Dwayne Allen – March 11, 2019
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Monday, March 11, 2019
TE Dwayne Allen
(Can you tell us the deciding factors in you choosing to sign with the Dolphins?) – “There were a lot of factors that played into my decision to come down here. I would say the top being familiarity with the coaching staff. (Head Coach) Brian Flores – having spent some time with him– (Offensive Coordinator) Chad O’Shea, (Assistant Quarterbacks) Jerry (Schuplinski). But then also just the way that he has built the coaching staff up down here in South Florida. I think he has added a lot of valued pieces of good men but also really good coaches that hopefully contribute to being a really good team.”
(How would you describe your strengths on the field and off the field at this stage of your career?) – “That’s a great question and honestly one I haven’t really thought of. I would like to say that I’m a positive presence in the locker room. I definitely know how culture is developed and enforced by the players in the locker room. The vision of it is of course set by the head coach and then is reinforced by the guys in the locker room, and hopefully I can be an agent of change in that respect. As far as on the field, I’m a physical player. I love the game of football. I’ve been very fortunate to have played it professionally for seven years and would love to continue to play it at a high level with that same physical presence.”
(When you look at the roster of this team, did it look to you like this team was a few years away or were you excited about the opportunity of competing right away?) – “I didn’t look at the roster at all. I didn’t have time or really didn’t care to. I took a visit because of the coaches that I knew that were down here. I had the opportunity to speak to them about their vision and where they saw me fitting in-depth into their vision and decided to sign on. It’s a unique opportunity – having now looked at the roster – to be able to play the tight end position with some very talented young guys. They’re very talented now that they’ve been in the league for a little bit. My biggest thing is just making sure that the tight end corps is a reliable tight end corps that goes out there and does our job day in and day out.”
(One thing that Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea mentioned is that in a perfect world he likes his tight ends – his future tight end – to be an every-down player. How does that fit into what you might be able to bring to the Dolphins and what have they told you in that regard?) – “I’ve been promised nothing but the opportunity to get out there and work and to go out there and prove that I can be an every-down player. I think my time around the league has displayed my ability to do certain things very well. Most recently, I really didn’t have the opportunity to do other things that goes into being an every-down tight end. It all comes down to hard work. You have to put the work in. Nothing is expected on my end. (I) would love the opportunity to get to work and prove or show what I can do, (which is) consistency day in and day out.”
(I wanted to ask you about your productivity level in New England. You established yourself as a pretty productive tight end with the Colts and I know the Patriots have TE Rob Gronkowski, but how do you explain 13 receptions the last two years?) – “I don’t do the play-calling, so I don’t have to explain that at all. Once you sign on to be part of a team, you’re a part of that team. (You’re) not just a part of that team if the ball comes my way or if I play as much as I want to. You sign on to be part of a team and with that, the play-caller does the play-calling and the players are expected to go out there and execute. Opportunities (were) available to me. I, of course, didn’t catch 100 percent of the opportunities, so that would have taken my numbers up a bit. I’ve tried to make the most out of the opportunities that did come my way.”
(How would you describe the feeling of winning the Super Bowl last season?) – “It was a really, really big accomplishment. I think the result of the game was due to the hard work that we put in the two weeks prior. Seeing the confetti fall down and all of that stuff was expected to a certain degree, because we had put in that hard work. Seeing the faces of all those of the support staff, the coaches, our practice squad guys, the trainers, the managers, our fans, that’s when it truly hit me that our accomplishment was really something special, because we had an impact on so many people. That was really cemented in my mind that it was a heck of an accomplishment.”
(What stood out to you about Head Coach Brian Flores from your time together in New England?) – “First and foremost, his professionalism. He was a guy who came to work every day no matter the circumstances and always put his guys in his room in the best position to be successful. The second thing is the quality of person that he is. I have the utmost respect for him. He’s not only a coach but the man that he is – the father, the husband – that’s why when I got the call to come down here and visit, there was no hesitation on my end.”
(The Dolphins have two players who were tight end rookies last season – TE Mike Gesicki and TE Durham Smythe. What do you think is the best way for a veteran to help a young player at his position?) – “I think the best way to help is by showing them. When rookies come into this league, due to their limited experience, I would guess – I haven’t had time to talk to them or really watch film of them – that they are unsure how to be a professional in this league. Hopefully through my consistency day in and day out, I can show them how to be a professional in this league and maybe also how to play the tight end position a little differently.”
(I’m going to put you on the spot here. What’s your best Brian Flores story?) – “Best Brian Flores story? That is on the spot. (laughter) If you give me some time, I promise you the next time I see you that I’ll have a story for you.”
(I know you don’t have a best Brian Flores story right now but what do you know about Brian Flores that maybe we don’t know. What do you think we’ll learn pretty quickly about him in Miami?) – “I thought today was all softballs. (laughter) I guess it would be his hard work and determination. I don’t think New England is an easy place to play. It’s not for everyone. And I feel like it’s not an easy place to coach. But he was able to go about it with grace and patience and also with just his tenacity to want to be great. He made sure that he willed down to his players by the way he came to practice every day, by the way he went into the meeting rooms and of course the way he talked trash to the offense during O/D periods. (laughter)”
(Does Brian Flores match the players’ trash talk? Is he on that level?) – “I’m not quite sure if he’s on the players’ level but he has to be up there for coaches. He definitely has to be up there for coaches.”
Brian Flores – February 27, 2019
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Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Head Coach Brian Flores
(For those of us in New England, it’s jarring to see you in aqua and orange.) – “It feels good in aqua. I’m excited to be in Miami. We’ve had a really good start. Obviously, we were behind a little bit with me coming in after the game, but we have a lot of really great people in the organization. I feel like we’ve put together a pretty good coaching staff and those are guys I’ve kind of leaned on, along with Chris (Grier) and our entire organization. We have a lot of great people there. I wouldn’t call it a smooth transition, but it’s been a good transition.”
(Can you talk about how the guys from New England – what they’ve done to help you so far and how having that comfort level helps you?) – “Just kind of putting together the staff, I wanted people that are smart, that are mentally tough. I wanted our staff to kind of reflect what I’d like to see from our team – smart, tough, guys who communicate well. We ask players to communicate offense, defense, special teams, so our staff has to be able to communicate that way also. That was big. That was one of my main objectives as far as putting a staff together. I’m excited with the group we have. It’s a great group from (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks) Jim Caldwell to (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny Crossman to (Offensive Coordinator) Chad (O’Shea) to (Quality Control) Josh Grizzard, all the way across the board. We have a lot of great people and I’ve leaned on those guys. This is a team effort all the way across the board. You’ll hear me say that on a week-to-week basis when we’re in-season. I’m going to say it in the offseason as well. Right now, that team is … our coaching staff, our personnel staff, really the entire organization.”
(You mentioned that you guys are a little bit behind, but how much does it help to have some familiar faces on your staff that you’re comfortable working with?) – “I think that’s very important. I think camaraderie and being able to communicate and be aligned is very important. I think that’s something (General Manager) Chris (Grier), myself, our coaching staff, our personnel staff – I think we’re aligned as far as the type of players we’re looking for, the type of team we want to build. This week is a big part of that process.”
(I’m sure culture is very important with that and taking over a new team. What have you learned from New England to help establish your own type of culture in Miami?) – “Like you said, culture is very important. I would say a lot of the things that I learned in New England were about putting the team first. I think that was another part of something that was important to me was putting together a staff and people around me who don’t have egos, who work well together. I think that’s going to be a big part of what we do in Miami.”
(You defended against this team for years. Whenever you look at them from the other side, who do you see on the offense that you see as explosive playmakers?) – “I definitely spent a lot of time coaching against this group. There’s definitely a good group of players here, really across the board – offense, defense, in the kicking game. A lot of this process has been about evaluating our current roster. That’s where it really starts. When we come to the draft and free agency, that’s all well and good, but if you don’t know what you have, it makes no difference. We feel good about a lot of our players. We’re going to try to add more pieces to the puzzle and try to put the best product out there possible.”
(From winning a Super Bowl to taking over a new head-coaching job, what has this last month been like for you?) – “It’s been a blur, but it’s been fun. I’m fortunate. I can complain about not sleeping, but the opportunity to coach this great organization and work with the people I’m working with, I wouldn’t trade it for anything. It’s been fun. There’s always something to do, there’s always someone to meet with, there’s always a meeting to go to. It feels like there’s not enough time but I’m trying to crunch time right now, because everything’s important.”
(As you go through the roster, what, if anything, has surprised you in these past couple of weeks?) – “I can’t say I’ve been surprised by anything. To me, I’m kind of ready for anything, ready for any and everything. I think we have some good young talent, some veteran players who display leadership and can help build some of the core values that we want in this team. I think this is a good group and I’m excited to move forward with it.”
(When you look at the personnel on defense and the issues that they had last year, what is one thing that needs to get done on the defensive side of the ball?) – “I think that we’re trying to get better in every area. Pass defense, run defense, kickoff coverage, kicking, punting – everything. I wouldn’t say there’s one thing, because everything is important. I always tell people the difference between getting fourth-and-1 and not getting fourth-and-1 … if you focus on one thing, then that might not be the difference. Everything is important.”
(In particular, stopping the run last year was a big issue for this team. What did you see went wrong and what needs to get better?) – “Again, I wasn’t here last year. I can’t speak to what happened last year. My focus is on what we’re trying to accomplish next year. Not even next year – this week. Again, I’ve always tried to stay present and in the moment. I’m not really worried about the past and what’s gone on there, although I can’t sit here and say you don’t learn from things that have happened in the past. But last year was last year. We’re focused on 2019. Really, that process started when I got off the plane and touched down in Fort Lauderdale. We’re moving forward.”
(What are some factors that went into the decision – obviously, to be collaborative – but to have Defensive Coordinator Pat Graham call the defense on game day?) – “I would say Pat is someone I have a lot of respect for. I think he’s an incredible coach. I think he’s the smartest guy in the room, quite honestly. (He’s a) Yale grad. He likes to tell people that. (laughter) A great friend of mine. We spend a lot of time together. I feel good about him as a coach, him as a teacher. I feel great about our entire coaching staff, from Chad (O’Shea), to Pat (Graham) to Danny (Crossman), to Jim (Caldwell), to (Offensive Line Coach) Pat Flaherty, I think we’ve put together a pretty strong staff – (Running Backs Coach) Eric Studesville, (Safeties Coach) Tony Oden. Pat (Graham), I’m very confident in his ability as a play-caller. But it’s a collaborative effort. It really is. Having done it for a year, I know that it’s not just one person making the calls. You’re getting thoughts, comments, help –really, that’s the word – from various people, whether it’s the corners coach or the safeties coach or the head coach. It’s definitely a collaborative effort. This is a team game all the way, through and through. From the coaching staff to the personnel staff, and that kind of filters down into the team on Sundays or Mondays or Thursdays. That’s always kind of the hallmark of how I want our team to be built and I want that displayed on a day-to-day basis.”
(Would it be ideal with the new staff to have a rookie quarterback that you can mold?) – “I think we have to be ready for any and all situations. I think if that’s the situation, then that’s the situation. I think we’re always developing players. We’re developing rookies, we’re developing second-year players, we’re developing seventh-year players. I think we’re in a business where we’re all looking to improve as players, as coaches, that’s personnel people, that’s equipment managers, that’s nutritionists. We’re all trying to improve. I know you’re saying developing a rookie, I’m just saying I’m trying to develop everyone.”
(With you and Defensive Coordinator Pat Graham running the defense and Chad O’Shea as the offensive coordinator, do you envision trying to be like the Patriots on both sides of the football, doing what you guys did there?) – “Right now my vision is really focused on this week and the players in this draft and trying to get to know these guys. Again, this part of the process is so vital, so important, as far as getting to know these players, their strengths, their weaknesses, how they fit with our team. Then, we’ll get to that, the play-calling, who’s doing this and who’s doing that, when we get to that. Obviously, that’s something we’re working towards also. But the focus right now is on these players at the Combine.”
(On a personal level, what’s it like for you being here as a head coach?) – “It’s incredible. It’s a dream come true. But at the same time – and I’ve had this conversation with many people – I’m never going to feel like I’ve arrived. This isn’t the finish line; this is the start line for me. I’m excited to be in this position, but at the same time, I know that there’s a lot of work to be done in all areas. We’re always all trying to improve on a day-to-day basis. We want to build a tough team, a smart team, a team that can play under pressure. Players need to know that. The entire organization needs to know that. We’re going to work towards that every day.”
(What was the idea behind bringing Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Jim Caldwell on your staff?) – “We’re trying to bring in as many great people in the organization as we can. If you embody some of the qualities that we’re looking for, if you’re mentally tough, if you’re smart, you’re very intelligent, if you communicate well, if you put the team first, if football is very important to you, you probably have a shot at being a part of what we’re trying to accomplish. That’s across the board. It’s not just coaches. It’s from the top down. Chris (Grier) and I are aligned with that mind. Those are the type of people we want in the building.”
(With your evaluations with Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea and Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach Jim Caldwell, where does QB Ryan Tannehill fit in the mix for you guys moving forward?) – “Right now, everything is kind of in process. I’ve been here three-and a-half weeks. We’ve gone through the evaluations of the roster. Everything is in process. We still have time. Obviously, we’ve made some evaluations, but we still have time to make those decisions. Having played against Ryan, he’s had some success against me personally. I think of the last game we played. He’s done a really good job, but those things are in process right now. We haven’t made any final decisions. Everything is on the table. Chris (Grier) and I are aligned on that. Again, we talked about the types of guys we want in our program. That part of it, as far as the evaluations and getting everybody on the same page, has been good.”
(What did it mean for you to have that Super Bowl and to go out in your Patriots performance on that stage and that performance? What did it all mean for you?) – “It was great; but again, it happened quickly. It’s almost like it didn’t happen, quite honestly, with all that’s gone on.”
(Did you get the chance to break down the game at all?) – “I watched it briefly. I thought the guys played well. Again, it’s a testament to the players. The credit goes to them. They practiced hard. They played hard. They played with the discipline, the toughness and the team-first attitude that we’ve talked about already this morning. They reaped the benefits of that. But that happened and it was over. I was on a plane and I’ve been in Florida since.”
(So you haven’t enjoyed it at all?) – “I’m enjoying my time right now in (aqua).”
(Obviously, you have some familiar faces on the staff. Is it important to bring in players that you’ve coached as well?) – “I think it’s important to bring in players who want to play our style and do the things … First, I would say bring the culture, bring the leadership and the toughness and the intelligence that we’re looking for. I don’t care where that player comes from. Hopefully, we’ll find a good number of them this week. It’s all part of the process. Again, this week is so important because you get to know these guys. We’re not going to be able to pick every guy we like. I understand that. But we get to know them and maybe down the line, this conversation that was had here, just kind of helps that process two or three years from now – ‘When we talked to so-and-so at the combine, that was a good interview,’ and he’s available. Things like that. This is all important, not just for right now but in the future.”
(Have you had any contact with RB Brandon Bolden and WR Danny Amendola at all since you’ve gone to Miami?) – “I have not. But again, (they are) two guys who were incredible in New England, guys I have a lot of respect for, who embody a lot of the principles (and) core values that I believe are essential to winning.”
(How do you evaluate this rookie QB class and what stands out to you?) – “I’ve watched a good number of them. It’s a good group. Again, the evaluation is still ongoing. We’ll meet a group of them this week and that’s a big part of the evaluation. Again, we won’t be able to pick them all, we know that, but we’ll go through the evaluation process. Right now, we’ve kind of talked about the types of players we’re looking for. You guys have already heard it – we want them smart, we want them tough, mentally and physically. We want them fundamentally sound. We want them to be able to play under pressure. We want to be able to coach them hard. This is a demanding league, so we have to be demanding on our players. They need to understand that.”
(Some defensive coaches, there are quarterbacks they hated to defend. What type of quarterbacks were your worst to defend?) – “You can look at the stats and you can probably figure that out on your own. Look, each quarterback is a little bit different. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses. Guys who are mobile, that’s a strength. Guys who have great accuracy, that’s definitely a strength. Those are kind of qualities that are standard things you’re looking for – guys who are accurate, guys with leadership, command of the offense. I think that’s definitely a quality you want in your quarterback. Mobility is great but every player’s a little bit different.”
(What are your thoughts on QB Kyler Murray?) – “I think he had a phenomenal year this year. I think he’s a great athlete. I think he’s a very good player.”
(You just said earlier a lot of quotes that many times we heard at Bill Belichick press conferences – ‘Last year is last year,’ ‘We’re focused on 2019.’ Is that intentional or does he just sort of rub off on you and many of the coaches under him?) – “I think last year was last year. Maybe it does rub off. Maybe it’s something … I feel like there’s some good in that. If we focus on last year, then we’re not focused on this year. I would hate to take away from this year’s team focusing on whatever happened a year ago. If I’m copying Bill, then I guess I’m copying Bill in that situation.”
(Have you had any chance to talk much with Bill Belichick at all?) – “No.”
(Has anyone between Bill or Josh McDaniels or Bill O’Brien – many of his Patriots guys have gone on to become head coaches. Has anyone given you good advice or helped you navigate through situations so far?) – “I’ve talked to a few different guys. They said it would be a blur. They said it would be a whirlwind. It happened fast. You’ll have a lot to do. You won’t have enough time. But the big thing they’ve all said is to be yourself, to stick to your core values, to stick to the things that are important to you, which I’ve tried to do, to get good people around you. I’ve tried to do that. And to always be true to who you are.”
(How do you feel about the current climate in the league for African-American head coaches and general managers like you and Chris Grier and is there any disappointment that there isn’t more guys getting opportunities like the one you have?) – “I’m glad you asked that. John Wooten of the Fritz Pollard Alliance was incredible to me during my process as far as the head-coaching search and that whole situation. He’s been a dear friend, a mentor. He’s stepping down this year, so I just wanted to kind of publicly thank him and thank the Fritz Pollard Alliance for all they do for minority coaches. He was great to me and I think that that’s something that’s near and dear to my heart. I think there’s a lot of very capable coaches in this league and whatever I can do to help those guys get an opportunity, I’m all for it.”
(How lucky are you to have Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Coach Jim Caldwell on your staff? That’s a guy that’s been a head coach a couple of times. You’d think he would get another chance.) – “I’m excited to have Coach Caldwell. He’s been a great resource. He’s been someone (who’s been) a sounding board along with some other guys on our staff, whether it’s Danny (Crossman) to Pat Graham to Chad (O’Shea), but Jim specifically, he’s definitely been a sounding board and somebody – again, he’s done it. ‘What’d you do in this situation when you were wherever you were?’ It’s something that was important to me to have someone like that on staff. Again, if I’m going to tell my team not to have egos, it has to start with me, so I don’t have an ego from that standpoint. He’s been really great to work with.”
Chris Grier – February 27, 2019
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Wednesday, February 27, 2019
General Manager Chris Grier
(You and Head Coach Brian Flores have talked about being aligned and having to work your way up and earning everything that you have. Is it fair to say that you want players in that same acumen?) – “Yeah, I think you always look for players that have had some sort of adversity in their lives. It could be the smallest thing but it also shows a little bit of their character and how they’ve worked to overcome things. There’s little backstories on players at the Combine here that you like hearing. Like I’ve said, those are some of the traits we really liked about Brian (Flores). He’s just earned everything from being an intern running to get coffee every day to being part of one of the greatest defensive performances in the Super Bowl. Now he’s the head coach of our organization.”
(What are some examples of the life experiences that you are looking for? Is it hardship growing up, hardship in school, coming back from injury and things like that?) – “Yeah, because this is a hard league. There’s been examples of players in the past that have never had any adversity. They’ve been … whether it’s the five-star player from a white picket fence (home) and an ideal life and then they come to the league and they struggle and they don’t know how to deal with that. I’m not saying that every player should have that but it does help paint a picture and it gives you an idea of whether the guy has that makeup to overcome the challenges he’s going to deal with in the NFL.”
(There’s been a lot of talk that this roster is going to have a pretty big makeover this offseason and essentially if you are a veteran on a big contract, you might be in trouble. What do you see the roster of 2019 looking like? Is it going to be young guys? Is it going to be cheap guys? What do you see?) – “I would say everything is – to take Brian (Flores’) words – on the table. We’ve made some decisions but we still have a couple of weeks to go. I wouldn’t say anybody is definitely going to be cut or not going to be here, etc. The coaching staff has only been in the building for two and a half weeks. They’ve grinded and worked hard to learn the roster. We’ve had great meetings with the coaches about future plans and we’re very close, but we’re still having a lot of discussions that still need to be had over the next couple of weeks.”
(There’s a lot of attention that’s going to be at quarterback. When do you anticipate making that decision on QB Ryan Tannehill and what’s next for you guys?) – “I think we had a really good talk last weekend, just trying to figure that out. The coaches have done a great job. (Offensive Coordinator Chad) O’Shea has been really good and (Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks) Coach (Jim) Caldwell, and have talked with Brian (Flores) and I. We’re getting there. Once we make the decision, organizational-wise, we’ll move forward.”
(Where do things stand with CB Xavien Howard and are you confident that he’ll be on your roster in 2019?) – “Yes, I’m very confident that he’ll be there. Xavien has been in the building. He’s coming back, working out and getting in shape again after the Pro Bowl. We don’t really call that working out. (laughter) He’s doing good. We’ve been hanging out around him. He wants to be a Miami Dolphin and we want him to be a Dolphin.”
(Have you had any discussions with T Ja’Wuan James’ camp?) – “No, not yet. Ja’Wuan just got married last weekend as some of you guys know. We’ll probably engage him at some point here after the Combine because at this point, he’s getting married and there’s so much going on in his mind, so we just said we’d meet after the Combine.”
(How would you describe the level of interest in possibly having T Ja’Wuan James return?) – “We drafted him here and he’s a good, young player. We’d like to have him here and we’ll see what the market (is) and what he’s looking for, as well.”
(How important would T Ja’Wuan James be as an anchor for the offensive line, especially at that right tackle position?) – “It’s one less box you have to check going out. At the end of the day, the organization will do what’s best for the Dolphins. He’s a good guy, he’s worked hard, he’s been here and is a good teammate, so we’ll see what happens.”
(There has been talk that you guys might not want to win this season. Can you tell me on the record what the intention is? Is it to make the playoffs?) – “(laughter) I think everyone kind of took (Owner) Steve (Ross’) words the first press conference out of context. You’ve been around Steve. He is a volatile, very competitive person. We’re not trying to lose games. We’re going to do what’s best. We’re going to build and, like we talked about, building the right (way) and going through the process to do what’s best for the Dolphins. No, we’re not trying to tank or lose every game; but we’re going to build it right and see how it plays out.”
(Does it irritate you to hear that talk out there or do you just kind of let it go?) – “You have to let it go. I don’t see how you could ask 53 guys to put their body on the line to lose games.”
(The idea is for the top draft pick.) – “Right, but Steve (Ross) kind of clarified that when we introduced Brian (Flores). You’ve talked about the type of players we want: tough guys, competitive guys. It’s kind of hard to say you want that and then say ‘reign it back for a year and just go lay down.’ We’ll see how it goes.”
(What impressed you the most about Brian Flores in the interview process?) – “Just the person. Take away the football part, which, he’s a really coach – but it’s the person. Like I said, our paths never crossed in terms of being at New England at the (same) time because I was gone and he came in after. It was just a lot of the coaches I knew there and personnel staff, all talked and kept saying ‘You have to meet Brian and really talk to him football-wise.’ We knew each other a little bit just in the scouting world, but he hadn’t been in (scouting) in 10-plus years. He came in, was very organized, detailed and personable. He knew facts about everyone there who was on the interview process with us. His level of detail and getting to know him and as you’ve been around him, you can feel his presence, his leadership, how people respond to him and how he treats people. I thought it was just exactly what we needed.”
(He obviously comes from a very successful organization and that’s the only one he’s been in, so do you want him to try to replicate some things that went well in New England? How much do you want to embrace what they did in New England?) – “I think I want Brian to be Brian. Whatever he feels works, we’re all on board for that. It’s bringing in good people from everywhere, like Jim Caldwell bringing some stuff from Indy. For the personnel side, having (Assistant General Manager) Marvin Allen and (Senior Personnel Executive) Reggie McKenzie come in, (they bring) new ideas. For me and for Brian as well, it’s just hiring good people that are really good at their jobs and just taking those ideas, and whatever works best for the organization, we’ll do.”
(I know it’s early in the week, but what can you say about this quarterback class? A lot of people are looking towards next year as a better one, but what do you think about this one?) – “When people start ranking classes now before anyone has sat down and talked to guys, it’s kind of hard to do because everyone knows that the mental part of the game, especially for the quarterbacks, plays a huge part. Until anyone sits down and talks to those players and gets to see how they learn football, how they process information, how they’re going to be in the locker room, what kind of leadership they bring, you can’t really say because the intangibles are what make people great. We see a lot of guys come through the league with big arms and they can make every throw but if they’re not wired right upstairs, they’re not going to make it. I don’t make any judgments on any classes until we really sit down and get to know the players first.”
(Is that that much more important for that position?) – “It is. The way defenses are, you have to process things quicker, make quick decisions, know where to go with the ball, so it is. It’s a huge part. I think that’s the real reason you see a lot of talented players that don’t quite live up to maybe their draft billing in terms of the quarterback position.”
(What’s your interest in bringing DE Cameron Wake back?) – “Right now with the roster and Brian, we’re going through everything. He’s been a Dolphin and he’s been a tremendous player for us, so we’ll see where that is right now and we’ll have conversations with him and his agent probably soon.”
(What is your specific QB philosophy as far as evaluating them and how closely do you follow Bill Parcells’ mentality and his strict guidelines per se?) – “The Bill model in terms of a two-and a-half or three-year starter, that does have a lot (of weight) because you want guys that have had the game reps and game experience; but the way the game is now, a lot of these guys are one-and-done where they sat their freshman year and something happened and they became like a one-year starter or something. I think you have to take it on a case-by-case basis with each player. The big thing right now is the intelligence and the leadership stuff. I think that’s really important because obviously all of these guys can throw. People want to say guys have big arms and whatever, but the guys that ‘don’t have great arms’ become good players in this league. What separates them is the mental makeup.”
Rob Leonard – February 15, 2019
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Linebackers Coach Rob Leonard
(Where did you go to college?) – “N.C. State.”
How did you choose N.C. State?) – “My head coach in high school, Mark Capuano, played with Chuck Amato, who was the head coach at N.C. State. Then, my dad took a job in the Raleigh area and I kind of had my sights set on playing D-1 ball and that kind of was a good fit and I had an opportunity to go down there.”
(And then you became a coach later down the road. Why coaching?) – “To be honest with you, I’m kind of shaped by the coaches I had. My head high school coach had a big impact on me. I actually wasn’t sure that it was for me. Then when Coach (Tom) O’Brien asked me to come back and be a GA, I had a coach that really had a big impact on me. I actually was going overseas to play football in Germany, in the GFL. I was leaving in two weeks and Coach O’Brien asked if I wanted to come back and be a GA. I was like, ‘You know what? Okay.’ Then there was a coach there, Jon Tenuta, who took me under his wing. He’s kind of a legendary college coach. He was like, ‘You’re with me.’ I think he accelerated and gave me a foundation of ball – I know he did – particularly with how he sees the front and the run game and stuff, that accelerated my learning curve in this profession, in my opinion. I was with him for three years and he was very good to me and he taught me a lot.”
(So you never got to Germany?) – “(laughter) Never got there. It’s a silly story, but that’s kind of how I ended up in it. I wasn’t sure (what I wanted to do). I coached a year in 2009 after I was done playing. I tried out with the Steelers, had a tryout briefly. I worked a bunch of different jobs – coached high school ball, was caddying at a golf course, working at a couple of bars at night and not sure what I wanted to do. I did a sales job during the day, and then when Coach O’Brien called, I was like, ‘I’m going to give this a try.’ Once I was with Jon, after that first year, I was like, ‘This is what I want to do.’
(You mentioned sales and bartending. What is the craziest job you had in that time?) – “Shoveling horse stalls at the state fairgrounds. Two dollars a stall if you cleaned out the hay out of the stall. You’d get there on Sunday nights. I’d go in there, I think there were maybe 250 stalls, and you would just clean the horse stalls. It was two dollars a stall but it was straight cash. I was living in Raleigh, a year out of college, not sure what you wanted to do and doing a lot of everything to put money in your pocket.”
(How many stalls could you go?) – “I can’t believe I’m telling this story. This is crazy. (laughter)”
(You couldn’t do 250, could you?) – “No. It was like a landscape company that had the contract and we would show up – you would knock it out in about two and a-half hours. I’d say if you did over 30, you were starting to feel it. Then you got money for raking up after, so we would make like 100 dollars cash in two hours, which wasn’t bad.”
(So you built up the biceps?) – “Yes. Then I was caddying, too. I was caddying a lot at a golf course right there in Raleigh.”
(What excites you about this opportunity and this job?) – “The people. Being at a great organization. In my opinion, this profession is all about people, and I’m excited to work with Coach ‘Flo’ (Brian Flores), first and foremost, and (Defensive Coordinator) Patrick (Graham), who I know well. I know that it’s going to be a team-first atmosphere. And those aren’t empty words, that’s how it’s going to be – that’s what gets me most excited, in all honesty. The culture is going to be right.”
(Can you describe how it all came to be, you hooking up with Brian Flores and him saying ‘Come to Miami?’) – “I worked with Pat (Graham) straight from New England. His first year – Pat Graham – when he came to the Giants as d-line coach, I was QC (quality control) and I worked with the linebackers. In his second year, I got moved to assistant d-line, so we were like this (close) every day, just in the same room. Me being a curious young coach, I would pick his brain a lot about how they did things up north. We just had good conversations and stayed in touch after that and I met ‘Flo’ (Flores) through Pat. Obviously, I never worked with him but got to know him I feel pretty well, and that’s kind of how it came to fruition.”
(How do you describe your coaching style?) – “Being myself, being genuine, being honest. Really, kind of like Coach ‘Flo’ said, holding people accountable to, especially if it’s something that we made clear that they should or shouldn’t know. Being consistent and honest.”
(You sound a lot like Brian Flores.) – “Yeah, that’s just my philosophy.”
(Brian Flores had mentioned about how he wants to build trust with players and then once you do that, you can push them that much more because they trust that you’re doing the right thing and they want to work that much harder. It sounds like you’ve experienced that type of thing as well.) – “Absolutely.”
(In Brian Flores’ introductory press conference, he mentioned versatility, how he wants to adjust on the fly if need be on a Sunday afternoon to whatever game conditions require. How does that put pressure on you and the linebackers to be able to do all these different roles that may or may not pop up on any given Sunday?) – “To be honest, you better not have tunnel vision. You better understand concepts from a schematic standpoint and see the big picture in what we’re trying to accomplish, whatever we need to do to win a game. That’s the ability, to be able to adjust. Yes, I understand my job, but when you teach, and I believe this is just part of being a teacher – you teach concepts, not just your job. This is your job and this is how you tie into the big picture, and so doing that allows you to be a little bit flexible, a little bit multiple – the things you hear us talk about a little bit more. But in terms of being able to adjust to weather conditions…”
(No, just adjusting to various game conditions, whether you’re going against a team that’s running the ball all down your throat or a team that – one thing that’s happened down here a lot in many years is that they’ve had trouble covering tight ends. A lot of tight ends have really burned the Dolphins badly, and some of that responsibility falls on the linebackers.) – “Absolutely. Understanding, in that case, it would be mismatches. Understanding situations. Really, you need to, I guess, broaden your scope for how you see the game. It’s very important to lock into your job, how you fit and just do your job – the old ‘Patriot Way’ philosophy – but with that being said, understanding what the call is trying to accomplish, if that makes sense, so you’re able to do a different role if need be.”
(Have you had any experience with any of the linebackers currently on this roster?) – “I have not. I’ve evaluated them in the past, but no.”
(So you’re probably just starting out on the evaluation?) – “Just starting. Honestly, I’m just swimming, trying to get my family here, the whole deal. We haven’t even dove into it yet.”
(Where is the family now?) – “In New Jersey. My wife flew down last night with my oldest boy, so it was nice to see him. It was the longest period of time I’ve gone without seeing him, so that’s been good.”
(Do you prefer Rob or Robbie? Which way should we go?) – “Both. Coach (Tom) Coughlin called me Rob. He said he wasn’t calling me Robbie. Some of my good friends call me Rob. My parents will call me Robbie because Rob’s my dad. I’m good either way.”
(I know it’s very early in the tape-reviewing standpoint, but would you mind speaking in general about your group in terms of what stood out to you from what you’ve seen initially?) – “I’m excited to work with these guys. I had the chance to go up to Ohio State to meet Jerome (Baker) last year when he was coming out, so just getting him as a person, he’s a smart kid. I’m excited to work with him, for sure. (He’s a) great athlete. It doesn’t take a genius to see that off the bat. I’m very excited. Our whole room overall, in my opinion, is very athletic. They’re young and overall, through watching them, it’s a tough group of guys. It’s a tough, athletic group of guys overall, in a general sensel.”
(The speed LB Jerome Baker has – how much of an asset is that in today’s game at that position?) – “Absolutely. It can only help you. The game is a space game and he’s able to do that. I can’t tell you how excited I am to work with him.”
(LB Raekwon McMillan came on late last year. Have you gotten to his December tape to get a sense of improvement?) – “I have. In terms of that, he did improve. I just hope to build off that with him, in all honesty. He’s another physical, tough guy, and he can run and hit. He finished the year strong. I’m excited to work with him.”
(The challenge of finding linebackers who can play both 4-3 and 3-4? General Manager Chris Grier talked about that. He said it’s a little bit of a challenge but it’s exciting, too, because you can be multiple with teams. How tough is that to find guys who can be 4-3 ends and 3-4 outside linebackers, and are you going to be involved with that process with the draft?) – “I’m sure we will. It’s just what you value. When you look at players, I see them as football players first. I don’t try to put – and I don’t think anybody here does, either – I don’t put people into a box – 3-4, 4-3. (I look at) how are they as football players first in terms of evaluation, in building our team.”
(Is there anyone on the roster you’ve seen that you think could be a 3-4 outside linebacker? You have a lot of guys who are skilled at playing inside.) – “I’m not really there yet, in all honesty. I wish I could give you a better answer, but I’m not really there yet.”
(One other guy – Stephone Anthony. Obviously, talented enough to be a first-round pick. Any impression of him? Have you seen him through the years?) – “I actually was at N.C. State when he was coming out as a recruit and he went to Clemson. Stephone – he can run and hit. If you were to draw them up, that’s how they look. I’m excited. I think he’s free right now, but he’s a good athlete that can play football and is a former first-round pick. He’s a good football player.”
(On LB Kiko Alonso, just the skills that you like?) – “Kiko plays the game the way it’s supposed to be played. That’s evident even if you haven’t watched any film. He plays fast, plays physical, plays with a motor. That’s not much not to like there. He’s a good football player.”
(What’s the number one trait you look for in a linebacker?) – “When I watch the tape and put it on, I’m looking for is the guy a good football player. Does have natural instincts? Or am I looking at a height-weight-speed guy? How does he play the game? Is he always around the football? Basic things. If I were to just click on a tape and you were to go to a high school game, you could say, ‘That guy can play.’ That’s how I kind initially start watching in terms of linebacker play in a very general sense.”
Pat Flaherty – February 15, 2019
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Offensive Line Coach Pat Flaherty
(This offensive line is going to go through a rebuild of it’s own, at least on the inside. What are your philosophies on the offensive line and moving forward and helping this team go through what it needs to go through?) – “The most important thing that we need to do as a unit is be the most physical unit on the field each and every game. I want to be able to will our power on opponents and be able to run the ball and pass protect and don’t let the quarterback get hit. And that takes five guys working together.”
(What are your thoughts on LT Laremy Tunsil?) – “I think Laremy is a good football player, I really do. He’s still a fairly young guy and he has, like most guys his age, has some improvement to make. He has a high ceiling and we feel he’s going to get better and better each year.”
(A lot of people thought he had a Pro Bowl season last year. I think it was 14 – 15 games without a sack. He seems to be a building piece, I would imagine?) – “He is. He has potential to be one of the best, if not the best, in the league, at his position. He still has some work to do to separate himself into that category. I really like the things he does.”
(I know T Ja’Wuan James is the right tackle. He is a free agent. I imagine if T Laremy Tunsil is protecting the blindside for a right-handed quarterback, the right tackle will protect the blindside of a left-handed quarterback? If you guys could retain T Ja’Wuan James what would that do for your offensive line?) – “I think it keeps the continuity there, if we’re able to retain him. We sure hope he does. He’s a good football player. I’ve had an opportunity to go back and watch every game from 2018. He’s a fairly young guy also, so he has some things technique-wise that he can get better.”
(To get a rookie at any o-line position, if you do that in the draft, particularly right tackle and particularly with a potentially left-handed quarterback, how difficult is it to get those guys up to speed? It’s a yearly thing. It’s hard.) – “It’s a day-by-day process. I’ve coached rookies at those positions before. You just want to make some progress because I always tell them it’s a process and you have to trust the process to make progress. Those guys are going to have to get better every day. It’s going to take some time for those young guys. Even though they’ve played at a high level in college, they’re not seeing the same type of player. You’re seeing a really a skilled player at this level.”
(Who are some rookies that you’ve coached along the way?) – “I had Cam Robinson just recently, the left tackle for Jacksonville. Cam was a prime example. I felt each and every week he got better; but early in the season, he took his lumps.”
(Who are some of your favorite players you’ve coached over the years?) – “It’s funny because I get that question a lot because of the success we had in New York. I really have to say the mark that the five guys in New York set – starting 38 straight games – really is something that I don’t know will ever be matched again. The right tackle Kareem McKenzie, Chris Snee (at right guard), Shaun O’Hara at center, the left guard was Rich Seubert and the left tackle was David Diehl. Then we had some really solid six or seven men like Kevin Boothe and those type of guys. But those six guys and five of them starting 38 straight games, if you can get that done, where they can have that continuity and play week in and week out, you’re going to build success.”
(Was that around the Super Bowl years in New York?) – “It was, yeah.”
(Who was the running back at that time? It wasn’t RB Tiki Barber, right?) – “Tiki was there the first couple of years I was there and went to the Pro Bowl. Then we had Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw.”
(Please tell me about this nickname, ‘The Big Toe.’ Who gave it to you again?) – “Kareem McKenzie. Really, it transpired through … It’s all the players. We were able to be the leading rushing team in the NFL and they asked Kareem and I guess my name was mentioned, so they came up with ‘The Big Toe.’ It’s comical. (laughter) I’ve always credited the players. As coaches, we try to guide them in the right direction and hopefully stay in that direction but it’s the players and they are the ones that should get the credit.”
(A lot of coaches are coming in with experience, a lot of assistant coaches on this staff are coming in with experience. You have a first-time coordinator, first-time head coach, first-time defensive coordinator. How do you go about helping the other coaches really excel in these new roles that they have?) – “We’re working together as a team, as a coaching staff and as a team. We all interject because we’re putting the playbook together right now. We’re just giving our ideas and experiences. Chad O’Shea, the offensive coordinator, has done an outstanding job thus far of bringing everybody together and listening to everybody’s thoughts. We’ll stir it up and come up with a good plan and a good offensive philosophy. We know what the philosophy is going to be because it starts with Brian Flores. He has a philosophy of being a smart, tough, physical football team.”
(I’m sure there will be an emphasis on running the ball and Patriots principals like running backs out of the backfield and things like that?) – “You would think. We haven’t gotten that far yet from that standpoint, but I think when everybody is on the same page – coaches and players – (you’ll see) the philosophy and passion and the vision the head coach has.”
(I like that this staff has a couple of Patriots ties, a lot of guys have worked for the Patriots together, but you’re one coach that has helped stop the Patriots at their highest point. Is there anything to read into that? You were part of a team that was able to stop one of the best franchises in the history of football on two occasions. Do you think that gives you a little bit of insight on how … where holes might be and certain things or how to fill holes or identifying weaknesses you guys can improve on as coaches?) – “The New England process is something that is special. All you have to do is look at the track record. To be able to stop them twice in the Super Bowl really goes back to the players. They had confidence in what they were going to see and how they were going to block it from the standpoint of offense. Those games came down to No. 12 (Tom Brady) throwing the ball on the last play of the game. It’s always scary when you’re standing on the sideline and that ball is in the air, whether it’s to Randy Moss or anybody else. It was exciting for me to work with Brian (Flores) and Chad (O’Shea) and (Assistant Quarterbacks Coach) Jerry (Schuplinski) and guys that are new on this staff because I’ve always had respect for them. It’s really difficult in this league to do what those guys have done. I’m really excited to see what goes on behind doors of that franchise.”
(There was a little bit of a holding pattern for Coach Flores as he was finishing the season in New England. What was that like where you were negotiating for a new job and he’s holding out. What’s that process like?) – “For me it was … I went and spoke with other teams about jobs. I was really impressed on the phone and visiting with Brian on a few occasions, just to see which direction he was going. I have a lot of respect for what he did. I had an opportunity when I was in Jacksonville in 2017. We practiced a week up there, so I had an opportunity to be around him a little bit. I was just really impressed with the man himself.”
(So 2017, Jacksonville and the Patriots.) – “We went up and played in preseason. We spent the week working against them.”
(Was that the first time you ran into Brian Flores?) – “That was the first time I really had the opportunity to visit with him, yeah. We played them when I was in New York in preseason all of the time. So I had a chance to say hello and so forth.”
(Did you know back then that he would be a head coach now? Did you see him as a leader back then?) – “Absolutely, there’s no question about it. He’s got all the traits that you need to be a good leader.”
(How do you guys go about this whole rebuild?) – “I guess the famous words are reload or rebuild. I’m not sure which side we fall on here because we really haven’t had the opportunity and we won’t until we get the team together and get out there and practice and see where we’re at. But in the NFL, obviously this team won some good games last year and lost some tough games. There are good players here. We just have to be able to gel them together.”
(Did you really recruit Tim Duncan to try to play football at Wake Forest?) – “Well, when I was at Wake Forest, the basketball players had to come through the coaches offices upstairs to get to academics. So Tim would stop in and I had like the first office. So he’d stop in and just sit in the chair. I had one chair, a chair for myself, the desk and he’d sit in the corner and put his feet up on my desk. He was a great guy, just a really great guy to talk to. So I always said to him ‘You’d be an outstanding tight end.’ There were times he’d stop in and say ‘I’m ready to play tight end.’ And I said, ‘Alright, go tell Coach (Dave) Odom that.’ He was the basketball coach. (laughter)”
(So you and Tim Duncan would just talk in your office all of the time?) – “Yeah, he’d stop in and we’d chat.”
(Do you still keep in touch with Tim Duncan?) – “Not on a regular basis. Last year when he was retiring, he came to play the Nets and actually my son was a big Tim Duncan because he was just a little guy when Tim was playing. So he said ‘If he’s going to retire, can we go over?’ So we went over and we were able to, after the game, go back to the locker room and visit with him. It was a thrill. It really was.”
(Any other NBA guys you failed to recruit to football?) – “(laughter) No. I have a good friend that I grew up with that was the first general manager of the Orlando Magic – John Gabriel – and then I had another classmate that was a basketball coach. So I had a little flavor of the NBA with those guys.”
(Is it true that you had colon cancer?) – “I did. Yeah, that’s true. Yeah, I’m a cancer survivor.”
(It was 2004 right?) – “Yes.”
(Have you gone into remission or anything like that?) – “I did.”
(Since 2004 has it flared back up at all?) – “No, not at all. That’s behind me. I never look back. I always look ahead. I recommend that to anybody who is going through something like that. I had a lot of support from the doctors in New York and the New York Giants organization. Wellington Mara was unbelievable at that point in time that I was going through it. Really, it was pretty easy. It really was, to go through it with all of the support I had.”
(How do you go through that? How do you get that news?) – “It’s shocking. It really is. Especially when you are just getting the one spot. Of course, I asked the doctors if I could wait before I could get the surgery and they said ‘You won’t be around if you wait,’ so I said ‘Let’s go,’ because you have the best doctors in the world. The thing with anyone going through it is the support coming from your family is the most important thing, and you’ll get through it. We’re kind of built for that type of thing as coaches.”
(What’s most important for you when you’re teaching young offensive linemen where you might have some inexperience coming from where you’ve been to the Miami Dolphins? What are some of the things you focus in on to try to teach young linemen in the National Football League?) – “I think you have a core of techniques, especially when they are young. When you get them when they’re young, I’ve always referred to it as you have one time to teach them the right way. I think that college coaches do an excellent job, I was one of them at one time. We do change some of the techniques that we need to execute and be successful in this league. The important thing is find out how much the rookie has been in a two-point stance and how much he’s been in a three-point stance, from that standpoint. You have to be balanced and we are in the NFL. You have to be able to execute both stances. I think that’s the number one thing with the stance, and it is just a variety of the type of drills that you have to work each and everyday.”
(What appealed to you when you had this opportunity presented to you to join this staff of the Miami Dolphins?) – “Brian Flores really appealed to me because I got to know Brian in 2017 when I was in Jacksonville and we practiced against New England. Just the passion he has and the drive that he has as a young coach. I knew that he was going to bring that into his head-coaching role. I was really excited about that.”
(When you take a look at what’s in front of you with the offensive line here with the Miami Dolphins and guys that are currently on the roster, what excites you about it and where do you think you’re looking to improve on that?) – “It really does excite me because I think we have a good foundation of players here. The personnel department has done a good job from that standpoint. It’s like most places each and every year that you’re at. There are pieces you have to fill in. I’ve watched all of the games from last year so I know the Dolphins of 2018 and had the opportunity to, when I got here, go back and look at the games. There are some things we have to maybe fit in. I’m not sure where we’re at, at this point, with that; but we’ll find a way.”
(What excites you about guys that are more notable on the offensive line like T Laremy Tunsil or T Ja’Wuan James? Have you been able to take a peak at those guys?) – “They are young guys and they have a high ceiling. When you have a high ceiling and they haven’t arrived yet, they’re pretty dang good and when you have that type of caliber of player, as an offensive lines coach you get fired up. You really do. I’m excited for those guys.”
Josh Boyer – February 15, 2019
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Defensive Pass Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks Josh Boyer
(I know that you’re just in the process of beginning to evaluate players. One issue that is out there is S Minkah Fitzpatrick. He can obviously do a lot of things well. He said late in the season that he would love for the Dolphins to be able to tell him by late January or early February where he would be playing – cornerback or safety – simply so he’d know how much weight to put on or lose. Have you guys made that decision yet?) – “I’d say we’re still early in the process of evaluating our current roster. We’re also in the process of evaluating how we want to approach and how we want to attack things from that standpoint. I’d say we’re in the infancy stages of figuring that stuff out.”
(So no decision on that particular thing yet?) – “No.”
(Have you talked to any of your players – CB Xavien Howard, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, S Reshad Jones or anyone from the group?) – “I have met Reshad and I met T.J. (McDonald) briefly. I just introduced myself. That was kind of just a brief introduction. They’re going through some of their offseason stuff. I haven’t had any … It was just ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ And that’s kind of it.”
(Early impressions on the talent you have back there? You have a great cornerback in CB Xavien Howard. You have veteran safeties and S Minkah Fitzpatrick is a fine, young player. What are your impressions?) – “I think our impressions are to look at it from a holistic approach in what we can have, what we have and how to best utilize it and what ways you can enhance that, if that makes any sense. That’s the process that we’re in right now. That’s going to be the same for all of our players. We’re going to try to put them in the best spots to succeed and we’ll work very hard and very diligent at that. I’d say (Defensive Coordinator) Patrick (Graham) has done a great job of organizing stuff for us. We’ve got a good staff that’s putting in a lot of hours right now trying to figure all of that stuff out.”
(How good is CB Xavien Howard? You’ve obviously seen him in games even though you were focusing on the other side of the ball.) – “Yeah. It was more of a crossover. I think obviously he had some success a year ago. For us, it’s a matter of how he’ll fit into the system and what ways we can best utilize his skills. It’s exciting to get to work with all of the players. Not just Xavien, but I would say everybody. We’re excited to – when we’re able to – work with those guys and put them in the best position to succeed.”
(What did you think of S Minkah Fitzpatrick just watching him in the draft process and anything you’ve observed so far on tape?) – “Again, I would have to keep a lot of it in generalities because like I said, we’re still … We come in and say we’ll watch these players and watch these draft players. There’s a lot of things going on and there’s a lot of balls on the court right now, for example. And part (of it) is this is our system, this is how we’re going to do it. So there are a lot of variable parts there. I would say for me, personally, it doesn’t matter. I’m excited to work with all of the players.”
(I know. I was just hoping to get maybe a little something on a couple of specific guys that maybe you would have seen in the draft process. Like one would be did you look at CB Jalen Davis in the draft process?) – “Out of Utah State? Yeah. So we looked at him in the draft process and then usually what happens is during the season, you get focused on your group and what your group is doing. So there is not much. And if you don’t see him on crossover games, and even then, more of our focus would be on the offense and not so much what the defense is doing, if that makes sense.”
(Do you remember anything specifically on CB Jalen Davis or CB Cornell Armstrong as you looked at draft corners with the Patriots last year? Do you recall anything that when you came here, you thought to yourself, ‘Okay, this could be something to work with.’) – “Honestly, coming here, I took it as a blank slate. Whatever 2018 was for those guys and whatever it was for me, it makes no difference (because) 2019 is going to be what 2019 is. Like I said, we’re still at the beginning stages of all of that. I’m very excited to be here. I’m very excited to work with those guys when we get the opportunity.”
(How does the dynamic work, working in tandem with Safeties Coach Tony Oden since you are kind of splitting up the DBs?) – “I would say we’re all trying to work for the common goal, so I think at different times, both of us will do different things with the big picture in mind that we are all trying to get it right on the same page. I’ve primarily worked with cornerbacks, but I would say there’s going to be versatility, hopefully, with some of our guys who can do different things. Both of us will be coaching the same thing, the same terminology. I’m excited to work with him. It should be a good experience for both of us.”
(What were your impressions of S Minkah Fitzpatrick’s rookie season from afar from as much as you observed?) – “I would have to go back to generalities. I would say we’re in the infancy stage of evaluating our current roster and we’re in the infancy stage of putting in our defensive game plan of what we want to be and how we want to be. Related to our roster, the key to us will be putting our players in positions to succeed and how we can do that most frequently is kind of what we’re working towards. To me, it doesn’t matter what happened in 2018. In 2019, all of the players – Minkah included – would have a blank slate. I kind of approach it that way.”
(How do you value defensive positions? Is there a position on the defensive side of the ball that you would say is the cornerstone of the defense, whether it’s a pass rusher or a lockdown corner?) – “I think it’s holistic approach. I think you need all 11 guys who are out there on the same page. Obviously there are times where you have really good coverage in the back end and it allows a little extra time for the defensive guys up front to get there, or the defensive guys can get there so quick, they can allow opportunities for you on the back end to make plays on the ball. I think it’s trying to coordinate the whole group together, all 11 guys working on the same page, and I think that’s what we are going to strive to do: putting those guys in the best position to do that based on their abilities.
(I know it’s early in your evaluation stage of this roster but you played against CB Xavien Howard a little bit and he had a little bit of success on the other side of the ball. What do you see from the other side when you were out there about that type of playmaker and a guy who can get his hands on the ball like that?) – “Xavien had a good amount of production last year. Obviously you like a lot of things you see on film. I would say for me, I was more focused on the offensive side of the ball. There is a little bit of crossover but even when you are watching the crossover tape, you are still primarily focused on what the offense is doing. It goes back to being in the infancy stages of evaluating everybody on the roster and putting them in the best position to succeed.”
(How would you characterize your relationship with Brian Flores? Obviously you have been up the ranks together for a while.) – “I’m very happy for Coach Flores getting the opportunity. We’ve worked together for 13 years. He’s a great communicator. He’s very intelligent. I’m very excited to work with him. I’m very excited to be around him. I feel truly blessed that we are able to continue our friendship and continue our professional growth together. I think that’s an awesome thing.”
(Was Brian Flores the main reason or a big reason why you felt this was an opportunity for you to come to Miami?) – “Yeah. He obviously had a lot to do with it. I was very excited about the opportunity in general. Knowing and understanding him, I feel very fortunate with the guys he’s built this staff with. I feel like he’s done a phenomenal job of putting a staff together. Whether they are guys I knew from the past or new guys I’m just meeting, I think we’re all working hard to be on the same page.
(There is a lot of history about the ‘Patriot Way’ and when you come to another area, what happens and whatnot. How much have you and Brian Flores talked or thought about that, creating a new thing here in Miami?) – “First and foremost, I wouldn’t want to speak for Coach Flores on that. You’d have to ask him. But I would say for me, whether it’s at New England or some of the colleges I’ve coached at, you take experiences from everywhere that you’re at. Whether it’s good, bad or indifferent, you try to implement the good things and the things you didn’t like, you try to stay away from. Ultimately, knowing him for as long as I did, I know what he’s thinking before he says it. It’s one of those things. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. To me, I’m fired up and excited for the 2019 season.”
Tony Oden – December 15, 2018
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Safeties Coach Tony Oden
(There is a little familiarity here. You worked with Jim Caldwell and George Godsey and a lot of these guys seemed to have worked together too. How does that familiarity help you guys?) – “Any time you’re familiar with anything, it helps. Pros and cons go along with things, people’s personalities, people’s quirks or whatnot. They know that you work well with them. There’s always a getting-to-know-you process. If you know someone, you’ve already advanced to the next step. That definitely helps.”
(You’re one of the few holdovers from the last staff here. Do you think that’s a little asset probably for you and Coach Flores knowing you were here, you know what happened and you can be one of the guys to give him some insight going forward into the future?) – “The first thing I’ll say is it’s an honor to have the opportunity to stay. I think that is a good thing. I’m sure from both perspectives, there’s a lot of positives that go along with that. Obviously I do have some familiarity with the players. Players do have some familiarity with me, but yet there’s still a new influx of different information, different views, different ways to go about things. That’s new. Because it’s new, you’re always going to learn. That part is good. So I think we’ll both benefit from that.”
(What are some things that you’ve kind of gained from your first meetings with Coach Flores that lets you know he’s going to be a good leader for this team?) – “I think his demeanor is phenomenal. This organization has had good leaders in the past as well. One thing I’ll say with Coach (Flores) is that what he is to you guys, he is the same thing to us. He’s very honest, very open, very direct. He’s definitely a team-first person. He believes that. He walks the walk, he talks the talk.”
(Did you know Coach Flores before you took the job?) – “I did. I never worked with him before, but this is my 16th year in the league and this is like his 16th or 17th year in the league. We both having been in the back end before at some point, so we’ve been friendly over the years.”
(Did anything strike you about Coach Flores when you first discussed philosophies?) – “After he got hired, we had the opportunity to speak. It was pretty short and brief because he was being pulled in so many different directions; but I kind of had a feel for the guy and had a feel for the man. I knew he had great leadership characteristics just from talking. You know it when you see it. It’s like most, you feel it, you see it and you taste it. Those things haven’t changed. They’ve just been reiterated once you get to spend more time (with him). He’s going to do a great job because his message is always going to be the same – clear, direct, to the point – and everyone is always going to know where they stand.”
(Now that we’re two months removed from the season, how would you assess S Minkah Fitzpatrick’s rookie season?) – “He had a solid rookie season. His arrow is pointed up. He still has so much to learn; but the thing with him is that he’s willing to do it. He’s more than willing to do it. Everyone is going to be learning right now. Everyone is starting from a clear playing field, from that perspective. I’m excited to see him grow. I’m excited to see him taking more of a role if that happens. He has to earn those kinds of things like everyone else; but he is the right kind of guy. He has the right kind of skillset, mentally and physically. So it’s going to be exciting to watch him grow.”
(Anything about S Minkah Fitzpatrick stand out to you, either physically or…) – “I could go run down the whole list, but there’s nothing different than you guys have seen or haven’t seen. There’s no hidden things in regards to that. He has the skillset mentally and physically to do a lot. That’s a good thing. We’re excited to watch him grow in this system and learn in this system.”
(Adam Gase last year told us that he thought S Minkah Fitzpatrick had more value at safety. Do you agree with that?) – “That’s last year. This year is an entirely different team. We’re going to do thing Coach Flores’ way and (Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Patrick) Graham’s way. Those things are still yet to be determined.”
(It’s unclear to you where S Minkah Fitzpatrick is better? You think he’s similarly able to help at both positions?) – “He can help in a whole bunch of different positons. Where he’s going to fit on our team right now, I can’t say that just yet. We’re still trying to evaluate our guys and plug and play into the things we want this year. He has the skillset to do a lot and that’s good.”
(How do you think S Reshad Jones played? Obviously he talked to us about he was used to playing strong safety and it was adjustment for him to play free. How did he adjust to that?) – “We’re talking about last year right? Someone told me this a long time ago and this is definitely not a copout. He said you can’t go forward if you’re looking in the rearview mirror and those kind of things. Last year is last year. This year, we’re going to focus on where we want the guys to be this year. Everything is still early in the process right now. We’re trying to match our guys here to the new system and see how things shake itself out. We’re just going to go forward from that and adjust things to where they are today.”
(What’s the next step for S Minkah Fitzpatrick? Where can he improve? He did so many things well, but can you point to something he can do better?) – “They all have things they can do better. I don’t know if there’s one thing I can put my finger on. Once again, there are some differences in things we’re going to do. So what he can improve on from last year may not be the same thing he can improve on this year. Like most rookies, just learning the NFL game and the changes in that, those are always going to be there greatest things that they can learn. Technique is technique. Each team is going to do something a little bit differently. This philosophy may be a little bit different. Just learning the game, learning the tempo and all of those kinds of things. The off-the-field things, as far as being a pro, those are things you can apply to every rookie early. Every rookie, in my opinion, going from their first year to their second year, is where they get their biggest gains because they already know what to expect. They come in and think they know, but until they get in and go through it daily, now they know what to expect, so now they can adjust accordingly in the offseason. They are not training for the Combine and pro days and all of that kind of stuff. Now is when their ceiling gets a little bit higher.”
(Did you have an exit meeting with your guys, or was their not one done? Have you met individually with S Reshad Jones, S T.J. McDonald, S Minkah Fitzpatrick, etc.?) – “There were conversations. There’s always conversations at the end of the season.”
(Without asking you to give away state secrets, what was your mission to S Minkah Fitzpatrick about where he could get better?) – “I told him, get some rest, take some time off and we’ll talk when you get back. We don’t want to start working too early. It’s good for those guys to get away and pause for a second, just like coaches.”
(How about with CB Xavien Howard? He had a breakthrough season this year. What do you say to somebody like that when they are at a level now?) – “Just keep going. Just like we were talking about, last year is last year and this year is this year. We’re always on a what have you done for me now, what have you done for me lately type of deal. He had a good year last year. (He has some) things to work on. I’m excited about that for him. I haven’t had any football conversations with him since the season, but the most important thing is what can you do from this moment on?”
(What have you sacrificed to get to this point in your career? It might be another career or for some players it’s food.) – “That’s easy for me. The thing I’ve sacrificed the most is my hair. (laughter) That’s it. My hairline when I started this profession, I had a nice, crisp hairline. Now, it’s lacking, so I’m going to blame it on football and lack of sleep and all of that kind of stuff. (laughter) No, seriously the biggest thing you sacrifice for us is stability. You have to move around a lot. We are living our dreams and we’re not forcing our families but our families are living our dreams with us as opposed to theirs. So there is more sacrifice for them than there is for us. When people talk about moving and talk about our profession, the very first thing I point the forward back is our family.”
(How many times have you moved?) – “More than my hands (can count).”
(Coming back and moving forward, having pieces like CB Bobby McCain, CB Xavien Howard, how do you anticipate moving forward and having those core pieces to work with starting a season?) – “They are definitely some phenomenal pieces. We’re still evaluating where things are going to go, where people are going to go, the new system and those types of things. That is yet to be determined. The one thing I’d say about those two guys is that they are smart players, good players and extinctive players. It’s exciting to see where they are going to fit in the new system.”
(Generically speaking, what are you looking for? What is your focus on? ‘This is the type of defensive back I want to coach. This is the type of guy I want in my secondary?’) – “Guys that can make some plays. (laughter) Guys that can stop them from catching it and if they do catch it, we can tackle them. Those are the guys we want. That’s a very generic way of saying it but at the end of the day, that’s what they have to do. Stop them from catching it and if they do catch it, tackle them and keep them out of the end zone. (laughter)”
George Godsey – February 15, 2019
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Friday, February 15, 2019
Tight Ends Coach George Godsey
(Do you have any experience coaching in a warm-weather climate such as this?) – “Yeah, I’m from Tampa. I went to high school in Tampa. Then, I was in Houston for three years. It was pretty hot there too. I’m actually happy to see the sunshine.”
(As far as the tight end’s role, how has it evolved in your eyes in the last few years? It seems like a few years ago, it became a featured position, but what do you think of the tight end’s role in general?) – “Those guys, they transcend other positions. They’re receivers in certain plays or they’re offensive linemen in others. Sometimes they’re fullbacks. In my experience, those guys have to have a good grasp of the offense and a good knowledge of the personnel that they’re going against, just because of the multiple roles that they play. There’s a lot of meeting time but ultimately it’s getting out there and having good instincts.”
(What one quality above any other would you want in a tight end?) – “It’s hard to just have one quality because they come in different shapes and sizes. Some are better in the run game, blocking. Some are better in the passing game. Some can do a little bit of both. Some can play in the backfield. It’s hard to just say one trait. They have to be versatile, they have to be smart, they have to be able to do whatever they can do the best and do it for 60 minutes.”
(You don’t want to single out one quality?) – “I’ve had a bunch of different ones – some that are effective blockers that can play three downs, some that are strictly pass-receiving tight ends, some that are first- and second-down only. They come in different sizes and shapes.”
(Are you okay with playing two tight ends or do you prefer one? What is your philosophy on that?) – “I’m sure (Offensive Coordinator) Chad (O’Shea) will call the best the plays that give us the best chance to score, but however many we need out there. Whatever they can do well. If they can do multiple things, then they’ll all be out there. Sometimes it’ll be four receivers out there and a back. Their role kind of goes by down, by scheme and by how we want to attack the defense.”
(What do you think you want ideally in a tight end – a seam-route runner? A red zone threat? Ideally what would you like?) – “Ideally, I’d like to play all downs and be effective at everything you do. Nowadays, it’s hard because maybe a smaller guy size-wise that can run faster is a little bit better of a matchup against a backer. In the red area, you’d like to have a bigger guy, or maybe it’s a matchup versus a DB that you like. I think the big thing is identifying their strengths and trying to use those as much (as you can), and identifying their weaknesses and trying to stay away from that as much. If there’s a tight end that maybe isn’t as good of a blocker, not that we’re not going to call on him to block, but maybe we’ll try to utilize him a little bit more in the passing game.”
(How familiar are you with the tight ends you’re inheriting?) – “That’s part of the deal right now – evaluations. It’s hard to watch every game all the time, install playbook, get ready for the draft, look at the free agents, so that’s part of the daily deal right now. I’m looking forward to working with them, that’s for sure.”
(How did you arrive here with Brian Flores exactly? I know you guys share a Patriots background.) – “That’s really mainly it. We’ve always stayed in touch. Obviously, I think very highly of him. We like to talk from our sides of the ball and kind of how we see things, so we’ve had a good relationship.”
(What kind of guy is Brian Flores? To me, he seems like he has a commanding presence. You listen when Brian Flores is speaking, but personality-wise and demeanor – how would you describe him?) – “When you kind of go through the coaching ranks, you get to a position to where you have leadership roles. Last year, part of his responsibility was the leadership role defensively, so now he’s going to carry that as far as being the head coach now. He gives us instructions, gives us what he wants and that’s kind of how it is. That’s usually what it is in that role.”
(Is Brian Flores a yeller or screamer?) – “I think everybody kind of has different coaching techniques, but you do whatever is necessary to get what you want out of it. We’re happy to be around here, we’re happy to have him as our leader. He’s intelligent, very detailed and doesn’t spend a lot of time wishy-washing with what he wants. I think that’s what we all expect and that’s what we all like.”
(We had Vance Joseph here for a year. When we would talk to him in the press conference, it was very straightforward and pretty business-like. The players said that’s how he was with them. That’s one impression from Brian Flores, but that’s kind of how I saw him.) – “It’s hard to get a lot accomplished if you’re not straightforward. The player nowadays, in my experience, he likes that. So does the coach. I think we all do. It’s kind of how everybody is usually from that standpoint.”
(Tell me about the process of coming down here. You must have had a really jumbled up time, the offseason.) – “It’s business-like, so you just kind of explain to everybody where they stand and come to a decision. It’s not as complicated as maybe you think.”
(What are your impressions of some of the guys on the roster?) – “I think that’s kind of where we’re at right now. It’s a busy time for us even though there’s really no games going on obviously, but we’re evaluating the current roster, evaluating the free agents, getting ready for the draft, installing the playbook, trying to figure out if I have a place to live or if I’m going to sleep on the floor in the office. (laughter) It’s good to get to know these guys on tape. I’ll be anxious to kind of watch them more here as the weeks go on and really get to know them when they pop by at some point. They all have different traits, different strengths, different weaknesses, so I think that’s the goal right now is to try to figure those out, nail those down and them utilize them in the best way.”
(What have you seen out of the two rookies from last year, TE Durham Smythe and TE Mike Gesicki?) – “They’re typical rookies right now. They’re just trying to get to know the NFL, get to know the personnel and get to know the schemes that may be different from college. Those guys will grow, those guys will get better. I’m anxious to work with them.”
(What’s your coaching style when it comes to tight ends?) – “Hopefully it becomes a productive coaching style, but I try to be straightforward with what we want. It may be one position at the tight end but obviously, we play together as a team. You may not get the ball every time, but we want to get open in the passing game and block in the running game (and) make sure that we can contribute on all downs and all situations.”
(What’s your position on a blocking tight end versus maybe a pass-catching tight end?) – “The tight end position, although it’s kind of grouped, everybody is a little bit different. There are guys that are bigger that block, there are guys that are a little bit smaller that run routes better. It’s hard to find that guy that actually does all three downs effectively for 60 minutes. They can’t play every down, either. Sometimes, they’re used in the backfield. That’s part of this process right now is to find out what exactly these guys do well, what their weaknesses are too and then try to lean more on their strengths. I try to do a deep dive in this position by how we characterize each player and then utilize their strengths.”
(Is it important to bring in a veteran presence for the young guys so they can kind of learn and grow that way?) – “I’ve been a part of teams that have both veterans and all young guys. I have some experience in the league and there are some other coaches too around here that do, so if there isn’t a veteran presence then we can lend that advice or experience, and if there is, certainly it helps. Like I said, now is kind of the acquisition time, so we’ll see how it works out. You usually leave that to the guys in the personnel department.”
(What is the biggest difference for the tight end position with the new special teams rules?) – “You’d like to have some special teams value from the tight end position. Obviously, these aren’t the guys that are the fastest, usually, on the team, and that’s some of your kickoff cover, punt game. But there is size to be able to block in the punt game. There is size on the kickoff return team. Every now and then, you get a guy that can run down there and is not afraid to go in there and put his head in there and tackle. (Special Teams Coordinator) Danny (Crossman) will make those decisions and hopefully those guys can provide some depth and be as versatile as possible. I think that’s the main thing a tight end can do is just help in any phase, any part of the game – run, block, special teams – and help the team win that way.”
(What do you hope to accomplish here with the Dolphins and Coach Flores?) – “I think we’re all here for one reason: to win. Do it in a team fashion and make sure we find out the quickest way to do that.”
(Working with Coach Flores, Offensive Coordinator Chad O’Shea, Assistant Quarterbacks Coach Jerry Schuplinski in New England, how do you guys go about doing this altogether here? People are going to say you’re trying to bring the ‘Patriot Way’ here. I don’t want to say that but how do you kind of replicate from success at one of the best franchises in history to a new place like this?) – “It’s really all more about the personnel that you’re dealing with. It’s new personnel for everybody getting associated. Right now, we’re doing evaluations – strengths, weaknesses, what they do the best, what they do the worst and let’s try to lean more toward what they do well. I was in Detroit last year, I was in Houston the year before, I was in New England however many years ago. I think each year is different in the personnel that you’re dealing with and you try to utilize and make sure we maximize their strengths.”
(Do you have any initial impression of TE Mike Gesicki just from what you’ve seen?) – “I think as we’re looking at those guys, it’s a young group there, so they’re learning the NFL. Whether it’s practice or games, everybody learns at a certain degree. We’re going to try to speed up that as much as possible and get as much production at the position as asked for.”
(You were with Matt Patricia last year with the Lions, you were with Bill O’Brien in Houston, now you’re with Coach Flores here. The last two guys, are they trying to replicate what’s going on in New England? Is that something that you see happening here?) – “It’s a goal to win. It’s trying to win as quick as possible, too. I think as much as we can get these guys moving in the right direction and compete. I think every day, you start in practice, you start in the offseason, so as soon as guys get here, we’ll begin our program.”
(What are some things you’ve learned from coaching with Bill O’Brien and coaching with Matt Patricia that you believe can help you with coaching with Brian Flores?) – “I think wherever you’re at, you’re working hard and you’re learning the opponent, you’re learning what you do well and trying to streamline that as quickly as possible.”
(Are you somebody that Coach Flores can lean on?) – “He and I have a good relationship. We’ve communicated every day since we’ve met each other. I’m anxious to be there really daily with him as opposed to just over the phone.”
(How do you guys go through that purgatory of when Brian Flores is still finishing the season and you’re trying to get a new job? What’s that period like for you guys?) – “Everything got finalized really after the game, so up until that point, it’s kind of just seeing if the situation really works.”
(Were you talking to other teams?) – “All of that business stuff, I try to keep to myself, just because to me it’s a non-factor.”
(Assistant Head Coach/Quarterbacks Jim Caldwell suggested that I ask you about one of the guys in the quarterback room, QB Jake Rudock, just because you were around him last year. What skills stood out to you just from being with the Lions?) – “He’s attentive. He’s very detailed, works hard. He’s going to be a good asset to bring in here. He’s competitive, so he’ll go out there and earn it on the field. He’s from down here, too, so that probably helps. He knows the location. He’s a hard-worker. I’m really anxious to see him again down here after last season. There’s a lot warmer weather down here than up in Detroit.”
