Raheem Mostert – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
RB Raheem Mostert
(You are not in QB Tua Tagovailoa’s situation, but you did get a contract extension this past offseason. What advice did people give Tua in this particular situation that he is in?) – “I think that’s a great question to start off. First and foremost, I think Tua (Tagovailoa) is very well deserving of the opportunity to get a contract extension. He’s worked his tail off, especially since I’ve started playing with him. I’ve seen nothing but growth, and the leadership he portrays not only for the team, but the organization is definitely top notch. One of the best, if not the best leader in the locker room and for the organization. With that being said, I truly believe he deserves everything he has coming his way plus more. I’m just excited for him. It’s going to be a great opportunity.”
(What happens if he sits out or limits himself during training camp?) – “That’s under his discretion and his team. I can’t really speak on that just because I’m his teammates and one of his brothers. We could have a conversation about it but all in all, that’s up to his team, and his priorities are something that is of importance in that aspect. I think that it could be the right move, and guys in the locker room definitely understand that. Tua is Tua, and he’s always putting the team first. That’s how I see it and that’s how everybody in the locker room sees it.”
(You were front and center a few weeks ago and you saw the local hockey team go all the way. What was that experience like for you?) – “I will say, congratulations to the Panthers –definitely time coming and finally that they got it done. It’s exciting, I was a part of it. To see the type of atmosphere that they had in Amerant (Bank Arena), the fans and everybody in South Florida, it just gives you an extra boost as a player, as a professional athlete down here in South Florida to try to get your own championship. I held the Stanley Cup and it was an amazing feeling, but also I want to hold up the Lombardi Trophy. I think that’s even more important for me, and I want to share that with my family and you guys and stuff like that.”
(I wanted to ask about your experience at the parade and all. How much were you thinking, ”This is what it might be like for us?”) – “Yeah, the organization invited me to come out the parade. I was in the parade – raining, just raining like crazy. It was a lot of fun though, that’s a memory you can’t take back. To cherish that, to be a fan for I think about 11 years now, my first ever hockey experience was down here in South Florida. So to finally see them win that thing and then be a part of it and go to the parade, it gives me more gratitude to try to do my own with the team and try to go out there and try to win one.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel always talks about the evolution of his offense, never the same as the previous year. As you’ve been in this offense for three years two times now, back in San Francisco and here in Miami, how excited are you for what’s next with this offense?) – “I’m very excited for this offense. You know last year, I felt like we left a lot of meat on the bone in regards to plays and yards, and we were still the No. 1 offense in the league. Now as we have the additions of Jonnu (Smith) and Odell (Beckham Jr.) and getting all these key players back, it’s definitely an exciting moment to be able to go out here with a high-flying offense, have fun running around and become even better than we were last year.”
(What do you think you have to add to what you’ve done the last couple of years?) – “For me personally, one thing that I could add is more so in the pass game and being more consistent in that realm. I had a talk with (Offensive Coordinator) Frank (Smith) not too long ago about me incorporating more in the pass game, and he said ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’ I just want to evolve as a player. That’s been my goal each and every year – to try to work some facet of the game. It’s going to be exciting this year, and I can’t wait.”
(I wanted to ask more about the Florida Panthers connection. Who on the team are you close to?) – “I was really close with Brandon Montour and his family. He had his son, and I was able to connect with him on that front. But then also management, Bryce (Hollweg) is the COO of the team (and) I know Vinnie (Viola) and all of those guys as well. So just being able to be around the organization and see the growth of these past couple years and understanding the team as well is definitely enlightening.”
(One quick follow up, you were on a team that got to that last game and then obviously lost, what did you learn from them getting there last year, facing that defeat and then getting over the top this year?) – “You can’t let one moment completely change who you are as a team I feel like, and that was the case when we lost in San Fran. We got to the big dance, and we didn’t let that moment define us as you can see in previous years. Even when I was there, we were still getting there, getting close, going to the NFC Championship and losing and stuff like that, but we still had that bond. There was that brotherhood that we could still get to the dance and try to win this thing.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel previously told us that he’s been drilling into everyone’s head the 24-year playoff drought this franchise has had. How much has that message resonated with you as someone who’s been part of it the last two years and knowing Head Coach Mike McDaniel the way that you do?) – “Yeah, I think it’s a great message that he is portraying that to the team and letting us know that, ‘Hey, look – it’s definitely a thing.’ We’re just trying to figure out how we can win that one playoff game. It looks like we’re trying to figure it out. Obviously, it’s still early on, we’re in training camp now. It’s the first day, and we’ve got a long way to go to reaching that goal of breaking that curse. But if we have the right mindset, if we understand early on, I think we’ll be better off figuring that out come down the road when it is time.”
(You’ve been in the league for a while. What’s something you appreciate now or have learned to have a career like this that you didn’t know early on into your career?) – “People always ask me that question and also, ‘What would I tell my younger self?’ I would tell my younger self, just stay patient. I think patience is the best thing you can possibly do, especially in the career that I have had, being cut several times. This is honestly my second stint with Miami, nothing against the old regime or whatever. But it’s one of those things where I kept my nose down, kept grinding and had my blinders on and didn’t look back. When I got the opportunity, I made the most out of those opportunities. Yeah, I would just tell myself that no matter what, just still stay patient.”
Jordan Poyer – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
S Jordan Poyer
(I guess the obvious question is how does it feel to be opening camp with a team aside from Buffalo? Is it strange or is it just life?) – “Absolutely, it’s just life. I always have a saying, ‘It is what it is, it ain’t what it ain’t.’ It feels amazing to be down here. Like I’ve said, I’ve been a fan from the other side of this team ever since I’ve been in Buffalo. Seeing this team grow on and off the field, knowing some of the players here, knowing (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel), it’s just a really cool opportunity for me to come here and be the best version of myself and help this team in football games. I’m excited to be here.”
(How do you feel physically at this point in your career?) – “I feel great. Honestly, I feel like this is the healthiest that I’ve been in a few years. Last year, going into the season I wasn’t all the way up to 100%. I feel 100% now going in. I know there’s a lot of stuff being said about the age of me and whatnot, but I’m excited to play. I’m excited to play football. It’s the game that I love. It’s the game I appreciate. Playing alongside my teammates, my coaches, it’s given me a lot, so I just want to give everything back to it. Like I said, I’m excited to be here.”
(I know some teams often use three safeties at a time. You, S Marcus Maye and S Jevón Holland certainly be on the field at the same time a lot. By the same token, do you also feel like with the addition of S Marcus Maye, you might be competing in some way for playing time?) – “I think there’s always a competitive aspect to each season you go into, no matter if you are penciled in as the starter or not. Every day out there, you’re competing against the opposing side of the football and then obviously the guys that are next to you. I’m excited to have him as an addition of our group. I’ve seen him play, I think this is Year 8 or (Year) 9 for him. I’ve seen him play – he played with the Jets for a little bit, and he was in New Orleans and had a really solid couple of years out there. We’re lucky to have him here, so I’m excited to learn from him, compete with him and help this team win football games.”
(How has your chemistry with S Jevón Holland been building maybe the last four or five months since y’all have been together?) – “It’s been awesome. He’s taken up golf, so him and I went and played in Shell Bay on Friday with Tua (Tagovailoa). Just getting on the course, getting to know each other off the field. He came to one of my events on last Wednesday, I had held a cool little yoga event – he pulled up with his lady. So it’s been really cool to get to know him off the field. A great young player and I’m excited to play with him.”
(How much does the mental approach to the game affect the outcome? For instance, in Buffalo, you guys were 6-6 last year, right? And you go on the run. Just the success you’ve had personally and as a team, how much do you devote to the mental side of the game?) – “I think it’s just as big as the physical side of the game. It’s the NFL, not everything is going to happen exactly the way you want it to happen. You’re not going to win every single game even though you’d like to. It’s really in those moments of adversity, those moments of maybe coming off a loss, being able to handle them in the right way. Whether that be within a game, maybe the offense comes out there and smashes you in the mouth the first series and you’re down 7-0 early. You’ve got to find a way to compartmentalize and really have that mental capacity to be able to move on because this is the NFL. Most games are going to come down to the last series, the last play, whoever has the ball last, whoever makes the last play. So being able to – I always told the guys that I played with before, ‘Look, I don’t care if you give up a first down. I don’t care if you give up a touchdown. It’s the next play. We’ve got to keep playing, it’s a long game left. All of that has been instilled in myself throughout the 12 years that I’ve played, so I’ve really taken it into a factor of the game is going to flow. There’s going to be some ups and downs, you’ve got to handle the adversity and handle what’s thrown at you. Usually, those teams that are able to handle those moments, whether it be within a game or within a season, those are usually the teams that you see in the playoffs at the end of the season.”
(You played in the same secondary as another great cornerback in Buffalo in Tre White. I know you haven’t had a ton of time on the field with CB Jalen Ramsey, but what have you noticed about how he approaches the game and his feel for the game?) – “One of the most talented athletes I’ve ever been around. Obviously playing against him – we played Jacksonville in 2017, the year we made it to the playoffs in Buffalo and he ended up having a pick to win the game, and I just remember that celebration that he had. Just seeing him grow as a person and as a player on and off the field, it’s really cool to finally get to know him and to play alongside of him. Like I said, I’m just here to do my best, to be the best version of myself, to help put him in position to make plays and put our team in position to make plays.”
(It looks like we’re headed to 18 regular season games in the NFL, maybe two bye weeks and maybe trim the preseason. What do you think about all that?) – “I don’t know. I don’t want to get in trouble with some of the things I might think about it, but that’s kind of crazy. If it’s two byes, maybe that’d be nice, but 18 games – 17 games is a lot of games. 18 games is a lot of games, too. We’ll see how the NFL handles that. Who knows, maybe I’ll be off in the sunset by then, but we’ll see how that’s handled.”
(You mentioned golfing with QB Tua Tagovailoa. Can you talk about how he’s handled himself amid the contract negotiations? Some of your teammates said they expect him to practice. What are your feelings on that?) – “He’s a pro. That’s his business. We all hope the best for him. Tua is a huge part of this team. I’m sure him and his agents and the people upstairs are handling it in the right manner, but I hope Tua gets what he deserves.”
(I saw at Oregon State you left baseball, you were a high school champion. Was that a tough decision at Oregon State to stick to football? You were drafted by the Marlins; you could be playing for the Marlins instead of the Dolphins.) – “You look back and you see some of those contracts that baseball players are making with a lot of zeros behind them, and you’re like, ‘Ah, what if I did?’ (laughter) But no, this is my twelfth year in the league. There’s not a lot of guys that can say they’ve played 12 years in the league, and to be honest, I didn’t think I was going to make three. So to be sitting here in front of you guys at 12, I’m extremely blessed and extremely thankful for those decisions that I made back then. That’s why I’m here – I love playing football, I love connecting with my teammates and that’s what it’s about.”
(In terms of being that 12-year veteran, being the old head, what comes with that when you’re on an NFL team in an NFL locker room? What’s the responsibilities of that?) – “I think just sharing the experience. Like I said, playing against this team over the past few years, you kind of get a sense of, ‘OK, if you get on top of this team, they might fold,’ and there are some teams that are – this is just being honest, so what is that that happens in those moments where we get hit in the mouth? What happens in those moments so we’re like, ‘Hey, we’re good. Let’s bounce back. We’re good. It’s a 60-minute game, it’s a long game.’ I’ve been in games where I’ve been up 24 points and end up losing. I’ve been in games where we’ve been down 21 points and end up winning. So it’s just continuing to just play, play the game. The game is going to come down to the last series, the last play, so just keep playing and don’t get stuck into that play that you didn’t make or don’t get stuck into X, Y, or Z of the past. Let’s just keep playing, keep staying together. That’s the biggest thing too, is just being able to stay together as a team, because this is a team game. It’s not just one guy, it’s everybody. So being able to stick together through those adverse moments, through those ups, through those downs and just staying on that line all the way through the season.”
Jaylen Waddle – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
WR Jaylen Waddle
(I asked WR Tyreek Hill about you guys. You, QB Tua Tagovailoa, and OBJ (Odell Beckham Jr.). The four of you guys working together. What’s your excitement level about that combination working together?) – “It’s exciting. Anytime you have a lot of playmakers on the field added on to the amount of playmakers we had last year is going to be crazy. It makes it fun. It’s going to be fun and exciting. Plays everywhere to be made. It’s going to be good.”
(Did you see QB Tua Tagovailoa today? If so, what was your interaction with him like?) – “Yeah. I chopped it up with him earlier today. It was pretty regular. We saw each other two days ago. So it wasn’t anything crazy.”
(What’s it say about his character that he didn’t want to hold out, that he wants to be here WR Tyreek Hill says he expects him to practice?) – “Yeah. He’s going to be here. He likes being around the team, the guys and he’s going to be out there practicing, playing, doing whatever.”
(Do you get concerned that it might be a distraction the longer the contract talks are going on? He’s an emotional guy, is that a fear that maybe it becomes an even bigger thing than it is right now?) – “No. Tua is one of those guys that really loves the game, really likes being with us out there. I don’t think it’s going to be a distraction.”
(What are one of the goals for you this season? For yourself personally as you continue to grow in the game?) – “Just go out there and just continue to be myself. I really don’t have goals. Just go out there, play consistent football, make plays when they call my number and go out there and compete.”
(How does WR ‘OBJ’ (Odell Beckham Jr.) kind of help all of you guys get open?) – “Man, I think OBJ is going to be a great addition. He’s got a lot still left in the tank. He’s going to go out there. Feels like he has something to prove, and he’s going to prove it. We’re going to help him prove it too.”
(Have you guys gotten all together and worked with QB Tua Tagovailoa?) – “Yeah. We were all in town in the offseason. We all got together and linked up.”
(WR Tyreek Hill mentioned that you guys were going to work on trying to sustain drives and not just get the home run every time out. What does that mean to you—that approach?) – “Yeah, kind of. I like to score, so whichever comes first. One-play drive, 11-play drive. We can do it all. We’re going to try to do it all.”
(What is this time of year like for you guys? Especially you going into year four?) – “Yeah man, it’s time to go. Play, practice, be consistent every day. It’s going to be a fun time, a fun camp. All of us just going out there and competing.”
(Did last season leave a bad taste in your mouth with all the injuries, and then the Kansas City game? Does it make you hungry?) – “Last year is last year. We left that there. It’s a new team, a new year. We got a lot to prove.”
(What can your tight end combination of Durham Smythe, and Jonnu Smith give you guys situationally? Like third-and-1, goal line, red zone, seam route. What are the situations they can help you guys in?) – “A lot. It’s definitely going to put the ball in a different playmakers hand. Not just have the ball go to me or ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill) the majority of the time. Just going out there and extending the defense. Making them have to play honest defense.”
(Have you checked out the speed of this rookie running back and what have you seen?) – “Yeah, Jaylen (Wright). All of them Jaylens (laughter). We can run, it’s just in the name. Of course, that’s another playmaker that we’ve got. Thanks for adding him.”
(You don’t have a way of differentiating the Jaylens?) – “Everybody has kind of their nicknames. I think we’ll have to come up with a nickname for him because we have the same initials. So, it’s going to be a nickname-driven team for sure with all of these Jaylens.”
(WR Tyreek Hill just told us that QB Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t want to miss his window. Is there a sense that this team is built? Is this your window to go and win at the highest level this year?) – “Not really. We’re not like a old team. Obviously past years are past years. But it’s time we go out there and really showcase our abilities and make a run for it.”
(Why do you think this year will be different?) – “Another year. Another year under our belt, another year with (head coach) Mike (McDaniel), another year with the offense. A lot of our core guys are back. We’re trending in the right direction.”
(You signed a big deal this offseason. What has changed for you in your personal life over the past… we will call it three, four months?) – “Really nothing honestly. Nothing at all. Nothing.”
(No big purchases, no new house, new car?) – “No. Nothing. I’m telling you.”
(No businesses?) – “Not yet. I’ll let it sink in for a little bit. Nothing at all.”
(You’re not on the defensive side of the ball. But LB Shaq Barrett announced his retirement. Did you get to know him at all? Were you shocked by that news, or did you kind of have a feeling it could happen?) – I didn’t. I really didn’t know Shaq like that. I know he was a great player and had a great career, so happy retirement to him. We talked maybe once. But great career.”
(The NFL and NFLPA have discussed adding an 18th regular season game. We would kind of like it if there were two byes. How do you feel about that potential setup?) – “There would definitely have to be two bye weeks. My personally, I would hope there will be two bye weeks if they extend the season. Maybe one less preseason game. Or maybe even cut out the preseason. I don’t know how they would do it. There would definitely have to be something added on. A bye week, cut out a preseason game, or something like that.”
(Is 18 games too many, or is that a fair amount for players?) – “Depends on what they take away. It just depends on what they take away. If you’re going to add, you’ve got to take away something. I would hope.”
(Is there anything that you appreciate that you didn’t coming into the league? Either the work, or the mentality, or anything?) – “I would say the time. I was just talking to my people the other day, ‘we’re going into Year 4.’ It seemed like just yesterday I was coming in.”
Tyreek Hill – July 23, 2024
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Tuesday, July 23, 2024
WR Tyreek Hill
(What is your expectation for training camp regarding work with QB Tua Tagovailoa, getting the three receivers and Tua together with “OBJ” [WR Odell Beckham Jr.]? What are your expectations there?) – “I’m excited. I haven’t been this excited since the birth of my first daughter and being able to work with Tua, being able to work with (Jaylen) Waddle and also ‘O’ (Odell Beckham Jr.); it’s been a pleasure, man. Obviously, God has blessed me to be on some great offenses – some in Kansas City – obviously the time we won a Super Bowl with myself, (Travis) Kelce, (Sammy) Watkins, ‘D. Rob’ (Demarcus Robinson) and the list goes on. But just this group here alone, man, it gives me the same feeling. All of the guys are ready to work. All of the guys understand that there is only one football and there will be plenty of opportunities throughout the game for all of us to touch the ball and Tua understands that. So, he doesn’t have any pressure to deliver a target here or deliver a target there. It’s all about moving the ball and keeping our defense off the field as much as we can and having a target like ‘OBJ’ opens up all of that. It opens up a lot of windows for a lot of people so I’m very excited, very excited.”
(Speaking of Tua, how do you think he’s feeling about not yet having his deal done? Have you seen him yet? How’s he feeling?) – “Tua, he’s in great spirits. Obviously, I can’t speak on his part about the contract situation because that’s his business – his personal business – and as his teammate, as his brother, I try to stay out of that. But as far as how he feels as far as mental health standpoint, he feels amazing. He’s very excited to be back in the building with all of the guys, so it’s great to see him out there. Still coming in to work, still about his business without having a deal done and it’s just been awesome, man. Just having him around. Just his presence means a lot to a lot of the guys, especially me, so excited.”
(Do you think he’ll practice?) – “Yes, I believe he will and here’s why. I believe he will practice because Tua, he’s very competitive. He would not tell you that, but he’s very competitive and he’s a guy that doesn’t like to fall too far behind and he understands that we have a really good team, and he doesn’t want to miss his window. Like I said, we’ve got a great offense. Our defense is really good, it’s looking really good this year so he understands all of that, so I believe he’s going to practice.”
(What do you think the next level for this offense is? You guys obviously have great speed on the outside. What happens this year to go to another level?) – “For us, going back and just looking at all of it from a veteran standpoint, I feel like we have to be able to stay on the field. Third downs are huge downs for us. For us, it’s either boom or bust. We’re one of those teams that if we don’t have the long ball, it’s like, ‘ah hell, here’s [going to be] a long game.’ So for us having a target like ‘OBJ,’ having a guy like Jonnu Smith on our team that can help extend those drives; are going to be huge. Even having a healthy (De’Von) Achane, having a healthy (Jaylen) Waddle, having a healthy myself, having a healthy (Raheem) Mostert; helps all of that. That’s one thing I know that, that’s what we took head-on as an individual group, as an individual offense without the coaches. It’s like, ‘hey, here’s what we’re going to get better at.’ Outside of what the coaches got, here’s what we think we need to get better at to help this team moving forward. So, I think just being able to extend drives, have those 12-play drives, have those 10-play drives versus having a five-play and under drive where it’s like, ‘oh, he hits Waddle on a 75-yard post.’ And it’s like, ‘oh, strike up the band.’ And it’s like, bruh, we can’t do that every game unfortunately. We can’t. As fast as we are and as much as people want to tell us how special we are, we can’t do that. We’ve got to be able to have good drives, so that’s what we believe we’ve got to get better at.”
(I know the team goals have to be the first thing on your mind, but last year you made no secret that you had a personal goal, set the bar extremely high. And for a lot of the year, you were ahead of that pace. Where are you this year? What is your goal and how achievable is it?) – “I will say for me, last year is last year. Obviously, it was great for me to come out and say X, Y, Z, ‘I want to get 2k, I want to do this and that.’ That’d be great. Grand scenario, that’d be great. But I feel like at the same time I have to understand that the position that I’m in and me being one of the leaders and just singling out an individual goal like that—because I had time to go look at it and talk about it with my family; and that’s very selfish of me. So here moving forward, individual goal I’ve been talking about this whole entire offseason with my teammates and with my family is, I would want us to, A: win a playoff game. I would love that. We’re going to start with that. Then moving forward continuing to build on that, we’re going to move to the Super Bowl. It’s one step at a time. If I’m able help this team do something special as a team goal, I would definitely count that as an individual goal as my own. And that’ll feel good. That’d be something that I could live with for the rest of my life. So that’d be great.”
(So 2,000 is off the table?) – “I’m not saying it’s off the table, now (laughter). But I understand how the season goes. Teams prepare to take me out of games. They prepare to take (Jaylen) Waddle out of games, so there could be situations that I have good games. There could be situations where I have bad games, but let’s not scratch off the 2k yet, all right? If it comes, it comes. God will bless me.”
(How much did that – that tackle speaking of 2k – that tackle against Tennessee that…) – “The hip-drop, right?”
(Hip-drop and horse collar, to me, it was a combination. How much did that affect the season for the team? The offense was never the same and then you getting to 2,000 – you would have had it, right, if not for that? Or what do you think? How much did that tackle change…?) – “Here’s what I think; I feel like football is football. If you ain’t being dirty, grabbing guys by like, the facemask or anything, that’s crazy. I feel like at the end of the day, that guy, which was Sean Murphy-Bunting, was just doing his job. His job was to tackle me to the ground and he did a great job of it. I feel like I’ve been in this league long enough and I understand different movements to help me avoid different things like that. I can do a better job of protecting myself. And the NFL trying to ban it and trying to do all this other nonsense, I feel like at the same time, I’m against it – because I’ve been playing football my whole life. And I played on the defensive side of the ball, and I understand how hard it is already to try to tackle a guy, especially if he’s moving fast or if he’s running right at you. You’ve got to do anything you can to get him down. It’s hard. Being on the other side of that, it’s like, bro, I just don’t know what to say, man. It’s going to be a great year for offensive players, I feel like—If that is a rule. I don’t know. It’s definitely going to be tough. But like I said, I could have done a better job of protecting myself. He did what he had to do, which was his job. As you see, there was no ill intent. He came right over, like ‘you good?’ ‘I’m good.’”
(How do you protect yourself against a hip-drop tackle?) – “We call that the Tyler Lockett Method. And the Tyler Locket Method is fall to the ground or run out of bounds (laughter). That’s no shot at Tyler Lockett. That just means that he does a great job of knowing situations and understanding what’s around him.”
(He’s got a whole highlight reel of …) – “See, you know what I’m talking about. You know what’s crazy? My son actually showed me the highlight reel and I was like, you know what? I may actually have to start doing that. So shoutout to Tyler Lockett, showing younger guys how to stay in the league longer. That is a great way to teach guys.”
(You’re now 30. I heard you on one of your platforms say that you did stem cell and how much it helped and that it helped you. What have you done to try to extend your career and also how long do you see yourself continuing to play?) – “Stem cells have been great. I just got back from Antigua, actually yesterday, from doing stem cells and it’s been amazing. Just helping me regenerate some of the cells in my body and giving me the correct blood flow that I need. So that’s been great. And as far as training, I feel like I’m going to be training my whole entire life because I feel like each and every year I’ve got to prove something to people. Because a lot of people feel like I’m not supposed to be doing what I’m supposed to be doing because of my size and my stature. But it’s like – Tom Brady said it the best – you don’t have to be the best or you don’t have to be the strongest or the tallest but as long as you stay consistent in what you do each and every day, you’ll be all right. And I feel like that’s who I’ve been my whole entire career. I show up to meetings, I bust my tail in the offseason and I’ve done everything right in the football space. And that’s helped me achieve a lot of things—because some of what Tom Brady has had to say. Because he was a late-round draft pick and I was also a late-round draft pick. I don’t know why I said that, but I don’t know – football to me is, I don’t know. It’s one of those things, my son is getting older. Obviously, he’s starting to play sports and he’s like, ‘Dad, I want you to come to more of my games.’ And it’s like the more I hear that, the more it’s like, man, it’s about time for me to like, I don’t know. So I don’t know. Who knows about when or where I make decision on when I want to stop playing, but I definitely know I want to be in my kids’ life because every offseason I get all of my kids and it’s truly a blessing to have that moment with all of my boys and be able to help develop them into some great young men the same way that my dad developed me. So I don’t know, I don’t know.”
(Do you think your contract will be adjusted or extended before the season?) – “I don’t know. To be honest, I have no idea. Obviously I let Drew (Rosenhaus) and the team handle that situation. And the only thing I told Drew was like, ‘Do not get me traded. Last time you did this, you got me traded.’ So that’s been my only thing to him. I want to stay here in Miami because obviously this is where family is now. Everybody loves it here. Family loves it, wife loves it, kids love it. So obviously I love it. I love playing for Coach (McDaniel) and the team. My teammates are awesome so I wouldn’t want to leave. The fans are awesome, too. I just love how the fans hold us accountable every day on Twitter. So we’re getting better, I promise you. We’re not just sitting around drinking smoothies. We’re getting better.”
Calais Campbell – June 18, 2024
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Tuesday, June 18, 2024
DT Calais Campbell
(What are your memories of playing for Miami in college? You were part of the last bunch of Canes that actually played in the Orange Bowl.) – “Yeah, a lot of great memories. It was a great place to go to school. I really enjoyed the whole time here. It’s crazy – my first time on campus was 20 years ago. (laughter) Coming up on 20 years ago in the fall, so wow – time flies. I’m happy to be still playing football, this was a dream of mine since I could remember. I love every bit about the game. I’m really lucky enough – I’ve been a fan that’s lucky enough to play it. My time at ‘The U’ was special, that fraternity you have when you go to school there is second to none. You get the love from the city at a high level, but you also know being a Dolphin is another level not just in the city – it turns it up a little bit. So all these years later, it’s kind of cool to become a Dolphin.”
(Since then, you played in the Super Bowl as a rookie with the Cardinals but haven’t been back since. You’ve gotten close but haven’t been back. What makes you feel this Dolphins team can compete for a Super Bowl and maybe be the ones to get you back to that final game?) – “That’s a big reason why I signed here, because I feel like there’s a really good opportunity here. Very talented team all over the field, both offense and defense. When you go through the roster of who you have and see so many people that I feel like we can play together and build that team chemistry you need – we’ll be a force to be reckoned with. I really like the coaching staff. I mean, (Defensive Coordinator) Anthony Weaver is a guy I’m very familiar with, (have) a lot of respect for, and he’s a big reason I really believe in this team. I know the kind of work ethic he has and just the kind of man he is, and I really think this defense is going to be a top – I don’t want to go too crazy, but it’s going to be a really good defense.”
(What keeps you playing at this stage, at this level? How much did you think about retirement? Or you just knew you always was going to play this season?) – “I mean, I thought about it. I don’t know if I thought about it for very long, though. It was one of those things – I mean the last maybe three or four years, I go through the season with everything I have, trying to empty the tank so that if I want to retire at the end of the year, I feel like I could go out and I feel like I gave football everything I had. But once the season was over, I felt pretty healthy. Everything was feeling too good. It’s like man, you’re playing football at a high level still, why not do it one more time? Going through that process just trying to figure out if I really wanted to do it, it really came down to just with the family – talking to the wife and kids, all my support teams, the people I value in my immediate family. It really came down to do I want to go through the process of what it takes to be good at it again, because physically and the desire and the love for the game has never left, not even a little bit. Obviously, there was a time where I was a lot more fast and athletic, but I’m still pretty athletic and still can get the job done on the football field. I have to learn to use other parts of my game, bringing a lot more strength, but I still have enough finesse and everything else. I’ve got a full arsenal of tools. What keeps me going though is the love for the game. The love for the game is No. 1 – I really am just like a true fan that’s lucky enough to play it. I talk to guys that are younger that are like, ‘Man, why are you still doing this?’ And it’s like, ‘Because I love it and I’m still good at it. I don’t to suck at it though, that’s for sure.’ (laughter) So if I ever feel like my play is dropping, I can’t be that guy, I can’t still deliver in big moments, then it’d be time to hang it up. But as of right now, I felt like towards the end of last year I was playing the best ball of the season. I just wanted to go through that process of considering shutting it down, just from the standpoint of I know what it takes to be good at it, but I’ve already been paying the price of going through that whole process. So I’m excited that I got this opportunity to go out there, put my hand in the pile and try to go to the end of the year. But there is also that level of I haven’t had a chance to play in that big game since my rookie year. Coming to a team like this, I feel like there is that opportunity there. Obviously, everybody feels like they have that opportunity to hoist that Lombardi Trophy right now. All 32 teams are competing with the mindset that they can be the team, and it’s hard. I’ve been playing for a long time, and I felt like I’ve had some teams that were worthy of it and we didn’t get there. We didn’t get it done. So it has to be more than that, but that is a big part of it, is believing that this team has a chance and I believe that I can help, given who I am today, I can bring a lot of value.”
(And what about your relationship with Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver and understanding of this defense, how much was that a selling point for Miami?) – “Huge. Huge, because I definitely had quite a few teams interested. I feel like the main reason why I wanted to come here was because I really believe in who (Defensive Coordinator) Anthony Weaver is as a coach and in our relationship. We talked a lot during the process and just knowing that he knows what I’m capable of doing. He understands my mind and how I see the game, and he trusts me. At this point in time in my career, every time you build relationships, you have to kind of reestablish trust. You have new people that you’re interacting with. They’ve got to kind of get to know you, who you are. Now because of my pedigree and how long I’ve been in the league, it happens usually fast, but with somebody like ‘Coach Weave’ (Anthony Weaver), he knows I’m never going to try to hurt the team. I’m always going to be in position to try to do what’s best for the team, but I take calculated risks sometimes and play with different technique sometimes, but everything is calculated. So we had those conversations when we were working together in Baltimore of like, ‘This is how I want to play it this week.’ It was never like some spur-of-the-moment, just do what you feel. Every once in a while, you trust your instincts or whatever but most of the time it was calculated. It was planned. But just that belief and trust that he’s going to allow me to do the things I know are going to make me be successful and this team be successful.”
(I think it was Wink Martindale in 2020 that called you the best 5-technique in football. Do you think that is still accurate and what does it take to be an elite five-technique in this league?) – “Yeah, Coach (Don ‘Wink’) Martindale, great man. He used to always tell me, ‘When God created the football game and he created the 5-technique position, he drew you up perfectly for it,’ all the time. I feel like I can play any position, right, like I can (play) left, right, 1-technique, 2i, 3, 4i, 5. I can play all through the 9 (-technique). I can play any position – I don’t like standing up, but hand in the dirt, I can play any position on the d-line and I take great pride in doing that at a high level. I think that’s probably what makes me unique, but where I feel the strongest and best at is in that 5 (-technique). So I do think he’s right, and I still think I’m pretty dominant in that 5 (-technique), especially in the run game. He told me to set the edge, like you’re not running that ball. I take great pride in making sure that you’re not going to run the ball in my gap or towards me at all. I also feel like especially when it comes to studying the game and understanding what tendencies are, what teams can do from different formations, it allows me to be a little more aggressive and take some chances and make some plays that I’m not supposed to make as well. But the plays I’m supposed to make in a 5-technique, yes, it’s 100 percent – you’re not running or something’s got to happen. Something was off, something happened. But it’s just I take great pride in being one of the best run-stopping 5-techniques to ever play this game, and I still think I’ve got a lot of juice in the pass rush role, too, so it’s kind of a good mix. But yes, to answer your question, I still think I’m very dominant in the 5-technique.”
(Quick follow-up if I may, do you think you’ll play the shade at all here or do you think you’ll play inside much or is it largely you’re defensive end?) – “I’m going to play all over the place, yes. We haven’t really talked about like how they want to use me, but just knowing ‘Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) and his mindset, we’re going to move around a little bit in different situations. There’s a lot of different things you can do in this defense as far as packages and different ways of lining up and doing things, but yes, I’d be very surprised if I don’t play literally position on the d-line at some point in time in the season in certain gaps.”
(As a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award winner, you’ve already demonstrated an exceptional commitment to community service and philanthropy. How do you plan to leverage the platform by your new team which is renowned for its philanthropic efforts and to further enhance your impact to see your community initiatives?) – “Usually you go to a new team, you’ve got to kind of learn the city, learn all the markets and stuff so it’s hard to kind of just get established right away in doing something in the community because you’ve got to learn like, who to help and where at. But because I’m in a city that I know (and) I’m so familiar with, I definitely plan to do a lot. I’ve already been talking – I mean I just signed and I’ve already been talking. (laughter) When this process was going about, about what team I could go towards and I decided to come here, that was part of the process, was knowing that I could do a lot of stuff in the community here. I already have a lot of connections and know a lot of places. I’ve already done so many things so definitely something I’m looking forward to doing, trying to help the community any way I can and just being a good beacon in the community to help just grow as a whole. So I take great pride in the Walter Payton Man of the Year award. That’s something that it’s probably my most prized possession from sports and I’m trying to live up to that name and live up to the people who have come before me and the people to come after. I definitely take great pride in that and I want to do a lot in the community.”
(Follow-up, as you continue your Hall of Fame-caliber career, what excites you the most about your quest for your first championship?) – “Honestly, I feel like I don’t really try to fall in love with the result, I just go through the process. So my mindset is I can’t control at the end of the year if I’m going to be a champion or not, but I can prepare like a champion. I can work like a champion, I can lead like a champion, I can definitely be a guy that is championship-worthy. And so my mindset is come to work every day, prepare every day as a guy that is worthy enough to be a champion. So if I do that, then I can live with myself – whatever happens, happens. But I definitely think that the opportunity is here and so when you have opportunity, now it comes down to just putting the work in and whatever happens, happens, but I can definitely live with the grind. I’m hoping that when it’s all said and done, we’ve got a chance, but the biggest thing is just get to playoffs, and that’s winning the division, but it’s a lot of football that has to happen. A lot of good football that has to happen to put yourself in position, but a lot of that starts with just the way you prepare and the way you go through the process. So I’m excited about the opportunity, though.”
(What is it about the Baltimore style defense that you really like and that makes it successful?) – “I think one of the things that makes it successful is just the amount of things you can do from it. Different blitz packages you can run, different people you can line up at different places, it just has a variety. You do ask a lot of the players – they ask more of the players because you have to know a lot more. There are some playbooks out there that are very small. But they do a good job as coaches of not overdoing it with trying to do everything at once. Game plan wise, you go into a game plan with whatever five or six things that you’re going to do for the main part, and then you have your bread and butters, of course, that you can always go to. But then the next week, you might have your complete – you might look the exact same, but you’re doing completely different things and it makes it hard on opposing offenses. When you have a veteran group that can pick up more of the playbook and you can put a little bit more in there, then you get real scary. (laughter) But I think the best part about the defense though is that you can make everything look the same and do completely different things from a blitz standpoint, and then you can put pressure on guys and make them think you’re blitzing. There’s time where we’re only rushing four, but the whole line is sliding because of looks that we did in the past, and you’ve got guys on the edge getting free sacks and stuff. Just like the variety of different things you can do up front with twists games and different things you can do in the same blitzes but adding different patterns to change things up, so it’s just the variety that makes it special.”
(A quick follow-up if I may, totally unrelated. What in your career so far are you most proud of?) – “Well the Walter Payton Man of the Year is my No. 1 thing from the overall standpoint, but honestly, if you just go past that into my actual playing on the field, I think the other thing I’m most proud of is just helping young guys reach their full potential. Seeing some guys like Justin Madubuike get a big deal, Josh Allen getting a big deal, there are guys even before from years that I helped kind of develop. It’s just – I take a lot of pride in sharing knowledge. Playing so long, you accumulate so much information and I’m a firm believer that it shouldn’t die with you it – share it. So I try to share as much information as possible with the young guys, help them to reach their full potential, and when they go and get these big contracts, that’s a good feeling. It’s like, ‘Man…’ I mean, they might have went and did it with or without me, I’m never going to try to take credit for something they did. They worked hard and did the work, but it does feel good knowing that I gave them all the knowledge I could and tried to help them develop. People always say, ‘Did you want to coach because of I love that kind of thing?’ It’s like, I don’t think I’ll be a coach – too time consuming. (laughter) I’ve dedicated too much time to the game playing it that I don’t know when I’m done with it if I want to go into that route, but I do like the feeling of helping people. I’m very service driven in helping the guys around me become better players and better men.”
Mike McDaniel – June 6, 2024
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Thursday, June 6, 2024
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(CB Jalen Ramsey, I wanted to ask you how he’s looked so far this year? And time removed from last year, I know you guys were thrilled with his rate of recovery and all that, but did he still have another step in that recovery that he needed this offseason to get back to the Jalen Ramsey of old?) – “Yeah, I think from a physical standpoint, it is a big jump the following year just generally. Now, Jalen Ramsey is an exception as an athlete so you’re not really looking at it like it’s a big jump for him necessarily from an athleticism standpoint. I’m sure deep down in the subconscious the more reps that you have successfully executing without injury, the more inherent confidence or maybe conviction you can play with. He has come back this year really, really strong. We didn’t have this situation last year where he was in the spring time in team reps. I think the first 7-on-7 rep he made it known that he was there and he’s doing it in multiple of ways. Making plays in coverage, in the run game, from various amounts of spots. It’s cool because he helps – when he’s activated like that and he’s engaged and trusts his situation and is thriving, he’s a value adder for his teammates. He makes other people better by how they approach practice because the easiest layup that I have in my job is going at the beginning of practice and being able to say, hey, the wideouts were talking about ‘you better have your hamstrings ready, Jalen.’ Or just poke him. It’s like that Tyreek (Hill) level. Those guys are insane. ‘You said what?’ ‘Dude, I said I could dunk on you.’ I can’t even dunk, it’s not a big deal. But he’ll still get hot. It’s been very, very good for our team to have him out there and overall I think he falls into the bucket of a bunch of people that were attacking a scheme that although it’s new, it does have some layers that are similar to the schemes that we ran the last two years. But they’ve jumped in full-tilt and gotten a lot of things out of our offseason opportunities on the field and you could say he’s led the charge.”
(Following up on CB Jalen Ramsey in scheme and in general, he mentioned yesterday just about being a versatile piece again. I know that’s been a topic of staying on one side versus moving him around. I’m curious your thoughts on how he will be used in Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver’s scheme? And maybe using him how he wants to be used?) – “Well, it’s more about Jalen had experience in his career playing a ton of different roles. He thrives in that. When you have a full commitment from a player and the appropriate scheme and coaching where you want to emphasize that within your whole scheme, any time you can find a new way to take advantage of someone’s skill set, it’s hugely beneficial for the entire group when people are maximized and you have a unique skill set. There are not many comps (comparisons) to Jalen Ramsey. There are probably not any. So in that, thinking outside the box, finding different ways for him to thrive helps others thrive. And I think that’s something from a philosophical standpoint that is in line with my beliefs in football. One offseason you’re finding new ways to get someone the ball. It’s the same thing as putting him in different places to be at the point of attack and utilize all of his God-given gifts. It’s a good marriage. Something that one of the things that I thought was important for the overall orchestration of playing football, whether that’s offense, defense or special teams – having multiplicity, having the ability to dictate the terms. But the biggest thing that has come from this whole offseason is, for me, is the intention to have the highest functioning player-coach orchestration where guys are trusting where guys are coming from and really leaning into the coaching and seeing how far we can push each individual athlete. I think the coaching staff really on the defensive side led by ‘Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) but what Mathieu Araujo is doing and Brian Duker and the communication that is going over there. There’s not one player in the back end, including Jalen, that has any questions on the motivations on their coach. I’m very proud of this offseason because it’s hard in the NFL. There are so many different things going on with individual players and everyone has scars. So to be able to actually have the right coaching points and being able to reach the players is super important and that facilitation is evident to me through our practices. Jalen is moving around because he’s bought into it and all the players around him are pumped about it because they’re bought into what opportunities that presents for them.”
(I wanted to ask about your coaching staff since you mentioned some of the new guys. You had I believe double-digit turnover in terms of new hires, new guys coming in. What was behind that? I know obviously Vic Fangio leaving and wanting to give Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver his staff was a factor. But why so many new faces on the whole entire staff?) – “You alluded to exactly the orchestration. There were some movement that we had on offense and special teams, but by far the most was on defense. And you don’t necessarily go into the offseason looking at that’s going to be the case exactly like that. You start with who you hire as the coordinator. And then moving forward from that for me, if I’m expecting to have the appropriate relationship with the defensive coordinator, immediately we are talking about how are we empowering him with assistant coaches. And that conversation for ‘Weave’ (Anthony Weaver) and I in this case was very productive and a very clean production at that because I’ve known him since 2014 and he can understand what I would mean or what I would be alluding to and knows kind of my framework of belief systems. Then we go to each individual position. What do those players need? And then what does ‘Weave’ need? Which in there lies, what do I need? Going case-by-case across the board, consistency is always a great thing if you can have it. However, you have to prioritize what’s the most important thing for you. And the thing is, you have new coaches, any position group, you want to pick any one of them; they have a new coach for Phase 1. If the coaching-player dynamic is right, that’s new for about two weeks. And then what happens is the consistency of the coach that is in place, if he has consistency about how he approaches the job, it’s all of a sudden – it was three years ago the last time I had a different position coach. It can happen that fast. So in Year 3, I’m also much more well-versed in understanding what and identifying exactly what I believe to be necessary to properly do right by the dream that is the players that they have a finite window to be maximized. So the lesser of the two evils is finding a situation where I think we can best capture that really beautiful – it’s a beautiful relationship when it’s working correctly. It’s a challenge that you don’t like having and you prefer not having every year, but it’s one that is welcomed and embraced if you’re able to find the right people and put the right people together to facilitate the individual and team dream that we’re all shooting for. Because there are so many new people on the staff, you do have an inherent, heightened awareness of the relationships of the position coaches or position assistants with every individual because it’s newer. It’s so much more on the forefront of my thinking and one of the reasons that I’m happy about this offseason is because I can see the facilitation of the relationships in practice. I can see someone make a mistake in period one, and then in period five have it corrected and executing it the way we corrected. Those are manifestations of relationships that you either have or you don’t. They have to be earned and I think our coaching staff has really hit it out of the park. I’ve never been as happy with our position coaches and coaching staff in general as I have been this offseason. And I’ve been looking very closely at it, which is why I know it to be true.”
(Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver was telling us about these pickup basketball games that he’s organized. Do you get in on this?) – “No. I can’t hurt my street cred. Like right now, I talk a lot of noise and I get like, ‘is he good at basketball?’ Step on the court one time and that’s all lost. But it is a mastery of ‘shouldn’t be doing that athletes.’ But that’s kind of the little things are such big things in the game of NFL football where the parody is so immense and connecting in all sorts of ways. Whether it’s a little situation or big situation, those types of things, man, they have results. They render results. I had numerous players tell me probably in the second week of Phase 1 how they could tell the defensive coaching staff really liked being around each other. Probably because they were talking crap to each other about their pickup basketball games. Those things do render results. I prioritize staff connectivity and just connectivity with everyone in our working orchestration of our profession, players and coaches alike. I have since got the residual results of a team invested in each other that has gotten better every single time that we’ve done any football activity for sure.”
(I want to ask about two position groups: interior o-line and the d-line. Do you feel you have enough at those units right now? Could those be areas you might look to address in the coming months of training camp?) – “Like I’ve said before, (General Manager) Chris Grier is always working in (concert). I am very happy with our current orchestration of both those units. The offensive line, there’s a little more history and experience personally with all the guys involved. On the defensive line, there’s more new. So the guys are working to get things tied together with the entire defense in that regard just like the newer offensive linemen that we do have are working to master a new scheme. I’m very happy with the team. Open to competition. I think competition always breeds benefit for the Miami Dolphins just because it brings the best out of people. We’ll never shut the door on that, but I’m happy with the groups, their production, how they’ve been working together. Happy with both groups.”
(In the past, you’ve talked about the fan base being hungry for success in January. I wonder with the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final, if they should go ahead and win those four more games, do you think, not within this building, but from the outside, does that put more pressure on the Dolphins to succeed in the playoffs?) – “I think there’s always pressure. We don’t need that to happen to feel pressure for that. I don’t see this job as a void of pressure ever. One thing I tried to articulate to the team at length that I think they’ve started to capture is the pressure exists because there’s a lot of people that want to do your job. Whatever job you have, a lot of people want to do it. So if you’re not performing the best in your opportunity, it’s tick, tick, tick for everybody, always. You get hired in this business to win games. I’m never not going to feel the pressure of that regardless of who does what. I think that’s important to understand. I take the time to kind of teach the team the history of the Dolphins and inform them of the past because I think it’s very important o know who’s rooting for them, why they cheer and what they’re invested in. Just knowing that, it that’s not pressure enough, then dealing with the wrong people, right? The whole team knows we have the capability and wants to earn that accomplishment for the fans, for the organization, for themselves, all those things. That’s something that no matter what happens, that is on the forefront of everybody’s mind. Because you also know being able to do that will be something special that you can’t replicate. And chasing that never stops and try to create a working atmosphere where you always have the pressure to do your absolute best. That is a simple thing or simple statement, but what does that mean? Doing our absolute best, you can control a lot of preparation. You can control a lot of decisions that can set you up for success. And that’s where your mind needs to be at. I think to me that the internal pressure that we put on ourselves far exceeds any cup or trophy or what any team is doing. But it is cool to see and you do get a nice reminder of what we’re all here to do and how you just cannot replicate the experience and the gratification of being able as a team to achieve things. So it is a nice thing to have at home to watch and we’re all rooting for them and fired up knowing how hard that is. And you appreciate that and you trying to take some of the tools that their team used to be the best version of the team on the national stage, to be in the final pairing. There’s great stuff from that. But pressure? If you don’t feel the pressure, you are oblivious to reality.”
(Just curious, have you met Florida Panthers Head Coach Paul Maurice?) – “I haven’t, but I’m a big fan of what he’s been able to do. Last year was really, really cool to learn about some of the stuff the team went through and how you kind of had to orchestrate various things this year. Seeing them have a bullseye on their back and how they’ve still been able to achieve, it’s been cool to see what that franchise done for last two years.”
(Your players have voted this cafeteria and nutrition plan as the best in the NFL. After speaking with a couple players about it, they indeed rave about it. You’ve obviously been on several teams around the league and seen several cafeterias. When you walk through the cafeteria downstairs, I guess what stands out about this facility to you?) – “You bring up a cool group of people who also embody much of what I felt when I first got the job. And what’s unique is having people very passionate about their role, as opposed to like, ‘Hey, I got this role so I can be with an NFL team, I can see Tyreek Hill every day,’ or whatever. That conviction and connectivity towards, ‘OK, I want to provide the best nutrition, make sure everything is clean, organized.’ People being upbeat and adding value to people’s days, that’s what you feel in the cafeteria. That’s what’s so cool about this organization and all the support staff is you have littered, whether that’s in the cafeteria, in the video room, the equipment room, our training staff, across the board you have people very committed to doing the very best in their role. Much like an orchestration of a football team, receivers prioritizing blocking when they’re getting paid for receptions, those types of things – that team you can feel they are wanting to do their job and seeing the value in their job that relates to the football team. Those individuals, you can tell that they take it very serious and enjoy coming to work. And the more people that you have enjoying work – you think about how much time you spend working, and if you can make that an enjoyable situation, it adds value to the overall group. You can’t measure how much people grow in those types of environments, it’s innumerable. So they do a great job. I think they’ve earned that reputation day in, day out, and it’s cool for them to get recognized. That’s why I’m fan of that survey, just because there’s departments that don’t get recognized that really should, and they’re definitely one of them.”
(To ask the obligatory question for this time of year, what’s your message to the players as they leave for the next seven weeks or so?) – “You just try to have them understand – since you’re not with them every day, you try to have them understand what the six weeks and their decisions, how it relates to the overall football team. There’s so often that – the work we put in is long and strenuous, and people do need life balance. But in that, there is a huge commonality that I think with the orchestration of what is currently orchestrated that when you get to the preseason, how much – or just you get to the season in general – how much is dependent upon those six weeks and you doing right by the team. What’s doing that, what’s doing right by the team? That’s showing up in shape for training camp, because if you show up in shape for training camp, check the box, we can work. All the things that you aspire for that season individually and as a team, those are on the table. If you don’t show up in shape and use training camp to get in shape, well one – that’s the No. 1 variable for soft tissue injuries. You get a soft tissue injury, then now you’re out two weeks and you haven’t even started getting back in shape until three weeks in, and how is your game going to develop. Or if you don’t get injured, trying to get Week 1 ready is very difficult because of the unique hurdles that preseason schedules provide where you have the bye week, there’s like three days off transition before the first game. And then you have different nuances the weekend before all of which make the ability to sustain the shape you’re in plausible – not getting in shape, there’s not enough reps. So illustrating how everything that you are working for on the table, how nothing – you can’t even venture to that journey if those six weeks aren’t appropriately attacked. That’s what I’m really getting at them, because that’s the one thing that everyone is depending on.”
(As a quick follow-up, do you have any plans for yourself over the next few weeks?) – “Oh man, you’re speaking to my wife directly because – bless her heart, she is so patient with me. But this idea of being present, intentionality and a deliberate way to go about each and every day, that makes planning in the future difficult. When it’s for my job, I’m all over it – months ahead, awesome. When it comes to – vacation has nothing to do with football. I can start thinking about it this afternoon, and apparently like hotels don’t love last minute things, or maybe stuff is more expensive, or maybe people just like to plan. I have no idea what I’m doing outside like a California trip, but we’ll probably going somewhere this weekend. We’ll just wait and see when we get to that. It will be all dad time – all dad time and husband time. It’s so important for me. In this profession, there’s so many sacrifices made by families during the season. You have to make that up and this is my one shot, so I go all in.”
(I wanted to ask you about your first year, you had a really aggressive defense. Second season, it was kind of stagnant and consistent. Is the thought to kind of marry both approaches?) – “And have the versatility to play to your player strengths, attack the opponent and have the versatility to play either game. I think that’s the biggest thing in football is you have matchups that are favorable and matchups that aren’t. Your ability to best address another team’s matchups sometimes is a philosophical alteration. If you can have a starting point where you can have very sound zoning defense with four-man rushes and ruled out run fits that also has the ability to show the same thing and pressure a ton, I think that gives you the ultimate versatility for all the different things that you’ll face in an NFL season because each week is so different with regard to what people are doing and how they’re doing it. So that was something that I think the players have picked up on, in terms of how there’s, ‘Oh, I remember this from here. This is kind of like this from here.’ It’s really helped the process. Outside of learning the new verbiage, it’s really helped the process for us getting guys to understand how we want to play and the way we want to play it. Because ultimately, all the defense, the idea is to get players to play as convicted and together with being fast, physical with elite technique. You can do that if the system is orchestrated and it’s taught the right way, and the guys absorb it and lean into that, ‘Hey, we can do whatever we need to do to get off the field.’”
(A couple of your players have told us this offseason that you’ve been kind of direct with them about the previous late season struggles, addressing that and attacking that as an issue. I’m curious, how do you coach that element outside of the experience of getting there in December and January again?) – “I think it’s important to – we’re talking about narratives to a degree – to understand narratives aren’t a bad thing. Narratives are based upon past and hedging opinions moving forward. So to me, I think it’s important to get in front of that and know what’s coming for players that are going to experience it directly and then leaning into that. I think it’s hilarious to say, ‘Now that you have pressure on you,’ in this business for the reason of, are you blindfolded with earplugs in? Like dude, it’s achieve now or watch out. Well, it’s the same thing in regards to, ‘Hey, things have happened.’ Those two things – the last two seasons – the seasons have ended a certain way, and about 30 to 40 percent of the team were part of it. The other portion of the team wasn’t. But what can we learn from all of this and how do we adjust what we do now to hedge our bet then and little things? You take – whether it’s a game or we need to finish the season better. You get what you emphasize. Well, why not find ways to emphasize finishing in everything you do? Obsess about it. Why not have for half the offseason, you’re trying to have staff meetings at different times during the day. I had every staff meeting I put at like 7:24 or 3:24 or 5:24 – the number 24. To you guys, it means nothing. That’s how many years it’s been since the organization has won a playoff game. We are going to hear about that come playoff time. You think? So to me, you do that to empower guys to know what’s coming. To understand it, to not run from it. Because if you’re going to achieve success where people are predicting failure, you’re going to have to go above and beyond. That is what every single player has done in their life at one point in time. Every player has flourished when people said they can’t in some way, shape or form. So it’s the same thing, just being intentional with it and understanding that I want this team to be very proud. This team is different than the years before. This is a different team. But I want these players on this team to make right of the journey of the last two teams. And that’s OK, well, those failures led to this success. And that’s how you have to look at it, because you are talking to almost half the room that’s like, ‘What? We what?’ That’s kind of how you have to adjust to the modern-day orchestration of the NFL where you’re staring at about 40 to 60 percent turnover almost every year. I think that’s how you attack it. You know what’s going to be said to you by your friends, or some media members come next December, let’s talk about it now. Yes, that’s not what you want said about (your team) – you don’t want (it) to be said, ‘You can’t finish. You can’t do that.’ You don’t want to hear that, but whatever. What if you heard you could? Does it change anything? Let’s go attack it and let’s go achieve something together. That’s the reason why I bring it up, just because I know no matter how much I tell people to not listen, it’s impossible not to hear the noise coming. There’s always going to be noise. Whatever, just address it and let’s do our jobs deliberately and with a mindfulness today that can be applied in the future.”
(I think I know the answer to this, but do you feel that as well personally? Year 3, you’ve got to win a playoff game this year?) – “When I got hired, I said it in like my first team meeting – it was 22 years at the time. Just because yeah, you don’t hire someone for moderate success or failure or anything. You hire them to win and I know we have to do that. Nothing has really changed. I don’t feel pressure that way, because I feel way enough pressure having the job in general. I don’t need any – there’s not any more to. You’re hired for a reason and you understand that, and you’re trying to help be a part, facilitate and be a part of a team that can succeed in the failures of the previous 22 or 24 seasons. I knew what I was signing up for with this job. For me to not think that we need to win would be – what, so I’m entitled to the job? That doesn’t make any sense to me. It’s going about business, trying to maximize guys day in and day out, get the team as good as they can and lean into your teammates to go try to achieve something that will mean a lot to a lot of people.”
(The new kickoff rules. What have those brainstorming sessions been like? How much have you gotten involved with Special Teams Coordinator Danny Crossman?) – “It was pretty cool, because you talk about – what I think is cool is that you’re going to have a play in the game that people are forecasting however many more live plays we’re actually going to see. But the framework of the play is area of innovation I think we will see early. I think we will see it throughout the entire year. I can see somebody with the new rule and the amount of space that can be created by the non-negotiable element of not moving until the ball is caught, those things make it a pretty impactful play where you could be at the 21-yard line, or the 40 (-yard line) like that. (snaps fingers) So in that, I can see there will be cool things looking forward all the way to the Super Bowl next year. You have two weeks to prepare for an opponent. You can comb more league-wide tape, and there will be a play in that game in this phase that I think will probably be a big influence on the overall outcome. It’s a big needle mover in terms of yards which forecast points. We’ve been having conversations from schematic to the varies ways you want to use personnel. I think it opens up your roster because the lack of distance or the reduction of distance for the coverage teams makes it less substantial of an investment overall. So it may be guys that traditionally have been starters on defense or starters on offense, I think it gives you more flexibility to get starters on that unit for various reasons. Overall, it wouldn’t shock me if, shoot, every No. 1 receiver and every No. 1 running back in the league is raising their hands to return kicks Week 4.”
Frank Smith – June 5, 2024
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Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith
(The offense ranked No. 1 in the league in total yardage last year, then in the offseason you add skill position players like TE Jonnu Smith, WR Odell Beckham Jr., RB Jaylen Wright in the draft. I’m not going to say what’s the expectation, but how excited are you about the opportunity to maybe take even another step in the next level?) – “Yeah, the guys were able to get here has been awesome. The reality is that we look at, alright, past success doesn’t dictate any future outcome. So it’s basically for us, OK, what did we learn from the season, where are areas that we need to grow? Acquiring the new guys, how can they help us and maybe do some different things that we haven’t done in the past? That’s what this time of year is for, the development of growth and getting yourself ready for training camp. But overall, it’s been an outstanding spring with the guys really committing and working hard. We’re very fortunate with all the guys we were able to get here and just what we were able to build this spring and what we’re looking forward to for camp.”
(I like that when you said that past success doesn’t determine your future. So how does the No. 1 offense from a year ago get better? How does No. 1 get even better?) – “I think it’s just when you have the new guys coming in and just getting everyone connected with our offensive identity and how we want to play, with our motioning and understanding why, how we’re going to do it, our run game, how everything’s built, I think it’s just ultimately for us, you have to always look at, like, each year is different. So as we acquire the guys for this year and then we’re going into the offseason to teach our approach, the philosophy, how we try and move the pieces to attack the defense. I just think it’s just you always look at the reset of the process, and you really for us coaches as we end the season, we evaluate what we went through with last season, where can we get better, and then now we’re implementing it. Ultimately where we can get better – individual techniques, understanding of things, maybe in-season we had some gameplan plays that we liked, get more manpower on it to be able to make it into our core, just stuff like that. But I think ultimately, it starts with our individual process, how can we each individually get better, and it starts with us coaches through the offseason and now working with the guys just to get better at techniques.”
(So in times like these where spring practice, OTAs, minicamp where if you’re learning a new system time might be spent on more install than refinement; I guess how are practices divided up when you’ve got the same corps together for the past three years?) – “Our approach is maybe a little different than other places that I’ve been in or just any of us, is that we try and make sure that we understand how to play fundamentally sound within our position. So not as much – the scheme is going to come, but it’s making sure that in spring, we have this time where really you have two weeks of Phase 1 where you’re in the classroom, three weeks of Phase 2 with you’re not going against anyone. Those three weeks are the first time you really don’t have an opponent or someone you’re going against. So in OTAs, you have an opponent – the defense. So we really use that Phase 1, Phase 2 to really focus on, OK, how can I get better as a player, so we make sure that we communicate areas that we think we have proven the growth and have the dialogue with them. So we use those three weeks as like, OK, is it releases, top-of-the-route separation techniques, blocking or motion block, whatever it is specific, then you build into the scheme. So we start with the person, how we can improve, then we add the scheme as we go. So it’s kind of like reverse. A lot of people rush the scheme and then you’re kind of learning what I need to do inside of it as opposed to OK, we deconstruct and go the individual alright, and build what we need to do, as we like lightly layer scheme and then we push the scheme as we get into really get into the group work in Phase 3 in OTAs.”
(So it’s taking advantage of a period where you don’t have to worry about, like you said, beating an opponent or what your opponent is doing. It’s a time where you can kind of be introspective and say…) – “Exactly. So it’s like, we could block an opponent on cans and air. But as opposed to, we can use the time to get better at maybe something that the season tape showed us that individual would get better at. Or new guys are coming in, these are the things that we’re going to require at the position, or new things we’re looking at from our studying of ourselves or other offenses and defenses in the league, through all that approach. So that’s kind of how we use the time. A little different than other places, but that’s how we feel we can build for each player specifically because we use the time to how we can best get better in it.”
(How would you assess the progress of T Patrick Paul through the offseason program?) – “It’s been like all guys coming out, especially linemen, it’s getting used to our terminology, the different guys you’re playing with. And then also for us, fundamentally, just some differences from college to us here. But overall, he’s working his butt off with Butch (Barry), ‘Lem’ (Lemuel Jeanpierre) and Roman (Sapolu) in the meeting rooms, getting the work in practice, spending extra time developing the camaraderie, especially with the older tackles. So everything so far we’ve seen, it’s not – offensive line play, as always, you’re going to see it’s going to grow and it’s going to be – to the observer, you might see what looks like a good play there or a bad play here. But inside of it is like, we can see the build of the fundamental things that we think are going to be necessary. And he’s done that as through the process where, hey, you learn sometimes as a rookie through negative plays as much as you learn positive plays. So his approach has been awesome so far and really excited to continue this growth now that we’ve seen through spring to when we get back to camp and really build. Especially when you get to get pads on, because that’s really where linemen learn, like you’re hitting a surface that maybe isn’t what reality is going to be when the training camp comes. So it’s like you’re trying to make sure you teach the habits that are necessary when the real surface comes and that’s the pads and stuff like that.”
(When you interview for to be a head coach, what does that do for you? What does that do? I mean, I guess it’s kind of an ego boost and it raises your profile around the league. What does it do for you and what has it done for you?) – “My kids think I’m a lot cooler. (laughter) I don’t know, I think you guys know with me, I just think the whole process through that was very humbling for me, because I just – the years you put in to get right at the precipice of like, wow, your dream and why you get into it. Obviously, that’s why I got into coaching, but it also reminds me, hey, just because you had that opportunity doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed again. So it’s make sure that for me, the reminder of every day to just stick to whatever is necessary today and be as present as I can to help the people that have given me the opportunity to be in this position. But yeah, it was an interesting experience, I learned a lot. And I think it’s helped me be better here for Mike (McDaniel) and Chris (Grier) and just everyone with the program, because when you get challenged to think broader, it helps now when you go back to narrow, kind of being able to maybe see things because you had to think about things. Things that maybe you never would have thought about before you thought about, but you had to really narrow down. So very humbling and I’m very appreciative to all the people here that allowed me to be in this position.”
(Without giving away too much did you go into any interviews with videos and the big notebooks and “here’s what I can do” and that kind of thing?) – “No, the initial process is very structured. So if I gave the whole gauntlet of all the stuff, as you guys know me, that would have been a very long day. So maybe in the future, but it was all a very great process. And just really for me, just excited to (be) here and see what we’re going to do again, because you got to reset the process. Nothing’s guaranteed any day – we’re in the NFL.”
(How much of an advantage, if any, or what’s the impact of having practically everybody on the offensive coaching staff being back, most of the guys for a third season?) – “It helps just with communication, anticipation, like when we’re trying to get things done, just guys more quick to like get more in tune with each other. Especially in-season, that’s where the real growth comes because the of knowing of workflow or problem-solving as we go into it. I just know this spring, we’re able to anticipate certain things more or just knowing that on Wednesday, it’s this structure of the day, so this is coming so we can be in front of certain things. So the stronger the relationship, the longer the relationship, the better communication. And that’s something we hallmark around here is our ability to communicate with each other.”
(When you went back and evaluated the season, great success earlier in the year. It maybe a little tougher to get production late. What was the difference, do you think, in your mind?) – “It isn’t just one thing that we looked at. I mean, ultimately, you take in certain segments of the year, but then you look at the entirety, and for us, it’s just OK, it’s making sure that we’re maximizing each week, because a game in November or December, losing can impact the end of the season. So it’s just making sure that what we’re doing at the end of the season, making sure that we’re setting the foundation now to make sure that we can carry things longer through the season. I wouldn’t say there’s really like one thing, because we did have a lot of success. But I mean, ultimately, for us, it’s just the execution. The last game of the season was tough, obviously going up there in the weather.”
(I was going to ask you if the No. 1 thing you learned is not playing in 30-below weather?) – “That normally helps to be able to play here. (laughter) I think that day we flew to Kansas City it was like 82 here, and when we landed it was like minus-20. I mean when you’re scraping frost off the press box, it isn’t ideal. But ultimately, I think it teaches you how important each week is, because the execution, our overall communication as a group, each week impacts our ability to play here at home and in the playoffs.”
(Power running in those situations. It’s cliché, you’re able to run the ball and it travels. Was that something you saw that hey, maybe this is somewhere we need to get better? There’s a lot of cold cities in the AFC to have to play that power running game.) – “Yeah, with running the football, it does translate into the postseason. But the big thing for us is making sure we maximize each week so if we’re playing in the playoffs we ideally would like to play at home. You’re having 100-degree temperature variants and you’re coming out of your stance frozen. Hence why helmets were cracking and whatever the hell was going on down there.”
(People were losing fingers in the stands actually.) – “Yeah, it was nuts. I’ve never seen Arrowhead that empty in all those years in the division. But ultimately, it’s like, OK, that was last season. What did we learn? What are the areas that we think – and that’s always we start this time of individually, position wise, end of the unit, end of the team. So right now as we went through Phase 1 to Phase 2 individual to position groups down to the unit, now what do we get through the offseason to make sure we tailor for training camp. What areas do we want to really to improve on? So that’s constantly – you’re always looking at your process to how structuring, teaching, evolving. And now with training camp, and the way the timing that happens, making sure it’s very specific to where we feel we want to go for next season.”
(Just one football to go around. How difficult is it to find that balance in making sure that everyone gets their touches? Especially with this upcoming season.) – “Well that’s the fun part of the job on offense is trying to make sure you use all the guys to their best abilities. That’s the fun part of making sure we have options for all guys and different concepts and all that. We’re very conscientious of that, just trying to make sure we have opportunities to get the guys the ball, whether it’s handing it off or jet motions or throwing and running backs getting carries. It’s a fun challenge. All this is one giant puzzle that we’re always solving, and that’s why you get into coaching – to try and make it work.”
(When you look at the possibilities, do you ever foresee this offense having three 1,000-yard receivers or tight ends?) – “I mean the ultimate goal for us is – statistics can be great, but our ultimate goal is to win a championship. And how do we do that? That’s to make sure we have efficiency in what we’re doing and we’re scoring points. However statically that yields, great. But ultimately our job is to make sure we gain yards, score points so we can win the game so we can win a championship. How stats play out is not really like we’re looking at that chasing that. We’re chasing each week is going to be a different challenge on how to win, and that’s really ultimately what we’re trying to do – each week, what is going to be necessary? You lean on guys some weeks and other weeks you’re going to need another ready to go. Especially if people try to take away the passing game, you have to lean on the – it works hand in hand together.”
(Curious what you got out of the Panthers head coach interview job last year? And maybe how you take that going forward in your own career?) – “For specifically that one, that was first conversation and I kind of learned how it went. It was interesting how the process goes and the communication with an organization and your vision towards things. We talked about it before, but ultimately it came back to when you go through all that, what I learned is it really made me appreciative of the program we have here and people we have here, because I wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for the guys here or the people I’ve worked with in my past. It just reinforces to me how fortunate I am to be here and why I’m here today – to do the job I need to do today. Yeah, there’s no guarantees it’ll ever come back again. My kids thought it was awesome, and they still talk about it. I’m like, ‘Yeah, it was great, but Dad’s got a job to do today, and that’s to make sure that we’re at our best for whatever is required for the day.’”
(If you guys lead the league in offense again, I bet you’ll get more of those interviews.) – “(laughter) Maybe, if it happens, it happens. It would be awesome. But ultimately the job is to do the job today. I always kind of – a friend of mine owns his own company in Chicago, and we’re talking about just certain things. The best way you can be successful in the future is to make sure you maximize today and you focus on today and the needs of today, then you work it to the best it needs to be done.”
Anthony Weaver – June 5, 2024
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Wednesday, June 5, 2024
Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver
(How would you describe what you’ve already gotten accomplished from your arrival to today?) – “I think collectively as a team, we’re just trying to chase the best version of ourselves every day. Defensively, I’m just so happy with the way the guys have attacked this offseason, just in terms of their professionalism and their approach to every day. Every day that they come in here, you see that they attack the day with the right purpose and intentionality to go out there and just get better, which has been awesome.”
(A few of the guys have talked about the energy that you bring. I don’t want to be cliché but you’re a relatively young guy so you bring energy. How do you approach bringing energy to the film room, the practice field, etc.?) – “First off, I appreciate you saying I’m relatively young. The greys don’t necessarily reflect that. (laughter) I tell guys that time plus energy equals production. If you’re going to put in the time and you do it without energy, you’re just not going to be that productive. But when you combine the two, which you’re going to be here anyway, and you bring some juice, you’re going to get the most out of your day. I think, fortunately, we have a bunch of guys on this team, particularly defensively, that have that naturally. It’s innate in them. Then the guys that sometimes lack that, they bring them along with them. I just love being around the guys in general, just because of their work ethic and their habits. So for me, they think that may come from me. Shoot, I’m feeding off of them just as much as they are feeding off of me. It’s been awesome, just the synergy of it all.”
(Your linebackers have the ability to go forward, backwards, sideline to sideline, and it seems like that’s kind of intentional, especially with the two guys that came in this year. What does their diverse skill set across LB David Long Jr., LB Jordyn Brooks, LB Anthony Walker Jr., what does that do for a defense to help expand what you can do?) – “First off, I love that room. If you talk about a room that brings juice and attacks the day every single day, it’s them. And it’s led by (Linebackers/Run Game Coordinator) Joe Barry, who does a tremendous job with them. In this league, with the way offenses are trying to attack you both vertically and horizontally and trying to space out the entire field, you better have linebackers that can do that. It’s not like back in the day when I was playing and you’re getting a lot of lead and iso and you better have a guy who is going to thump and throw it up in there. The league has kind of transitioned away from that. You still need physicality there but at that position, you better have athletes. Fortunately, I think we have a bunch in there.”
(With the defensive line, obviously there are a number of different guys and a number of different body types. How versatile do they have to be? I know you are going to do multiple fronts, but do you have to have varying skill sets in that group?) – “Yeah, absolutely. I think you need to have the right balance of guys that I like to call grinders. Guys who go there and change the math in the middle, whether that’s with mass or elite technique. And then you need those guys that are kind of in between, that are tweeners, guys that can both do that yet are athletic enough and have the skillset to both win and pass rush, whether that be with power or finesse. You’re always looking for the right balance and combination of that and making sure you have enough of each. I think we have that. I think a lot of the guys may not necessarily be household names, but I think they’re all guys that have had a taste of production in this league and their best years are probably yet to come.”
(When you’ve coached defensive line, you’ve used a heavy rotation. That’s what you’re known for. Is that just your approach that you believe they’re best in waves?) – “Yeah, it’s kind of like the tsunami approach. I’m half-Samoan, I lived in Hawaii for a little while. They always say the first wave of the tsunami does damage, but the second wave does the most damage. So for me, sometimes people get overly concerned about who is starting the football games – that means nothing to me. I want to know who is finishing the football games. I think you’ve got your best chance at finishing football games when guys are fresh. You can’t do that at every position – particularly when there are bigs out there running around in this heat, you’re going to want to rotate them a little bit.”
(Beyond you coming in, there’s also a lot of new assistants under you on the defense. Can you explain your thought process behind the turnover and some of those guys specifically? What makes them the right fits?) – “I love this staff. I think our players feed off of our collaboration and the way we work together. One, we do play staff basketball every Tuesday and Thursday so if anybody is interested in looking at a very non-athletic basketball game that looks like a 40+ league, you can come watch us on Tuesday and Thursday. It’s pretty ugly. The wives are not happy with us right now, because we all come home with injuries. We have a full injury report if anybody is interested. But between me and Mike (McDaniel), we obviously wanted to build a group of guys that not only had FBI – football intelligence – but more importantly, we wanted a bunch of guys that actually cared about their players. And I think from top to bottom, we have that. To me, ultimately on every team, the teams I’ve been a part of that actually care for one another, where they hung out outside of the building and they cared about their families, their wives, their girlfriends, their kids, like that’s transcending. So now when you’re out there playing next to somebody, you’re not just playing for him but you’re playing for him and his family and everybody he cares about too. I think as a staff defensively, I’m always trying to feed into that and making sure that we’re as close as we could possibly be, because when adversity does inevitably hit, those are the types of guys you want to be in the foxhole with.”
(The media used to play pickup basketball every day in the middle of the day and then we would shower and come back. There were too many torn ACLs and MCLs.) – “I’ve got a sleeve on right now, and that is not just from normal wear and tear.”
(So who is the worst fouler?) – “There’s a rumor that it may be a d-line coach of ours. He claims everything is clean. I can’t say. You’ve got to go to the tape to find out. But fortunately there is nobody out there that limits him to six. (laughter)”
(What have you learned about Head Coach Mike McDaniel in terms of the best way to mesh with him as you get to know him?) – “So I’ve actually known Mike since 2006, and the thing I respect most about him – people think he’s unique, that he’s a breath of fresh air to the profession but to me, he’s who he’s always been and that’s what I respect most about him. I’ve been around guys that have been put in that position where they now have some power and authority and you see them kind of change who they were from a personality standpoint. He’s the exact same guy I’ve known for a long time. He’s a better version of the guy he was in 2006.”
(How competitive do you think training camp will be? I know sometimes guys share their plays prior to practices and sometimes guys just kind of want to win the day. What’s your approach to that?) – “I think always, particularly when you’re going against one another, you want to be competitive. There are a bunch of alphas out here. When you’re practicing against your team, you want to be competitive and not combative. So we’re always trying to walk that line and I think our guys do an excellent job of that.”
(You’ve played and coached for the Ravens. You’ve coached on some great staffs in Houston. You’ve been under Romeo Crennel. Where do you get your influences from?) – “From all over. You take bits and pieces from everybody along this journey, both the good and the bad. The most positive influences I’ve had have probably been with Romeo Crennel, Mike Macdonald, Wink Martindale, Rex Ryan, Urban Meyer – the list goes on and on and on. Then in taking bits and pieces of them, you’ve always got to stay true to yourself and who you are. I’m truly appreciative for all of the experiences along the way that have helped shape who I am, and in the process, I hope to have that same influence on some of the guys that now work under me.”
(You had an opportunity to be a defensive coordinator in Houston. What did you learn from that experience there that helped shape who you could become now?) – “I learned so many things from that experience because there was a lot of adversity thrown at us in that particular year. I’m talking about COVID-19. I’m talking about a head coach getting fired midseason and how you’re going to try to right the ship and keep it all together. And then just the schematic tweaks, how the offenses tried to adapt as we’re changing and trying to protect some of the players that we have. There were so many lessons learned there. Ultimately when we were let go and I had opportunities to go elsewhere and potentially coordinate again, I chose to go to Baltimore to see how that dinner was being made, because they were doing a lot of good things there. So I took a step back in order to take a huge step forward, which we hope pays dividends here in Miami.”
(We talked to CB Kendall Fuller earlier. How does his skill set align with what you ask of the corners?) – “You talk about a guy that has tremendous football IQ, that knows his skill set, can take all of the pre-snap information that is given to him and then apply it. He’s played in every coverage scheme known to man. Just his vet-savvy, his presence, the professionalism that he shows every day is going to have a tremendous influence on all of these guys. Then when you combine both with Jalen Ramsey and the influence he can have on some of the younger corners we have – the Cam Smiths of the world, the Ethan Bonners – I’m just so grateful for him being here. He’s such a calming presence back there at the corner position.”
