Neville Gallimore – March 15, 2024
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Friday, March 15, 2024
DT Neville Gallimore
(Why were the Dolphins the right choice for you now?) – “They just bring a lot to the table. I saw the DTs that had a lot of success here and I was just looking for an opportunity to follow that train.”
(What do you know about the Ravens scheme? Because obviously Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver is going to kind of install a Ravens-like scheme. How does that align with your strengths?) – “As you can see, the amount of success that they had last year, those guys are very effective. They were just playing at a high level. So I feel like bringing that here is going to bring a lot. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to learn and just see that success that he’s had over there translate over here with the group of guys that we have here.”
(What can you tell us about Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark?) – “I know all in all, he’s a great guy. High intensity coach. Just through guys that he’s coached, he competes at a high level. Whenever you have a d-line coach like that, those are usually the guys who demand the most out of their players. So just looking forward to that opportunity. Obviously you can see what he’s done with the group of guys he’s had. And I’m just looking forward to that opportunity to grow and develop with him as well.”
(I wanted to follow up on that question about Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark. When it came out that you were signing with the Dolphins, it was reported that you trained with Austin Clark. Can you tell us a little more about your relationship with him?) – “Yeah, absolutely. In the d-line world, Coach Pete Jenkins, all those guys, they’re fantastic. And again, just seeing what he’s done and the caliber of guys, the amount of players that spoke so highly of him, and just getting an opportunity to be in the same presence at this point of time was great. Obviously we spoke very little, but just to see the amount of guys that were raving on and on about him, I knew if the opportunity presented himself, he was going to do his best to get whoever he had in his room right. We’re here and thankfully getting the opportunity to do so.”
(Obviously there’s been a lot of turnover on the defensive line with the Dolphins. I was curious for you personally, where do you feel most comfortable playing? Is it three technique? Zero? Shade?) – “The beauty of it is Coach Clark and as well as the rest of the staff, obviously that’s what makes them great, right? I know they are going to find a fit that’s perfect for me. And really, I’m just coming with the mindset ready to work, ready to learn, ready to grow and ready to be where they see best fit. I couldn’t tell you right there, couldn’t tell you off rip, but we’ll see as the season progresses.”
(Recovering from injury, you had the elbow injury. I want to know about the mental side of recovering from the injury and the isolation part of it. You’re not really around the team. How do you deal with that? What keeps you going? What gets you through what I think is probably a fairly dark time?) – “The beauty of it is it’s been two years since that. As a competitor, if you love this game, you never want to be away from it. But even thankfully going through that experience, I had a great group of guys that even though I’m here, you have such a strong relationship. I feel like it’s kind of what comes with it. You devote your life to this game, it’s going to come with some bruises, it’s going to come with some pain, but I feel like if anything, that’s what’s driven me to take it another step further. It’s helped me to understand the value of taking care of your body and not taking things for granted. I feel like with that, it’s allowed me to be tougher and really just made me approach the game with another level of respect. So yes, it was tough, but I feel like when tough times like that happen, the benefit of having a great team – I got to give a major shoutout to my wife because she played a major role in helping me overcome, and just understand even with that happening, there’s so much more work to be done. I still knew I had a lot to give. It was just a major but minor stepping stone. We give God thanks because we’re in this position now and are still able to keep pushing forward. That happened two years ago and I’m about to enter year five, so it’s a blessing. It was a minor setback, but we were still able to build.”
(What attracted you to the Dolphins? I know opportunity and money are usually a big thing in the NFL. Did Head Coach Mike McDaniel play a role? Did Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark play a role? You’re on another team with no state income tax like in Dallas. Did the weather play a role? What were the factors aside from opportunity and money?) – “It goes back to the fact that I love this game and I know that there is a level that I aspire to get to. When you sit back, there is no fluke. It doesn’t matter what team you play for. You saw the impact that this team has had when it comes to developing d-linemen. You saw the success they had. You’ve seen guys really be able to take care of their family and you just see that every d-lineman that has played here under this staff played with a chip on their shoulder. They’ve brought a lot to the table. I was just looking forward to the opportunity to grow my game and take it to another level. That’s why when the opportunity presented itself, it felt right. It felt like what I needed and I felt like with this team, there will be a lot of work that will be able to get done.”
(I know you grew up in Ottawa, so I’m wondering if you played any hockey growing up, and at which point did it become strictly football?) – “I wish I would’ve gotten the chance to play hockey. I just wasn’t the best skater. Ice skating and me, we just didn’t match. But I was always a fan of football. And really I was just a fan of you get to put your hands on somebody and not get in trouble for it. It really just helped with the mental as a kid. When I started playing football, when I saw it as an opportunity to get school taken care of, that was kind of the first and major mission. Obviously you have aspirations to go to the NFL. It was kind of unheard of being from where I’m from, but God has a way of working things out. It’s just exciting that we’re in the position we’re in now.”
(Are you tight with S Jevon Holland?) – “Jevon, I got the chance to shake hand, and he beat me in air hockey in Vegas. (laughter) I don’t really know him personally. But I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be around him. I want to say he’s from the (Vancouver) area. It goes to show the level of football, the level of guys that are in Canada. I got the chance to hang with Chase Claypool at the Senior Bowl. Both great guys. Both are guys that are hungry. It’s always exciting to see guys come from similar backgrounds, just all of us being Canadian and having our dreams come true. Seeing all of those guys compete, and seeing the success they’ve had, I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to add to that.“
Aaron Brewer – March 15, 2024
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Friday, March 15, 2024
OL Aaron Brewer
(I know you’re pretty agile for your position. Do you think this Dolphins offense can highlight that and how well do you feel you fit in this scheme?) – “I believe it’s pretty solid. They’ve got a fast team and that’s one of my strong suits. I’m one of the fast offensive linemen, being able to get to the first level, second level. In open space, I can move pretty well. I feel like it’ll be a nice fit for me.”
(Some center last year, you also have experience at guard. You’re very versatile. Have you been told definitively you’re the starting center next year for this team? Or is that still to be determined based on who else the team can bring in?) – “I believe that’s still to be determined. Right now, I’m just here trying to figure out the best way I can help the team.”
(You spent this past season at center and you kind of transitioned from guard to center when you were in Tennessee. Can you kind of give us the backstory into you transitioning to center? I know in college and even high school, it seemed like you played everywhere on the offensive line, but a lot really at guard.) – “I’d say that transition to center, I feel like that was always my destined position, just for me being more of an undersized offensive lineman. I’m not one of the big 320, 310, 300-pound offensive lineman. You don’t really see too many of the undersized offensive linemen being at guard. I just feel like me being undersized, it was basically predetermined for me to be at center.”
(How would you describe your strengths?) – “My strengths, I would say, are my speed, my aggressiveness, my will, my work ethic and leverage. I would say those are my strengths. I would say those are my strengths. My speed, strength and just that will I’ve got. I’m not going to stop so I’m going to keep going. I’ve got that chip on my shoulder and I feel like that’s my edge above the people I’m playing against.”
(The dude who played center last year, OL Connor Williams, he’s hurt. But he was also a converted guard. And it blew our mind sometimes to see this man run blocking 10, 15, 20 yards down the field. How do you approach that when that opportunity comes to be doing that second-level run blocking from the middle?) – “Me personally, I’m going until I hear the whistle. I’m just trying to be aggressive. I’m headhunting out there, so if I can get my hands on you, I’m on you until I hear the whistle. If we’re running downfield, the ball the hasn’t stopped yet, so I’m on you until then, until the ball passed me. Even when it passed me, I’m still trying to find some more work.”
(You have run blocked for a pretty good, powerful, downhill running back for a good while in Tennessee. What does it take to be a good downhill power running football team?) – “You’ve got to be aggressive. You’ve got to be in shape. You’ve just got to be relentless. You’ve just got to be able to go. You’ve got speed. You know Derrick Henry, he’s a big back. He’s fast for his size. If your back’s fast, you’ve got to be fast as well in what you’re doing. I’ll say just being in shape, having that effort and finish mentality about you and not giving up, and being able to go four quarters.”
(I would assume that you want to bring that kind of mentality to the Miami Dolphins?) – “Absolutely. It’s been the mentality I’ve had with me since I can remember. That was that edge that I had, just being in condition. Because if you’re conditioned, you can have your technique and you can give the effort you need. If you’re tired, you’re not going to be able to give the effort you want to give or your technique might start lacking as well.”
(I’m working on a couple of things, one is on Head Coach Mike McDaniel and his personality and what it does for him as a recruiter. How did his personality play a role, if it did, in you coming to the Dolphins?) – “His personality from what I’ve seen – I haven’t had much of a personal conversation with him yet – but personally from what I’ve seen and heard and just read about the dude, he’s got that juice about him. He’s just very knowledgeable. He’s passionate about what he’s doing. I just love that you can feel it without even knowing him. You feel that passion about him, so I like that and that definitely played a role in me coming here.”
(Winning at the line of scrimmage, that’s something that this team needs to improve on. How do you win at the line of scrimmage? Is it being mean? Is it being aggressive? Good fundamentals? How do you win at the line of scrimmage?) – “I’d say it’s good fundamentals. Everything you said, it takes all of that all together and just trying to be as fast as you can at the line of scrimmage. You’re trying to win the line of scrimmage, so whoever is coming off the ball fastest, whoever initiates that contact, that’s who most of the time is going to win the line of scrimmage. It takes those fundamentals, that aggressiveness, being intentional with everything you’re doing, your first steps and all that. It all plays together.”
(I’ve got to ask you, we can’t let this introductory news conference go without asking you about backflips. Not every offensive lineman can pull that off, so tell me about your backflips and when there’s a touchdown, are we going to see you doing one in the end zone or what?) – “I feel like it’s going to have to be the right situation for me to pull that out during a celebration. You can’t just pull out just anytime, because as you said, that’s special. You don’t see too many offensive linemen that can do a backflip, and then definitely in pads in that. So I’m for sure going to try to pull it out sometime, but when? I can’t tell you.”
(I wanted to ask you, you talked about you felt like center was your natural position, so why did it take so long for you to make that move? Like why didn’t you do it earlier?) – “Because I felt like that was a part of my plan, the process when I was coming out. I was undrafted. I had a great vet ahead of me, Ben Jones, who is a hell of a player, but just coming in, that was the role I was put into to try to be like the XL tight end, guard/center. Taking on, learning, getting little gems from Ben and the older vets ahead of me, because I had Ben Jones, Rodger Saffold, Taylor Lewan. Just a lot of great players ahead of me. I was always working both of them in practice, but in the game, you’re seeing Ben Jones or whoever it was, and whenever one of them had a hiccup or got an injury, I had to come in and step into that spot. So that’s just what it was and I just had to trust the process.”
(When did the snapping part of it become easier or second nature?) – “I’d say it was like when I got into the season, to be honest. Because you’ve got to think I didn’t play a full season at center since probably I was in middle school. Even when I was in high school, I was always switching center, guard, tackle, going to every one. Just having that full season of being a center and just getting that repetition and the reps, I got more comfortable in just learning my style of play with being at center.”
Jody Fortson – March 15, 2024
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Friday, March 15, 2024
TE Jody Fortson
(I’m doing something on injury recoveries and as you know, LB Jaelan Phillips has an Achilles injury that he’s recovering from. You had an Achilles. I’m not asking specifically about Jaelan’s recovery, but with you, what were the keys to recovering and how long did it take you to get back to 100 percent?) – “The main key is just to listen to who is your respective athletic trainer, trust in the information that they’re presenting to you, believing that they’re putting you in the best position to win. I think the best thing I did was – I guess I really was off my foot for the most part. I didn’t try to put my foot into a shoe, try to walk on it, put too much weight on it too early. I think the best thing for that is you’ve just got to let time and just kind of let that heal on its own and just make sure you’re doing your strengthening and your mobility to get the strength back. There’s not really too many other things you can do to get that to heal correctly. It’s just a time thing. But just diligence. I’m praying for him in his recovery. I hope it works for him. It didn’t take that long. I was back running in four-and-a-half months. It didn’t really take that long.”
(And how long before you felt that you were at 100 percent?) – “I would say I felt pretty good going into OTAs at 100 percent. Like I tore my Achilles on October 17 of 2021 and I was back on the field that February so I kind of felt 100 percent by OTAs.”
(I know you played receiver in college and have made the transition to tight end. How has that transition gone and from your perspective what’s the difference of playing college receiver vs. pro tight end?) – “The transition has been – I guess like everything else, you have to be willing to want change and to want growth. At first obviously I was like, ‘I don’t really want to be a tight end,’ but it’s been in my mind since (I was a) kid. So many people that have come before me with a great mental aspect of the game have been like, ‘no, you’ll feel great in the NFL as a tight end so you should try to go to that route earlier.’ If I could go back, I wish I would’ve did it earlier, but we are where we are. As far as the difference between being a receiver on the amateur level and being a tight end on the pro level, I guess it’s more so of a ‘want to’ and a discipline. It’s like what are you willing to put into your craft to be the best that you can be? Nothing is going to be easy. Everything is change. Everything is going to be some type of obstacle within it. It’s just about how do you plan on attacking it? What type of mindset are you going to have when it presents itself? And as for me, I just attack everything with my head up and my chest out and I’m ready to rock. Like let’s do it.”
(I read a story that indicated that when you were a rookie in Kansas City, you made some impressive plays during the preseason. What do you remember about that preseason and how did that impact your confidence and your ability to play at this level?) – “I know my rookie year, my preseason – I know if I had to just grab anything, I would probably think about the last preseason game that we had against the Packers. I had a hitch route, but I was being pressed. It might have been Cover 1 or something like that and press, so we verted it. So I had just a little fly ball and my quarterback at the time, he gave me a chance to make a play and I made a play on the sideline and it kind of boosted my confidence to see the people on the sideline. At the time, all the starters were out so Patrick (Mahomes) and ‘Trav’ (Travis Kelce) and Tyreek (Hill) were there at the time. They’re all on the sideline hyped about me making a play. And I guess my confidence grew from right there that I could play in this league at some point. I made a play. And then later on in the game, I actually ended up making a forced fumble on kickoff, so that gave me a little special teams nuance right there. It’s just about getting reps in this game and getting warm in it. It’ll all take care of itself.”
(I wanted to ask you, you’ve been a young developmental player on a championship team for three years. What’s that transition going from that developmental guy that everybody sees upside in to actually having to produce now?) – “It’s about getting a chance, an opportunity to go out there and show what you can do. Everything looks good on paper. Everybody looks good on paper, but when you get out there, it’s about letting the training wheels off and let’s see what he can do. And that’s where we are right now. It’s about, all right, well let’s see what he can do.”
(Do you feel – not many people can say they have three championship rings – what do you think that brings to your resume?) – “I just think it brings a winner’s attitude, a winner’s mindset. Everybody here knows I’ve been with the Chiefs my entire career. We’ve won there. I might not have the role that I like, but I know what it takes to win. I’ve been around winners. I have been around what it takes, the consistency, the discipline, the sacrifices, what it takes to separate from this and when you have to put more into that. I feel like that’s what I inherited within my time from being with Kansas City, is the discipline to win, the seriousness behind it, what it takes. You’re just not going to wake up one day and just be a winner. You’ve got to do it. You’ve got to constantly chip at it every single day.”
(You’re going from one offensive coach to another. I was curious if you can kind of take us into the mind of Andy Reid as an offensive game planner? I’m sure you weren’t in the meetings with the coaching staff when they put in the game plan together, but things he emphasized, the creativity that they showed, what were some of the things that really impressed you from your time with Coach Reid?) – “First of all, everything about Coach Reid is impressive. That’s just a football genius, especially on the offensive side of the ball. That’s a guy that can literally – I remember him telling the story about him taking plays from people just around the building, the janitor – he uses plays from everything, from everybody. So anybody that has that perspective that you know what, just because you’re sitting back there and you’re picking up trash doesn’t mean that you don’t know what’s going on up here. Let me see what you got to say. Anybody that has that intellect to tap into that, they know what’s going on in this game. So as far as Coach Reid, he’s a great coach, first of all, but Coach Reid had a different way of dissecting the game. Like the motions and all that, giving different tells and just how he attacked each different week. Like you said, I wasn’t in there and coming up with the game plan, but just seeing how it just kind of flowed from one week to the next. Last week, it looked like this and this week, it might look like that. It was a great time being up there and seeing how he was able to maneuver that for some years.”
(A quick follow-up if I may, what has WR Tyreek Hill told you about Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “Let me double back on something like this. Coach Reid always said ‘let your personality show.’ That’s one thing Coach Reid always said and the first conversation that I had with Tyreek was similar to that. He was like, ‘you’re coming into a situation where you need to be you. Let your personality, let you ooze out. Just let that happen and everything will be fine.’ So that’s my biggest takeaway from the similarities between the two.”
(I wanted to get your thoughts on getting the chance to play with WR Tyreek Hill again and maybe this being different perhaps with you being more of a factor in the offense than you were with the Chiefs?) – “Any time you get to be on the field with Tyreek, it’s a blessing. Somebody that just blows the top off of defenses and creates separation to allow other people to get open and show what they can do, it’s always going to be a great environment to be in. I’m excited to get back being around him, and also pick his brain for the game. Tyreek is a goofball all the time, but that’s also another intelligent player. So it’s great to be around guys like that where you can just constantly grow.”
(I wanted to ask you about Head Coach Mike McDaniel and you touched on his personality, but I wanted to know how much of his personality influenced you coming here because I know usually with a player, it’s opportunity and then maybe money but did Mike McDaniel’s personality have much with you coming here?) – “Of course. Everybody wants to go play for someone they feel like they can relate to in a sense. Like everybody wants to be able to laugh but then take serious when it’s time to take serious, but not be too serious to the point where it’s like ‘we’re like this all day.’ Everybody wants to be in a comfortable environment where not only you can learn, but you can excel and I feel like this does just that.”
(I wanted to ask a little bit about you spending the past few years as a teammate of one of the all-time greats at tight end in Travis Kelce. What was it like sharing the meeting room with him? How much did you use him to just learn the position and get advice? And was there a time where you kind of saw maybe you had to move on in order to show what you can do?) – “Let me just tell you, Travis Kelce is my favorite teammate of all-time. On any level – Pop Warner, high school, college – Travis Kelce is my favorite teammate. It’s not only because he took his time trying to teach me the role of being a tight end, but just because of how great of a person he is. He didn’t have to. Anybody could be like ‘Nah, this kid is good. He might got what it takes.’ But he didn’t give me that attention, not to me but to anybody in the tight end room or the receiver room. He just showed unconditional love and knowledge for the game. Being in the room with Kelce, it definitely set me forward, lightyears of where I would have been had I not had him. Arguably having the greatest of all-time in that room, being able to learn and see how he’s attacking different routes and why he views coverage like this and how he’s able to find the holes in different stuff. You’re not able to get that unless you’re with somebody that knows that. So being in the room with Kelce these last few years have been an extraordinary blessing to my game. As far as even taking patience from the game, like I used to be rushing my routes and stuff, but going to Kelce’s house, he’d be like, ‘You can slow it down. Every route doesn’t have to be 100 miles an hour. You can kind of play with a tempo. You can kind of maneuver it a little bit.’ There’s a lot of different nuances of the game that I learned from Kelce in my time in Kansas City, that I’m forever grateful for.”
(Was there one piece of advice that especially stood out or maybe something Travis Kelce said as you were leaving Kansas City, that kind of stuck with you?) – “There’s so much information. So much stuff that Kelce said that sticks with you. I would just say the biggest thing is just be you. Be who you are. Then everything that’s for you will come to you. Just be you.”
Siran Neal – March 14, 2024
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Thursday, March 14, 2024
CB Siran Neal
(How would you describe your approach to special teams?) – “I’m very passionate about it. And me, logistically, a lot of guys on special teams don’t really get praise for what they do. One thing I know is special teams is really huge when it comes to the NFL games. Special teams play can either win a game or lose a game. That’s one thing I know about it. And that’s on every phase. Like pinning the ball where it needs to be for the offense or defense to get set up to be successful.”
(What do you know about Special Teams Coach Danny Crossman?) – “Danny is my boy. I had Danny my rookie year when I came in with Buffalo. Danny is really a passionate coach too as well. He really loves the game. He really loves being that coach and really loves his players. That’s one thing that me and Danny over the years, we kept in contact and kept a close relationship through this whole process. Every time we played him, like I told him yesterday, I always wanted to make him smile and see what he’s going to say at the end of the game. That’s one thing that I took under my sleeve. I knew every time I played him, he was going to give me his best and I was going to give him my best.”
(You’re from Alabama. What was life growing up in Alabama and when did you realize you wanted to play in the NFL?) – “Most people don’t see it, but I went to high school in Alabama but I’m mostly from Fort Gaines, Georgia, so I really have to claim both sides because half of my life I was in Georgia through seventh grade and the other half I was in Alabama. It’s pretty much the same because it’s right across the water, right across the bridge. Growing up in Alabama, it’s really country. But it’s tough. It’s tough love. One thing people don’t know about the country is it’s really a lot of competition. It’s tough growing up in the country. It taught me about life and it taught me how to attack life and not let life attack me. It made me who I am today.”
(As far as the experience, what went into your decision to sign with the Dolphins?) – “The decision to sign with the Dolphins – basically with the NFL, it can be a little tricky. It’s all built off relationships. Coming from Buffalo, I love Buffalo, shoutout to Buffalo for everything they gave me throughout the past six years. It furthered our relationship. Just getting the opportunity to come down and talk to Danny (Crossman) about everything, he was more excited to have me than I’ve ever seen before. When I came through the door, his face lit up. That’s one thing he did as soon as I walked into the door. I just knew he saw me that he was happy to see me. He did everything in his will power to have me. That’s one thing I loved about it. Once I saw that, I knew if he would go to war for me, when it’s time for the kickoff or it is time for the season to start or even during OTAs when we have to report back, I’m going to do whatever I have to do to fight for him.”
(Wanted to get your thoughts on going from the team that’s dominated the AFC East for the past several seasons to the team that’s trying to end that run.) – “I’m very excited. I’ve definitely been on the other side for the past six years, and winning that title up there. On the other side now, it’s time to work to try to get that division down in South Florida. And that’s one thing that I’m up for. I’m up for the challenge. With Buffalo, they’re a really good team. They have a really good staff, great players, great coaching. When that time comes in the season, I’m pretty sure me and the guys will be prepared. It’ll be a tough game and all, but it will be a really good game and I’m looking forward to it.”
(Your thoughts on being reunited with S Jordan Poyer?) – “My dog ‘Po.’ ‘Po dog!’ Man, I’m really excited. He’s fired up too. He called me probably like three minutes before I had to get on the Zoom call and I couldn’t pick it up. But we’ve been on the phone the last two, three days or whatever with the whole thing. When it happened, when we got released, we both texted each other, checked on each other. That’s my brother, man. We’ve been really close since I got there in Buffalo and he took me under his wing as a rookie. I came in and didn’t really know much of the game. But Poyer, I remember he pulled me to the side in the room – I got a little frustrated two to three weeks in, in OTAs when I first was a rookie – and he was like, ‘Dude, calm down man. Look around, you’re one of the most athletic guys on this team. Things that I can’t do, you can. You’re big, you’re fast, you’re strong, you’re coachable. Just take it and start loving the game. Just love it for the moment and watch what happens. You just don’t know how long you’re going to be in the league.’ And that moment there, look at me now. Seven years later, we’re still on the same team from Buffalo to here. One thing about me and ‘Po,’ and I’m not even going to make this about me, I’m going to say this about ‘Po’ man, he’s really competitive. He’s competitive as hell. He’s just like me. He hates to lose. I hate to lose. We work for everything we got. Nothing comes easy. Staying in Buffalo, you have to have really tough skin. People hated to play in Buffalo. We loved to play in Buffalo. It was cold, and that was one thing we endured. Every time we stepped on that field, we stepped out there to win. That’s one thing that we’re going to bring to South Beach. Every time we step on that field, no matter the conditions – I’m pretty sure the conditions are going to be pretty good, nice weather – we’re going to step out there to win. We’re going to be out there together throughout this whole process, from OTAs to the time we kick off, we’re going to be behind each other and hopefully we get the guys behind us to keep this ball going. They have a great program down there. And adding me and Poyer is going to make it pretty good, pretty interesting.”
(Have you been in touch with CB Tre’Davious White at all? How’s he doing? The Dolphins need a cornerback too.) – “Tre, right now during this whole process – I think he didn’t go about (free agency) like me and ‘Po. Tre has been doing a lot of rehab lately with his Achilles tear. Tre got thick skin. When he comes back wherever he goes, I’m telling you watch out. Tre is really – you guys know, you guys have playing us for years man. Tre’s really a dawg too. That’s one thing that we all got. We’re dawgs. Throughout this whole process, I haven’t contacted him yet. He’s still dealing with the Achilles and training and all that. I’m sure every day he is waking up, he’s attacking his training. I haven’t talked to him yet but I’m pretty sure he’s excited to get going to wherever he’s going to be.”
(With regard to physicality, it seemed to me Buffalo is a very physical team. It seemed like that physicality was always a factor against the Dolphins. How much of a factor was physicality in Buffalo’s game? And how do you apply physicality toward a victory in the NFL?) – “I would say the physicality went a long way. It was all about punching somebody in the mouth before they punch us in the mouth. And if they did punch us in the mouth first, it was about how we got up and attacked it. That’s one thing that me and Poyer instilled into ourselves. No matter the situation, it’s going to be a long game. From the beginning to the end, you have to continue to attack it. Being physical is one thing that I bring to the game. I don’t mind the physicality. I just know on my side, I had a lot of guys on the other teams and even for Danny (Crossman), I had a lot of double teams. I had a lot of guys attacking me. I had a lot of guys walling me off. I never knew what I was going to get, but I just knew as long as I kept my ability to keep my speed and be physical throughout the whole process that we were going to come out successful. Sometimes when people get hit in the mouth, they don’t know how to get up. They get confused. But one thing about us up in Buffalo is there was no confusion. It was ok, cool, you want to fight? We’re going to give you a fight. From finish to the end, that’s one thing that we put upon people. We’re going to see how you act when we punch you in your mouth. Once we did that, a lot of guys and a lot of teams backed off after a while. That’s one thing that South Florida has now with me and Poyer. We’re really physical. When the time comes, we’re really going to show it. We’re excited just to be here.”
(You’re going to learn in about seven or eight months that weather is a big thing for the media and for the Dolphins fans. So you’re from the south, how long did it take you to get used to the weather up in Buffalo? And once again, how is weather going to factor in an NFL game?) – “Weather is a huge factor. Getting adjusted to Buffalo, it took a little second. But you have to have love for the game and not care about the weather conditions. Understand that there are going to be conditions and weather wherever you go – there are going to be ups and downs. But it’s all about your mindset and how you battled to get through those times like that. Just going from Buffalo to South Florida, yesterday when I was down there to sign, it was warm. I had a hoodie on when I came down there. (laughter) People were like, take that hoodie off, you’re in South Florida now. Welcome to South Florida. But the thing is for me, I’m from Georgia. Sometimes even when it’s a little warm outside, I have a hoodie on. I love hoodies. But the weather conditions, it’s not a factor to me. It’s a non-factor. I don’t really care what the weather is like. I just understand throughout the game that it’s going to be ups and downs. If the weather plays a factor, you have to get through it. With me, I’m a gunner. I’m on kickoff. The wind and the weather is always affecting me. Always. Where’s the ball going to go? How far is the ball going to go? How short will it fall? I was always alert when it comes to weather. I was always alert of the weather before I got to the game. I was always aware of all that. With all that being said, I was prepared for it. Being in South Florida, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be hot, which is cool with me. It can’t be worse than Buffalo, because Buffalo was really, really cold. The wind was a factor. You’d have 20 mile per hour winds sometimes and just knowing the whole situation before you approach the game will help you out big time.”
(You mentioned the mentality that you guys took in Buffalo about playing in the cold. In Miami, it’s mostly nice weather like you said, but also early in the season it’s really hot. Like brutally hot. Can you bring that same mentality to that atmosphere early in the year and what do you remember about playing the Dolphins in really hot and humid weather coming from up north?) – “I remember two years ago when we played them down there, it was really, really hot the whole time. I feel like it was certain situations in that game where we lost. I feel like, yeah, it was hot, but we battled through pretty well. But we also battled through a lot of injuries that game too as well, if you guys can remember. Honestly, it’s really a non-factor to be honest. I’m going to be down there from April through the whole time. But the thing is, I stay in Georgia. It gets really hot here too. It doesn’t get as hot as there but it gets really hot. The thing is staying hydrated, staying up on your electrolytes and staying up on things that you need to eat throughout the whole week and approaching the game to stay on top of the effects of the sun. It’s really not going to be a factor. The approach to it is like, it’s the sun. Just enjoy the weather. It could be a lot worse. You could be in Buffalo where it’s cold and stuff. (laughter) I’m pretty sure I’m going to enjoy playing in the sun.”
(I read that you have a 40.5-inch vertical. What’s it like up there?) – “It’s enjoyable. (laughter) It’s very enjoyable. That’s one thing that I have done over the years is being very explosive. Explosive off the ball, explosive when I’m coming off the ball like at gunner, explosive when I’m on kickoffs. That’s one thing that I bring to the game is you will see and you guys can see very soon that I’m very explosive. With that being said, on special teams, that’s really, really affective. You can get a really good jump on guys being like that and that’s one thing I use, my explosiveness, to attack other people. I feel like if you can take one or two steps and you pass guys, you’ve won the battle already.”
(You are coming to a team that’s looking to break a playoff win drought. I’m curious what your experience in Buffalo in the postseason has taught you about what it takes to succeed in the playoffs?) – “Being in Buffalo, the thing is like you can’t wait until it gets here. You can’t wait until it gets here. The time is now. It starts now. It starts in the offseason. It starts when the team gets back in OTAs. It starts with the competitive nature throughout the OTAs. It starts where the team’s bonding. It starts there. It starts right there. I feel like with me and ‘Po’ (Jordan Poyer) joining the crowd, they already had a really good team. You got Tyreek Hill, you got (Jaylen) Waddle, you got Tua (Tagovailoa). We had Xavien Howard but he’s gone now. You got Jalen Ramsey. You got a lot of guys down there that are going to help win. Just adding me and ‘Po,’ adding me on the special teams side and adding ‘Po’ on the defensive side is really going to bring a tremendous spark to the team. One thing that me and ‘Po’ know how to do is we know how to bring it to somebody. One thing about us is we’re going to do it early. We’re going to do it really early. We’re not going to wait until the preseason. We’re not going to wait until the season kicks off. The time is now and the time is to go in with the team and get close with the team, team bond, get the guys on the same page. It’s definitely a team process throughout this whole thing to get this thing started. Now being in South Florida, we have the team to do that. We just know that, like I talked to the head coach (Mike McDaniel) yesterday, the coolest man on the planet. One of the coolest. Man, he’s so funny. He’s a great dude and to have a great dude in the head office can go a long way. It’s just like the spark and having fun throughout the whole process before you get there. And once you approach to the game and once you get to the game, you know that you can come out successful because it’s what you prepared for. Once you prepare for a lot of things and you work at a lot of things, a lot of things come to life. That’s one thing about me. I don’t want nothing given to me. I don’t want anything given to me. I like to take it. I just know it’s going to be a huge challenge to go from up there to down there. They’re a really good team. It’s going to be a challenge. It’s going to be a good game when it comes. But it starts now. It starts now. It’s time to work. It’s time to go to work. I’m excited to go to work. I’m excited for the opportunity. I thank the Dolphins and Fins nation for welcoming me in. The time is now. Once it starts off and when it kicks off in a couple weeks, from that to the time the season ends, we’re going to really work for it. No matter the ups and downs, there’s always going to be ups and downs, we’re going to pick up each other. We’re going to pick up all our brothers. Nobody is better than nobody and we understand that we’re all in this thing together. Once we do all that and we team bond and we come together, I’m pretty sure we’re going to get a lot done.”
Jordyn Brooks – March 14, 2024
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Thursday, March 14, 2024
LB Jordyn Brooks
(I have to start off by asking you, 184 tackles in one season. How does a guy compile that many tackles in one season and how many times do you wake up on a Monday morning feeling like you were in a car wreck?) – “Yeah, that’s every Monday morning after the game. I don’t know. I think it just comes from having instincts, being able to see the ball, willing to make certain tackles and just hustling. I think that’s one of the parts of my game that has been with me since I started playing, just always being around the ball and hustling, playing hard.”
(Can you walk us through your free agency? It was obviously brief, but how many teams were involved? Why the Dolphins? Was this a team that was always on your radar? How did it come about?) – “There were a few other teams. I think it was just the best situation as far as being on a winning team, a team that I thought was trending upwards and a team that I felt like could use my services, playing middle linebacker. So I think all those things played a role in it. Obviously, the coaching staff that they have here and what they’re trying to get done. All those things were attractive to me so I think that’s pretty much why I chose here.”
(I don’t know how much you talk to Seahawks Head Coach Mike Macdonald earlier on, but did he tell you anything about Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver?) – “Yeah, I actually talked with Anthony Weaver. Knowing that he came from Baltimore and they had a lot of success last year in the things that they were doing, it was obviously another reason why I came. Knowing his track record and him having the opportunity to be defensive coordinator here, I think it was just why not, honestly.”
(I got a couple of things to ask you and they pertain to your rapid return from the ACL injury. No. 1, what was the key to your rapid return? Was it good biological, was it just good genetics or was it more of a mental mindset? How did you return so quickly? Eight months, I believe it was.) – “It was just praying, honestly. It wasn’t nothing I did. I did the normal rehab protocol all week, but I think it was just God honestly healing in me in the manner that he did. I didn’t think I’d come back that fast, but God’s timing is the perfect timing, so I tell everybody the same thing. I just prayed about it and put my head down and God, he blessed it. I think that’s the only answer I can give you as far as how I made the comeback.”
(And you may or may not know that LB Bradley Chubb is recovering from an ACL injury. I’m not asking you to comment on his recovery. Do you think it’s possible that players can come back as quickly as you did and be as effective as you did or do you consider yourself an exception?) – “No, I don’t consider myself an exception. I just think it’s whatever God’s plan is for that person in particular. Honestly, I just think it is whatever God has planned out for that person. I don’t think it’s just me that can come back in the manner of time that I came back. It’s anybody.”
(I see you had like six games last year where you had double digits in tackles. Can you just touch on the physicality aspect mentally that you plan to bring to this team?) – “I just think that’s my game. It’s the way that I play. Physical. I play fast. I think what I do can be impactful for this team and also still grow. I’ve really only been in the league for three years. I’ve been in the league four years, but really just been a starter for three years, so I just feel like I’m going upwards, and so I’m excited for this opportunity here and the ability and the attributes that I bring to the game.”
(Going back to your rookie season, you played alongside Bobby Wagner. Just can you just touch on the relationship that you had with him and some things that you learned from him early on?) – “He was like a big brother to me and I think I got in the perfect situation to be able to learn under him and learn some routine things and how to prepare throughout the week to get myself ready to play an NFL game. And then all the off the field type of things. It was great learning under him and playing beside him.”
(What have you already learned about the responsibilities that the specific role that you’ll be playing in this scheme, like how do they align? What are some of the things you’ve learned about that?) – “To be honest, we haven’t went over that as much. I think there’s still some things they’re trying to figure out scheme-wise and personnel-wise, so I don’t have much information to give you on that right now.”
(And everybody likes a big hit. Sometimes they say they’re taking big hits out of the game, but I know you’ve had some big hits. What is that like for you where you’re able to execute a big hit?) – “I think it brings excitement to the game. You don’t always get that opportunity in a game because a lot of guys are not going to just let you flat out hit them like that, so you’ve got to catch guys when you can. But whenever those opportunities come, I think it’s exciting. It brings excitement to the game and I think it brings the juice up on the sidelines and the players that are on the field with you, and so it definitely brings a lot of excitement to the game and I think it’s why fans love football, honestly.”
(I saw a video showing you fired up on the Seahawks sideline one game last year, really giving it to your teammates. Can you just explain the kind of intensity you bring to the game for those unfamiliar with you?) – “I’m a passionate football player. I love the game. That’s all I’ve done my whole life, so when I go out and play, I’m trying to win. I think the clip that you’re talking about, I wasn’t yelling at anybody, I was just trying to pick our spirits up on the sideline. I think we were down by a couple touchdowns in that game, and I just felt it was necessary to gather everybody up and try to pick guys up. There are highs and lows in the game, so I think what y’all saw was just my passion and love for the game and how bad I want to win.”
(Also you were in the NFC West for a while with CB Jalen Ramsey. What are your thoughts on his game, getting to watch him in those matchups and now the opportunity to be in the same defense as him?) – “I think everybody knows about him. (He is) a great football player, also a man of faith from what I can see. I think he’s a tremendous football player that I’ve watched, played against and now get to play with, so I’m excited for this opportunity.”
(I wanted to get your thoughts on being reunited with a former Texas Tech teammate WR Erik Ezukanma and your recollections of playing with him at Tech? And also I don’t know if you ever had any interactions during your time there with Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker at times, I guess, maybe when he went back on campus?) – “Yeah, it’ll be fun reuniting with him. It’s always good to have ex-teammates that you get to reunite with and also a fellow Texas Tech Red Raider with Wes Welker. So that’s pretty cool to be able to be in the same organization with these guys, knowing that we came from the same school.”
(How much are you enjoying the idea of going into a conference now where the guy to beat is yet another former college teammate? Of course, I’m talking about Patrick Mahomes.) – “Oh yeah, I’m excited for that opportunity as well. I played with him my first year there. It really was a big reason why I even went to Texas Tech. It’ll be fun to get to play against him and compete against him.”
(Tell me about how you became a Christian and what it means to you? How does it help you in football and in life?) – “I don’t know when I became (a Christian). I think it was just kind of how I was brought up, brought up in church. There’s a bible verse that says, ‘You bring up a child in the way he should go, and when he’s older, he won’t depart from it.’ I think I’m a living testimony of that, just being brought up in the church, so I think it’s always just been a part of me. I think it just goes hand in hand with everything I’m trying to do. I’m trying to be successful in my career, and that starts with God first, so I think everything flows through that.”
(You are a first-round pick. Obviously that’s a goal of any college player. You fought your way back from a serious ACL injury and still had a productive career and productive seasons as a starter. What is next for you in your career in terms of things that you want to accomplish?) – “I want to win a Super Bowl, and I want to help this team do that. Everything personally, I have my individual goals, but those things come secondary, and they will come as the team success comes. So I think my biggest goal is to win a Super Bowl.”
(What do you feel is the attribute that you bring most to a defense?) – “Explosiveness. I think I said in another interview that I personally think I’m one of the fastest guys in the NFL, not linebackers, but players period. I think my explosiveness is just a God-given ability that I feel is probably my best attribute.”
(There are a lot of fast people on this team. They might want to race you with that statement, though.) – “I’m ready, man.”
Jonnu Smith – March 13, 2024
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Wednesday, March 13, 2024
TE Jonnu Smith
(You’ve been in offenses that had RB Derrick Henry, a sledgehammer running back. Last year your Atlanta team had four 50-reception receivers. What do those options do for a passing game?) – “Obviously, you’ve got versatility, like you explained just now. Ultimately, you’ve got different guys with the ability to make plays with the ball in their hands and to make plays when the ball comes their way. Obviously what that does is put stress on the defense. So any time you have an opportunity to add guys who are dynamic in the passing game and to be able to create a group, you can do a lot of damage in this league, man. That’s part of the reason why I’m here.”
(I know your receiving game is pretty diverse. Are there one or two situations where you think you’re best, whether it’s goal line, short yardage, red zone?) – “During my career – I’ve been playing this game a long time. You can pull up film of me making plays from anywhere on the field. I think that as a pass catcher in this league, in order for you to be one of the top guys in whatever your respective position is, you’ve got to be able to make plays from anywhere on the field. That’s just something that I pride myself on and making sure that I’m an every-down player. You can use me in any situation.”
(What were some of the factors that made the Dolphins the right choice now?) – “That list is endless. I guess I’ll start with the opportunity to go and win a world championship. I think that adding me to this offense and to this system and to this team ultimately, I can be a solution to helping us now get to where we want to go. There’s obviously still a lot of work that needs to be put in. There’s obviously still a lot in front of us, but I just saw that vision and I thought it was a great opportunity.”
(How much did you know about Head Coach Mike McDaniel and QB Tua Tagovailoa before this process and how important were they in your decision making?) – “I guess I’ve got to give it to Hard Knocks, man. Hard Knocks told me a lot. Hard Knocks was a big help in helping me make my decision.”
(What in particular?) – “(laughter) In all seriousness, man, I actually watched it this offseason. I was late watching it. But it was the offseason, so I was like, you know what, I’m going to kick back and see what these guys are about. So I cut it on and kind of just caught myself binge-watching. I’m like, man, that would be a special group to be a part of. All of these guys from Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier, everybody in this building and the front office collectively made it happen. Obviously, everything happened on our end as well. This is home for me. At the end of the day, that also was a huge factor in me being here. And I’m just excited to be able to play for a city in which I live, which my family lives and be able to represent the city of Miami once again.”
(I wanted to ask you a little bit more about your new quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. Have you met him? What have you seen in his game that is appealing to you?) – “I haven’t had the opportunity to meet him face to face yet. But I’m sure, trust me, we’ve got a lot of time that we’re going to be spending together. But just looking at Tua on paper, he’s got it. In my eyes, I think he’s one of the top quarterbacks in this league. I think he’s one of, if not the most, accurate quarterback in this league. And that’s just from me watching from the outside in. Now that I’m actually here, I’m sure I’ll get to see that firsthand. He’s a great player, a great leader. I’ve had a lot of respect for his game since he played at Alabama. Just seeing him play, he was always a fun guy to watch play and I’m excited to catch some passes from him now.”
(What are your thoughts on being a tight end in an offense that has the kind of wide receiver speed the Dolphins have with WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle?) – “Yeah, you smile from ear to ear. That’s going to create a lot space. Those two speed guys, some of the fastest guys in the NFL, if not the fastest. That’s just going to cause so much havoc to the defense. To be able to use those guys to my advantage, those guys are going to be able to open up space. And likewise, me as well, just adding another pass-catching element to this offense and being able to get those guys open more. We’re all going to make each other better, all going to play off each other. And ultimately, I’m sure those guys are team guys. I’m a team guy. I think it’ll just be a great fit. I’m excited and looking forward to it.”
(How does it feel to be back in the city where you played your college ball? What memories do you have from FIU?) – “Oh man, yeah it’s literally right up the road. I remember stepping on campus at 17 years old not knowing nothing, kind of growing into my own, growing into a man during my four years at FIU. Obviously it holds a special place in my heart always because just the friendships that were built, the relationships from my teammates, coaches, staff. Some of those guys are still around. That’s college man. Those four years are arguably the most memorable four years of anyone’s life who get to experience that. For me, to have the opportunity to come back and literally you go a little farther south and that’s where I used to lay my head at night before practice in the morning, before class in the morning. There’s definitely some emotional ties there always. I’ll be super supportive of those guys throughout this season while I’m here, and I’m sure they’ll be super supportive of me. I’m looking forward to it. There’s a lot of great things that can come from this. I’m just soaking it all up.”
(I want to ask you about two aspects of your game that you can contribute to this team, both your YAC, yards after catch, and also abilities in the red zone, and how you feel those two things can add to this offense?) – “Yeah, just adding a physical element to that passing attack. Everybody when you look at the game, you kind of see pass catchers as flashy and highlights, but you have to be able to bring a physical presence as well to inflict your will on opponents and be able to, when it’s the fourth quarter and guys are tired and it’s late in the year, Week 13, 14, teams don’t want to tackle. That’s where we feast. I’m excited about my fit in this offense, my role in this offense, and the sky is the limit on what we’re going to be able to do. And obviously off the field as well, going into year eight now, obviously I’ve been around a long time. I’ve seen a lot of football, learned a lot, know a lot. Obviously there’s still a lot to learn. I’m never oblivious to the fact that we always have to continue to learn and get better ourselves no matter how much wisdom we’ve acquired over the years. But to be able to bring the leadership aspect to this team as well, it’s something that I’m holding myself accountable to as well.”
(What advice would you give to younger players in the league, especially those navigating free agency or changing teams?) – “It’s the NFL, anything can happen. It’s a business at the end of the day. To us, we just want to look at it as a game, but unfortunately, you’ve got the front offices of these different organizations that you have to deal with ultimately, so it becomes not so much of a game. You’ve got to kind of set your emotions aside. Man, listen, these decisions can get tough. Some guys may have to change situations or roles or whatever it may be, but ultimately you have to do what’s best for you and do what’s best for your family. Obviously, it’s not an easy process, but this is the NFL, man. Anybody would give so much up to be in our position, and it may not be easy going from team to team, that’s tough on some guys – you always want stability in any situation that you’re in, but soak it all in and wear it as a badge of honor. Not a lot of people get to play this game for a long time. I’m very grateful to be a part of this amazing league and organization, going on eight years now. It seems like yesterday when I came in here my rookie year and was trying to learn from these older guys and trying to just gain some knowledge any way that I can. So just for me to be that guy now that’s giving out wisdom, giving out knowledge to these younger guys, it’s a testament to how fast time can fly.”
(Can you touch on the Nu Family Foundation? How excited are you to contribute in the community with your foundation?) – “The Nu Family Foundation, this is a humungous organization that I get to actually be able to touch the city in which I’m playing in a little bit more, and be a little bit more hands-on because I’m here all year round now. We have a lot of great ideas with my Nu Family Foundation team, with my wife leading the charge. We want to continue to impact the community and impact the youth in the best way possible. I’m looking forward to that opportunity in the city of Miami tremendously.”
Chris Grier – February 28, 2024
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Wednesday, February 28, 2024
General Manager Chris Grier
(Are you excited to see the salary cap bump?) – “Yeah. (Senior Vice President of Football & Business Administration) Brandon Shore and (Director of Football Administration & Strategy) Max Napolitano do a really good job of kind of forecasting what it would be over the last few years. We didn’t have it that high. It was good but at the end of the day, you can’t let that drive your decision still. It helps, but it’s still a player-driven market. So you still work through that as you kind of go through it.”
(Where do things stand between you and QB Tua Tagovailoa’s representation as you look to strike a long-term deal?) – “We’ve been in communication since the offseason began. We’re going to talk to his agent here this week. Our goal is to try and get something done. Ryan Williams has been great. Tua has been great. We’ll see. There is no timeline on it. At the end of the day, you know how these deals get done. They are complicated deals and we’re building a team through free agency as well. We’ll work through it and see if we can get something done.”
(How would you categorize it in terms of just laying the groundwork right now or making progress? Where do you think the talks are?) – “I appreciate the question, but I don’t ever talk about where we are publicly in terms of what we are doing. We’re having discussions and I’ll just leave it at that.”
(Does a salary cap bump mean that quarterback salaries goes up by 10 percent? Is there a direct correlation where maybe what QB Tua Tagovailoa would have asked for before may be different now?) – “I don’t know. You’d have to ask him that or his agent that. I think at the end of the day, when those things happen, obviously people get excited. You just try and work through it. You have rational discussions with people, and his representation are really good people and we’re having great conversations. At the end of the day, what he’s looking for in terms of the money going up, does that drive the salary up? I don’t know. You’d have to ask him.”
(Do you believe that you guys can get a deal done this offseason?) – “I think we’re hopeful. When you go through these things – you guys have all been around and you see other teams go through that – these are deals that very rarely come together quickly. There are a lot of pieces and moving parts. We’ve had positive discussions so far, and we’ll keep working here throughout the offseason.”
(Both you and Head Coach Mike McDaniel used the phrase that DT Christian Wilkins has earned to the right to be a free agent … Does that suggest you guys aren’t inclined to apply the tag on Christian?) – “No. I think all options are on the table for us. I’m going to meet here with Christian’s agent this week. David (Mulugheta) and I have always had good conversations. I’m just being very transparent with it. He has earned it. He’s had a great season. So we’ll see what happens here as we talk over the next couple of weeks.”
(What more did you need to see from DT Christian Wilkins this year to solidify that extension?) – “Like I’ve mentioned before, we’ve had conversations, and we were close on a deal last offseason. It didn’t come together. For us, we know who Christian is, the type of person and player and what he brings to the organization. So for us, at the end of the day, it’s not what he had to do as we were talking and trying to build a team and put together a roster of trying to work together and try to find something that was fair to him and us. At the end of the day, we tried, and the agent acknowledged it was a very fair offer and we felt good. So we’ll see where that takes us this offseason.”
(Do you believe you have the resources to get a long-term deal, or use the tag if you have to, with DT Christian Wilkins?) – “Yeah, we could.”
(What does having a quarterback that’s not on a rookie deal anymore do as far as affecting the rest of the roster building process?) – “All you guys have seen around the league is when you get those guys on a rookie deal, it allows you to do the things that we’ve done the last few years, to go get guys, whether it was Tyreek (Hill), Bradley (Chubb), etc. And also for us moving forward, we have had a lot of good young players come up too like Jaylen Waddle and (Jaelan) Phillips. We have five or six guys too that we’re talking to that are going to be candidates for possible extensions.”
(Does that force you to say, ‘hold on a second, we’re not in every single thing anymore? We’re not able to add WR Tyreek Hills like we used to?’) – “It is a challenge, but I think the one thing Brandon Shore and Max Napolitano have done when we talk is we’re always looking short term and long term, in terms of having flexibility and how contacts are structured and stuff. Again yes, every year you can’t go and make those moves that people get excited for. You’ve seen it around the league that it’s not sustainable. At some point you have to reel it back a little bit and add some youth and influx, and then cherry pick here and there. We’ve been looking at all different ways in terms of building this thing and keeping our roster competitive.”
(Does concussion history play a role in consideration on QB Tua Tagovailoa in terms of contract length and guaranteed?) – “No. I think for us, every player deals with certain things. Even as you’ve seen this year, you look at all the quarterback injuries around the league and there are other quarterbacks and really good players that have had multiple season-ending injuries as well. The one thing Tua did was he attacked the offseason wanting to prove that he could stay healthy. Spending the time learning to fall, with the jiu-jitsu and stuff, it paid off for him.”
(On whether LB Jerome Baker will be a cap casualty and if he anticipates him to be on the roster) – “We’d love to have Baker here. I think the big thing for us was to have the new defensive staff come in, spend time watching the team, watching the defense as a staff together. Once we have those discussions with the defensive staff, Mike (McDaniel) will get together and then we’ll make that decision here in the next couple of weeks.”
(With the injuries at linebacker to LB Jaelan Phillips and LB Bradley Chubb, what are their expectations for the beginning of the season to be back and do their injuries factor into your offseason plans for the draft and free agency?) – “It threw off our playoff plans, that’s for sure. Losing guys like that late in the year is always hard. At the end of the day, we don’t talk (publicly) about the medical history or where guys are in terms of their rehab. I will say they’re both in the building attacking it every day. It’s been good to see those guys support each other and working through it, as well as all our other injured guys. We had a number of guys. Of course, it makes it challenging because now we have to have guys ready to go at the start of training camp. The timing of the injuries were later (in the season) but they’re working hard and hopefully we’ll get them back at some point there.”
(What are your thoughts on the decision to part ways with CB Xavien Howard?) – “Yeah, that was a tough one. Xavien and I had a long conversation because he was the second player I drafted here in 2016. He and I have been through a lot of stuff here and we were just talking about how proud I was from early when he first got here, some stuff he was doing behind the scenes to help himself become a better player, and then all the stuff he had done as a player and a leader helping us on the field. We had a long discussion and he understood it was a business decision. At the end of the day, we just felt it was right for him to have this opportunity for his agent to go see what’s out there for him. But we didn’t close the door on it. We’re going to stay in communication as the process goes and see what happens, and we left the door open for him possibly coming back here too.
(On if the usage and output of the cornerbacks last year was more or less what he expected) – “I don’t tell coaches how they should play guys. We have discussions when we bring players on and we always talk about what skillsets fit different guys. Vic’s (Fangio) a very good coach. Jalen’s (Ramsey) a great player. At the end of the day, how players felt about different things, I wouldn’t really know and I wouldn’t feel comfortable talking about it. I also don’t think it’s fair to either one of them. I think that’s something for you guys to really talk to each one of them about how they feel. But yeah, I thought the opportunity to have those two players together on the field (Jalen Ramsey and Xavien Howard), no matter what we’re playing, made us a better team. When they were out there together, it showed. The defense was pretty good when they were playing out there together.”
(On the status of the offensive linemen due to become free agents and if they will be back) – “It’s a definite possibility. We had some discussions with Robert’s (Hunt) representation in the middle of the season and completely respected his willingness to go to free agency. And again, I say that term, but he had earned the right and I love Robert. He’s a good kid. He works hard and he wants to be good. I would say Isaiah’s (Wynn) been in everyday rehabbing at the facility. He said he loved it here, so we’ll see if we can get something done there. Then the same with Connor. He’s just going through his rehab right now. He’s a free agent and we’ll see where that goes. We’re giving him the space and time. He just wanted to focus on rehabbing right now. But we’ll stay in touch with all those guys and see where it leads.”
(Has OL Connor Williams had any talks with you guys about whether he wants to play?) – “No. If you know Connor, he’s a very prideful guy. He felt like he let the guys down getting hurt. That was out of his control and that’s what you love about him because he’s very competitive and he loves ball. He just wanted time to rehab and focus and get his mind clear and we’re giving him that space. We just told him there’s no pressure on him. He’ll communicate and him and his agent will communicate with us when it’s appropriate.”
(On if he has given T Terron Armstead a date to make a decision on whether he’ll return) – “Terron and I had a long conversation before he left for the Pro Bowl. He said he wanted to be very fair to us. I completely respect it because I think he’s earned that right. We just said we we’re going to talk before the start of the league year and free agency happened and he was going to let us know with plenty of time where it is, so it doesn’t affect us. We’re preparing either way. You have to. I love Terron and would love to have him back. But listen, he’s done so much in this league and what he battled through last year to play for us, I really respect him and am really appreciative of him saying that he was going to let us know well before free agency started so we can plan.”
(On if it is possible the team will have to sign several free agent offensive linemen) – “Possibly. At the end of the day, I thought Butch (Barry) and Mike (McDaniel) and Frank (Smith) did a great job developing those guys. Some of the younger guys that we have on the roster are guys we are excited for seeing them in another year here going. Those guys made a great leap this year, and they’re excited for some of the guys and what they can be in the future. But yeah, we’ll definitely end up having to add some players there at that position.”
(The NFLPA survey came out today. The Dolphins were number one. What’s your reaction to that?) – “Well, I think it’s a testament to Steve Ross, just for what he’s built in terms of the facility and the people he’s allowed us to hire. When you have a building like that and you get a survey and you’re top-rated like that, I think that shows the quality of the people from Dave Puloka in strength, Kyle Johnston and the training staff, Meghan (Kelly) and the dining staff. It’s very collaborative. Everyone works and talks together and the players feel that. We’re very communicative with the players and telling them, ‘hey, what can we do better? What can we do?’ I was very excited for it because I know last year when we got number two, guys were like ‘how did we not get number one?’ So again, that just shows with Steve – because right away last year, Steve was like, ‘Oh, we’re number two. What can we do better?’ So I give Steve a lot of credit on that for driving us to be the best in the business.”
(What value do you place on judging the 40-yard dash? How have you seen that specific drill results evolve over the past?) – “Yeah, I think it’s important. But at the end of the day, nothing replaces field speed or play speed. Because as you guys all said when we drafted Jarvis Landry here years ago, everyone was like how can you draft a 4.75 receiver? And then he ends up with 1,000 yards and is a good player. So I think nothing replaces that football speed and competitiveness. Everyone uses the GPS times now and all that stuff and we have programs that measure it, but at the end of the day, those things will help guide you. But like when you watch (De’Von) Achane play, you see the speed. And so the combine here, it has its purposes. For me personally, I like it more just for the interaction with the players and getting to know the players.”
(On if the growth of GPS changes the value of the 40-yard dash) – “I mean, I come old school with Coach (Bill) Parcells. It’s like the underwear Olympics. For me, again, it’s getting the medicals on the guys are very important. Then spending time digging in with the players. I mean, we’ve seen so much film on most of these guys. You kind of have a feel for them. But I will say, doing the workouts, you also see who’s competitive. So for me, the guys that do all the drills, I always like that because that shows this guy is here to compete. He’s not worried about if I run fast or slow or if I don’t do this drill right, teams are going to hurt me. This guy is basically saying ‘F it.’ This is football and I’m just going to compete. So for me, I appreciate those players, especially in this day and age, where people are telling guys not to do so. Listen, I don’t judge anyone. Everyone has their own situations for why they do or don’t do things or play in all-star games, etc. But those guys that go to the all-star games and do everything, play in the games, or play for teams who aren’t in the playoffs and play in the bowl games, like Georgia last year – it was a shame what happened to Georgia-Florida State. The Georgia kids, most of them played, and the guys from Florida State didn’t. So for me, when I watch those guys, it’s just a little more, ‘ok, this guy loves ball. He’s not worried about what the ramifications were.’ That can be significant for some people, but at the end of the day, he’s like I love my teammates, these guys helped me get here so I’m going to play. I just put a little more stock in it. But I’m also not going to skip over an all-world talent because he didn’t decide to play in the Mayo Bowl or something.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel has often talked about how great of a learner QB Tua Tagovailoa is. He’s noticed that being around him. I’m curious, looking back when he was here and you were analyzing him compared to now, especially after last season, how confident are you that he still has exponential ability to grow?) – “Yeah, that’s a good question because Mike and I talk about that a lot. We’re strong believers in him. And you guys all feel Mike’s passion about him when he talks about him. Just in the two years of what he’s done, he’s grown in areas to where he led the league in passing and did some great things this year. And we all feel there’s still another level he can take it. I think if you asked Tua that, he’d tell you that too. And so just his growth on and off the field, being voted captain last year and then seeing how he is behind the scenes with guys and holding people accountable, it’s huge. I think the way he’s attacked this and wants to be great and the combination of Mike and working with that and that trust and belief in each other, we do think there’s still another level which he could go.”
(You have a talented roster that seems on the precipice of winning playoff games and have been building towards this moment. Do you think it’s fair for me to suggest, or are you on the same page that with that first-round pick, probably thinking more safer, contribute this year for sure, as opposed to higher ceiling, little more risk project?) – “I think at the end of the day, we pick at 21, you’ll always take the best player. If it’s someone that, even if it’s at a position that – I don’t want to speculate any position, but if it’s a position people think we’re stacked at, you never know. Like last year, everyone said our outside linebacker group was really deep, and then things happen. And then the receivers, (Jaylen) Waddle went down a little bit, Tyreek (Hill) got banged up. So in this league, the way that injuries happen, you need depth everywhere. You can have the safe pick, but if there’s a guy that you truly believe is a supremely talented player and loves football and will work to reach that ceiling, then it’s up to us to spend the time and invest in them, to find out and then you make that decision you feel is best for the roster, not just short term but long term as well.”
(Are you committed to using that first-round pick? Or are you still open to possibly using it in a trade?) – “I think you have to be open to everything. If it’s a possibility of moving up or moving down for something and get in a better position to get a player that we may say is a home run for us, we’re definitely open to moving up. If someone wants to drop to our spot and we move down and pick up extra picks, we’re very open to that too as well.”
(Where do things stand right now with LB Andrew Van Ginkel?) – “We’ve been in touch with his agent. It’s been good. He’s been in the facility rehabbing like crazy and running around on his scooter. He’s in a really good place. He’s been working hard and we’ll continue to talk to his agent here and see if we can get something done.”
(You know that Mike Tannenbaum went on national TV and said you should trade WR Jaylen Waddle, which seems weird, except for the fact that you guys worked together for a long time. So are you going to trade WR Jaylen Waddle? Or would you consider that?) – “(laughter) No, as I said in the middle of the season, I have no thoughts of trading Jaylen Waddle. We want him here for a long time, and we think he’s a big part of our now and our future here. He’s a great person on and off the field, and we still think as good as he is, he still has runway to keep getting better.”
(I don’t think I’ve gotten more fan questions about a player than I have about CB Cam Smith. What happened in his rookie year? Do you still think he can be a starter for this team?) – “I think we’re very excited about Cam (Smith). I think last preseason, you watch his preseason stuff, he played very well in the preseason. He got banged up at the end and then came back. At the end of the day, learning Vic’s system early, if you look at his history of guys with young players, it takes a little bit. He worked hard and by the end of the season, we were really excited about it. Talking to Jalen Ramsey the other day, he was saying how he loves Cam’s game and thinks he’s going to be a good player. So no, we’re very strong in our belief in him. I think last year, there were a couple things. He got banged up a couple times, but contributed on special teams, did some good things. I talked to him probably about three or four weeks ago, and I called him at like 8:30 in the morning, and he was in the middle of a workout session. He’s attacking the offseason, so we’re all very excited to see him with an opportunity to play. But he’s going to have to compete and earn it. Kader (Kohou) is not going to give it up to him, so it will be good. Then obviously, we’ll be bringing in some other people here too, and maybe ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) is back, who knows.”
(I wanted to ask if you had any comment on the lawsuit against WR Tyreek Hill and if you have any concerns about his incidents in the past year?) – “Yeah, we were made aware of it. We were in communication with NFL security, so I really can’t comment on anything of that until we get all our information and find out what happened. For us, Tyreek (Hill) has been a good addition for us, but in terms of all the off-field stuff, we’ll have to get all the information before we can really comment on it.”
(You had mentioned a little earlier about the timeline for QB Tua Tagovailoa and that deal. Have you guys talked about what it would mean if there was no deal by the start of camp or the season – for him, his confidence, your belief in him, everything that goes with the security of a long-term deal?) – “I think everyone, if we can do something, would like it done before the season. But you’ve seen over the last few years, some of these other big deals that have been done have gone all the way into training camp, because they are complicated deals to put together with the money and stuff people are talking about. I think Tua (Tagovailoa) is a professional, I think he loves his teammates, he loves Mike (McDaniel), but again, players have the right to do whatever they do at that point in the spring. We anticipate him being here and being around as we work through it, and like I said, we’ll stay in communication with his agent.”
Mike McDaniel – February 27, 2024
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Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(On the importance of getting the ball out quick) – “Yes, before he’s sacked. Really, some of the best players in the National Football League are collected as pass rushers on the defensive front. That’s some of the most strained matchups you have regardless of the team you’re playing against. Being able to play to that and not have the quarterback have the ball that long before he throws it minimizes the chance for those negative plays. However, there’s a lot of variables that can go in to play where guys may not be able to get open in those times. So it’s not a mandate you want the ball out at a certain time. It’s more that you’re trying to play to the strength of your team. When things are open and when both the offensive player and the scheme allow for a player to be open early in the timing of the play, you take advantage of that because it’s more difficult for the defense to have a negative play on your line of scrimmage or behind it.”
(On extension talks with QB Tua Tagovailoa) – “Absolutely. I think one of the cool things in this organization is how communicative and how well I work with Chris Grier as well as how I can separate what my job is and what his job is and how we move forward. I’m very encouraged. Both Tua’s representation and our organization are hard at work. Those timelines are impossible to predict and my main concern this offseason has been communicating what Tua needs from his head coach and his offensive coaching staff, which is what things can we identify to continue the progression of your game the same way that we have since day one? My belief has always been strong from day one in Tua. It’s stronger than it was the first day I met him and that’s because of that relationship, where I’m focused, which is continuing to provide the coaching so he can continue to evolve his game as he has since the second that I started talking to him.”
(On how the offense may evolve heading into the 2024 season) – “Yeah, you know it’s an interesting question that I regard. But I look at every offseason, every year’s offense, as a constant evolution to your players and to what defenses are doing. I’m never going to copy and paste and be like this is what we did in 2023 and let’s work off of that. You’re ultimately trying to create some uncertainty and indecision with offensive scheme. Inherent in that is your constant evolution. I’m not really ever gloating on any successes of past. You’re more, what are we going to do with this set of players? We’re going to have some guys that are going to be in Year 3, some guys in Year 2 and some new guys. But ultimately, what’s the best thing to serve them? And that’s naturally evolving. There’s never been one year from an offensive perspective that I can remember that we stayed exactly the same, particularly since I got started here in 2022. There will be exciting things that we do different. There’s going to be exciting things that we will evolve from, and there’s exciting things that we will build upon on the success of the first two years.”
(On the change at defensive coordinator) – “In regard to the defensive coordinator transition this offseason, I’d be lying if I said I was expecting that during the season at all. I think Vic (Fangio) would feel similarly. What happened was basically I think it’s important when the season ends for you to remove emotion and evaluate and have very, very good conversations with all people that you’re depending on. With Vic and I, we had extensive conversations that were very healthy. Ultimately, when push came to shove, it seemed like we both had the opportunity and it’d be best for both parties involved to literally, mutually part. So it wasn’t anticipated. It was something that I think was a factor of great communication between him and I, where we feel like we’re all best served if we go a different direction, which is something that we had mutual belief. I’m excited for both parties moving forward.”
(On if the team plans to add any running backs) – “There is never that sense of complacency with any phase. I think we did make some substantial improvements in the run game, which was something that a year ago at this press conference, I was probably taking about that we needed to do, and that doesn’t stop. I think running the football is a way to dictate the terms more than anything in football. One team has the ball, the other team doesn’t. It’s the orchestration of offense that’s the least risky in terms of turning the ball over. That’s something we’ll continue to try to evolve. Our minds are always open. We’re always creating competition and always trying to find new ways to find new ways to have different successes and evolve on the front end and not the back end of things.”
(On Assistant Defensive Line Coach Kenny Baker leaving to take a job at Texas) – “They got a great coach, a great leader of men. He’s somebody that the human part of me, the human part of the head coach, was super excited for Kenny. I wasn’t extremely excited about losing him. I think that speaks to the type of leader, developer, communicator and just overall coach that the University of Texas is really getting. They should be elated with that asset. I’m really excited for Kenny. It’s an earned opportunity at a great institution.”
(On the most important part of QB Tua Tagovailoa’s development last year) – “Reps. He had more reps than he’s ever had in his career because he played the full season. That was something that in football, there are a lot of things that can happen. There are also a lot of things you can control. I think one of the best examples of taking control of your career is what Tua was able to do through training and being able to experience all the different things – I mean shoot, experience a playoff game for the first time in his career. That was afforded to him because he was able to lead the team week in and week out. These are things that weren’t necessarily assumed he was capable of doing, but like most things Tua has done in his career, he’s recognized that and proved doubters wrong.”
(On his favorite book, Talent is Overrated, and if he has asked any players to read it) – “Well, unbeknownst to most people, including all of our local beat writers, I’ve been subconsciously implanting themes of Talent is Overrated since I got the job. Unbeknownst to you guys, you guys know half the things that are a fixture of that book. Deliberate practice is a huge theme amongst that. But I haven’t forced the reading. I’ve referenced the book multiple times, but the major lessons from that book, I think are common themes that both the players and you guys hear all the time.”
(On if T Terron Armstead has informed the team of his plans to play next year) – “I have let time allow for what is an important decision for him. I let time from the season evolve so that he can give us a window into what he’s thinking. I think it is important – there is a rollercoaster of emotions when you’re talking about potentially leaving a game that you’re elite at, and the pros and cons of that. He’s been an unbelievable leader and he’s really battled through a ton of different things for us. Right now, he’s determining something that him and his body are the only people that know, and we are very open for that. However, we also have to allow for that time and assess all options so the Miami Dolphins have plans regardless of any sort of scenario, which is what we get paid to do. There is not anybody that has earned more liberty to take his time to figure out the next step in his life and if it’s with this team or not, so we’re allowing that with Terron. I’m excited to hear some of the conclusions he’s drawn in the near future.”
(On why he retained Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman) – “It’s a good question. I think so many of the decisions that I have to make are very layered. Although results are very, very important – and I think Coach Crossman would agree with the statement that the results aren’t where we want them to be – however, so much of my job is determining the compounding variables and the why to things. Ultimately, I think the bottom line is picturing us moving forward and how to get that phase of the football team to find the improvement necessary for us to take steps in our game as a team, and I determined he was the appropriate guy to lead us and to fix the things that haven’t been up to the standard. That’s something that isn’t as easy as, alright, things are – and I don’t think it’s appropriate for you to point-blank say the results aren’t there, you shouldn’t be either. You have to assess the why’s and come up with a gameplan on how we’re going to improve that phase, which is very important to us moving forward, which is why Danny is part of it.”
(On the qualities Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman has that make him confident moving forward) – “So you have a window into the truth depth of someone’s coaching ability when you’re working alongside them every single day. Part of the process of factoring those things is ultimately, how is a coach able to communicate to a player to get him better? And although the results haven’t been there, what I’ve seen is players responding in the appropriate way to things that Danny has to offer. Now, does that mean we’re not taking a hard look at everything with regard to scheme? To players? Absolutely not. Everything is on the table. But what has been established is the communicator, the leader and the guy devoted to getting it right is Danny Crossman. I felt like that held the most merit to coach this unit moving forward. I think if players didn’t respond to him, it would be a different conversation. But I think we’ll collectively work together to right something that we know we can improve upon. That’s very tangible and I’m excited to do that.”
(On college quarterbacks making the transition to the NFL) – “So if you’re good at algebra, does that mean you’re good at calculus? There’s steps in between, right? It’s a different orchestration of talent execution. And college football is a different game that has overlapping variables, but it would be farfetched to say at any position that collegiate success dictates professional success. It’s a different orchestration of an 11-person game. There’s different nuances to it. The time with which you have to throw is different. The space is different. The space that you have to throw in the pocket, the space down the field, just all the things that are pillars of the professional game, there’s a disparity in really what the quarterback is asked to do relative to what they’re doing in college. It’s a taste of it, but it’s on a whole other level. And that’s why it’s an inexact science. Plus, the success of the quarterback in the collegiate platform is based upon compounding variables that you have to sift through. Do they have elite receivers that take 10-yard throws and take them 60? Are the offensive line and run game unbelievable? Do they have the best defense in the country so they get 100 different opps? All those things – is the offense that they’re employing the best fit for the skillset of the quarterback? It’s the amount of variables and the change in job description or really the maturation of what you’re asked to do from the quarterback position on a grander scale for sure.”
(On if he’s expecting DT Christian Wilkins back next year) – “Yeah, I hope so. Don’t you? We’ll see. But I’m excited for Christian’s opportunity that he’s earned. Yeah, we love good players and we’d love to have him back.”
