Mike Gesicki – December 1, 2019 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 1, 2019
Postgame – Philadelphia
TE Mike Gesicki (transcribed by Ken Mendonça)
(You and WR Devante Parker kind of put on a clinic with the jump balls today out there. Is that something on the sideline you noticed, the mismatches maybe in size?) – “DeVante started it off. He’s been playing great all year. I couldn’t be more happy for his because he’s taken a lot of criticism that he didn’t deserve in the past and he’s been making a ton of plays, so I’m really happy for him. ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) does a phenomenal job just putting the ball up and giving you a chance. Like I’ve always said, when you’re given your opportunity, you have to go make a play.”
(How cool was watching K Jason Sanders’ touchdown from the sideline?) – “Oh, man. We’ve been practicing that for two months. We were like, ‘Are we going to call it? Are we going to call it?’ And then we called it, and I’m like, ‘Oh man.’ He flicked it to him, and I mean, that was awesome. I think that that’s a credit to (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny (Crossman) and his play calling as a special teams coach. He’s been aggressive all year. I’m just happy for Matt (Haack) and Jason and the whole special teams crew to make plays like that.”
(You’ve got a touchdown streak now.) – “I’m not talking about it. (laughter) I’m just focusing on my job and continuing to follow my routine and continue to work hard and hopefully good things will follow.”
(Can you tell us what happened on the touchdown?) – “You know, it’s funny, I was talking to ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) after that. I said, ‘We’ve been running that play since OTAs and never once have I gotten the ball on that play.’ It was a play that I kind of knew I had a shot on, he scrambled out and just put in the back of the end zone and I was able to go up and get it.”
DeVante Parker – December 1, 2019 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 1, 2019
Postgame – Philadelphia
WR DeVante Parker (transcribed by Anthony Gutierrez)
(How great did it feel to win considering it was a career day for you, 159 yards and two touchdowns?) – “It felt great. I’m still here. I know I still have the ability to make plays and do whatever I can to help the team.”
(The team has won three of five, three wins in the last five games. How do you think that aligns with the world’s expectations of this team?) – “I think they got it wrong. This team fights. When we’re down, we’re going to fight. We’re going to fight regardless, no matter what the score is. That’s how we are.”
(Career highs in touchdowns, receiving yards. You’re closing in on 1,000 now. Those numbers that are important to you, at least 1,000, right?) – “It doesn’t matter to me, as long as we get the win. As long as we win, I’m fine with that.”
(If you were going to name a few people that you wanted to give credit too, obviously you are having a very good season. So for this season, who are a couple of people that you would say, “they helped me out,” coach, player, anybody?) – “The whole Dolphins organization. They gave me another chance. They didn’t have to sign me back, but they did.”
Jason Sanders – December 1, 2019 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 1, 2019
Postgame – Miami Dolphins
K Jason Sanders (transcribed by Paola Argueta)
(The first time the coaches drew up the play and you were about to line up at practice, you were thinking what?) – “I loved it. How often do you get to see a kicker touchdown or even a punter throwing to the kicker? I think that’s the unique part. ”
(What is going through your mind when they are calling the play and as you’re running it?) – “So they call and everything just happens so fast. I got set outside and they were giving us the look we were looking for. I knew the ball was going to be snapped and right when he said ‘set,’ I was like ‘All right, it’s on. Let’s go.’”
(From what you saw, you were confident that there was no way this wasn’t going to work?) – “It’s all based on what they are going to do. We were just banking on them doing this so we could do that. Matt (Haack) did a good job. He held onto the ball as long as he could and once I got off, he got it to me.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick – December 1, 2019 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 1, 2019
Postgame – Philadelphia
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Did you see this coming, ending this way after the first two series of the game?) – “(Head) Coach (Brian Flores) said start fast all week and we did the exact opposite. (laughter) You know what though, this – we’ve been such a resilient bunch. I think in winning the two games in a row and then having some bad games, the one thing, especially down 28 in Cleveland or whatever it was, the thing we took out of that game, the positive was there’s no quit in our team and that was definitely evident today. I think hats off to DeVante Parker for the display he put on out there today. That was special. He made some really big plays and that really got us going. When you’re throwing to a guy like that that’s making plays like that, it’s easy to play quarterback. So, he did a great job and made my job a little bit easier today.”
(You were getting pretty beat up early in the game. It seemed like you were getting hit every time you threw the ball. How were you able to get through that and find some ways to start getting the ball down field and making those plays?) – “I think in the second half we got some drives going. I think we tired them out a little bit just being able to sustain some drives and not have some three-and-outs or some quicker series. The guys up front, they stepped up. We got the ball out a little bit quicker sometimes. But that’s going to happen. That’s a football game right there where there’s going to be ebbs and flows and there’s times as a quarterback you’re going to be getting hit. And guys are always looking at me in the huddle, so I’ve got to make sure that whether it’s affecting me or not, I got to make sure that it doesn’t look like it’s affecting me, because sometimes those hits hurt a little bit. (laughter) But it was all good today. It was a much nicer second half.”
(WR DeVante Parker and TE Mike Gesicki made some big plays, but you’ve got a rookie in RB Patrick Laird who really came in and gave you guys a big boost.) – “He did. He did a great job and made a few guys miss on some shorter throws. He had a couple nice runs, got a touchdown. The catch that he made on the two-point conversion, he ran a great route (and made a) great catch. I think he was a guy that is slowly showing us that we can really rely on him in doing the different things that he does well. He caught a couple screens today and had some nice run after catches. I was proud of the way that Patrick played today.”
(Which WR DeVante Parker reception impressed you the most?) – “I didn’t see a couple of them; but the one, the tightrope one down the sideline where he scored, I didn’t think there was any way he kept his feet in. That was amazing. I’m assuming the Hail Mary down the left sideline that I threw was pretty amazing, too. We talk about him, or I talk about him, every week as just being a consistent, reliable guy that he really got it going today and really fueled us as an offense. He wanted that ball on every play.”
(Do these catches surprise you ever at this point?) – “Out of (Parker)? Not at all. Even through OTAs and everything else, he made a lot of those catches. The physical talents that he has along with his mentality today after he made that first one was he was going to go up and get every ball. It was really impressive and fun to be on his team today.”
(Down 28-14 to a team that is right in the thick of the playoff chase. Everyone is “Okay, the Eagles just pull away and win.” Talk to me about the heart and soul of this football team we found out today to come back on a good team like this down 14 points.) – “On offense we got into a good rhythm. Our defense really stepped up and it was the complementary football. The touchdown by the special teams was amazing. Just a cool play. But I think we all stumbled a little bit in our different phases, but then we really all stepped up and came together and played well in the second half when we had to. I think it speaks volumes for this team. All year, the way that we’ve stayed at it and haven’t flinched and all those clichés you could throw out, that’s what this team is. That’s a pretty rewarding win to be down like we were and to not have anybody on the sideline thinking that we weren’t going to be able to come back. The way we did it in the second half, it was fun to be a part of.”
(When you saw that formation in practice, P Matt Haack to K Jason Sanders, and you watch it and you watch them go through it, you think what? What goes through your head?) – “(Special Teams Coordinator) Danny Crossman is crazy. (laughter) Like what is he dreaming up? This is the NFL. (laughter) Like, that’s not – that doesn’t happen. And I saw – they worked on it multiple times, so we had seen it, but for it actually to be called in a game, I didn’t think it would ever be called in a game. But (it was) pretty cool – pretty cool that it worked.”
(How would you grade P Matt Haack’s quarterbacking?) – “It was like a flick, right? (laughter) It was like – it worked. That pass was a lot better than mine, the play before. (laughter)”
(After the last two games stumbling along there, it seemed things were going south. How does Head Coach Brian Flores keep you guys to the point where you come back and play a game like this after the last two games you played?) – “I think he’s just stayed on message, stayed steady. Like I said, the Cleveland game where we came back and obviously didn’t come back all the way, but I think that shows the fight in this team, the fight in these guys. For as much turmoil and things that have gone on, our locker room has really stuck together and these are the really satisfying wins right here where you have to do it on the field, you have to stick together, you have to overcome a bunch of obstacles and injuries and whatever else happens and go out there and play together. I think it was a good lesson for everybody.”
(A lot of the 3-9 teams are counting the days until the offseason. It seems like maybe that isn’t the case with this team.) – “Yeah. I mean I’ve got plenty of time to sip on Mai Tais. (laughter) I would rather be out here playing football.”
(Are you interested to see what these team can do in the last month?) – “I’m just excited to go out there and play. I think that’s been kind of our mantra all year and we’ve got a bunch of fighters on our team, so it’s fun to be out there in the huddle with them.”
(What impact do you think Head Coach Brian Flores had on how you guys play?) – “Well again, I think just his steadiness. He really has been consistent. He’s consistent in how hard he works every single day and that trickles down to the staff, the hours that they put in and the work that they put in to get us ready and prepared for these games and then the work that we put in in practice. It starts with him and trickles down to everybody else. I think his work ethic and steadiness and consistency, those are all things that he’s done a great job with this year.”
(Your passes, your connection with WR DeVante Parker, you mentioned that earlier, but some of those throws are you just throwing, I don’t want to say it’s like playground, but you’re throwing them up, you know he has a one-on-one saying, “You go win?”) – “Yeah. Sometimes when it’s one-on-one, one thing that I’ve always done in my career is I’m going to give my playmakers a chance to make plays. And that’s – we have got some really talented guys. DeVante is a really talented player and I want to give him the opportunity to show off his talent. It wasn’t because of one corner or the other or anything, it was because I believe in DeVante Parker, and he really came through today.”
Brian Flores – December 1, 2019 (Postgame)
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Sunday, December 1, 2019
Postgame – Philadelphia
Head Coach Brian Flores
(On today’s win) – “We played 60 minutes. This team went and competed. That’s a good team we beat. That’s a really good team. They got a lot of good players; they got good coaches. It was a tough game we just played. We played well today, and it was a total team effort – offense, defense, special teams. We played for 60 minutes, this team – they compete and I’m proud of this team. I just told them I’m thankful to be the head coach of this team, this organization. I’m proud of that group.”
(You guys have had second-half issues earlier in the season. What did you see in your team when you were down 28-14?) – “I think there’s been a lot of growth over the course of the season. I think that’s something that we struggled with and we talked – early in the season we’ve talked about building, improving on a week-to-week basis, really, in all areas. I think it showed this afternoon. So we went in, talked about playing a 60-minute ball game at halftime. They came out, put a score on the board early. But this team doesn’t get down, they compete. We know how to deal with adversity. They turn things around quickly. Offensively we moved the ball. DeVante (Parker) played well, Mike (Gesicki) played well, (Ryan) Fitzpatrick played well. I thought blocking, we had struggles blocking them early but we got that under control, to a degree. I mean, again, they’ve got really good rushers, and I think players win games. That’s really what it boils down to. Players win games and they went out there and made plays in the second half. I thought (Offensive Coordinator) Chad (O’Shea) called a great game. I thought (Defensive Coordinator) Pat (Graham) made adjustments defensively, and we were able to – look, they had it going for a while. We kind of got things under control in the second half, I would say. I thought Pat and Chad did a good job, and then (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny (Crossman) always does a good job – well they all always do a really good job, I should say.”
(What would you say about your team collectively – like you mentioned coaches and players – being able to bounce back after the first quarter, after falling down two touchdowns to start the second half?) – “That’s something that good teams, they have to do that. There’s adversity every week in this league, there’s ebbs and flows. We’ve talked about that really every week and every game. You can’t get too high, can’t get too low. We’ve got to stay even. This team’s learned how to do that. And we’ve got to string good plays together. I think we played with more consistency from the fundamentals, the technique standpoint. Those guys went out and made plays. So, again, players win games. I give all the credit to the guys in that locker room and our coaching staff. They did a good job of putting guys in position to make those plays.”
(Can you take us through the P Matt Haack to K Jason Sanders touchdown please?) – “It’s just a fake we have worked on for a few weeks and we felt like that was a good time to run it, and it gave us a spark. Obviously, that one worked and it gave us a lot of momentum. They don’t all work, obviously. So it’s something we practiced and we executed it well and I thought it was – check Haack’s passer rating. I think it’s pretty good. (laughter)”
(Was it supposed to be an underhand pass?) – “Just get it there. (laughter)”
(There probably weren’t many people that thought this would happen, didn’t give you much of a chance today. How was your team able to go down and continue to fight back, they score, you come back, and then you scored on six straight possessions – five touchdowns and a field goal. How were you able to keep coming back?) – “It’s a team of fighters. This is – we compete. I think that’s something that we talk about day after day after day. It’s something we’ve talked about since April 1st when the first group of guys got here. We’re going to compete, we’re going to fight, we’re going to give great effort, we’re going to try to be a tough, smart, disciplined football team. That’s what you need if you’re going to come back – really, if you want to play in this league at a good level against good competition like we had out there today, that’s what you need.”
(What you can you say about your team being able to buy into that in your first season and doing that and not backing down or quitting? What would you say about that?) – “That’s a room full of guys who, they’re not going to back down from anybody. It’s not always going to go our way. I think we have learned that this year; but we’re just going to keep swinging and that’s it.”
(Was this the ultimate moment for your quarterback, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, today – was this his crowning moment as far as what he’s done for this football team, what he did out there today for you?) – “He played well. He’s played very well. He played well today; but it’s everyone. I thought the offensive line blocked well after that first quarter; we had some struggles. I think our receivers went up and made some catches. I thought the backs broke some tackles and got some yards after contact. But, yeah, ‘Fitz’ leads the way and he did a good job there. I think the entire team feeds off of that in all areas – offense, defense and obviously, special teams as well.”
(How would you describe the game that WR DeVante Parker had and the lift he gave the team?) – “He played great. In a lot of ways, he carried us in that first half and went up and made some great catches. Those are the plays, those 50/50 balls, and he’s really made those plays the entire year. Again, I’m proud to be the head coach of this team, I’m proud to coach DeVante, and really everyone in that locker room. He’s really played consistently, and I think it starts with the way he prepares – the way he prepares on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, really the entire week. I think a lot of the guys are preparing the right way and we’ll continue to do that — that’s the process. The results are the by-product of that process, and when guys continue to be consistent in the process, hopefully good things happen.”
(Which of WR DeVante Parker’s catches impressed you the most?) – “Well, the catch that impressed me the most was the onside kick by Sherels at the end. (laughter) Let’s start right there. DeVante, he made a lot of grabs that were – I mean, the touchdown, the grab where he kind of toe-tapped the sideline. I mean every one of them was good, so I like them all.”
(You talked a little bit about the trust that Ryan has, he’s built now with WR DeVante Parker and now TE Mike Gesicki, where he can just put the ball up there and let them go up after it and make a play.) – “DeVante’s made a lot of plays over the course of the last, let’s call it 6-8 weeks – really the entire year. So you build that trust, quarterback to receiver, and when you see the coverage or an opportunity there, then you take a shot. And ‘Fitz,’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) he knows that. He’s looking for them and DeVante’s coming through for him. But it’s, there’s a lot of things at play there. The offensive line has to block, the running backs and tight ends in protection, everybody running their route correctly to get to the point where we can actually make a throw. There was instances early where we couldn’t get the ball off, so we put the whole thing together. It’s always a team game, and I thought we played as a team today and we played that way for 60 minutes.”
(Is it fair to say that this is the best game that your team has played so far?) – “I would have to look at the film. There’s always some things that you don’t like; but yeah, I think we played well. We played for 60 minutes. That’s what it was. We played for 60 minutes. We made mistakes, we got down, we went up, and we dealt with the highs and the lows of the game and we played a good 60-minute team football game, and that’s how you need to play in this league to win ball games.”
(The last couple weeks it kind of looked like the wheels were starting to come off this team a little bit. How were you able to get them back on and get this team confident enough to go in and do what they did this afternoon?) – “I think – we talked about it. I’m all about transparency. I thought the last two weeks – we had played fairly well the few weeks before that and why – we talked as a staff. We sit and say, ‘hey, let’s try to figure out what we’re doing that’s gotten us to not play as well as we did earlier in the year.’ And we talk about it with the players and we talked about just playing consistently, good fundamentals, good technique, playing together, playing as a team, dealing with the ebbs and flows of the game. I think this team, we think being down doesn’t really – we feel like we can come back. There’s some confidence that we can come back and that’s a good thing. I think we showed that today.”
(With a win like this, how encouraged are you for this final stretch coming up?) – “I’m encouraged, but every week’s different and every week’s got its own set of – every team, there’s strengths and weaknesses. So next week we’ll be ready for the Jets and that will be another tough game on the road. But, yeah, I think hopefully there’s some momentum, but every week is different. We’ve got to build momentum throughout the week with our weekly process, which is Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – that process that we have gone through. So we’ll enjoy this one. I want the players to enjoy it. It’s hard to win in this league. And momentum, it’s fleeting in this league. It really is. It’s just kind of – it is. So we have to re-create that momentum every week.”
Brian Flores – November 29, 2019
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Friday, November 29, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(We saw that WR Albert Wilson and WR Allen Hurns obviously were limited this week. Do you expect them to play Sunday and do you think you need to give any thought to bringing another receiver to the 53-man roster if they can’t?) – “We’re still kind of working through that. We’ll make that determination tomorrow obviously. As far as bringing somebody up, those guys – like you mentioned both Allen and Albert – working to get back, have been able to practice to some degree, but both (are) definitely doing everything they possibly can to play in the game. They’re both tough – tough guys who want to get out there and help their teammates in what’s going to be a tough game.”
(How prepared is WR Isaiah Ford to contribute to this team? I know he played early this season and Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea said he’s one of the guys who’s more versed in terms of playing all three positions. Where is he in the development?) – “He’s gone in and been productive in games this year. I think he’s a guy who prepares as well as anyone on this team. Like you said and like Chad said – and I’ll echo what Chad said – he can play all positions. That versatility allows him to really go into a game and play where we want him to play or if we have an injury or a guy gets tired or needs a blow, he can go in and really fill in any spot. He’s a good player. When he goes in there, I would say he’s dependable, reliable and a lot of times finds his way open. (We’ve) been very pleased with him.”
(How was QB Josh Rosen’s practice week?) – “Good. It was. He had a good week. I would say he had a good week. He’s making progress and he’s in early, he’s studying, he’s going through his practice clips, his practice plays, going through his progression, trying to get the ball out quickly, trying to make the right reads, taking shots when he can take shots. I think this week in the Carson Wentz role, I thought that was good for him and kind of going through what they do offensively. I thought it was good for him, and he had a good week.”
(What have you liked about CB Ryan Lewis since you’ve gotten him?) – “He’s tough, he’ll tackle, he’s smart, he’s reliable and he loves to play; so all characteristics that we want in a Dolphin. He’s made a couple plays for us. When things don’t go his way, he just – he’s got a short memory, I would say. That’s a good thing. You need that at that position – you really need that at all positions – so I’ve been pleased with him.”
(With the offensive line, G Shaq Calhoun is obviously in there and he’s going to get an opportunity to start, I assume. What do you hope to see from a development standpoint from a young player like him?) – “Really every player – we’ve got a young team – so we want every guy to go in, or to come in every day with the same temperament. We want them to come in and work the same every day. That consistency is really what we’re looking for, but you wouldn’t be in this league if you couldn’t make a play or make a block or make a tackle. You wouldn’t be in this league. The fact that they’re sitting in those seats means that they’re talented. In this league it’s about consistency, so that’s what we talk about on a daily basis. Are you consistent in meetings, walkthrough, practice? That consistency will show itself in games. That’s what we want out of every player, specifically young players who really don’t – it’s their first time around – they don’t know what they don’t know. We’ve got to teach them how to be professionals. We’ve got to teach them what it takes to be successful in this league, and I think that’s what we asked of Shaq (Calhoun) and really all the young players. I think he’s done a good job of that. There’s going to be ups and downs for every player, and it’s an ongoing process. He’s got really an opportunity every day. At the end of the day, he’s judged on his production in games, like we all are. To me, in order to be successful in games, you’ve got to have a good process throughout the week, and we try to teach that and teach them how to go through that process; but at the end of the day it’s up to the player. It’s up to the player to put in some extra work, put in the work we ask them to do, but then also put in some extra work. I think Shaq’s done that. I think a lot of our players have done that. Hopefully they see the benefits.”
(With CB Ken Webster, is he at the point where he can get back in games?) – “He’s close and we’ll see. This will close. I think he’s done everything to get himself back. I think he’s getting to where we’ll see him soon. Will it be this Sunday? It’ll be close.”
Brian Flores – November 28, 2019
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Thursday, November 28, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(DE Taco Charlton – what did you like what you saw in him in those limited snaps last week and do you expect him to rev it up come this week?) – “He’s working his way back. I thought he had some good plays. I thought he had some plays he could improve on, but it was good to get him out there and I thought he really did a nice job working his way back and playing through some pain; so that’s a good thing and he’s getting better every day. Hopefully we’ll get him back out there this week and see some more improvement.”
(What is your philosophy as a coach when it comes to players going for individual accolades – Pro Bowl, All-Pro, things like that? Do you want them to strive for that or is it always team-first?) – “It’s always team-first. I think what I always tell those guys is – or just all players – do a good job of communication, do a good job with your fundamentals, do a good job with your technique, do a good job playing team football and let your talent show itself on the field. I think if you play consistently, if you play smart, tough, physical football; then you’ll make a lot of plays and the rest of that, those things – you get those accolades; but I think the team, I’m always going to want us to put the team first and I think we have a group of guys who do that. We don’t have a bunch of individuals who are just looking for their own stats or fame. I think we have guys who really are bought into helping this team win games and helping this team improve and get better on a daily basis.”
(Do you have a couple of guys who you feel are under the radar? Would you be comfortable lobbying for them and if so, is there anyone you’d like to single out?) – “I’m more interested in the team – the Dolphins – than one player. You need 11 guys out there. Another thing based – I want to talk about this conversation – nobody can make a play without the 10 other guys. If you’re a receiver, it’s hard to get any stats as a receiver if somebody doesn’t throw you the football. It’s hard to get any stats running the football if somebody doesn’t block. It’s hard to get an interception if you have no pass rush. It’s hard to get a bunch of sacks if you don’t have guys covering. I know there’s individual stats and accolades; but in a team game like this, at the end of the day, in a lot of instances, someone or a group of people helped you get your stats, your accolades, your whatever that is. At the end of the day, if you go out there one-on-one against 11 guys on Philly, it may not work out for you. It’s a team game. I guess that’s my thoughts on that.”
(What has stood out to you about DT Davon Godchaux in your first year working with him?) – “He’s big, physical. He’s a talented player. He’s got some real leadership to him. He’s a smart player. He loves to play. I’ve been very pleased with him.”
(You mentioned earlier in the season that DT Christian Wilkins is the type of guy that you want here for the long term, the type of guy who represents the qualities that you like. Would DT Davon Godchaux also fit that category?) – “Absolutely. Absolutely. I think we’ve got two young tackles we like. Both have lots of room for improvement; but I think they have the work ethic, the humility to want to get better (and) want to improve, and hopefully they can reach their maximum potential.”
(Those two guys seem to have a budding relationship kind of on the field and in the locker room. How can that kind of help them in their progression?) – “I think this is – the better the relationships on the team, to me, the better the team. You want those types of relationships really throughout offense, defense, special teams. Those two in particular, they spend a lot of time – obviously they play together a lot – and they spend a lot of time in that meeting room. Those are the bonds you want to form, so that when it gets to those pressure situations, you’ve got a guy you can trust next to you. The goal is to get 11 guys who trust each other and will play hard for each other.”
(How did WR Albert Wilson go through practice yesterday?) – “He came through okay. We’re still kind of working through some things. Obviously he was limited; but I think he’s doing everything he can to play Sunday and hopefully we see him out there.”
(I would be remiss – he’s been on the injury report for a couple weeks now – QB Ryan Fitzpatrick with the shoulder, is that just wear-and-tear or is there something that happened there?) – “When you play quarterback in this league, you take a few hits, you get dinged. We have to report the injury, so they’re on there; but he’s practiced and he’s fought through it and he’s fighting through it in practice and games. I expect him to be out there.”
Brian Flores – November 27, 2019 (Conference Call)
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Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores Conference Call with Philadelphia Media
(I know you coached LB Kamu Grugier-Hill when he was coming in as a rookie. What stood out to you about him from an athletic standpoint?) – “First, he’s a great kid. He’s smart. He’s very coachable. As a player, he’s athletic, he’s got good speed, he can play multiple positions, good in the kicking game. I really liked him. I’m not surprised he’s done a good job over there in Philly.”
(What stands out to you about Eagles Head Coach Doug Pederson’s aggressive play-calling, at least from your experience against him in the Super Bowl?) – “I think it speaks to kind of who Doug is. He’s got an aggressive mindset offensively. Really, I would say this team really across the board is aggressive. They try to apply pressure really in all areas – offense, defense, special teams. That’s the kind of the team that they want to have and it shows up really in all phases.”
(CB Ryan Lewis was here for a couple of games during the season, ends up with you guys, started a couple – what stood out to you about him?) – “Ryan is tough. He’s smart. He really works hard. Football is important to him. He tackles and he’s a good overall team-first guy. I’ve enjoyed working with him. I’d worked with in previous stops. We’re happy to have him.”
(CB Eric Rowe was a second-round pick here. Obviously he landed with you guys in New England. You brought him with you to Miami. What was important about him that you wanted to kind of bring him into your new system – a guy that already knew what was going on?) – “He’s smart. He’s tough. He tackles. Obviously he can play multiple positions. He’s played corner, he’s played safety, he’s played some nickel, and I think he has a lot of the characteristics we’re looking for in guys on our team.”
