Tua Tagovailoa – April 23, 2020
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Thursday, April 23, 2020
QB Tua Tagovailoa
(When you heard your name called or when you got that call from the Dolphins, what first crossed your mind?) – “It was a dream come true, man, to be able to have this opportunity. I would honestly like to just thank Owner Stephen Ross. I’d like to thank GM Chris Grier. I’d also like to thank Coach (Brian) Flores for giving me this opportunity. This is special for not just me, but for my family as well.”
(What do you think are going to be your plans now given the distance and where you are? When do you expect to come to Miami? Where are you going to spend most of your training leading up to training camp?) – “With the given circumstances, I’m just going to be talking to the coaches and kind of seeing how we’re going to go about doing things as an organization. From there really, we’ve just got to hope and pray that everything works out and that we can get back to spending time as a team. I think for me, the most important thing is probably getting everyone’s phone number on the team and just creating relationships. Maybe starting out with the quarterbacks and then working my way down to the linemen or starting with the linemen, but just creating relationships a little at a time. Especially during times like this, it’s hard, so I think that’d be best.”
(You said earlier that you felt confident that you could play in 2020. What makes you confident and did the Dolphins talk to you about what their plans for you were?) – “I think what makes me confident in the aspect of me being able to play would be what the doctors have told me. As far as rehab, as far as the medical rechecks, I’ve checked off all the boxes, so that’s what I’ve been really standing on and that’s kind of what I’ve been going with. That’s why I would say I’ve been really encouraged to say that I’m able to play if need be; but I think the biggest thing for me right now is just being able to take it in, soak it in, enjoy it with my family and get to work.”
(I’m not sure if you’ve kept up with all of the fans’ expectations and hopes and dreams with you, but are you prepared to deal with that and do you think at any time, you would ever tell the fans to chill out or would you tell them to “keep hyping me up, let’s enjoy this?”) – “I think that’s something that is out of my control. I can’t control whether the fans like me or whether the fans dislike me; and so for me, I’d say it’s all about worrying about what I can control … It’s what you do from here on out. It’s how you … You just look forward to getting your playbook, understanding it, trying to get good at it, and if an opportunity is presented…”
(Playing at Alabama, obviously the spotlight’s on you there – obviously it’s the biggest program in the nation. How do you think that’s helped prepare you for the NFL?) – “I would say I think Alabama’s prepared me with how hard everything was there. It wasn’t just the workouts. It wasn’t just the guys you were competing against, but it was also the coaching. It was also your nutrition. It was just everything – your academics. Everything was made hard. It was really about embracing hard and kind of how you become successful through those hard times.”
(What are your goals as a quarterback in the National Football League?) – “I would say first off, I just want to be able to get the ball rolling as far as understanding my plays. I just want to know my plays, build relationships in the quarterback room, build relationships with guys in the locker room and also getting to know more about the coaching staff and building relationships with them as well.”
(I just wanted to ask you in terms of this process, was there any frustration with all the talk about your health and whether or not that hip was going to hold up and if it might drop you down the board? Did you get a little nervous there at any point?) – “I would say I didn’t get nervous at all. For me and my family the biggest thing was whoever decided to take a chance on us, whoever decided to pick me up, that’s where I belonged. Like I said, I’m very grateful and honored that I had this opportunity to play for this organization. My biggest thing is I’m trying to prove that this is the right decision for the organization.”
(How would you say your relationship or your developing relationship with Head Coach Brian Flores and General Manager Chris Grier has gone throughout this draft process leading up to tonight?) – “It’s continuing to grow and that’s my biggest thing. We created it at the Combine, and I got to talk to Coach Flores and Chris (Grier) as well as Stephen Ross on Zoom calls maybe about three times in one month, so once every week almost. So I got to speak to them and build my relationship in that sense, but now that I’m a part of the organization it can only go up from here.”
(I wanted to ask how will you approach having a 37-year-old veteran quarterback like QB Ryan Fitzpatrick available to you? What if anything do you know about Ryan?) – “I would say it’s – First off, just being able to understand the kind of person he is. I know he’s been a great leader for this organization, he’s been a great team player. Guys like that, he’s played behind Jameis Winston and then he has an opportunity to play here. He has so much knowledge of the game to where I think it’s best that I nitpick him, ask him how he goes about preparing for a defense, what are the differences between this and this. Just being able to question him and learn under him, I think is going to be my biggest thing.”
(Last year there was all of this talk about “Tank for Tua.” How did that strike you back when that was going on and then how ironic is that you end up with the Dolphins?) – “I would say the funniest thing is I haven’t really heard too much of it last year. It was more so after the national championship from our loss to Clemson when I heard most of it. I would say that’s – I’m very grateful and I’m honored that the fans think so (highly) of me. It’s a different ball game. What I did in college can’t translate to the NFL. It’s a clean slate. What I’ve got to do is I’ve got to go out there and earn my respect and earn the trust from my teammates. It’s how you go about doing things.”
(How familiar are you with Dan Marino and the Dolphins’ past and have you thought about what number you may have to pick because 13 might be off the books?) – “For me, I’m not too worried about what number I have. I understand number 13 is retired and it should be. Dan Marino, he – he’s the GOAT. He’s like the mayor out there, and I have much respect for him. Whatever number I’m given by that organization, if it’s 78 or 99 – I’ll wear it. It doesn’t matter. I just want to have an opportunity to go out there and …”
(Do you expect to compete to start this year? Do you expect to compete to play or have they told you that this is going to be a redshirt year for you?) – “I’m going to go out there and compete as if I’m preparing to be the starter, even if I’m not going to be the starter right away or the entire season. But I think that has to be the mindset, because you go in there and – competition is usually always healthy. It’s usually always healthy. And you not only get yourself better by doing it but you get the other guy better and you get the entire quarterback room better that way.”
(What has this year been like for you, with so much expectation about you coming out in the draft and then the two injuries and the rehab and now this whole draft process? If you maybe had to put this in words to maybe your grandkids 40 years from now, what would you tell them this was like?) – “I would tell them this has probably been the hardest process for me to go through. I’ve gone through a lot with making this decision. I went to Nashville, I went through that tornado that came through. My car got destroyed. I’m going through rehab during that process. And then there’s a lot of uncertainty at the same time. There was just a lot of things piling up. So I’d just tell them that this was probably the most difficult time for me in my life.”
(I was going to ask you about your injury history and do you think you should’ve still been the number one drafted quarterback, but tell me about your car being destroyed in Nashville. What happened there?) – “Yeah, so I believe it was March 3rd. I was about 1 o’clock in the morning. Sirens were going off and I was asleep. I ended up waking up to I guess warnings on my phone. Right when I woke up, about three or four minutes later, a tornado just swooped right over my complex, destroys my car and everything there. It was pretty bad.”
(What would you say your best attribute from an intangible standpoint is?) – “That’s a good question. For me – I’ve said this many times – I’m not one to really speak on myself or really speak about what I’m good at. I try to let others do that. So, I’m not too sure. I like to go out there and compete, have fun and then try my best to win games.”
(What are you looking forward to most about playing in Miami?) – “I played there once. I played there against Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl. I’m just looking forward to an opportunity to play in front of the fans, play with my new teammates, kind of get the feel for everything, get into the groove of everything.”
(Tell us about the phone call when the Dolphins called you and said they’re picking you? Who did you talk to? How did that conversation go?) – “I got to talk to everyone. I got to talk to Coach Flores. I got to talk to the GM, Chris Grier. I got to talk to the owner, Stephen Ross. And man, it was awesome. It was very emotional for me and my family. It hasn’t just been a dream of mine to make this happen, it’s been my entire family’s dream. I’m blessed to say that I carry all of them here with me.”
(I’m curious what Head Coach Brian Flores has told you about what he’s trying to build in Miami and how you feel like you can contribute to the culture, the mindset, whatever it is that he’s told you about?) – “I would say what Coach Flores said was, ‘I want you to know that we think you’re very special.’ They think highly of me. But they were just really excited – (Coach Flores) was just really excited. He also had his kids kind of hop on and kind of say hello and say congratulations. So, that was pretty cool.”
Chris Grier – April 16, 2020
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Thursday, April 16, 2020
General Manager Chris Grier
(Does your analytics department provide you with an injury predictor for potential picks and if not, why not? If so, does any player in the first round have a higher predictor score than QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “First of all, I just want to say on behalf of the organization, thank you to all of the first responders and people on the frontline during this time of crisis. Obviously our words are not enough and seeing it every day is heartbreaking. Hopefully we’ll be back here and our country will be strong. People in South Florida are resilient, so I’m looking forward to things getting back to some semblance of normalcy. To your question – again, I hope everyone’s family and friends are well and safe. Yes, we do have an analytics department that does injury predictions. Again, football is a violent sport. We do the best we can – I’ve been in this for a long time – I’ve been around good players that were never hurt like Jake Long, for instance, back in the day; and then players – when I was in New England, we drafted Curtis Martin. Curtis Martin was always hurt and basically never missed a game in New England. I think in terms of where our guys have graded guys, I’m not going to get into that; but yes, we do a lot of studies on that. (Head Athletic Trainer) Kyle Johnston and our doctors and staff have done a lot of work on every player, and they’ve done a fantastic job, so we’re going to just proceed as normal.
(What’s the process with you guys putting together the board now, especially considering the environment and obviously how difficult has it been?) – “For us, it hasn’t really been too much different. The difference is obviously we’re not in the same room, but we did a lot of work in December starting on the draft, with all of the picks we had coming into this draft, and the coaching staff and the scouts have all done a tremendous job of evaluation all the way through December and all the way through the spring until now. Little tweaks here and there. Obviously we’re not in the same room, but we’ve done a lot of meetings, a lot of video conferencing with the technology mediums and we feel really good about our process, and we’re ready to go.”
(I just wanted to ask what are your thoughts about QB Justin Herbert and QB Tua Tagovailoa as prospects?) – “They’re both interesting kids. I’ve gotten to know both of them through this process. Really good people, good players. They’ve both won. For us, going through the process, we’re going through the process just like with every player we’ve done. Obviously being a quarterback, that’s why everybody wants to know; but we’ve spent a lot of time with a lot of the top players and it’s no different with them. They’re both very talented players. Both have won a lot of games and they’re both intelligent players that are winners.”
(I wanted to ask you a week away from the draft, is your final quarterback ranking set? And can you tell me a little bit about how you and Head Coach Brian Flores and Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey have worked together to develop some consensus?) – “I think it’s been a process working with (Offensive Coordinator) Chan (Gailey) coming in, and it’s been really good. The communication’s been great. We’ve spent a lot of time talking through the different qualities that we’re looking for in the players that we’ve talked about. From our end, it’s been pretty smooth and we haven’t set our final board yet. We’ll do that probably late this weekend or early next week, but a lot of really good discussions on what we feel is best for the Miami Dolphins.”
(Obviously you’re going to have to rely more on your scouts this year than perhaps years past with the ability to have 30 visits and all that. Have there been a couple of scouts in the last three or four years – I know Assistant Director of College Scouting Matt Winston is a name you’re going to mention – but guys that are still out-in-the-field scouts that you really rely on?) – “I think we have a really, really good group of guys. Like I said, I think they’re all very talented. We rely on all of them because we have a lot of really good scouts. The area scouts are really the ones that know the players the best. They’ve seen them the most. They spend the most time around the players, so with (Assistant General Manager) Marvin (Allen) and the national scouts and (Co-Director of Player Personnel) Adam (Engroff) and Matt (Winston) and (Senior National Scout Ron Brockington) ‘Brock’ and (Senior Personnel Executive) Reggie (McKenzie) – those guys for us and like myself, we go into schools, you come in for a day and you work where area scouts go to those schools and they’ve been to their area schools three or four times at least and have been around the kids the most. So you really have to rely on all your guys. We spend time; we listen to them. We’ve had a lot of meetings. We’ve spent a lot of time just going over the backgrounds, the character and what they saw, especially on the player’s tape this year. It’s not any different than any other year. The tape really tells you what the player is and then the Combine and all of the other stuff maybe gives you a little bit clearer picture, but at the end of the day, it’s what the guys do on film.”
(What’s your reaction to the NFL directive about the offseason programs and how workable do you think they’ll be?) – “We’re just going to work through it. We’re ready to go. Brian (Flores) and the coaching staff have been prepared. I think one of Brian’s greatest strengths is always looking to the future, so we’ve been ready to go. We’ll react to whatever directive the league gives us but for us, it’ll be business as usual as best we can. Again, there’s nothing we can do. Everyone is dealing with the same issues. We’ll be ready to go.”
(Can you talk about what draft night is going to be like for you from a setup standpoint? How is communication going to work between you and your assistants and what will you be looking at? I assume this is the room you’re going to be in, but did you have to put stuff in there because of this? Can you walk us through what the night is going to be like?) – “Yeah, we’re finishing setting up everything in the next day or so. I’ve got multiple televisions in here and computers. It will best mimic the draft room the best we can. The communication part of it is going to be similar to (this). We’ll be on video technology – Brian (Flores), myself, ownership, (Assistant General Manager) Marvin Allen, (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon Shore. All of us will be in communication kind of like this, talking on stuff. For us, it will be different but we’re ready to go. We’re going to have some run-throughs of it but I’m very confident. I think our IT department has done a fantastic job with getting this all set up. We really don’t have any apprehension about this process. We’re ready to go.”
(I thought I heard you say that you guys were going to set the final draft board this weekend, which makes me think that maybe you really haven’t decided who you’re going to take No. 1 or who you want to take No. 1. Is that in fact the case and do you have such a strong conviction about who you want to take that you’d be willing to trade up to get him?) – “Setting the draft board, we’re still finishing meetings with the scouts this week. We just finished one. We’ll go through that and then Brian (Flores), myself and Marvin (Allen) will sit and go through it and talk about it. We have an idea of who we like but again, we want to make sure we have all of the information, the medical meetings coming up here in the next couple of days. We’ll finish (gathering) all of the information. Until we get the clear picture with all of the information, that’s when we’ll set the board final. For us, it’s the same process we’ve had every year. Nothing has really changed on that. It’s trying to set it on that Monday or Tuesday and the draft is Thursday night and you’re ready to go. In terms of moving up, trading and all of that stuff, we’re in the same process that it is every year. Teams call us. We call every team. Every team calls every team. Everyone is just doing their due diligence just to see what options are available if anyone wants to move or trade up. For us, it’s the same as it’s been every year. I know it will be scrutinized more because of all of the picks we have and what we’re doing, but it’s really the same process we’ve had since I’ve been here.”
(I was talking to somebody about the draft and the process and the communication and they were saying that they believe teams that are among the first couple of picks every day will be at an advantage because they aren’t going to have to scramble to talk to each other about trades or other things. Do you think you guys are at an advantage because you are at the top of days one and two, at least?) – “Yeah, that’s a good question and that’s what it’s been historically through the draft. If you look at – always when you start the next morning of each day or afternoon if you start in the evening, that’s always the one because teams have had the night to look over their draft board and make calls to all of those teams that are picking in the top half of the draft for players they’re interested in that they’d like to get. Yeah, it is an advantage. It’s something that we’ll take advantage of and see what happens from there.”
(I wanted to ask about the QB decisions you made last year. QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was the third option after QB Teddy Bridgewater and QB Tyrod Taylor, but this team really gravitated towards his personality and he really helped the young players come about last season. QB Josh Rosen maybe didn’t have the same effect on his teammates as Fitzpatrick did. I just wanted to ask you what did you learn about adding those two guys last year that might impact what you’re looking for in the QB decision you’re going to make next week.) – “’Fitz’ was, like we’ve talked about ad nauseam, what he’s done for the locker room, he was a veteran presence, the type of person he is and the impact he had in the locker room with younger players and veterans. Josh has done a great job, like we’ve talked about since the end of the season, of how he progressed through last season and learning. For him, he went through a very tough thing, being a top 10 pick and traded after a year and learning a new system and a new city. He’s still a young player. In terms of it, you’re always looking for what you feel are the types of players who fit your program best, and what you want and what you’re looking for. So for us, I think you always look back and try to learn lessons but going forward, we’ll still be aggressive in trying to find the right people that fit our program.”
(I wanted to ask you how many prospects have you identified of being worthy of that No. 5 overall pick?) – “I would say when you’re at that No. 5 pick, every year the joke is around the scouting world that if you’re picking 12, there’s always 10 that you like. (laughter) We’re at five but we feel really good about – (there are) probably eight or nine players we feel really good about. We’ll get a good player and we’ll be very happy to have him, and I think the fans will be happy as well.”
(I wanted to talk to you about the success you had on Day 3, finding both contributors and starters in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds and even last year specifically with some undrafted free agents. What has been the key to kind of uncovering some of those late round gems, and has the process of doing so changed at all given the current state of things with the virus and the shutdown?) – “We’re going to go with the same process of how we’ve done things. Our scouts have done a great job, as well as the coaching staff. We always talk about communication and that’s really key because to get those guys on the backend, it’s the coaches and scouts on the same page and everyone on the phone, talking to players and identifying players that can help us or see something that has upside for us to develop. For us, the process is the same as always. It’s the communication. The coaches and scouts have done a great job for us. They have worked extremely hard at the communication. That’s always the key, and then it’s the relationships you have with agents as well. That always helps. I think our track record as you said, in terms of playing the young players, and Brian (Flores) is committed to giving people the opportunity and people earn their shot here. I think that’s an exciting thing for free agents that come in and have a chance to make the roster and play.”
(I wanted to ask you about Assistant General Manager Marvin Allen and when did you – obviously you guys grew up in the industry together, but when did that friendship and bond develop, and how does he help you? He supposedly is a good college evaluator.) – “Marvin played running back for my dad in New England. I’ve known Marvin since I was growing up, around my parents and the house from the time he was coming out of Tulane. Then my dad hired Marvin – when he finished playing – as a scout. Marvin’s worth ethic has always been good, he’s very intelligent, he’s got a great demeanor. People like talking to him, so he gets a lot of information. But again, it’s the evaluation. He has an eye for talent. He’s always had it. He worked hard at it. He wanted to prove as a player coming in that he was going to earn that. There wasn’t anything handed to him; it’s worth ethic and drive. Yeah, over the years seeing him, everywhere he’s gone he’s had success. If you follow from where he’s been, everywhere he’s gone, I joke he’s only missed the playoffs I think like three times in his whole career as a scout. He’s done a great job and been a part of drafting some good players. We’re very excited we can have him here. He’s been a great addition for us and he’s good around the young guys too. He spends time helping the young guys in the office develop. He’s done a great job there and we’re glad to have him.”
(I think you joked with us at the Senior Bowl about the QB Tua Tagovailoa hype. It seems like it’s been going on for two years now. The moment has finally arrived when you have to make a decision. What can you say to Dolphins’ fans that you definitely should get this pick right. Why should they be confident that Tua or not, it’s definitely going to be the right pick coming up at five?) – “I would say that we’ve done a lot of things here with us. We’ve spent a lot of time. Brian (Flores) and the coaching staff, the scouts, we’ve spent a lot of time going through it. We’ve spent a lot of time with the players, we’ve spent a lot of time doing it, so we’re going to do what’s best for the Miami Dolphins. We hope they have some trust in what we’re doing and they believe in what we are doing. They are a passionate fan base. I hear from the people I see at the grocery store. We had the pest control guy over here spraying the house and he is over here asking me Dolphins questions the whole time. It’s good. My wife and kids are worse than you guys. Every day they pop in my office going, ‘who are we taking?’ It’s a fun, exciting thing; but for us, we’ll do what’s best for the Dolphins and we feel good about the process.”
(You guys have been active in free agency. How did what you were able to do in free agency affect the way you are evaluating picks and how does it affect your draft board?) – “I think for us specifically, we talked about finding the right types of players for our organization. We didn’t want to go with older players. We got a lot of guys that were the younger – 25, 27, 28 (range) – guys that have been winners, guys that are great locker room guys, great mentors. We’re such a young team. Yeah, we were a little more active than we have been in the past. We wanted volume of guys, especially not knowing where we’re going to be in the future, we need guys that can help the younger guys transition, learn and get on board as fast as they can in terms of learning the defense and preparing. Having guys with some familiarity with Brian (Flores) was really important. When you do free agency, you always have an eye and are looking at the strengths and weaknesses of the draft. We tried to address some places we thought could help us in terms of free agency with the roster, and then we use the draft to help build and continue to build the roster up.”
(You’ve got 14 picks and five in the top 70. How important is it for you personally to really hit a home run in this draft?) – “I think it is very important. For us and this organization, these next two drafts are – the picks we have next year as well – if we do the job that we expect to do, we feel fully capable and we’re very excited to do it, that we can build a strong team here, which we’ve always talked about competing for a long time. Not just one year, build it and fall back. If we build it right, with the right picks and smart picks and do it the right way, we have a chance to have a good team here for a long time.”
(Is there a particular threshold where a player’s talent may supersede their injury risk?) – “Like I said, historically it can go all over the place. For us, you always weigh the talents. You talk about the kid, the person, the work ethic and then you do look at injuries. You take in the factor of the positon he plays and such. For us, every decision has to be weighed with that. Like I said, I’ve been around great people, players like Jake Long who was unbelievable and unfortunately he had the injury bug and it caught him. Then I told you about Curtis Martin, no one would’ve guessed he would be a Hall of Famer. They thought he was a great football player there, but he was hurt all of the time. Then he ended up having a Hall of Fame career and basically never missed time. Again, you just never know. For us, we factor in all of that stuff; but we’ll make a good decision for us in terms of what we think is best for the Dolphins.”
Shaq Lawson – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
DE Shaq Lawson
(You’ve been in this division for a while. Obviously QB Tom Brady is gone. There’s been some movement. How do you view the Miami Dolphins’ chances of winning the division and/or getting a playoff berth this season?) – “We’re just going to take it a day at a time. The coaches brought the right guys in there. We’re going to try to build something special over there, but our main goal is just to come down there, just take it one day at a time and build a team and see where that starts first.”
(I talked to a couple guys down in Buffalo about you and they said two things. They said you were loud and highly competitive. How quickly are guys in Miami going to see that side of you?) – “They’re going to see that fast – Day 1 when I come in the building. I’ve always been a loud guy. I’ve always got at myself. I’m very competitive. I always want to win. It could be even an argument or just a little chat in the locker room, but I’m just very competitive. I’m a guy that’s going to bring energy and the spirit in the locker room every day. I’m just going to have – I never feel like I ever have a bad day in the locker room.”
(I had a chance to see you and DT Christian Wilkins catch up on the field in Buffalo before the game last year and obviously you guys must be friends. I have a very important question. Who is the better college player? You vs. Christian Wilkins.) – “He basically did it all as a college player. I didn’t play on the offensive side of the ball, so he’s got an advantage on that side of the ball, but we both had excellent careers at Clemson. We both were All-Americans at Clemson. We both were up for the same awards. We both did great things so you couldn’t say which one is better; but I know he’s – the only difference from me, he played on the offensive side of the ball and scored touchdowns and I haven’t scored yet, so that’s the only difference between us.”
(I think you’re the eighth player we’ve talked to today. You’re the first one that’s outside. Is this a case of cabin fever? Tell us where you are and what your surroundings are.) – “I’m outside in front of my yard, enjoying the sun. We haven’t been getting (any) sun out here lately and just been locked down in the house, trying to stay safe and things like that. I’m just outside enjoying the sun.”
(You played a lot of 4-3 end down in Buffalo. Is that were you feel most comfortable and where you can contribute the best?) – “I can play anywhere on the field. I’ll play in any scheme. I played in a 3-4 coming out in the league, so I’ve seen it all. Wherever a coach needs me to play at, (I am) willing to play. I’ll be in any position to help this team.”
(You know who you guys have gotten as far as pass rushers. Do you have any idea how this pass rush is going to look when it takes the field?) – “No, not yet. We’ve got guys. They came from programs that had successful numbers last year. Kyle (Van Noy) had a great year. (Emmanuel) Ogbah – I don’t know how to pronounce his name, but I know that’s my teammate – had a great year. So putting us all three on the field, we can be something special; but that’ll take time. We’ve all got to be on the same page because we’ve got to think about it. We’ve never rushed with each other and things like that, so it’s going to take time; but we’ve got three great guys to go rush the passer. It could be special.”
(How would you describe where you feel like you are in your career?) – “I’m at a point of my career where I’m just only getting better – making strides each year. Each year I’ve gotten better, improved. (I am) getting more comfortable in the game. I feel like these next coming years, I’ve got a lot of juice. I’ve got a lot to bring to the table, and I showed glimpses of it last year with only just playing on the amount of snaps I was playing. I’m just ready to go get it and just (try) to be a double-digit sack guy.”
(How did you end up in Miami? What was the process like? What other teams were in on you and why were the Dolphins your final choice?) – “The process – I didn’t know how the free agency thing worked because this is my first rodeo, but I found out Miami had interest in me from the time everything opened up. I just had a great relationship with (Defensive Line Coach) Marion Hobby down there. He coached me for three years of college football and he developed me into the football player I am, so that made my decision easy to go down there because I know I have guys I’m familiar with. I’ve got Christian Wilkins down there. I’ve got Cordrea Tankersley. Tankersley was my roommate at Hargrave (Military Academy). We went to military school together, so I’ve just kind of got a relationship thing down there.”
(I wanted to know what your perception was of the 2019 Dolphins and how did that change as the year went on?) – “Oh, man. Those guys – the two times we played those guys – those guys played us hard. We got everything they’ve got. That was a young team, bringing in new guys. Down the last final stretch of the season, those guys were playing great ball and it was exciting to watch. (It was) a very young team, but (they were) going down there and doing a lot of special things.”
(How are you going to help contribute towards the Dolphins’ success?) – “I’m going to bring and edge and a fire to the defense. (I’m a) guy that’s going to bring the juice, a guy that’s going to set the edge (and a) guy’s that just going to be a hard-worker every day and hopefully bring something special to this team and to the city of Miami, and just be ready to play for you guys and for my teammates and all of the fans down there.”
(You mentioned, “set the edge.” For a few years down here in Miami, we’ve been repeating that question over and over again like why isn’t the edge being set? How can it be set better? Who can set it better? Can you kind of take me inside the game a little bit and help me understand what the key is to successfully do your job of setting the edge?) – “I just take pride in that. You always don’t want to get out of your gap and ever since I’ve been in the league, I’ve just taken pride in not letting nobody outrun (or) get past me in my gap, set the edge, creating a new line of scrimmage. If you create a new line of scrimmage and you get everybody going forward, TFLs (tackles for loss) and things like that happen. I feel like that was a part of my success last year, just setting the edge and setting a new line of scrimmage and big plays just coming to me on the back side of help from my teammates, getting those guys in plays, too. It’s a big part. You’ve got to think about it – it starts with the running game. In the NFL, if you get your run game going – if your run game is going in the NFL, it might be a long day of stopping the offense.”
Ereck Flowers – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
G Ereck Flowers
(Tell me what it means to you for you to be coming back to your hometown to play NFL football?) – “It means a lot. I grew up always wanting to play down here. Being able to play all three levels in Miami is a really special opportunity. I’m really excited and ready to get this thing started.”
(I know that there is a lot that has been written about how earlier in your career you were playing tackle and it didn’t go as well, then you got moved to guard. What about that switch helped you take off to where you were able to get a big contract?) – “I think the switch plays into a lot of my natural strengths. It really helped to have (Bill) Callahan make that switch. To make the switch with the best offensive line coach in the league, I think I was very fortunate in the situation and the timing and placement and all of that together. I’m just looking forward to taking those next steps and getting better.”
(Do you expect to play guard here in Miami, and if so, is left guard the position for you?) – “They haven’t gone into details. This whole thing – wherever they need me to play, I’ll play.”
(How have you been spending your time recently? There been kind of the lockdown, or stay at home, or whatever you want to call it. We know a lot of gyms are closed. How are you staying in shape? How are you occupying your time?) – “I actually have a Peloton and treadmill in my garage. I have equipment for drills. I have bungies, I’ve got dumbbells. I have pretty much everything. I have most of the things except for a squat rack. I’ve been occupying my time pretty well. Right now, I’m doing the best that I can do. Everything is closed. You can’t go anywhere. I can’t wait for this thing to be over, really. It’s been kind of boring”
(Are you in South Florida? Is that where you are hunkered down? And two, the coronavirus is pretty bad here. Do you know anyone who was affected by it?) – “I actually don’t. I’ve really been in the house every day. I really don’t want it. I’ve really been staying in the house as much as I can and washing my hands. I’ve been down here my whole life. Even when I was in New York, I’ve always been down here back home in the offseason. I’ve just been where I’ve always been, down here.”
(I know there has been talk about the offseason being shortened or canceled. I’m wondering how particularly with the guys in the trenches, a shortened or canceled offseason would impact the 2020 season?) – “I think the offseason is very important for people coming into the league, people going to new teams and people working with new coaches. I think that’s the most important part of the offseason. I think that’s the most important part of the offseason. I think that’s when this serves a huge purpose. It’s unfortunate really because if it’s canceled, you’re going into camp not really getting a chance to really go over your playbook. I don’t know how they’re going to handle that. Usually it’s a trial run before you get to the real deal. You get to know your calls, get to know who you’re playing with, what they like, what they like to do, techniques and using certain blocks. The o-line is different from a lot of positions because there are different variations of what you have to do and different places. That’s just in my experience. I think it’s not really ideal when you’re just getting to a place. If you’ve been to a place, maybe it will give you more time off for your body, maybe more time for recovery if you have injuries or surgery and all of that. There are different sides to it.”
(Speaking of offensive line, that’s been a position this organization has been trying to upgrade for a few years. In your experience, what are the two or three keys to successful offensive line play?) – “Preparation. And that’s from the coaches to the players, in both aspects – being on the same page and preparation. I would say putting the work in, really. Most of the o-line play is muscle memory. There are a whole bunch of things that come into it. I really learned this past year playing next to a Pro Bowl guard, seeing what he does and what he does for his preparation. This past year was my first time – this past year, I was on the line with such good players. You kind of see what makes them so good and what makes the room pretty good. There are a lot of things that go into that. I’d say preparation is the number one thing. Then it’s going out doing what you practiced, really. It’s one thing to practice and then go out there and actually do what you practiced.”
(Can you tell us a little bit about how you came to choose the Dolphins and how they chose you?) – “For me, I loved Washington. I loved being there. I loved my teammates. Their family bonded with my family, and I still talk to them to this day; but it was like playing for Miami was a chance for me to come home. It’s where I’m from, where I grew up and where I’ve been my whole life, and (to do it) at the pro level. For me, it was really kind of a tough choice; but I feel like it was the right choice as far as it’s what I’ve always dreamed of being able to do and where I always wanted to play. I’m just happy I get a chance to go out there and experience it.”
Kyle Van Noy – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
LB Kyle Van Noy
(What was it about Head Coach Brian Flores and the Dolphins that caused you to want to come here in free agency?) – “That’s an easy question to answer. Just, I respect him as a coach, what he brings to the table, what he’s all about on the field and off. As you guys have grown to know him a little bit better, I feel like you guys are getting a sense of how he is as a person and as a coach, and you probably kind of wish you could play for him if you played football. Just the type of attitude he has, the grit he has, the competitiveness he has. I mean, who doesn’t want to play for a coach like that? He’s ready to go all the time, and he brings that same energy each and every day. That’s what you want as a coach; and as a player, that’s who I want to play for.”
(You won a division title every year you were with the Patriots. The Dolphins haven’t won a division since 2008. Why do you think that’s going to change?) – “I’m not really focused on the past or thinking about the Patriots. I’m really just thinking about the Dolphins, and our goals are how they are each year. First, we want to just play the best team football as possible, and that starts with showing up on time, doing the little things over and over and focused on the first opponent. We can’t worry about championships, can’t worry about who’s doing what. What we can worry about is what the Dolphins are doing, and what we’re worried about as a team is getting everybody on the same page inside and out, top-down, and that starts with the owner and the owner is doing a great job with that. ‘Flo’ (Head Coach Brian Flores) is doing a great job with that, (General Manager Chris) Grier is doing a great job with that and the players are all following suit. So we’re excited for everyone being on the same page, tackling that one task at a time, and that’s going to be our first game and hopefully – if that’s the Patriots, it’s the Patriots, if it’s the Bills, it’s the Bills, or if it’s a different opponent, we’re going to be ready for them.”
(A related question – how much does QB Tom Brady’s relocation change the balance of power in the division? To what extent do you think the Patriots will still be the Patriots?) – “I think they’ll always be the Patriots with the kind of players they have up there. Obviously losing a quarterback is tough, but they still have a really good set of football players up there that love football, that are going to be hungry to prove to a lot of people that they’re still in it, and that’s what they do up there.”
(With your relationship with Head Coach Brian Flores and your intimate knowledge of the defense, what role do you see yourself playing on defense? Are you going to kind of be like a coach on the field, per se? And I wanted to ask you how far do you think this defense is away from stopping the likes of Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, some of the high-scoring quarterbacks in this league, who have gone on to play deep in the AFC playoffs?) – “Good question. I think really what we’re focused on right now is just getting everybody together. I’m excited to meet everybody, get into OTAs, if those happen; but if not, then I’m excited to jump into training camp and get to work. For me personally, I hope – I’m going to go off what the plan is for me. I feel (and) envision that I’ll be playing everywhere like I have been. I’ve said it before – I don’t really consider myself having a position. I don’t really like that. I don’t like being called a d-end or a linebacker or anything. I’m just a football player. You roll the ball out onto the field, I’m there. I’m showing up. That’s my job and I’m going to be about it all the time.”
(I just am curious because I know you and Head Coach Brian Flores were so close and you kind of stayed in touch. What was his reaction to you deciding on coming to Miami? What has he told you about what he’s trying to do here and how you can contribute to that?) – “I think what he told me is – obviously I’m going to keep that confidential. (laughter) I can’t give you the secrets, but I think he’s pretty excited. I’m pretty excited, and we’re going to do everything for the team. I’m definitely going to do that. I’ve done that since I’ve been in the NFL. That’s not going to change who I am. I’m just going to try to hopefully take a more leadership role because I’m going to be one of the more older players on this team, and I just hope I can help out the young guys – not just as football players, but as people, too. I just want them to – I hope I can show them the right way, how to be a professional because that’s what it’s all about.”
(How has the coronavirus affected you? Do you have any friends, family that have been affected by it, and how are you going to be able to keep yourself football ready for what seems to be a long slog here?) – “To my knowledge, no one in my family or anybody I’m close with I know of has gotten it. I’ve heard potential people have been around people that have gotten it, but nobody’s had symptoms of it. I still say my prayers to all of those that have been affected. I’ve seen all sorts of crazy things, and I feel bad for those that are being affected. We’re working – my wife and I are working on – as fast as possible to get in contact with people down in Miami to hopefully – our foundation, the Van Noy Valor Foundation – go down and help as much as we can because it’s a sad thing that we’re dealing with and I know we’ll push through. We’re going to come together. Staying in shape-wise, I actually still can get a workout in. There’s a ranch about 45 minutes away from me. No one’s there. Just I have access to it, and it’s pretty cool. So it’s just me and myself getting after it. There’s a hill I can run, and there’s some weights I can lift. There’s no one else around. It’s just me, myself and I. (laughter) But it’s good. I’m staying in shape, so I’m really happy about that. I’ve had offseasons where I’ve gotten too heavy for my own (good) and it’s not fun to lose a bunch of weight, so I’m definitely staying in shape.”
(I’m going to put you on the spot here. Your best Head Coach Brian Flores story that comes to mind?) – “Oh. (laughter) There’s a lot. I’ll share a good one. It was in New England. It was during practice, and he was the d-coordinator at the time, so it was in 2018, and it was one of those days where it was just a grind. Everyone was cranky. It was probably in December, so in December everyone starts to get cranky in New England because it gets cold (laughter) – something you guys don’t know about; but things weren’t happening at practice. He brought me and ‘High’ (Dont’a Hightower) over and kind of just said, ‘look. We’re just – we’re not just trying to be out here. We’ve got things to do.’ And I know it’s simple. That’s something simple to say, but it didn’t hit us until we got to the meeting because when we were watching the plays, he was like, ‘look at right here, we’re just not out here. We’re trying to get things done.’ Then in that game, that week – we fast forward it. It came to a time and a place where the play that he wasn’t happy about in that practice popped up in the game, and me and ‘High’ started laughing at each other because me and him both made a play on it, and we go to the sideline and we started laughing at him like, ‘look, we’re not out here…’ (laughter) We kind of did his little comment back to him, and he started laughing. That’s just a small story, but it’s a big story because he takes something that’s so small and is able to put it into football and relate it, and he’s really good with his players.”
(I don’t think I’ve ever interviewed someone wearing headphones before. What do you think of this technology and this way of doing part of the job?) – “I think it’s the way of the future, to be honest. I have my headphones on because I actually play video games. I’m on my desktop, so this is my gaming station. I didn’t want to switch up, take my headsets out. Then I would have to reconfigure all my stuff I took hours to do, so they’re staying on so you’ve just got to enjoy my headphones. (laughter) They’re pretty sweet. Shout out to Razer. They hooked it up.”
(Were you surprised that QB Tom Brady ultimately left New England?) – “No. Given the fact of 20 years, given the fact that he didn’t get a contract done beforehand. I just felt like there were too many other teams – it would be hard to pass up an opportunity he would get in free agency where you can make some money, and I feel like he got what he deserves. Things didn’t work out, and I hope the best for him. I think he’s going to be good in Tampa. I’m just glad he’s in the NFC, that’s for sure.”
(How can your strengths help the Dolphins this season?) – “I like that question. I feel like my versatility will be able to be a matchup problem for any coach because you never know where I’m going to line up and match up against; and then I feel like I can be a leader to this team. I just want to win at the end of the day. It’s funny, I tell all of my friends this: there’s nothing better than winning a 1 o’clock game and being at home at night watching the Sunday night game. Like, ‘man, I’m feeling good right now, we won,’ and gearing up for another week. That’s my whole mentality each week, is to get – whether it’s that Sunday night win or a 1 o’clock win – just that feeling when you get home that you put all you could in that week to have that feeling of, ‘oh man, we won at 1 o’clock. Let’s get it again another week.’”
Emmanuel Ogbah – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
DE Emmanuel Ogbah
(I wanted to ask you about how difficult it must have been for you to be a spectator during the Super Bowl because of your injury. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been.) – “Yeah, it was definitely tough watching them play, but I’m glad. I’m happy for my brothers. They went out there, did their thing. I still get a ring, so I’m excited about that; but it was actually a cool experience the whole Super Bowl. It was dope. I’m just glad I was a part of it, too.”
(How did the Dolphins happen for you? How did this come together and did it happen pretty quick?) – “Once free agency started, the Dolphins were on me hard. Other teams wanted me, too, and I just felt at home with the Dolphins because I’m always in South Florida because I train out here during the offseason, so I just felt wanted by the Dolphins and I’m excited to play for (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores. I can’t wait.”
(You played in a couple of different defenses in your career, but what do you feel like is your best fit on the defense? Do you like playing five-technique, do you like to stand up? Where do you feel like you make your biggest impact?) – “Personally, I think my biggest (impact) as an edge rusher, but I’m versatile enough to do a lot of things. That’s why Miami brought me in. I can rush inside. I can rush outside and just do my part to help the team win games. That’s why I’m here.”
(I wanted to ask you about the coronavirus. A two-part question here. No. 1, were you worried about it initially? No. 2, when you heard that some NBA players got it, did it make you feel a little bit more vulnerable?) – “I wasn’t worried about it when it first came out, but listening to the stories and talking to people about it, it just makes sense why people should stay indoors and try to avoid it because it’s definitely scary. Even though I’m a healthy guy – I don’t have a lot of respiratory problems. It’s just hard looking at that. People need to stay inside for their health and their well-being for the rest of their families; but it’s definitely hard seeing NBA players suffer from it, so that means anybody can get it. It definitely just made me extra cautious now.”
(We’re all finding different ways to do things right now. What do you think about using Zoom for interview sessions?) – “(laughter) There’s definitely a first for everything, but it’s cool. It’s a good way to interact with you guys if we can’t be there in person. It’s cool to meet you guys through, I guess Zoom, because this is my first time using Zoom ever.”
(You talked about being excited to play for Head Coach Brian Flores. What about him leads to that excitement? What is it that really attracted you to him and the Dolphins?) – “First of all, he’s definitely a defensive coach. (laughter) He inspires his players and he came from the Patriots, so he knows how to win. I’m just excited to come out here and do my part, help the team win, and I’m excited to get coached up by one of the best.”
(A two-part question. One, you’re in South Florida currently? And two, how are you going about staying in shape when everything is locked down?) – “Yes, I’m currently in South Florida, and I’m doing my best. I try to stay indoors as much as possible. If I have to go out, I’ll go out, grab some groceries if I’ve got to cook or something. But I’m doing my best – doing pushups, sit-ups, the regular stuff at home. The best I can do is try to avoid social gatherings.”
(I know your season got cut short by the pectoral injury. Where are you in your recovery at this point health-wise?) – “I got cleared about four or five weeks ago to do on-field activities now. That’s what I’m just trying to do right now. I can’t really technically do it, but I’m just trying to get on a bike and do some cardio work and just get my legs back on. I’m just trying to stay safe, trying to avoid this corona(virus) stuff going on. Like I said, I’m just getting ready.”
(I wanted to ask about one aspect of your game. You’ve had a lot of success batting down passes over the years. What do you attribute that to? What are you looking for when a play starts that might give you the opportunity to swat a pass down?) – “For me, it’s more so just instincts. You’ve just got to feel when the QB is about to throw the ball and immediately put your arm up. I also have some pretty long arms, so that definitely helps, too; but I feel like (it is) more of a feel thing to me.”
(How do you plan on learning this defense knowing that you may not have a lot of time to practice it or meet with the player and meet with the coaches, and what are some things you’re watching? What are you watching on Netflix, Hulu, playing a lot of video games – how else are you keeping busy?) – “I haven’t really gotten the playbook or whatnot, yet, and I’m just waiting on that; so as soon as I get that, I’m going to get started learning the basics. In my off time, when I have nothing to do, I just get on the game – play some Call of Duty on Xbox, play some Madden. Sometimes I watch Netflix, too, just to bide time.”
(I know you’re from Nigeria. I wanted to ask you about your Nigerian roots, and how often do you hear from people back about what you’re doing in the game and maybe how you’re being a role model for them?) – “It’s definitely tough because they can’t really watch me play. I guess they can watch online, but I know my dad is constantly posting stuff on Facebook about me, just interacting with my family back home. It’s cool. I was supposed to go down there this offseason, but the whole corona(virus pandemic) stopped me from going down there. My dad posts a lot of stuff. I call them, they call me, we talk. They say I’m inspiring a lot of people. I’ve just got to keep going, keep doing the best I can, keep doing what I do just to help bring light to where they’re at.”
(What are you most looking forward to this upcoming season?) – “Just doing my part to help the team win. I’m here to rush the passer. I’m here to make this team better. We’ve got a bunch of guys that were brought in this free agency, and we’re just ready to work. We’re just trying to put our head down and just keep working.”
(I was just wondering if you’ve spoken to DE Shaq Lawson and if you know Shaq at all since you guys were in the same draft.) – “Yeah, I spoke to him a little bit after I signed. I said, ‘hope you’re ready to work,’ because we just kind of clicked. He said, ‘yeah, I hope you’re ready to work.’ We’re just ready to get after it, to be honest.”
(Tell me about taekwondo. I read that you’re taking that up. Is that correct?) – “(laughter) No, I don’t think that’s me; but I do hand work with gloves and hand speed and all that; but no, I don’t really do taekwondo.”
Jordan Howard – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
RB Jordan Howard
(Why the Miami Dolphins? Why the decision for the Dolphins?) – “I just thought it was a good opportunity for me. I feel like this is an up-and-coming team. I’ve heard from people about the exciting things they are doing. I know a lot of people were trying to say they were trying to not be competitive last year but they beat a few good teams last year late in the season. I definitely feel like this is a team that’s on the rise.”
(I know you didn’t play in that game, but when Philadelphia played down here against Miami last year, what did you learn about the Dolphins in that game, and was it different from what you thought previously?) – “I learned that a lot of people were saying they weren’t trying most of the games and thought it was going to be an easy win for teams when they play the Dolphins but they showed that they had a lot of fight, because they could’ve given up at some point in that game and let the Eagles back into that game, but they just kept fighting and fighting and they pulled it out. I definitely feel like the heat down here will help us against teams.”
(When you were in negotiations with the Dolphins, did they give any assurances as to what your role would be? Do you see yourself or have they told you that you would be the featured back?) – “No, we didn’t talk about my role or anything like that. I’m just going to come in and be the best teammate that I can and be whatever they need me to be.”
(I’m just curious how you and other athletes are doing with coronavirus and things that are going on. How are you guys staying in shape and prepare for training camp and things like that when you can’t even go out and travel? I know a lot of the players travel to different parts of the country for training.) – “It’s definitely been difficult. A lot of the places people are training have been shut down. A lot of gyms have been shut down. For me, I’ve just been doing a lot of running. I haven’t really been in the weight room, so I’ve just been running outside mostly.”
(How would you describe your running style?) – “I’d describe my running style as rugged, pretty physical. I like to make the defenders feel me. I’d rather hit them than them hit me. I definitely try to make them quit, that way by the fourth quarter, they don’t really want to tackle.”
(How’s your health at this point? I know you suffered a shoulder injury last year, are you back to 100 percent?) – “Yeah, I’m back to 100 percent now. It took a while, but I’m finally back to being 100 percent and can’t wait to get back to playing football.”
(How much experience do you have being on Zoom meetings, particularly being that you are the leader of the meeting, and what do you think of it?) – “I like Zoom. I did it a few times earlier. When I was finishing my degree last year, I had to do a few Zoom meetings. So, I’m kind of familiar with it.”
(You weren’t able obviously to take visits during free agency. How much harder did that make your decision when this was all going down?) – “I don’t really feel like it was a hard decision because I’m just here to play football. I don’t really care how the facilities look or anything like that. That didn’t really have an impact on my decision.”
(When I watch you play, what I see is toughness and determination. I’m kind of wondering if you can take me inside to where you get that from – that mindset, your history. Where does those elements come from?) – “The more I played, I felt like that was the best style for me. That’s what works best for me. I’m not a make-you-miss guy. I can make people miss sometimes, but that not really my game. I stick to what I know. I’ve always just loved watching Marshawn Lynch run. The way he ran, the way he fought for every yard, he made it a struggle for the defenders to bring him down.”
(I was looking at some of your numbers. You were top five in rushing touchdowns and rushing yards since you’ve been in the league. What do you think about the value of opportunity and do you think that this provide an opportunity for you to be the guy that you’ve shown throughout your career?) – “I’m not sure about the opportunity. I’m just trying to come in here and do whatever role. I’m never scared of competition. Competition makes everyone better, so I embrace completion.”
(Where are you riding all of this coronavirus out? Are you at home? Where is home? Are you in isolation? It’s got to be tough. I know it is for us, to be stuck in the house all day.) – “Yeah, I’m in Aventura in isolation. At least I’m in good weather right now.”
(What do you think about free agency as an opportunity for teams to get better? The Dolphins obviously signed a bunch of guys including you. What do you think about that?) – “I definitely feel like free agency along with the draft is a good opportunity for teams to improve, to find players they feel will fit their system, especially with new coaches. They don’t always get to pick as soon as they get there. I feel like this is a chance for (Head) Coach (Brian) Flores to mold the team into his image.”
(I know there has been talk about maybe a shortened offseason, maybe it’s OTAs or minicamp. How do you think that will impact players having a season if you didn’t have those spring and summer workouts?) – “I don’t think it would impact the current players. I think it will impact more the rookies. They have a bigger learning curve for them because they won’t get that physical time. They won’t be able to go through those reps and things like that to build a routine. I feel like that’s who it would impact the most.”
(How have you been able to maintain your conditioning during the coronavirus?) – “I’ve just been doing a lot of cardio and a lot of running. I haven’t been doing too many weights, but I’ve definitely been getting a lot of running in.”
(I’m wondering how bizarre this offseason has been for you. I know you’ve covered the coronavirus thing; but just all things considered, how bizarre has this whole offseason been for you?) – “It’s been pretty chill for the most part until the coronavirus started hitting. Other than that, it’s been pretty chill, pretty simple, pretty much the same. The coronavirus has made things pretty weird.”
Byron Jones – March 26, 2020
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Thursday, March 26, 2020
CB Byron Jones
(Two quick questions – what was it that brought you at the end of the day here to Miami and how excited are you to work with a guy like CB Xavien Howard?) – “What really brought me to Miami was the idea of joining a young team and being a leader on that team and kind of being a catalyst for cultural change and helping this team win. They’ve got a bunch of ballers on that roster and really with the prospect of drafting a lot of dope players, and we’ve also brought in a bunch of different free agents across the league. I wanted to be a part of the building of something special and more than anything, just being that guy – a guy that people look up to in the locker room to lead them in the right direction, really. I’m looking forward to playing with all my teammates, but especially to play across from another guy who’s a top-tier corner. I think that’s going to be a cool little duo for us.”
(I know Head Coach Brian Flores likes to play a lot of man-to-man defense. How does that fit with what you want to do?) – “Yeah, I love – that’s one of the things that really made me fall in love with the game all over again; one, changing from safety to corner, but then just having someone in front of me every play. I love that. I love competing every single play. Even if the ball’s not thrown to my side, I’m cool with that. Being a long, strong corner – I can move pretty well, I can change directions pretty well – I think that’s going to bode well if we’re playing a lot of man.”
(I understand there were a number of teams involved in free agency. I think the Eagles were one of them. How did Miami win that race?) – “Like I said earlier, it was just the prospect of being a part of a team that’s building and going in the right direction. I like the young roster and I like the coach, so for me it was just a good fit.”
(You mentioned CB Xavien Howard earlier. What does having two Pro Bowl-type corners on one team do to a quarterback? What problems are you guys expecting to cause?) – “The most important part is just really having no weak links, and that’s what we’re trying to create in our defensive secondary and really the entire team, is to build a team where there are no weaknesses, where we can just guard up. We can create matchups that are difficult for receivers and quarterbacks. We’ve seen throughout the league, receivers are getting better and better. Quarterbacks are getting better and better. Teams don’t have just one good receiver. They have multiple. They have good tight ends, good running backs, so we just want to be able to match up to some of the best assets and just disrupt that as much as we can.”
(Obviously you’ve been graded as one of the best cover corners in the whole league for a few years now. It’s always brought up that you only have two interceptions in your career. What are some of the things that you think have contributed to that?) – “Man, I have no clue. It’s a joke, the fact that I haven’t had an interception in two years. It’s bizarre. (laughter) But it doesn’t bother me in any way. It’s just one of those things you work on in the offseason (and) during the season and when it comes, you’ve got to be ready. In 2018, I had a ball hit in the back of the head and that was kind of embarrassing. In 2019, that didn’t happen in 2019, so I am getting better. (laughter) Slowly but surely, I am getting better; but I’ve been working on ball skills all day long, and that’s just something that – surprisingly I do have good ball skills, but it just needs to show up on game days. We’re working on that.”
(You’re obviously from Connecticut, the New York area. Do you have family still there? How are they dealing with coronavirus? It’s obviously one of the biggest hotspots in the world.) – “I’m not from New York. I’m from Connecticut, and they are staying inside like everybody else. (laughter)”
(I wonder how many Zoom interview sessions you’ve done and what your reaction to this is?) – “This is my second one. I had an interview with – not really an interview, just talking to a friend. He wanted to show me the app, I guess, but it’s neat. You see, I guess I’ve got a little background here so you’re not looking in my house. It’s just a bizarre situation that we’re all in, but we’re all in it together, so hopefully we can collectively understand how important the situation is and understand to stay inside and not to spread this virus. Maybe in a couple weeks, but that’s – man, that’s life. Let’s figure it out.”
(I’m curious what you had heard about Head Coach Brian Flores before the process and then maybe what you learned about him during the last couple of weeks or months.) – “I haven’t had a chance to actually meet him in person, but talking with him on the phone after I signed – just, he’s a young coach and I love that. He’s got young energy. I hear he’s intense and he likes to create competitive scenarios, competitive situations. That’s just something that I like and I wanted to be a part of. I’ve heard a lot of good things about him throughout the league. I spoke to a couple of coaches and players throughout the whole process and they had nothing but good things to say about him. That’s exciting for me, just to be on a team that he’s leading.”
(You were the first signing by the Dolphins, I believe, in this free agency period. What did you think as they went on – they signed LB Kyle Van Noy, for instance, and then they DE Shaq Lawson, etc. What were your thoughts as the day progressed?) – “Yeah, we’ve got some ballers. No question about that. You combine the new talent with the talent that was already on the team and you combine it with the new talent we’re going to get in the draft, and we’re going to have some ballers. Now the challenge is putting it together and being consistent and winning games in this league, which is very hard to do; but no, it’s exciting to see a lot of good players come from different teams. We all come from different backgrounds. That’s the beauty of football, so there shouldn’t be any issues working together with these guys. I’ve talked to a couple of them already. We’re ready to get the thing started.”
(What changes for you with the money?) – “Personally?”
(Your role on the team, your expectations, personally, anything.) – “One thing my coach – his name is Kris Richard, and he’s really one of the big reasons why I moved to corner and why I was a Pro Bowl player – is approach things as if it’s a championship. So championship preparation in practice, in life, the way you eat. If this was a practice leading up to Super Bowl, how are you going to prepare for that practice, prepare for that game? So really, my mindset is regardless of if I’m getting paid $1 million or $13 million. It doesn’t change for me. I’m always going to practice and prepare to my best abilities. To me, that’s what’s consistent of being a part of – the good players in this league, we don’t change based on outside circumstances. There’s something internal in a player that says, ‘hey, I have certain standards I’m not going to deviate (from them) no matter what’s going on.’ Me, being an older guy now, I have to step up to a leadership position. Just not leading by example, but leading through being vocal and talking to the team and making sure the young guys are doing the right thing. That’s what I’m excited for.”
(I know that Dallas obviously drafted you and groomed you. Do you think that their situation with QB Dak Prescott and WR Amari Cooper impacted you not getting much interest from them in that perspective?) – “I don’t think so. One thing that the Dallas Cowboys do a really good job at is drafting good young players, and they have a whole bunch of good corners on that team – no question about that – and those guys will be just fine without me. But they believe strongly in the way they draft and they’ve shown over the years they draft some freaking ballers no matter (if it is the) first round, seventh round, guys in between. They draft and develop really good players, so I don’t think the Dak and Amari’s situation had any effect on me. I think it’s their confidence in the people that they have on the roster now and who they’re going to get in the draft hopefully.”
(I’m wondering how many times you’ve broad jumped since the world record.) – “(laughter) It’s funny, so never like an official – we do it during training around this time of the year. We’ll do it in April and May. It’s like a plyometric, I guess, so we’ll do like broad jumps back-to-back-to-back-to-back just to build the muscles up and just more for explosion, just for workout; but I’ve never actually gotten on a line and measured how far I jump. That was a one-time deal, man. That’s it. (laughter)”
(I know you sort of touched on this earlier, but I’m wondering when you started free agency, what were your priorities? What did you want aside from money, from a team that would sway you to sign with that team?) – “Really, it’s just the team – how the team makeup is. To me, it’s where they’re going and what direction are they going into? I had good opportunities to join different teams at different stages of their – I don’t know – their winning cycle? But I love the prospect of joining a team that’s on the come-up. That was exciting for me, and seeing the guys that the Dolphins have been able to collect over the past couple of weeks and the guys that they already have on the roster and obviously the guys that they’re going to get in the draft. To me, that’s exciting, and that was one of the big things. Football is a grind. No matter how much you’re getting paid, it is hard, so you want to be in a good locker room, a good situation with good teammates, good coaches; and you want to win games. That’s the only thing that makes this game easy – not easy, but it makes it do-able for 20-24 weeks depending on how far you go in the season. That’s what’s most important to me. It just, who you’re around, what’s the culture and where do you see the team going.”
(How do you feel about playing for Miami and what is one key attribute that you have that will help this team?) – “I am fired up to play for Miami. This is a young team that’s going in the right direction, and the thing that I can bring to this team is leadership and also good man coverage. That’s one thing I’m excited (about), is to play with this defensive style. We’re going to match up, we’re going to have some fun, put people in different spots so they can be successful and that’s what I’m looking most forward to.”
