in the game?) – “Yeah, we’ve been preparing, man. Yesterday was long, then I went back with the family and just kind of hung out for the rest of the night. Today I had to get back up at 6:30, so I didn’t get much chance yet to check it out.”
(I think it’s streaming, so you can see it later.) – “Yeah, I’m sure I’ll be able to watch it.”
(You guys have potentially – you’ve had seven offensive line lineups. The Jets are potentially going to have their eighth. How difficult is this stretch of the final month of the season for offensive lines?) – “Yeah, it is tough, man. You get to mixing guys in, but that’s the game and that’s the importance of depth and having everybody ready. We had one game with the starting o-line, and I think that was Denver, maybe Buffalo too, the beginning of Buffalo. So we didn’t get much with the original starting o-line, but we’ve got guys that are more than ready, more than capable, and have been playing well. That’s part of this game though, every position. Every position you’ve got to have depth. I think the deepest team goes the furthest, not necessarily the most talented all the time.”
(QB Tua Tagovailoa was talking about how much you guys are practicing silent count this week. How much carryover is that to the game, just given that we can’t hear what it’s like on the field?) – “Right. That’s always a small, little, very important nuance of the game that fans don’t necessarily know that’s an impact or feel that’s an impact. That’s why we always try to hype the crowd up when our defense is on the field, because we know how challenging it is for offenses to not have that verbal communication. If the snap timing from the players and the center is off, it can be the difference between somebody getting back there early or some type of disruption. It plays a very important part of the game that people don’t really get a chance to know, especially on TV.”
Bradley Chubb – November 22, 2023
Download PDF version
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
LB Bradley Chubb
(Jets T Mekhi Becton is out for the Jets. What do you think when you see that?) – “I just know that whoever the backup is, is going to bring their best. It’s a short week, a divisional game. A lot of guys going out there trying to play to the highest standard. So the person who I think it is, I know I’ve played against and had some good battles against, but at the end of the day, you kind of never know. And my main thing is just be prepared for it all and go out there and play my best football.”
(How hungry is this defense to just keep things rolling five days later?) – “Keep it rolling, that’s the main thing. We’ve been playing good football together. We can’t read the news clippings and get ahead of ourselves because at the end of the day, we’ve got to take it week by week. It’s a short week and they did a lot of changes over there, so it’s going to be a new look for us as well. So our main thing is staying focused, focusing on each other and like I said, playing for each other like we always do and good things are going to happen.”
(Is it a friendly competition between and you and LB Jaelan Phillips just to see who makes the most big plays in the game?) – “Yeah, for sure. And you want that competition. We don’t say it out loud, but I see him get a sack – all right, my turn to get a sack. Or he sees me get a sack and it’s the same thing. When he got the pick, I tried to do everything I could to get me a pick, but it didn’t work out like that. But yeah, that friendly competition, that’s what you need on a team like this because we have so many talented players and so much to play for and it’s those little mini battles like that, that keep us fighting for each other and keep us all motivated and moving in the right direction, so it’s been dope.”
(Did you watch Hard Knocks last night?) – “I did, I did. I think it’s pretty cool, man, how they’re just kind of – not as invasive as you would think but still make a great production with all the cameras they’ve got and seeing all different types of angles of the game that I might not even see being on the sideline. I didn’t know Tyreek’s hand was hurt or whatever the case may be, so it’s just dope to see all the game day atmosphere and practice atmosphere shown to the world like that.”
(The viewers got to see a little bit of Linebackers Coach Anthony Campanile which I’m sure… can you describe his fire, intensity?) – “He brings it every time. Every time he speaks to the team, players sit there and listen because he talks with that intensity. He talks with that demeanor that he knows what he’s talking about and it’s one of those things where he’s talking about getting the ball out, and that’s the big plays that we all want to make as a team. So every opportunity we get, the smallest things, we listen for sure. So it’s been dope to have him up there. I know (Joe) Kasper was doing it at first with the cakes and stuff, but both of those guys have really done a good job.”
(Thanksgiving tomorrow. Just how much of a fan are you a fan of the food?) – “I’m a huge fan of the Thanksgiving food, but it’s unfortunate because the past couple years being in the league, being in college, you don’t really get to get the full thing with your family. But I’m a huge Thanksgiving guy and any chance my mom can make up some sweet potatoes and mac and cheese for me, I’m all down. I love Thanksgiving.”
(First Black Friday game ever. Normally on Thanksgiving there’s like turkey legs for the players. What do you think they should do for Black Friday? Victory TVs?) – “TVs, I was just about to say that. (laughter) TVs or Apple watches or something like that. Some type of electronics. I think it’ll be dope. (laughter) Hopefully we’re on the winning end and try to figure it out then, but until then, we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
(Do you save the big Thanksgiving meal this year until after the game or how are you guys all going to?) – “I actually did it on Sunday after the Raiders game. All my family was in town and we got a chance to sit down, break bread and kind of catch up a little bit so it was dope. We had a good time and like I said, on actual Thanksgiving for so many years, I haven’t really had a chance to celebrate because we’re always doing something, so it was good to see my family.”
Jalen Ramsey – November 22, 2023
Download PDF version
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
CB Jalen Ramsey
(You were named AFC Defensive Player of the Week this week for the two interceptions. For all of the work you have put in, I know this is just the beginning, but how much of a good step was it to have that performance after everything you’ve been through?) – “It’s nice. When I get achievements and stuff like that, it’s always nice. But a lot goes into it. At the end of the day, all glory to God. I’m thankful. But it could’ve went to a few other people probably. It probably could’ve went to my teammate, the other ‘Jaelan’ (Phillips). Just grateful.”
(A lot of your teammates talked about how grateful they are that you stayed around with the team while you were coming back from rehab. Why was it so important for you to really be in all the meetings, stay connected, and on the road with the team during that time?) – “When I prayed about coming here, and God kind of blessed me with the opportunity, I felt like he wasn’t blessing me with the opportunity to come here and then the first time I face an obstacle, remove myself from the situation. I just embraced it all and tried to stay here. Part of the team, part of the journey, it makes it all better now.”
(Not only the two interceptions, but how do you feel about your teammates having an extra source of inspiration from you? Some of the stuff that you do is rubbing off on others, especially maybe the younger guys.) – “It’s just who I want to be as a teammate and a person. I’m not really focused on whatever the results might be or the accolades or the awards. Just the process throughout the weekend and throughout my time being here. It just pays off at the end. Hopefully I can continue to lead by example in that way.”
(Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Any extra special meaning for you this year given everything you’ve been through?) – “Nah. I’m thankful each and every day for all my family and friends, and my beautiful kids, my lord and savior Jesus Christ. It’s just another day for me.”
(With everything you guys have been able to accomplish, are you having fun out there?) – “I have extreme fun every time I step on that field. Especially with this team, with this defense, there’s a lot of guys who bring a lot of energy, a lot of swagger, a lot of juice. So yeah, it’s extremely fun out there.”
(What sort of comments do you get from teammates when you watch film of your two interceptions? I don’t have to tell you, you had to work for both of those catches.) – “I did. I wouldn’t want it anyway, though. Sometimes you see guys get gimmes and things like that. Don’t get me wrong, those are nice as well. I’d like a few of those. But it just feels good seeing some things from practice come to life during the game. My teammates congratulated me on it. For some guys, these past three games that I’ve been able to play are their first time seeing me live in action. I’m a very confident player. I know what I’ve been able to do for a long time. I know what I’m capable of. For some of my teammates, they haven’t got to see this live yet, so I try to go out there and give them a show for sure.”
(So you opened some eyes?) – “A little bit.”
(How challenging is a short week?) – “It’s extremely challenging just because you try to get your body right. You try to take any and all the extra time you have to dedicate it to treatment or rehab or whatever you need to do to turn your body around for the short week. You obviously still have to mentally prepare and try to physically prepare a little bit. So you have to cut out some of the distractions even more during the short week. You got to speed up these media obligations, right? (laughter) Yeah, and just try to lock in. But it’s all a part of the job. At the end of the day, we’re still super blessed to be playing this game. This is a game that most of us were playing as a kid. It’s a kid’s game that we get to play for a king’s ransom, so it’s all a part of it. It’s a blessing still.”
(Do you have time to watch Hard Knocks?) – “I did not. No. I’m locked in. But maybe I’ll catch it after everything airs. I’ll binge watch the season. But right now, I’m going to stay locked in.”
(Have you heard anything about it?) – “Yeah, I follow some Dolphins fans on Twitter so I know they enjoyed it for sure.”
Mike McDaniel – November 22, 2023
Download PDF version
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(We were deeply concerned yesterday only because, we saw the injury report – of course, if you had practiced fully, you listed three offensive line starters as limited – OL Austin Jackson and OL Lester Cotton with new injuries – and obviously OL Robert Hunt. Of those three, are you optimistic that any or all will play on Friday?) – “I’m very optimistic that Austin and Lester will play. I feel pretty confident in that. Rob, I’m optimistic that he will be dressed. One of the trickiest things – short weeks are just a heart attack for you because right now it’s Wednesday. We’re all creatures of habit and in the NFL season, I’m not sure if people understand how labor-some Wednesday is in general. You have to get going. Well, this is the Thursday of our work week, so trying to decipher between bumps and bruises and injuries, it’s just a little difficult now. It’s pretty gray. We have to be very fluid as a coaching staff. There’s a lot still up in the air but that’s kind of how I view those three. But this would be the worst time to be like, ‘alright he said this, this is going to happen.’ There’s a lot of gray. And you have to embrace that and be fluid with a lot of stuff. There’s going to be a lot of things that will be up until gametime, including Rob Hunt.”
(What about RB De’Von Achane? Was it positive that he was limited?) – “I think it was a positive. Today’s a big day for him. We’ll have to make a decision that is going to have to be – he’s going to want to play. It’s not really a preventative decision on how much you can sustain and worry about further injury. It’s not that. It’s more the consequences of someone that when you go to a game on an active roster that’s very limited, and then you’re unable to fulfill your four-quarter duty, there’s a consequence on the team. As well as, I need to still make sure where his confidence level is at with something that I know is uncharted for him, because you want him to be his best self when he’s playing. There will be a little posturing on his part, I assume, and I’ll just be deciphering between his level of confidence and my confidence that he can play four quarters. Not saying that he has to because things happen all the time in the NFL that you can’t control. Just educated guesses that will come, and today will be a big day for that.”
(So it’s possible to bring back RB De’Von Achane on a limited snap count?) – “All things are up in the air. From a medical standpoint, there’s no risk in regards to, alright, this is pressing the envelope. That’s what I first established is like, is there inherent risk? Are we playing with fire? That has been communicated to me that we aren’t. So it’s more about his confidence, and yes there is a chance that he’ll play, for sure. But there’s a chance he won’t either. We have one practice opportunity to go full speed. That’s today, so obviously that will be very important.”
(A question on a possible follow up on RB De’Von Achane. On video it looked like he was tackled with hip-drop tackles when he hurt his knee versus the Giants and Raiders. Is that the case? If so, what are your thoughts on that technique?) – “You want me to make national headlines right now, don’t you? (laughter) You want me to go bold. You want me to call everybody out. (laughter) It’s an interesting debate. I operate so much in opportunity cost. If you’re spending time thinking about one thing, you’re not spending time thinking about the other. So I don’t really have an opinion – or the validity of hip-drop tackles and the recourse and whether it’s good for the game, I know that it’s good for the game for all players to be healthy. I know that it’s hard for me to envision a defender trying to tackle someone and while wrapped up, I think sometimes people aren’t intending to do that and it just happens. I don’t know. I haven’t really combed the tape that way or looked through that lens in terms of that being kind of the impetus for De’Von’s injury. Now that you say that, I can kind of picture the tackles and they probably were something similar. But it’s also just, you’re tackling offensive ball-carriers in the heat of battle. It’s a hard enough job to bring someone down. So I think rules should be based around protecting players as much as we can because the game benefits with all players being available. But with that being said, as long as you don’t violate the integrity of tackle football, I think things done towards player safety is a good thing. How do you enforce that, or, I put myself in a defender’s shoes and you’re tackling someone and you’re trying to bring them down, that generally is happening when they’re building momentum and they’re already progressing down the field, in theory. So it’s kind of tricky. It’s a really interesting topic that I spend absolutely zero time thinking about. But it doesn’t mean it’s not valid. That doesn’t mean it’s beneath me. It’s more that I’m not trying to meddle in stuff. I’ve got enough problems.”
(I want to talk a little bit about LB Jaelan Phillips and LB Bradley Chubb. This dynamic duo, they’ve said that they help each other out in ways when they’re frustrated within their game. Besides the stats, what also has impressed you the most about the two of them?) – “That they’ve also had internal battles through the season, battling the best problem you could possibly have the professional athlete, which is strong conviction and obligation to be an elite player for their team and themselves. That is obviously a positive thing, but it also can lead one to press. I think they have really relied on technique and fundamentals in orchestration with Vic’s (Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio) beliefs and (Outside Linebackers Coach) Ryan Slowik’s and (Senior Assistant) Wade Harman’s work with them. They’ve done an outstanding job building their game the right way within the structure of the defense, because for you to play good defense, individuals have to buy in so they’re not just stat chasing and running the hoop nine yards deep on first and second down, those types of things. Ultimately, they care a tremendous amount about being pillars to our team, and have learned and really grown right in front of my eyes, particularly this year, in understanding what that is. So they bring it every day. They are pushing themselves – watching those two in the fourth quarter is one of my favorite things, because they are tired and they don’t care. They are willing themselves. You can really see it with both of them. I think they expected this year to be the best football year of their lives so far, and I think they’re delivering on that in their journeys and knowing that there’s more on the table for them. It’s a huge part of our team and what drives us. Huge part of one of the reasons – I think last week we led the league in quarterback hits up until the game. I’m not sure where we’re at now. It’s a short week, so I have no information. But they’re a huge driving force for what we’re doing.”
(I want you to put your critics hat on for a minute. What is your unbiased review of Hard Knocks? What did you think?) – “Oh yeah, I didn’t see it. I was asleep. I think that that’s a compliment itself to a lot of people in the building, the relationships that we’ve built with the crew, my full belief in our communications department led by (Senior Director of Football Communications) Anne Noland. I didn’t anticipate that, but it was 8:30 and I fell asleep. (laughter) So I didn’t watch it. I don’t really have any critique, thus. What did you think? That’s what the people want to know. Give the people what they want. (laughter)”
(You were the star, by far.) – “Oh really? I don’t believe that.”
(Does Linebackers Coach Anthony Campanile come up with analogies and pep talks like that every week?) – “Oh yeah, that’s a Jersey thing, man. He’s got stuff in his back pocket that him and all his brothers – I mean, he’s one of however many football coaching brothers he has. So people responded to him well?”
(Yes. There needs to be a Dolphins shirt that says “Ass Whoop – Universal Language.”) – “Universal language. I’m fluent in that. I learned that in middle school on the bad end – just kidding. (laughter) No, that’s good. That’s kind of what I alluded to in a team meeting before about the unintended consequences. There’s some natural resistance to your safe place. We do things in a way that would – from a foundational standpoint, you try to do things not because it’s been done or the way that you’ve done it before, but what makes the most sense. When you’re doing stuff like that and you let your guard down, your guard is down because you’ve learned to let your guard down in the safe place. For that to be violated, it was kind of nerve wracking, but at the same time, I knew there were so many stories of people that – the idea that I’m the star of a show, I dislike that to the nth degree, just because that’s not team. Like I signed up for this from the beginning, getting into coaching, to be a part of a team. Within this team in particular, there are so many driving forces to make us who we are, and to be able to shed a little light on some of those dynamics, it’s therapeutic to me because I just know it’s the way things work, but you guys don’t get to talk to Anthony Campanile all the time. You’re forced to talk to me all the time. You do your best with what is in front of you, so I get that. But I’m glad to hear that you guys are fired up. You put a guy like Anthony Campanile in front of a room because of his connection to players and because he brings energy and brings passion and his conviction. Those type of people have a big residual towards our day-to-day process, which is what makes us who we are. I think so far so good. Remember, my job is problems, right? That’s what my job is, and people generally don’t tell me – sometimes they tell me some positive stuff, but most of the time, it’s like, ‘Hey, fix this.’ And I haven’t gotten any fix this conversation, so I feel pretty good about it. Just let me know if there’s something that I do (need to know). I’ll leave it to you guys. OK? Can we agree on this? If there’s something that I do that you’re like, ‘Oh, man, that’s terrible.’ You just let me know, because I probably haven’t seen it, so that I can adjust moving forward. Cool? (laughter)”
(I wanted to ask you about CB Jalen Ramsey. A lot of players have talked about how engaged he was in meetings, and how he’s so committed to the team, and how he brings food trucks on Fridays. How do you think that commitment while he was coming back physically has allowed him to drop into the defense and have this seamless comeback?) – “I think it’s absolutely everything. When I tell you, never in my career have I seen someone with a months not weeks injury, be as involved in a team. Mind you, he had two practices under his belt with this team. To have two practices and have the wherewithal to understand your impact on people and how your injury – I mean our team was in the tank until he talked to the team. He explained, ‘hey, I’m going to do this.’ And then he did it each and every day. When your most talented players epitomize your beliefs and how to do things as an individual with regards to yourself but also with regards to the entire team, when you have the most talent and you exhibit the exact model of Rudy, you are like wow. You have Rudy in a once in a generation type skillset for a guy that size, and there is no way to avoid the ramifications for the rest of the team. I think he comes back and it raises peoples’ level of game because he’s an elite player, but you also know what he did to get back here. So maybe you take an extra 30 minutes to review your tip sheet that you get from your coaches the night before the game. The residuals are endless. If you want to be a winning program, that has to happen. Or you’re just wishing and hoping. I can’t say enough good things about that guy. He’s one of my top three favorite players of all time. I’ve only been in game situations in what, four times? Three?”
(On a short week with less time on the grass for your gameplan, how does that add to the challenge of getting ready for an opponent?) – “It is a completely different challenge. You have to let go some of your idiosyncrasies as a coach to where maybe your plan just adjusts everything you do. You have to keep in mind you can’t have your cake and eat it to. You only have a certain amount of reps, so how do you do things within the realm of players comfort so that they are confident, but also give an element of edge that is necessary to beat any NFL team. You’re trying to balance a lot of things. It is a strain. You want to talk about something that no one talks about that is so real. We are a creature of habit. You have the same orchestration of work week, and that is where people live in the high-stakes world of professional football. Well, we are meeting all day and putting in so much stuff on Tuesday, which is the player’s day off, so that is the challenge that you enter into because they are conditioned – it doesn’t matter how bad they want to, they are tired. It’s like, ‘oh man, didn’t we just play?’ Yes, you did. So you have to really go after it that whole player day off, which is now your Wednesday and Thursday combined. All of that is hard. And then you have to get up and do it again the next day, except this time you’re practicing as you would on Thursday, on a Wednesday, which is different to the clock. Professional athletes have the most OCD routine and are more routine-oriented than anybody that I’ve come across. They are regimented. That’s the only way you can maximize your physical performance. Talking about meals, stretching, massages, treatment, pools, tubs, all the different things that go into it. That inherently is a challenge, but when it’s an uncontrollable, then it’s not about this is hard. It’s about how do we combat that? I feel very fortunate that we have a lot of competitors that when it’s explained to them through that lens, they are up for the challenge. I’m expecting some exciting football here today on the practice field.”
(I want to follow up on RB Jeff Wilson Jr. just because he’s a guy we expected to be a regular rotation player for you, and it hasn’t been the case. He was inactive last week. How has he been performing? Is it just health or performance why he hasn’t been contributing more?) – “The position at running back, we’ve, in my opinion, done a good job of making sure that position group has plenty of depth. That position in particular has an unpredictable injury flowchart. Honestly, I’m so excited for where Jeff is at because it has nothing to do with his performance in terms of not doing X, Y or Z. There are a multitude of variables. We get a lot out of our running backs, whether it’s you’re on first down, second down or third down, or you’re on special teams. I think one of the things that was really a part of SA’s (Salvon Ahmed) growth this year was his ability to contribute in a strong fashion on special teams. Not to say that Jeff can’t. It was more that you don’t know which position your pillars on special teams, or guys that are strong contributors, are coming from. And before that, that was a major role for Chris Brooks. When you have multiple players, that’s why he’s on the team but hasn’t really been able to bite the meat off the bone. When you stay patient, and you worry about the stuff you can control, the whole point of doing that is so that in moments like these, your game hasn’t suffered when the opportunity is right in front of you and as real as all get out. Jeff is ready, fully healthy and I’m excited for the people’s champ to get some action.”
Vic Fangio – November 21, 2023
Download PDF version
Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio
(Do you go back and watch anything of QB Tim Boyle beyond the 14 throws from last Sunday? Do you look at the Detroit days to see how he responds to blitzes and other looks? Is there time for that?) – “Yeah. You have to make time. He played in the preseason for the Jets this year. He played in Chicago some, which was the same system that he’s in now. He was in Green Bay with Coach (Nathaniel) Hackett, the offensive coordinator, in Chicago, and was in Green Bay when he was there. He was with Chicago now he’s back with Coach Hackett. So he knows the system and there is some video out there.”
(A lot of teammates of CB Jalen Ramsey have spoken about how involved and engaged he was while he was coming back from his injury. From your perspective, what role has that played in him coming in and hitting the ground running?) – “His rehab process was pretty amazing. He said right from the start that he was going to make it back way ahead of what that injury usually requires. It wasn’t just the first day or two talk. He backed it up all the way through. He did a tremendous job rehabbing that injury, and getting well, and getting ready to play. He deserves 90 percent of that credit. I think (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle (Johnston) in the training room and his people that helped him, (Assistant Athletic Trainer) Jasmin (Grimes), (Associate Head Athletic Trainer) Troy (Maurer), they did a tremendous job with him. (Cornerbacks/Pass Game Specialist) Sam Madison went above and beyond and worked with him on the field while he was rehabbing. He just did a great job and it was one of the better things I’ve seen.”
(In the film room and meetings, is it usual to see an injured guy as engaged as some of the players recounted?) – “Yeah, at times. And at times, no.”
(Aside from the rehab, what has amazed you the most about CB Jalen Ramsey as a player?) – “He’s a student of the game. which is something that you don’t know until you get around a guy. He’s a smart player. He’s a team player. He likes to help people and he’s been a great addition.”
(What stood out to about CB Jalen Ramsey’s two interceptions last week?) – “Both of them were great plays. A lot of interceptions are tips, as overthrow, a really bad throw by the quarterback or something along those lines. These were just two really, really great plays.”
(You mentioned observing past tape of Jets QB Tim Boyle. What if anything changes as far as how you approach him as opposed to Zach Wilson?) – “That’s the unknown. Always when you have a new quarterback in there or a lot of times when you have a new quarterback, the plan of attack and the way the game is called may change. And I think it’s different in this case because he is very well-versed in the offense they’re running because of where he’s been the last few years. So I think they’ll run their offense, which he’s very capable of doing.”
(We saw, I think, LB David Long Jr. had his fewest snaps this past Sunday since Week 1. Was that matchup or…?) – “It was just kind of the way the game, the personality that the game took on there. We had a good bit of short series there and then when we had two-minute drives at the end of the game, we were either going to be in dime or place ‘Gink’ (Andrew Van Ginkel) in there some.”
(When you have an inexperienced quarterback like Jets QB Tim Boyle, is there a general rule or is it case-by-case like do you want to pressure him early and get to him or do you want to kind of read and react and then do what you…?) – “Yeah, I think it’s case-by-case. In Boyle’s case, he knows this offense. He’s comfortable in it. I don’t think it’s your normal young backup coming into a game.”
(You’ve had obviously a lot of success in your career against quarterbacks without a lot of experience. Some coordinators would blitz a ton. Obviously you’ve always been measured with that. We saw a blitz got a sack on third down last week, then you rushed four on the last drive. Is it ever self-control not to blitz or are you so used to being measured with blitzes that you’re not tempted to blitz an inexperienced guy more?) – “Again, it’s just the situation and the flow of the game and you call what you think needs to be called at any given moment that is best for your team versus the opponent. It’s not that we’re adverse to calling pressure. Sometimes the way the teams are playing dictates that it may not be as advantageous because of the way they’re playing, whether they’re keeping a lot of guys in to block or throwing it real quick. So you just have to get a feel for it.”
(Have there been any moments along the way that stood out to you of your defense, your guys, picking up your defense better? Or has it just kind of been a steady progression?) – “I just think it’s been steady improvement along the line, which you would expect and being able to game plan opponents and meet specifically on certain teams helps and I just think it’s the natural maturation as you go along.”
(Is there a stunning effect on quarterbacks when they see CB Jalen Ramsey and CB Xavien Howard out there? I mean in general. I know it hasn’t been that many games for you guys.) – “I don’t know. They’re two good players and the more good players you have, the better off you are. I feel fortunate that we have those two guys outside.”
(Was there a point early in the year where you thought the defenders should learn the system more quickly or you were frustrated at all about your defensive players were doing in that regard?) – “Maybe on a play-by-play basis. I wouldn’t say on an overall basis.”
(Have they absorbed it though? I know it’s a big playbook. Have they absorbed it as well as you’d like by the end here?) – “Yeah, we’ve done a good job here of late and I think they’re gaining confidence in it.”
(The quandary of DE Emmanuel Ogbah this year. Obviously he’s a guy who’s done a lot in this league, but obviously you’re deep at edge and outside linebacker. How tough a call is that then with you to not play a lot a guy who’s used to playing a lot?) – “It’s not easy or not enjoyable. He’s a hell of a guy. He’s been a very productive player in this league. It’s just hard sometimes to get four guys reps at the edge position when it’s mainly been (Bradley) Chubb, (Jaelan) Phillips and ‘Ginkel’ (Andrew Van Ginkel).”
(Would you ever go to QB Mike White or WR Braxton Berrios, former Jets, and kind of pick their brain or would you welcome them coming to you with tips?) – “Yeah, but it’s a new offensive system than when Mike (White) was there, so a little less validity to it.”
(You were with LB Bradley Chubb in Denver and it seems like he’s really come into his own and in being teed up with LB Jaelan Phillips on the other side. Has he just grown as a player defensively throughout his career or is it now that he’s less injured? It just seems like he’s really grown. Have you seen that growth in him?) – “Yeah, I think it’s everything you said. He really struggled the three years I was in Denver with him, except the second year he had a good stretch from about Game 5 through 14, and I think he actually made the Pro Bowl that year. But his first year obviously he was injured, I think in Game 4, and missed the rest of the year. And the third year, he had two different ankle injuries that really affected him the whole year. When you look it up, it says he played seven or eight games, but he wasn’t himself because of the injuries. I’m really happy for him on a personal level and it’s really nice to see and I think he’s going to continue to grow.”
