Preston Williams – August 14, 2019
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Wednesday, August 14, 2019
WR Preston Williams
(When I asked WR DeVante Parker about you earlier in camp, he said that some of the things you do reminds him of his skillset. With him being out injured today, did you view that as an opportunity to take some of his reps and do some of the things he does?) – “I learn from DeVante. I’ve watched him a long time. Even growing up, I remember when DeVante first got drafted and I was in high school about to graduate. I’ve always been a big fan of DeVante’s. I’m excited to be in the room with him, and learn from him. He’s teaching me new releases and how to run routes. He’s just being a good vet.”
(I noticed you on punt return. Was that your first punt return opportunity?) – “Yeah. That was my punt return opportunity. Trenton (Irwin) has been back there, Kenny (Stills), Jakeem (Grant) and RB Kenyan (Drake). I’m learning from those guys. That was my first time. It was pretty cool.”
(Did you do it in college?) – “Yeah, I did it in college. I did it in college and high school.”
(Some guys don’t like it. What do you think about it?) – “I like punt return more than kick return.”
(What do you think about the kind of growing fascination with the fan base and all of that? Is the hype train kind of picking up speed?) – “Kind of, sort of. I love the fans. They come and support us every day. I’m just going to continue to make plays.”
(Do you feel like it’s warranted, the attention you’re getting?) – “I think so, I think so.”
(Why is that?) – “If you make plays, people notice.”
(There was a play yesterday that the Miami Dolphins put on social media where it looked like you kind of tricked a guy, then you ran into a wide open space. Do you know what play I’m talking about? Tell me how you were able to do that on that play.) – “Coach told us to get our eyes up and watch for the quick jam. He tried to quick jam. I saw him change his stance for the quick jam, end up beating him on the inside and then tried to give him a double (move) at the top. I ran that route.”
(This connection you have with QB Josh Rosen, I know you’ve spoken about it before; but we’ve seen it these past two days. He’s pulled you aside to talk about plays. What is it about him and you and just the connection that you two have?) – “We’re both young, so we’re learning together. I can say that. Me and Josh still have a lot of growing to do. We’re going to keep working every day.”
(When did your focus switch from making the team to figuring out how you can get on the field?) – “I just come ready to work every day. Of course the main focus is making the team. At the same time, I want to be a better receiver regardless. All of the guys I got around me, I utilize everybody that I’ve got around me.”
Brian Flores – August 14, 2019
Wednesday, August 14, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(S Minkah Fitzpatrick had an interception today. How has he worked for you so far in training camp?) – “He’s done a really good job. He’s a hard-working kid, does a good job with his communication, practices well every day. Obviously, it’s never perfect for anybody, but he’s a guy who we’ve used in multiple roles. He’s taken to that and really learned them all at a pretty good level. Obviously, there’s always room for improvement from a technique, from a fundamental standpoint – just an understanding of the game. He’s still a young player. It’s a new system, but he’s really a joy to work with from an abilities standpoint, as a kid – he’s a really good kid, too. I’m looking forward to working with him some more.”
(With S Reshad Jones and S T.J. McDonald not practicing because of injuries, does that show you S Minkah Fitzpatrick’s value even more?) – “I think it’s a great opportunity for him and really any young guy. When people go down, it’s a great opportunity. It really is, and Minkah’s taking advantage of that. Again, we’re moving him around. He’s playing some strong safety, he’s playing some linebacker, he’s playing some corner. He’s all over the place. That’s a good thing. That’s a really good thing.”
(Is there any thought to put S Minkah Fitzpatrick on the boundary considering what you guys have got going on from an injury standpoint?) – “No, I mean – it depends on if it’s a matchup-based game and his guy’s to the field, then we’ve got to put him to the field. If we’re playing a zone game and we’re playing him middle of the field, then we’ll play him in the middle of the field. If his guy’s into the boundary, we’ll do that. He can do a lot of things. Part of what we do is try to put him in positions – because he can do so many things – not to overload the kid. I think that’s a big part of our responsibility as a coaching staff is not to overload him. I don’t feel like he’s overloaded. He’s played multiple positions. He’s really done a good job at all of them. Every time he gets out there, it’s a new experience. Whether he’s getting stack receivers or Y-Y wing or empty – I mean there’s a myriad of things that could happen and every one is a good experience for him, and he’s done a good job.”
(RB Kalen Ballage had two long touchdown runs – I don’t know if you saw them or if you were somewhere else, but…) – “Oh, I saw them. (laughter)”
(I’m wondering how much of that was RB Kalen Ballage and how much of that was offensive line and downfield blocking.) – “They all work together. It’s 11 guys. If you put 11 guys in and they execute their responsibility, you’ll get a good play. Kalen did a good job of making a guy miss, and that’s how you get long runs, receivers blocking corners and secondary players, and that’s how you get long runs. It takes everybody.”
(We saw RB Kenyan Drake in a boot. How concerned are you guys that he’s going to be ready for the opener?) – “We take things day-to-day here. The opener’s down the road. He’s got a little injury, and I think we – he’s just going to take it day-to-day. He’s got a great attitude about it. I think he’ll be okay.”
(At the receiver position, you have WR Preston Williams and WR Isaiah Ford really stepping up. WR Jakeem Grant and WR Albert Wilson are making their ways back. How are you going to make this decision to cut down those guys at the position group on the roster?) – “Well, we’ve got a long way until we’ve got to make those decisions. We’re going to keep the best players. I know five receivers, six receivers, eight receivers – I’m not sure what it’ll be. We’re going to keep the best 53 players and the best 10 practice squad players. That’s how we’re going to do this.”
(What’s it going to be if you have to turn down a good player, a player that’s been playing really well?) – “Well, hopefully we don’t have to turn down that player. Hopefully we don’t have to do that, but those are very good problems to have – turning down good players. I’d like to have those types of problems.”
(We saw WR Albert Wilson make a catch on 7-on-7. How’s he coming along in his recovery?) – “I thought he did a really good job on that. Good route – a quarter curl route – he turned it up field. I’ve got to watch the film. I thought the ball was a little bit loose, but we’ll watch it. I think he tucked it pretty well. He’s doing a good job, and again, you’re seeing a little bit more from him every day. Again, it’s a new offense for him, so getting those reps and having the ability to play fast and play with his teammates and get with the quarterbacks and understand – I thought it was a good throw by ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) as well. I don’t even think Albert was out of his break. It was good anticipation there, ‘Fitz’ gave him a good ball, and he turned up and went.”
(What did you think about QB Josh Rosen today?) – “I thought Josh was – I thought he played well. There were some missed throws there. I think he held it a little, and that’s something we’ve talked about constantly – good footwork, good fundamentals, good technique, keep your eyes downfield, get the ball out of your hands, get it to the playmakers, which I thought he did. I thought the backs had a good day today. As a total unit, I thought they gave great effort. I thought today was better than yesterday, and that’s what we need to do. We need to just try to build and string good days together. I thought today was a really good day. I just told them that.”
(Can you talk about DT Christian Wilkins and how he’s progressing through this camp?) – “He’s doing a good job. This is a kid who’s high energy, who’s got a lot of ability. He plays extremely hard. He’s got to play with better pad level, for sure. I hope he reads this. Somebody make sure that he reads that. He has got to play with better pad level, but is a talented young man. Again, for him, every play, every series is a good experience for him. The early down stuff is good. The pass rush, his technique has got to little bit better. Again, his pad level will help him. Christian, if you’re listening, that’ll help you. (laughter) But he does a good job. We’re excited to continue to work with him and he’ll develop and grow and hopefully turn into a good player.”
(What’s your thought process with QB Josh Rosen working with the first team exclusively today?) – “We wanted to get him some looks with obviously our first team but (Bucs Defensive Coordinator) Todd (Bowles) does a really good job in Tampa and I wanted to see him against that group and some of the exotic looks that his first team was giving us. That’s really it. ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) saw it yesterday. We wanted Josh to see it see it today and that’s really what that was. I thought he did a – I have to go back and look at it. Were the Mike points right? Did he really go with the correct spot with the ball based on what was there? I’m going back and forth – I’m on offense, I’m on defense. Trying to see everything was a little bit tough, but from what I saw, I thought he had a good day. He’s heading in the right direction.”
(Who’s your leader in your quarterback competition as of now?) – “Look, it’s a competition and it’s a competition at every positon. I think my job is to help these guys become the best players they can possibly be. And the competition is part of that. Who’s leading? Who’s not leading? That’s irrelevant to me. I want these guys to get better and improve every day. That’ where I’m at with it.”
(Yesterday you talked about body language. How’s QB Ryan Fitzpatrick’s body language?) – “I think it’s always good. This is a guy who’s upbeat. He works hard. Football is very important to him. I think it’s good. He’s a leader on this team. He’s a guy who guys look to. He does a lot of really good things. I love having him.”
(We all saw QB Ryan Fitzpatrick throw the touchdown pass over here and then celebrate with his guys. But it’s more than that, right? It’s adversity time to with the body language, no?) – “I don’t know if I’m confused by the question or…”
(It was a great moment and everybody saw him.) – “Yeah, it was a great moment. He was fired up. The whole team was fired up. The entire sideline was fired up.”
(But it’s also important when things aren’t going well that good body language.) – “It is. At the same time, when things aren’t going well, it’s hard to throw your hands up and smile and cheer. It’s hard to do those things. But that’s part of leadership. That’s part of playing quarterback. It’s part of being in this league in general. I think dealing with adversity is – I think he’s done a good job of dealing with it. And I think he’s done that over the course of his career. I don’t want to make too much of Josh (Rosen) going with the first group and ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) today. This is definitely a competition. The best guy, the guy who we feel is going to help us win games is going to be out there.”
(Your offensive line has kind of been up and down. How did they do today?) – “Today I thought was a good day. The communication was good. I thought they blocked well in the run game from what I saw. The protection was better than it was yesterday. We made some improvement there. My hope is that what you see early in training camp is different than what you see later in training camp and that’s different than what you see in four weeks and it’s different over the last four weeks. I’m looking for improvement the entire way.”
(Any thoughts on when T Laremy Tunsil will be full go?) – “Laremy, he started today. Laremy is fine. I think he’ll be okay. We just have to be – He’s obviously one of our best players. We have to use caution when it’s time to. I think that’s doing things the smart way. We’re not going to baby anybody. He knows that, but it was the right move today.”
Laremy Tunsil – August 13, 2019
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Tuesday, August 13, 2019
T Laremy Tunsil
(What does it do for you guys competitive-wise when you know it’s not your own guys?) – “It’s a better feeling. We’ve been going against our guys all of training camp. Just to have joint practices with another team, it tests our technique and our fundamentals, like I said earlier. It just helps. It’s just fun.
(How about seeing your guy DT Ndamukong Suh out there?) – “My boy, Suh. It was good seeing Suh. I still see him doing Suh things and it’s still good.”
(Was he doing Suh things out there?) – “He was doing Suh things. Everybody knows what Suh does.”
(What did you think of your play off the ball today – the speed, going up against their defensive line?) – “As an offense?”
(Yeah.) – “As an o-line whole?”
(As an O-line.) – “Like I said, I’m going to watch the film this afternoon and we’re going to judge it from that and just keep improving. That’s our biggest thing – just improving our technique, our fundamentals and just move forward.”
(How much do you feel like these joint practices can help development?) – “I feel like it helps a lot. Going back to what I said earlier, it helps the fundamentals and the techniques. That’s what preseason is about – just fundamentals, techniques and just keeping improving.”
(What does the line have to do to build that chemistry – the starting unit?) – “Just keep working. That’s the main thing. It’s all new guys up there. People are playing different positions – Jesse (Davis) at right tackle, then we’ve got two rookies in there (Shaq Calhoun and Michael Deiter). Just keep improving and we’re going to come together as one. We’re going to watch this film later in the afternoon and get it down, improve our technique, improve our fundamentals and keep working.”
(How’s G Michael Deiter been doing?) – “He’s been good, in my opinion. I think both of the rookies have been doing good. They’re on the right side of ‘D.K.’ (Daniel Kilgore), and he’s been in the league for nine years, so he’s a vet. I think they’re just improving. It’s going to take some time, but they’re both improving.”
(Do you remember your rookie year?) – “I do remember my rookie year, and that was a long time ago, I feel like.”
(What was that like though?) – “I had Branden Albert, I had Mike Pouncey, I had some Pro Bowl guys, I had some veteran guys next to me, so everything was easy. Plus, I had Jermon Bushrod and Ja’Wuan James. They’ve been in the league a while, so I feel like I had it easy.”
(Now you’ve got to hold their hand?) – “Now I’ve got to hold their hand. (laughter) That’s how it is (in the league). That’s how it works.”
Ryan Fitzpatrick – August 13, 2019
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Tuesday, August 13, 2019
QB Ryan Fitzpatrick
(Did it feel like a high school reunion today?) – “A little bit. Being on eight teams, this has happened more than once to me, where I’ve gotten to go back. (Laughter) But this one, having played here for two years and just the irony of being here and being able to practice this year with them, I got to see a lot of the guys. There are still some people I can’t wait to say hi to, and maybe even a couple of you, maybe. (laughter) It’s a great place. It’s a great place to raise a family. This is a great building. This is a great organization. A lot of smiles coming back for sure.”
(It looked like you and QB Jameis Winston after practice had a moment today?) – ”Yeah, I mean we are friends. It was good to just catch up with him for a little bit. I got to introduce him to little Jake, my seventh little baby. Now (there’s) a lot of conversation about kids and how things are going with him. Yeah, there are a lot of guys on this team I have a special relationships with and he is certainly one of them.”
(Did you have a moment at practice against any defenders where you felt like you got an upper hand or they did and something was said?) – “I felt like Beau Allen gave me a little butt slap on one of them. (laughter) We have a red jersey on, you’re not supposed to touch the quarterback but I felt like he got a little handsy with me. (Laughter) But yeah, friendly banter back and forth pretty much. It was good to see everybody.”
(QB Josh Rosen was just in here and talked about how generous you’ve been about mentoring him and taking him under your wing. And Head Coach Brian Flores was talking about the importance of leadership on this team. Given the wisdom you have and the wealth of your experience, how has that experience allow you to be a leader on this team?) – “I enjoy that role. I think just the position of quarterback in general, that is a leadership position on the team. Guys are looking at you for something as little as the play call, something as little as demeanor in and out of the huddle. Bad plays, they are looking at you to see how you’re going to react, good plays looking at you to see how you’re going to react. All of that stuff goes to it. I just really enjoy playing football. I like being out here and that’s why I still do it. Last year at the beginning of the year, it was great. It was so much fun being out there, being in rooms like this in this building. This year it’s more of the same. It’s different faces and different guys, but again, building relationships and everyone working towards a common goal. That’s one of the things I love about football and we’re trying to build in Miami.
(It seems like QB Josh Rosen mentioned that you’ve been extremely selfless with him. It seems like human nature in a competition would be self-interest-rooted. Is it natural for you to help someone?) – “Yeah. I don’t – Again, I’m focused on making sure that whether it’s the way that I’m working before, in or after practice or when we’re watching film, I’m focused on being the best quarterback that I can be. I’m certainly very open to questions. I always throw in my two cents whether they want to hear it or not. I just think in playing this game for as long as I have, there are so many good things that have happened and there are also scars that have developed from mistakes that you’ve made that you don’t want other people to make. I just try to share all of those experiences with them. They’ve been real good too in terms of being receptive and asking questions. I’m an open book. I’m here to compete, play football, have fun and go from there.”
(How different is practice when you’re going against another team?) – “I think it’s great. I really do. I like the joint practices because you start going against your defense in that particular scheme and you get locked into certain looks. Then all of a sudden you’re going into a preseason game and you’re not preparing real well because you’re still locked in training camp and guys heads start spinning a little bit. To be able to get out here, get a few practices in especially against a Todd Bowles defense that gives you a lot of different looks, we’re going to have plenty of things to sit and talk about tonight and for the next few days. He really challenges you as an offense. This is a great opportunity for us, and even just one-on-ones with different defensive backs, or putting our backs blocking linebackers or running routes with our tight ends with safeties. It’s the same thing. It’s just different people and I think it bring more energy to training camp, because you kind of hit that lull where you’ve been practicing for a while against the same guys doing the same things and this adds some energy to it.”
(Having said that, what did you gain from your group, especially up front, going against another team?) – “We’ll go back and there is a lot of stuff we’ll be able to talk about in terms of the true scheme and what we’re doing, things that are good and bad and how we can make it better. So that’s going to be good for us. But also, just facing guys that play a little bit different. Their techniques are a little bit different, their run fits are a little bit different. All of that stuff happens every week throughout the season. It’s nice for it to happen in a practice setting where maybe the stakes aren’t as high and you can learn from some of the mistakes.”
(You know some of this personnel already. What jumps out at you now that you see them in a Todd Bowles defense?) – “I’ll just say that I have a ton of respect for Todd and having played for him in New York (with the Jets) for two years. I think the mentality that he has, how aggressive he is, how confident he is in what he’s calling, that really shows on the field with his players. That’s such an important thing, especially defensively, to have that mentality and that attitude. That was something when he was a head coach that trickled down to all of us, just how confident he was in what he did and how he relied on his players and wasn’t afraid to be aggressive. That stuff sends a good message throughout the locker room. That’s one that I think everybody that plays for him hears loud and clear.”
(Head Coach Bruce Arians said that he didn’t want QB Jameis Winston looking over his shoulder this year. In a weird way, did you play so well that maybe that was a factor? I know you have a great opportunity in Miami and you made that decision but did the Bucs even contact you and what was that dynamic like after Jameis came back because you had been so successful? Do you think maybe he was trying to match you?) – “I think last year was a difficult situation for a lot of different reasons; but I also look at the way he played down the stretch and he played some really good football. I know that he grew as a football player last year and the way that he was playing. I think I had an opportunity to come to Miami and to compete for the job. For me at least, football is a lot more fun when I’m out there playing. Having the opportunity to go to Miami and compete, that’s why I decided to do what I did. I’m excited to see Jameis in this offense, just to see him a year older, a year further in his progression as a quarterback, because the sky is the limit for him obviously.”
(It seems like QB Josh Rosen is making progress and is kind of closing the gap on the starting job, if I can use that term. Do you feel that way and if so, where has Josh improved and why has he closed the gap?) – “I’m the same guy every day, whether it’s in the meeting rooms, the practice field or the game field. I’m going to try to bring steadiness, I’m going to try to bring excitement and all of that stuff. In a competition, instead of focusing on everything that you can’t control, you focus on what you can (control) and what I can control is me. That’s how I look at these things. I know what I’m capable of when I perform at a high level. Being able to reach that and consistently do that is something that I’ll continue to strive for. I think as a whole, when you bring in a new coaching staff and a new system, everybody is learning and trying to get on the same page and get up to speed. This is about the time after all of the offseason stuff and now into training camp where stuff starts to gel a little bit better and people start to come together and you start to see a little more continuity so I think we’re seeing that a little bit with everybody.”
(I don’t know if you can put a percentage on it but how much of the quarterback job do you feel is the intangibles – communication, leadership, body language – versus more physical qualities?) – ”Well, if being a quarterback was all based on height, weight, speed and arm talent, then I wouldn’t be in the NFL. I have to answer that question by saying the intangibles are very important, because that’s why I’m standing up here in front of you. There are so many things that go into being a successful quarterback and playing the position the right way. That’s what I strive to do every day.”
Josh Rosen – August 13, 2019
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Tuesday, August 13, 2019
QB Josh Rosen
(What did you take away from practicing against another team today?) – “I thought it was a lot of fun. I got to compete at a one-on-one period that was a little extended, so I got to throw against some different DBs. I got some different looks in team periods and I’ve got a lot to study tonight, but it was fun. I thought overall, it was a positive.”
(We noticed you out there with the ones for part of an 11-on-11. Is that a big deal to you? I know we make it into a big deal. Is that a big deal for you?) – “Yeah, sure. At any rep – As far as in training camp, a lot of what we do as a quarterback – it involves a bunch of things – but a lot of it’s just sort of assignment-based. Whether it’s ones, twos or threes, it’s ‘did we execute the right assignment given the set of circumstances?’ So yeah, it’s good; but I’m just trying to not think of it as too big or little of a deal because if I’m repping with the twos or threes, you don’t want it to be any kind of letdown. So I’m just trying to stay sort of consistent, (keep a) steady attitude through it all, and execute each play individually.”
(Would you like to get some work with the ones in the preseason before this competition’s decided?) – “That’s not really up to me. I’m just trying to – like I said – whether it’s ones, twos, threes, sixes or sevens, just try to execute each play as I’ve been instructed.”
(Is there value with the chemistry in respect to whether it’s with the o-line or receivers with you working team reps rather than just one-on-ones with them?) – “Yeah. The more reps you get with anyone, the better the chemistry. I would agree with that.”
(We noticed you had a deep completion to WR DeVante Parker today. What, if anything, do you recall about that particular play?) – “DeVante’s a special player. Anytime you get (him) one-on-one, you’ve kind of got to take it. He had a really good release, slipped off the line, I tried to hold the safety a little bit and threw a ball up and let him chase it down.”
(Head Coach Brian Flores told us just now that there were a couple times that maybe your body language maybe wasn’t what he wanted it to be. I assume that’s something he’s told you if he’s going to tell us that. What do you take from that and how do you improve that?) – “I think – especially when you get into competitive environments, you’re just – I tend to be very critical of myself. I’m very competitive, so I have always worked that throughout my entire athletic career since I’ve been a young kid – not letting my highs get too high or my lows get too low. I had some good highs with the throw to DeVante and a couple of lows. I think as a quarterback, in addition to the execution part of it, I think a lot of it is about leading and about trying to keep a steady ship and keep that forward momentum, regardless of what’s going on around you because a lot of people are looking to you to kind of be that rock. So I think that’s what Coach Flores was referring to. He wants me to kind of be steadier and just execute and be a positive force.
(Byron Leftwich is with the Bucs now. Define how your interaction was like with him last year and how he helped you.) – “Byron’s awesome. I love – I mean, a bunch of the staff – Coach B.A. (Head Coach Bruce Arians) brought a ton of his old staff that was with me (in Arizona) over with him here. It was really good to see a lot of old faces, reconnect and reminisce a little bit. Byron was – he’s awesome. I love him. He helped me a ton on and off the field. Your rookie year is full of a lot – football, not football and everything in between – and he helped kind of keep me steady and on-track. Football itself, he helped me. I’ve learned a ton. I was in-game seeing things I’ve never seen before and making adjustments, and he was breaking it down for me and helping me be a better player.
(How basic are these practices when you’re going against another team?) – “How basic?”
(Yeah.) – “In what sense? What do you mean?”
(Like you can’t really show a lot. You’re going against another team. You don’t really want to show a lot, so…) – “Yeah, but you’re definitely – every team’s got its core identity, and you’re going to run that. I think, I would – I couldn’t really put a number on it, but like a good 50 percent and more of your plays, at least in a game, are going to be pretty similar to what you ran the week before because you’ve got a good chunk of game plan plays that – we’re not really game plan for practice – a little bit, you do, obviously – but I don’t know. It’s not boring, I would say. I would say it’s very competitive, and it’s – we’re going to run what we want to run, and we’re going to try and execute the best. A lot of it in these kinds of settings come down to just one-on-one matchups, and that’s why I think the joint practices are so cool, because you get tired of hitting the same dude every day throughout training camp and the spring. It’s nice to change it up and see someone with a couple of different techniques and a little bit of a different body type and change it up.”
(You mentioned core identity in your last answer. Do you feel like you guys have started to develop that and what you want to be?) – “Yeah, absolutely, and preseason bullets aren’t live, but they’re definitely more live than practice. I think as you start to hit more and more sort of live-ish kinds of plays, that identity starts to reveal itself and you figure out what you’re good at. I think we had a really good step this last week against Atlanta. I think we’re taking good steps right now. We’ve got three of these (preseason games) left, and I think hopefully by the end of those, we’ll really know who we are and what we want to run with through the season.”
(QB Ryan Fitzpatrick was here last year obviously. You guys are competing, but he has this sort of reservoir of information of teams he’s played for, so how do you kind of weigh that sort of relationship you have right now while you’re competing?) – “I think – I mean, he’s been unbelievably helpful. He’s probably one of the best mentors I’ve had in the sport, and he’s been an unbelievable teammate and very selfless in helping me so much. It’s pretty impressive how he can just sort of walk up to the line and see it and just know what front, what coverage – everything they’re trying to do – and I’m just trying to get to that level. I think I have a sort of special skillset so that when I can put those two together, it can be special; but it’s going to be a long road, a lot of film, a lot of studying, and I’m just indebted to ‘Fitz’ for how selfless he’s being. He is being selfless and whatnot, but he’s still competing his ass off. He’s balling and when/if/and, whenever this or whatever shakes out this year, he’s going to absolutely fight his balls off. Sorry. (laughter)”
Brian Flores – August 13, 2019
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Tuesday, August 13, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(We saw QB Josh Rosen getting some reps with guys like WR Kenny Stills, WR DeVante Parker, WR Isaiah Ford, TE Mike Gesicki. What did you see from him in those settings today?) – “I thought he practiced okay. From the naked eye, I think he has to do a better job getting guys in and out of the huddle, his communication, body language. There were some plays there he didn’t like and we just have to move onto the next play. That’s the case for him and all the quarterbacks; but I think at that position, that’s something that’s part of the evaluation as well. But he got in there with some of those other guys and I thought he did an okay job.”
(Body language is interesting. Can you tell us a little bit more about what you want to see?) – “I think it’s something that – I’m looking for good body language out of everybody. We’re going to have bad plays and we’ve got to move onto the next one, period. That’s players, coaches, that’s everybody. At the quarterback positon, they’re all looking at you. I think that’s something that they have to be conscious of. I talked to him about that, I talked to all of the quarterbacks about that, as well as the leaders on the team. They’re looking to you as a leader. I think that’s an important piece of this that people don’t talk about very much, but I think it’s very important.”
(How do you think your team responded to the intensity and physicality of today’s practice?) – “I thought they were fine on that part. I thought from a conditioning standpoint, from a physicality standpoint, that was fine. From an execution standpoint, there was some that was good and some that wasn’t so good. I think you’ll find that really at any practice. It’s good to work with the Bucs today. Bruce (Arians) and his staff, they do a great job. They have a lot of good players on this team. It’s a good opportunity for us to work against a new team, a new unit, a new scheme and not the same things we’ve been seeing throughout training camp. It’s good. It’s really good. New coverages, new fronts, new everything. It’s a good learning opportunity for us and you have to make adjustments on the fly. I think you need that. We need that as a team. That’s what games are like at times. We’ll learn a lot from the tape today.”
(We also saw WR Preston Williams in with that first group of receivers. What went into that decision and what are some things you’re seeing from him?) – “I think we work guys in different groups, really, on a daily basis. I feel like this is something we talk about every day. This guy worked with this group, this guy worked with that group. I think we’re starting to find that we mix it up a good amount. Preston worked with the first team, he worked with the second team, worked with the young guns group. We’re just trying to get him as many reps as possible so he can really learn through those experiences and I think the more experiences he has with whatever group it is, the better for him.”
(Is WR Preston Williams a guy you can see playing special teams and give you an impact on that?) – “I think he can definitely do that. He’s big, he’s fast, he’s tough, he’s physical. We talked about finding some roles for him in the kicking game and I think he can certainly help us there.”
(This young guns group, what’s your vision for them?) – “I think it’s an opportunity for them to develop, for them to get in there, get plays, get those experiences. When you’re a young player in this league in training camp, your opportunities, you don’t get very many of them. We’re working a lot of guys and so we just try to take a period there where we’re working that group and they’re getting those reps that they need to develop. Ultimately that’s what this is about. We’re trying to develop young players, give them an opportunity to show what they can do. If they do a good job with those reps, we’ll give them more.”
(I couldn’t help but see and hear Offensive Line Coach Dave DeGuglielmo at times. How would you describe his personality and approach?) – “He’s a fiery, high-energy coach. I think we have a lot of coaches on this staff with that temperament. He, like myself, gets worked up at times. I think we all do for good and bad plays. That’s a good thing. We’re trying to stay on them, on the players. We try to help them improve and get better. Really, that’s on a play-to-play basis. I love hearing ‘Guge’ out there coaching his guys. I think we have a staff full of guys who coach play after play after play. That’s what those players need. We’ll go back in, watch the film and coach them some more. We’ll try to get the most out of each player that we can.”
(It’s been reported in that past that DT Robert Nkemdiche might not be ready for the start of the season. Is that your hope is that he’s ready for the start of the season?) – “Rob is doing everything he can to get back and better as quickly as he can. We’ve got a plan in place for him. He’s working and he’ll be back as soon as he can.”
(What happened to DE Jonathan Woodard?) – “He was waived/injured.”
(You don’t want to tell us when DE Jonathan Woodard got hurt or what his injury is?) – “(laughter) The injury report comes out in September.”
(Do you anticipate the same plan in this preseason game with QB Ryan Fitzpatrick starting?) – “That’s something we’re talking about. Right now, yes. That’s kind of the thought process, but that can change right after we walk out of here. I think that’s a fluid situation there. I think both guys are doing well. It’s fluid. That’s something that’s in discussion now. We’ll make that choice here in the next couple days.”
(We saw a little bit of WR Albert Wilson out there today. How is he in his progression and have you been happy with how he’s gone about his injury recovery?) – “I think the progression has been good. He’s working extremely hard. We’ve got a plan for him to increase the reps for him on a day-to-day basis. We saw a little bit more of him today. Hopefully we see a little bit more tomorrow. As we go through training camp, hopefully we see even more of him. He’s a good player.”
(Is Week 1 a realistic goal for WR Albert Wilson to be 100 percent?) – “It’s hard to say. I think, for him, he’s trying to – He’s doing everything he can so he can be ready sooner than that. We’ll see. If he is, then we’ll try to get him out there, because he’s going to need some reps as well, game action. It’s been a while since he’s been out there.”
(What, if anything, can you tell us on RB Kenyan Drake? We saw him leave practice today.) – “That happened early. I got a quick note on that. I was just told he had to leave practice. We’ll find out a little bit more about it. Hopefully it’s not too serious. Hopefully he’s back out there tomorrow.”
(How do you feel your o-line held up today?) – “I think that’s something we need some improvement on. I thought that was evident. I think (Tampa Bay Defensive Coordinator) Todd (Bowles) does a good job defensively. He’s got a myriad of schemes. That’s what we’re going to have to deal with. I think we could’ve done a better job there and I think that’s good. We need to see that. It’s better for that to happen in a practice setting. We learn from it and make the corrections and hopefully that’s better in a game. I think that’s part of the learning process here.”
(With the two rookies that are in that lineup – G Michael Deiter and G Shaq Calhoun – is there – patience might not be the right word – but understanding that there will be some growing pains and let them grow through those?) – “I think every experience they have is a good one. Every time they see over, under, diamond, odd, double mug, mug in the b-gaps – every time they see that, it’s a good experience for them and one that they can hopefully learn from and then the next time that it comes up, they know how to handle it. I think these situations for those guys, specifically the young guys, but really the entire line working as a group, this is good.”
(It looked like DE Jonathan Ledbetter and DE Dewayne Hendrix did a couple of good things in the first game. Can you give us a little bit on each of those guys and what you think their strengths might be?) – “I think Ledbetter, he’s big, he’s physical, he’s tough, does a good job in the run game, uses his hands well, does a good job defeating blocks. Hendrix, I think he’s got good strength, (a) good first step. From a pass rush standpoint, he needs to play with a little bit more consistent – They both need to play with more consistency. They both flash some good things. I think if you’re in this league, you have the potential to at least flash. What it boils down to is can you do those things consistently? From a conditioning standpoint, from an effort standpoint, from a communication standpoint, from a tackling standpoint, how consistent can you be? That’s a hard thing for a rookie. As a rookie, if you think your one good play is the one that you’re going to hold onto, then it’s our job as coaches to let you know that’s not the case. Those guys have to show up every day. They have to work every day. They have to get better every day. They’ve been told that; but they are improving. That’s a good thing.”
(You signed DT Robert Nkemdiche. There’s a rumor out there linking you to another d-end out there. How would you assess your defensive end positon right now?) – “Right now we’re working a few guys – Charles Harris, Tank (Carradine), (Dewayne) Hendrix, (Nate) Orchard. We’ve got a few guys there we’re working. I think those guys are working hard and doing a good job. We’ll continue to work those guys. Obviously, they need to improve. We all need to improve. We need to improve at each position and hopefully we continue to get better.”
(I noticed at least one interception by CB Xavien Howard today. Do you anticipate or do you think teams will start throwing away from him? Can quarterbacks avoid him?) – “It’s hard to say what other teams are going to do. You never know. If they feel like they’ve got a good matchup, maybe they’ll go after it. If they don’t, then maybe they’ll throw – It’s hard to say. I think within a play, sometimes there are guys who don’t know where he is. You’d hope they would; I hope our guys would, that’s for sure. He’s a good player. He’s had a good camp. He works hard. This is important to him, very important to him. Every day from a practice standpoint, from a game standpoint, from a walkthrough standpoint, he wants to be a good player. He’s working towards that. You see some of the fruits of that labor on the field a little bit today. It’s not perfect, but I think he’s a hardworking kid and I think he’s doing a good job.”
Brian Flores – August 10, 2019
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Saturday, August 10, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(After watching the film, can you let us know something that actually was maybe better than you thought and something that was maybe you didn’t notice right that wasn’t so good?) – “I noticed that it was – I think the tackling was something I talked about after the game, and it’s something that I definitely reiterated to the team that we have to do a better job defensively and in the kicking game from a tackling standpoint. We won’t have a shot – we won’t give ourselves a chance if we don’t do a better job there, so that’s something that – I know I mentioned that (was) not good. I would say it was it’s something was probably worse than I thought, so it’s something that we’re going to place some emphasis on, something we’re going to drill more, practice more and continue to try to get better there. Something that I felt was better – I thought our operation, just in and out of the huddle. When you watched the tape, you see Atlanta had some trouble kind of getting lined up from time to time because we were in and out of the huddle pretty quickly. I liked the operation. From that standpoint, we can catch or keep people off guard and off-balance that way. I think that gives us an advantage, so I thought that was something that was good.”
(Do you have any updates for us on where your quarterback competition stands?) – “It’s still in a competition. I think – obviously, Josh (Rosen) had come in there and had more reps. He played the second and third quarter. (There was) some good, some not-so-good. ‘Fitz’ (Ryan Fitzpatrick) really just had the first quarter. He had a couple of errant throws, but I thought his operation was good. Honestly, Josh had the lion’s share of the snaps. I thought he did a good job. I thought he ran the offense well. I thought he made some good throws. I thought he could’ve made a couple better decisions. Checking the ball down is not a bad thing to do. That’s something we talked to him about – understanding what they’re doing defensively from a cover standpoint, from a run game standpoint. We could have put ourselves in some better situations. Both quarterbacks – really all three quarterbacks – Jake (Rudock) went in there and did a really good job in the fourth quarter, so I think all three guys are working hard, and I think they’re continuing to improve. This week’s a big week for sure.”
(Do you think that the dynamic has changed all, or do you still anticipate giving QB Ryan Fitzpatrick the bulk of the first-team reps?) – “I think we’ll continue to split reps in a way that we can evaluate both, but really all three quarterbacks. First team, second team – I think people put more value in that stuff than I do, but we’re going to try to get the reps to evaluate all three guys and really everybody on the team.”
(I wanted to ask you about the offensive line. You had mentioned after the game that you needed to take a closer look at it on film to get an idea how they performed. Now after seeing the film, what did you see?) – “Yeah, I think the two young guys inside – I think the speed of the game – we talked about it after the game is that it’s new to them. As much as you can talk about it, there’s no way to simulate that. You have to feel it, you have to go through it, you have to experience it. I think both guys did, and I think both guys settled down as the game went on, so I think that was positive. In the second half, we had some miscues on the o-line. I think a couple of guys could’ve played better. I think as a unit, they could have played better really in both halves. I think that’s something where we need to improve really across the board – with the guys who are running with the first team, second team, third team. I think there’s a lot of room for improvement. I think the game is an opportunity for us to learn from. I think we harped on protecting inside out, doing a good job on double teams in the run game and having good communication. Hopefully, we’re better as we move forward.”
(We’ve all seen the highlight-reel catches that WR Preston Williams is making. What about the less exciting aspects of the game that he has to master obviously as a rookie? How is he coming along in those areas?) – “I think Preston is doing a very good job, and that starts in the kicking game. We had him in there on punt return. I think he played tough, he played physical, he blocked in the run game. That’s something we talk about here a lot. I think he wants to make his presence felt obviously from a receiving standpoint, but really in all phases. I think he needs to continue with that. Again, one big game doesn’t make you a superstar. This league is all about consistency, so he’s got to continue to string good practices together and hopefully good games, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves on Preston. He’s got a long way to go.”
(With WR Preston Williams, with a guy like that, what goes into the decision to sign him? Obviously he wasn’t drafted because something happened with his background. How do you – since this is your first year, can you walk us through your thinking on players in general with a history?) – “I would say – I mean we do a lot of research. (General Manager) Chris (Grier), (Vice President of Football Administration) Brandon (Shore), our personnel staff, they do a lot of digging really on every player – not specific to Preston, but really every player. We try to find their strengths, their weaknesses, the things that they do well, any issues that they may have. We have to make a decision as a staff as to guys we feel like can help this team. I think we have a structure here. We try to create a structure here where guys get into a routine and a rhythm and really all they are doing is focusing on football. Then we try to educate them on everything outside of football that could be taking focus away from the game. I think that is part of trying to help young guys develop. I think people forget the fact that these guys are just kids. I remember being a 21- ,22-, 23-year-old and I didn’t make the best decisions. I think that is something that we have to educate these young kids. I think that’s our job as teachers, coaches, as educators, as leaders is to help educate them. We’re doing that with Preston, all of our rookies, all of our young players, and even our vets as well. It’s a league where you’re 30 years old and you’re an old guy. (laughter) In the real world you’re still pretty young. It’s a challenge for coaches across the league, not just the Miami Dolphins. (It’s) something that I take great pride in trying to help these young guys get into a routine and take things one day at a time and improve and get better on a daily basis. Preston and all of our young guys take into that, and hopefully they continue to do that and that’s a way to see an improvement and build and get better.”
(I’m wondering if you could expand or explain why you think next week is going to be a big week for the quarterback competition? And also, why you don’t give a lot of credence to first-team reps, and second-team reps?) – “Well next week – really every day is a great opportunity for us to build, get better and run through the coaching staff and evaluate the guys in how we want to construct this team. Going to Tampa and practicing against this team, they’re a talented team. They’ve got players all over the place. It will be a great opportunity for us to play and practice against high-level competition and guys we don’t know. Training camp can become monotonous seeing the same guys each day. You see the same – you get a feel for what they’re doing offensively, defensively and the kicking game. It’s going to be a great opportunity for us. It will be a great challenge. And then as far as the first team, second team, I think in anything you are doing, all you can do is control what you can control. If you do a great job with you reps, whether they be with first team, second team, third team, then hopefully you move and get some reps with some other guys. As we’ve gone through training camp, we’ve moved guys around offensively, defensively and in the kicking game. Whether you’re first team or second team, I want to see how guys respond, and work their techniques and fundamentals wherever you’re at. I don’t really – there is the whole first team, starters, backups. I think the best players will play and we’re always going to have a group of guys who aren’t going to be starters who come in – they are called backups, but they’ve got a vital role on the team. In a lot of ways I think you diminish their role when you call them that. I’ve never been a proponent of that. That may be new to some people, but again, I think you have to make the most of your opportunities wherever they lie, wherever they are. I think it’s that way in life. I guess that’s why I don’t spend too much time thinking about first team or second team. I watch it, but I like to see guys be productive, period. If you’re not, whether it’s first team, second team, or third team then that’s a problem. If you are productive, then I’m taking notice of that as well.”
(Are you comfortable with the evaluation that you can get on QB Josh Rosen if he’s not playing with the best, against the best?) – “I am comfortable with that. I think it’s so early in training camp and we’ve played one game. We’ll have the opportunity to do – play him whenever we want to. I think there may be an opportunity where he plays with some of those guys who we call first-teamers. Josh can only – He’s got to take care of the things he can control and do a good job with the reps he has. That’s the case for every guy. That’s kind of how I feel about it. As a staff, we’ll make that decision when we feel like anyone is ready to move up or down. That will be our decision as a staff and we’ll do what we feel is best for the Miami Dolphins.”
(How are the joint practices going to be structured? What will we see and how will that benefit the club?) – “These joint practices – I think they’re a great opportunity. They’ll look similar to what we’ve done in training camp thus far except that they’ll be against another team. Obviously, there are going to be a lot more players on the field. You may see a split field where we’re running a couple drills with offense and defense on one field and offense and defense on another field. The kicking game – obviously, we’ll try to work that on one field, and then some of the team periods, we’ll be on two fields as well. There will be a lot of moving parts to these practices. I talked to (Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach) Bruce (Arians), and we scheduled out – I’d call it 95 percent of what we want to do. There’s always a couple changes. They just played last night … so they might make changes. Again, we have to be able to adjust; but I think you’ll see a lot of what you’ve seen really throughout training camp.”
(I want to ask you about the left tackle position. Obviously, you’ve got a lot of injuries out there. Where’s your comfort level with going into a game without LT Laremy Tunsil?) – “Losing a guy like Laremy Tunsil would be very tough. At the same time, we have to be able to adjust and adapt and the next guy will be up. As a team, we would have to do what we need to do to – if we felt like there was an issue – to help that position. If it means leaving the tight end over there, we’ll do that. If it means chipping the back, we’ll do that. If it means five on the line over there, we’ll do that. When you’ve got 11 guys on the field, you have an opportunity to help when you need help. That’s the case. You can’t double everybody. I think everybody understands that. Once there’s a particular matchup we don’t like, then we’ll try to help that situation offensively, defensively or in the kicking game. Conversely, if you’ve got a guy you feel really good about, you may leave him one-on-one and go help somebody else. That’s coaching. You’ve just got to do what you feel is best for the team. That’s different case by case. It changes from week to week, day to day and by opponent.”
(If QB Josh Rosen goes up against the best 11 players on your defense, what could you take away from that in regards to your quarterback competition?) – “My takeaway would be: is he getting the group in and out of the huddle? Are we up at the line scrimmage with enough time to make our points, adjustments, Mike (linebacker) calls, etc.? Part of that to me is as important as anything. It doesn’t matter who’s on the other side. And then after that, making the right decisions to go with the ball. That quarterbacking and decision-making – I think you can get a good evaluation of decision-making regardless of who’s on the field. If you want to see if he can make a tight throw into tight coverage against a good corner, that’s one thing. If you want to see if he’ll force a ball into double coverage whether it’s against a first, second-team or third-team – if you see a quarterback doing that, he’s getting a bad evaluation. I don’t know if you guys – That’s the way I see it. But from a decision-making standpoint at the quarterback position, first team, second team – I get what everybody’s saying, but if the ball needs to be checked down, it needs to be checked down versus the eighth group. If he can fire the ball into split-safety coverage into the turkey hole versus the ones or the twos, we can see about making those decisions then. If you’re watching, you get a good evaluation of a guy. That’s how I see the game at the quarterback position. I guess other people see it differently, but that’s how I see it.”
Kenny Stills – August 8, 2019 (Postgame)
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Thursday, August 8, 2019
Postgame – Atlanta
WR Kenny Stills (transcribed by Ken Mendonça)
(In response to Mr. Ross holding the fundraiser for President Trump, what are your thoughts after that tweet still and the fact that he’s holding that fundraiser tomorrow?) – “My thoughts really haven’t changed. The tweet is what it is. I said what I said.”
(For somebody who’s so active in the community, especially for the Dolphins and the RISE initiative, do you kind of feel like it’s almost a betrayal or hypocritical in a sense?) – “That’s what I was saying in the tweet, was that it just didn’t really make much sense to me for what the mission statement was for RISE and what they are setting out to do. It doesn’t make sense to me for him to be trying to, or to be supporting the man’s campaign who seems to be against all of the things he is trying to work towards.”
(Have you talked to Mr. Ross?) – “I haven’t.”
(Do you plan to talk to Mr. Ross about this?) – “I’m sure at some point.”
(What would you like to say to him?) – “I mean, the same thing that I’ve already said. It just doesn’t make sense to me. It doesn’t align, to be running a non-profit focused on equality and talking about sports and equality, and then to be holding a fundraiser for a man who we know isn’t standing up for that same cause or championing that same cause.”
(There’s been talk about people wanting to boycott this team. When you hear that, what do you think? Did you give any thought to not playing tonight?) – “I get it. I understand it. You know we all can make our own choices, and for me it’s not about politics. It’s never been about politics. It’s more just about the human being. I understand that some people think that you don’t say those types of things to your boss; but for me it’s just a human being and if you say you’re going to be about something, let’s be about it.”
(Will you continue to be involved with the RISE initiative after this?) – “I’ve tried to distance myself from the RISE initiative, just based off of the gut feeling that I’ve had. I’ve done little things here and there, but I wasn’t included in the Super Bowl thing that they did, and it’s just something that I felt in my gut from the beginning, and so I tried to distance myself from RISE. I respect the work that they’ve done; but it’s just the things aren’t aligning for me, so I try to stay away from it.”
(Do you view Mr. Ross as an ally still given what you’re trying to do?) – “I think he’s trying to be, but I don’t believe that you can play both sides.”
(Have you heard from the organization about your tweet?) – “It’s all about just staying focused and making sure that I perform on the field.”
(Did you get any feedback from the organization?) – “Yeah, it’s just all about making sure that I perform.”
(Do you want to continue to be a part of this organization?) – “Yeah. The tweet doesn’t put me against Mr. Ross. I’m just trying to inform him that the two things don’t align. I don’t think it’s that complicated. I don’t have any hard feelings toward him. There’s no beef. It’s just, hey, these two things don’t align and maybe somebody else hasn’t told you, but I’m letting you know. It’s important to me that the work that we’re doing isn’t just lip service. It’s real. Everything that I do has been real from the very beginning, and it’s going to continue to be that way. So, I just wanted to let him know that’s where I’m coming from and how I feel.”
(Did you think about calling Stephen Ross before you sent the tweet?) – “No. We’ve had plenty of private conversations, and through his statement you see his loyalty to his friend and I understand and respect that; but the two things don’t align when it comes to the non-profit and then holding this fundraiser for that man.”
(But just to be clear you did not talk to Stephen Ross privately before the tweet?) – “I did not.”
(You know how it is in this league that sometimes players who speak out, and you can think of QB Colin Kaepernick and S Eric Reid, how it’s frowned upon by some people in the league. Is there any chance that you might feel repercussions because you spoke out?) – “If those come, then they come. I feel like I’m doing God’s work. All the stuff that I’ve done, and the things that I’ve stood up for and spoken up for, I pray that God uses me every night for his message and that’s all that I’m doing.”
(What reaction have you heard from your teammates?) – “Most guys aren’t really paying attention, and I just try not to be a distraction to my teammates and it hasn’t been. We went out there and we won a football game tonight, and I just want to continue to perform and do what I’m paid to do.”
(Did you talk with Head Coach Brian Flores about it?) – “We did. He said to remain focused on the game and don’t let this stuff become a distraction to our team.”
(What about the reaction from QB Josh Rosen where he had the applause emojis that he sent to you? I’m sure you saw that. How do you feel about that?) – “I think people also agree with what I’m saying. The truth is all we want is for the work to be real and for it not to be lip service, like I said. What I tweeted wasn’t very complicated. The two things, they don’t coincide, they don’t go together, they’re very contradictory, and so I think guys understand that.”
(But you can appreciate that it’s rare for an NFL player to speak out on social media against his owner, right?) – “I honestly don’t think it’s that big of a deal or that courageous. It’s human being to human being and it’s not right. I don’t want to associate myself with bad people, and we shouldn’t want to be associated with bad people. Our country’s in a rough place right now, and I think that we could be doing more. I think there are other candidates he could support. It’s not Democrat, Republican, or any of those things. It’s literally just about why. Why? Why are you trying to help this man raise money to continue to do the things that he’s been doing?”
(Some of your guys flashed in your group tonight, WR Preston Williams, can you give us your thoughts on his performance?) – “You heard ‘X’ (Xavien Howard) talk about him the other day. He’s a first-round talent. He’s going to be somebody to deal with in this league for a long time, and so we’re looking forward to everything that he can do. I think the receivers as a whole played a good game, and the quarterbacks shined and did their thing. It’s not that big of a deal, but it’s a big deal for us to come out there and play hard and to get a victory in a preseason game.”
(What about that catch WR Preston Williams made?) – “Big time. Big time. You guys see the flashes of the talent that he has, and hopefully he can continue to get better and we can find a way to get him in the lineup and get him some catches throughout the season.”
(Before your tweet, did you have a conversation with your owner before?) – “The owner of the Miami Dolphins? No, I did not have a conversation with him before the tweet.”
(How did that make you feel when you heard the news that there would be a fundraiser?) – “I just was baffled more than anything because you look at the work that he’s done or the work that he’s trying to do through RISE and then you look at the work that the man that he’s hosting a fundraiser for has done, and it just didn’t align. It didn’t make sense and so I just was really just confused and baffled.”
(What types of conversations do you think you can have with Stephen Ross after this? What do you want to say to him?) – “Just, for us, I think for both of us to understand that you can’t play both sides of this. I respect his political decisions and what he wants to do and there’s no hard feelings or beef between us; but I think someone has to have enough courage to let him know you can’t play both sides of this and I have that, and it’s something that I can look back on myself and be like ‘Hey, I did the right thing. I made the right decision.’ Maybe I shouldn’t have done it on social media or on Twitter, but I did. If you’re going to associate yourself with bad people, then people are going to know about it, and I think there’s ways that you can support candidates without it being so public or without it being at your personal private residence. I just put it out there so everybody could see it.”
(There’s not many people who would risk a dream job to make the statement you made, to stand up for what you are standing up for. What message do you hope others get who could possibly help create positive change as well?) – “We have to lead by example, right? I can’t dream or think of someone else or call someone else out if I’m not going to do it. For me, it’s just ‘Hey, I’m just trying to lead by example. I’m trying to do the work that I feel like God has placed on my heart to do.’ If it comes with a little bit of kickback, that’s okay. Everything that I’ve done in my career has been to bring people together. I’m not here to try to have any divisive conversations or get in this back and forth about politics. It’s not about – It’s about human beings and loving and respecting each other and I don’t think that’s what we’re doing right now.”
(During the height of I guess 2017 with the kneeling and when Trump was really going after you guys, I think you said you got a couple death threats. Was that right? Did any of that pop back up?) – “Yeah. It’s back.”
(Within the last couple of days?) – “Yeah.”
(How many would you say?) – “Five to 10.”
(Five to 10 death threats?) – “Yeah. In a night. 24 hours.”
(Did you report them?) – “No. It’s on social media. It is what it is. I’ll be okay.”
