Jack Driscoll – March 18, 2024
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Monday, March 18, 2024
OL Jack Driscoll
(Why were the Dolphins the right fit for you now?) – “Just after talking to with my agent and weighing all of the options, just looking at the offense, it’s something that I feel like benefits my skillset, and seeing the way the (Head) Coach (Mike) McDaniel and this organization is run. All of that, taking it into consideration, I thought it was my best opportunity. I’m really excited to be here.”
(Which exact spots on the offensive line have you played in the NFL and which spots did you play in college?) – “In college, I played right tackle. In the NFL, I’ve started games at right guard, right tackle, left tackle, and in practice, I’ve played all five. Whatever position I’m asked to play, I just go out there and do my best and compete. More than anything, just compete.”
(How does the versatility increase your chances of being dressed on Sundays?) – “As you guys know, eight guys are dressed, and five are starting. So if you do the math there, some guys have to play multiple positions. I’ve always took that upon myself as the more positions I could play, the better chance I have to play on game day, and the better chance I have of making the team and playing an important role.”
(How well, or at all, do you know Offensive Line Coach Butch Barry, and what do you know about him if you don’t know him particularly well?) – “I was just kind of getting to know him today. I sat down and talked to him for a while. He seems like a great coach and a great person. I’m excited to start talking technique with him and talking scheme. I just really feel like he’s a great coach and I’m excited to get to play for him.”
(Could you give us a scouting report on you as a player?) – “I try to pride myself on using my athleticism to my advantage, and being versatile, and being able to play any position on the o-line is something I take pride in. Just like the previous question, you’re giving yourself more value for the team.”
(Now that you may or may not have a different view of this question, should they ban the tush push?) – “That’s a great question. There is a lot more that goes into it than meets the eye. Those guys up front on the Eagles do a great job and Jalen (Hurts) spearheads it with being able to squat 600 pounds. I don’t think they are going to ban it.”
(Do you have any secret you could bring to help Miami dominate on that play?) – “I can’t disclose right now, I’ll say that. (laughter) Maybe in a later meeting.”
(I read that you’re a card collector? Any cards of Dolphins that are prized in your collection?) – “I don’t think that I have any Dolphins players prized in my collection. I kind of collect everything from – I grew up collecting cards. It’s a hobby of mine. I don’t think I have any Dolphins players, but I might have to change that. Some of the old school guys. When I grew up, one of my favorite players was Dwight Stephenson. My dad used to tell me about him. I’ve got to start there. He’s one of the best of all time to ever wear a Dolphins uniform.”
(You’re 6-5 and you play inside. I’m wondering, how do you get leverage at that height? And the Dolphins’ OL Robert Hunt was 6-4, 6-5. OL Liam Eichenberg is a converted offensive tackle. Is the job more difficult for a tall guy inside?) – “There are pros and cons. Like you said, you’re definitely taller when playing against shorter 6-2, 6-2½, 6-3 defensive tackles who are kind of built like fire hydrants, just being able to get low. There is something to that. I really try to work on things like flexibility because the age old saying that low man wins I feel like has held true since the beginning of time in football. Just really being able to use my leverage and understand that because I’m taller, I have longer arms, so I can use that to my advantage. It’s something I focus on, it’s something I train a lot for, just understanding that when you do kick inside, it’s a different game.”
(It seems to me that the game has changed in that respect in over the last decade or something. Do you think that’s true? Do you have any insight? With 6-5 guys, it seems like it’s more common on the inside nowadays.) – “I feel like it used to be 6-2, 6-3 guard, and then after that, you’re a tackle. I feel like as offenses are more pass heavy now in today’s game, being able to pass block at tackle bodes well for guard, just being able to use your athleticism or whatnot. I just feel no matter what height you are, if you use the technique properly, and use leverage properly, you can have success no matter where you play on the o-line.”
(In your conversations with the Dolphins, did they lay out a vision on how they wanted to use you since you have experience at both guard and tackle?) – “We just kind of talked about it briefly, just to be ready to compete for everything. Use your versatility. They know I can play a lot of positions. Not super specific, but just being able to play all five is my goal, and compete for everything.”
Kendall Fuller – March 18, 2024
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Monday, March 18, 2024
CB Kendall Fuller
(You won the Super Bowl here playing with the Kansas City Chiefs. Just touching on that experience, as far as being able to come back to the stadium where you were able to win the championship in, how much do you feel like you’ll be able to contribute to the Dolphins winning a Super Bowl?) – “That’s always the end goal. Any time you put in the work in the offseason individually and with your team in OTAs, training camp and things like that, that’s always the end goal. I’m excited. When I first pulled up and saw the stadium, it just brings back that excitement. I think the last game I played in here was that game, so it just gives you that reminder and those feelings and that excitement. That’s something everybody chases in the offseason, to get to that game and win it and holding up that trophy. So I’m excited to meet everybody here and start that journey for that goal.”
(When looking into your background, I found it interesting that you kind of made your mark as a slot corner in the nickel and then you transitioned to outside corner. You’ve been very successful in both. I was curious just how that came abut and at this point in your career, do you think that that’s something you’d be able to do in Miami? Whether it’s moving back inside or kind of part timing it at both positions?) – “When I came in as a rookie, we had just signed Josh Norman. We had Bashaud Breeland, who was a top corner and playing really well. So my best opportunity to get on the field was to play nickel. My second year, I had a really good year at the nickel specifically. I had a good year my third and fourth year, but specifically my second year. I think any guy that kind of starts having success at the nickel position, a lot of people start putting limitations on them, saying they can’t play outside. For me, I always loved corner. Going into my contract year that year, my second contract, I wanted to move back outside. I felt like I had a lot to show. Things that I could do and offer on the outside. But at the end of the day, I’ve always enjoyed just being a football player, being able to line up in different positions and do a lot of different things. I think it makes the game a little bit more fun just to be able to change it up and do different things, not just doing or having one responsibility year in and year out. So I definitely enjoy playing either one. Even in Kansas City a little bit, I played some safety. I think I definitely had that motivation just to show I could be a top guy outside but also could play all over the field.”
(Dealing with expectations, this team has Super Bowl expectations. How do you deal with, I don’t want to say the heaviness of that, but the reality that going to the playoffs isn’t good enough. They expect to go all the way. Does that weigh on you? Do you think about that?) – “No. That’s why you play the game. Me these last four years, not being able to really compete to play for a Super Bowl, not being in the playoffs, not making a run at it after being in Kansas City for those two years making it to the AFC Championship and winning a Super Bowl, I don’t look at that as added pressure. That’s why you play the game. You want to play meaningful games at the end of the year. That’s why you compete. That’s why you put all the hard work in. I’ve always kind of thought of it as literally all the work that you put in, you want it to mean something. You want it to count. Which ultimately, the only way it’s going to mean something or count is if you’re holding that trophy at the end of the season. Any time that’s your expectation or that’s why you want to play the game, I don’t look at it as added pressure or any type of heaviness.”
(I know opportunity and money are usually the reasons you go somewhere. Here, there is no state income tax. What was Head Coach Mike McDaniel’s role in you coming here? Can you tell me about your first meeting or interaction with him if you had one?) – “I had a brief interaction with him just walking over here. I just dapped him up. I haven’t talked to him too much. I talked to Chris (Grier) and he was kind of just echoing how much Mike just respected my game and things like that, so I’m excited to just get to know all the coaches, get around them, pick their brains and build those relationships and get to work.”
(A couple of years ago, I met your brother Kyle at ACC media days. He warned me that he had a younger brother that was better than him. I just looked it up, he’s got 19 NFL picks. Do you know how many you have?) – “I’m probably, what 15, 16?”
(16, yeah. So how is this going to end up?) – “I mean, it’s definitely going to end up with me having more. (laughter) But Kyle’s been a tremendous role model for me. He’s someone I’ve always relied on ever since I got to college. So even just in terms of my offseason, just following his routine, his plan, studying his tape and things like that. So all my brothers, my parents, are the reason why I’m the player I am today. I always have a high and a tremendous amount of respect for them.”
(Obviously CB Jalen Ramsey is here. What do you think of his game? And how do you think your game can complement his strengths?) – “Yeah, I got a lot of respect for Jalen. Me and Jalen came out of high school the same year. Both highly recruited. Came out of college together. I think anybody that can play at such a high level for so many years, I have a lot of respect for them. I have a lot of respect for him. He’s been one of the best guys in the league ever since he came in. One, for guys to be able to play in the league at this position for that long is already commendable and respectable. But to be able to do it at a high level for so many years, that’s tough to do. So I’m excited to just get around him again and just learn. I talked to coaches here, I try to take little bits and learn things from everybody I’m around. I’m excited to do that.”
(A minute ago you were talking about CB Jalen Ramsey, primarily in terms of on the field. Do you know him that well off the field? What are your impressions of him as a person?) – “Mainly just from afar. But Jalen has always been one of those guys that even from guys that I know that have been around, closer to him, just always been a good guy. A competitive, fun guy. So mainly from afar, but I’m excited to get around him, just gain more of a personal relationship with him and work with him and put in the time together in the facility.”
(Obviously you hit the highest of highs winning the Super Bowl down here. Then you had those years in Washington. How frustrating was that for you team-wise and individually to go through that having known what it’s like to hit the peak?) – “Yeah, I mean like I said, every year you put in so much work. And any time you don’t even have a chance to contend and you’re not in the playoffs with a chance to compete for the Super Bowl, it’s always tough, because you realize the amount of hours you spend in the offseason to put yourself in those positions. And when you don’t, it’s always tough. I always thought of it as you always self-reflect. You always see where you could’ve been better, the things that you need to improve in to improve your team’s chances to get there. It’s the same thing I’m going to do this offseason. Always self-reflect and always critiquing myself, seeing where I can be better and seeing what I can do to see our team win games.”
(I wanted to circle back to something. Are you definitely going to play boundary here? Or is there a chance you play some slot?) – “I am not sure to be honest. The coaches will probably still decide that as they go, just looking to see where everybody’s talent is. I think at the end of the day, they’ll make the best decision for our defense.”
(Do you have a preference?) – “I like to play a little bit of everywhere. Like I said, it adds more fun. Even having a guy like Jalen, I know Jalen has always moved around in his career. I think genuinely there may be times to where you can see a number of different lineups, a number of people outside or inside and things like that. Like I said, I don’t have too much of a preference. I like to do both. It’s fun when you can, in a way, dictate to the offense and give them different looks and different disguises and things like that.”
Shaquil Barrett – March 18, 2024
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Monday, March 18, 2024
LB Shaquil Barrett
(First of all, what made Miami an appealing destination for you in free agency?) – “The team that they have here, the potential to get the job done, to go on a run and be hoisting the trophy at the end of the year. And then the group of guys that they’ve got in the outside linebacker room is a great group of guys. I would love to be a part of that and I know they’re hurting and nursing injuries right now, so my role may be just to hold it down until they come back and then become a well-oiled machine when everyone gets back. I’m just ready for whatever my role is and just to help take this team and defense to the next level.”
(I know it was just a couple of seasons ago that you had 19 ½ sacks. Since I didn’t know you then, what was that year like?) – “It was just amazing. Everything just aligned. The stars were aligned and it was just good to be on a team where the coaches pretty much just let me just go out and play football and knowing the scheme, I didn’t have to think too much. I was just able to read and react, so to be able to just have that trust from my coaches, trust from my teammates to go out there and get the job done just made it an amazing year and I’m excited to try to get back to that or get close to that.”
(I was going to say it’s almost impossible to set 19.5 as a goal, but how would you describe the sack goals that you have at this point in your career?) – “Every year I will never reach my goals obviously because my goals are 23 sacks. I want to break the record every year. I want to be the best, one of the best pass rushers to do it and I think getting the sack record would solidify that fact or make you part of the argument for it, so that’s what I be trying to go for every year. But I need to still be happy about not reaching that goal and still having 10 sacks, 12 sacks, or whatever amount of sacks I might have. But yeah, I always set the goals really lofty.”
(You went through an Achilles. Is that right?) – “Yes, sir.”
(What advice, if he would ask for it, could you give to LB Jaelan Phillips who is going through one of his own?) – “For the first maybe three months or two months when you’re in a boot, you’ve got like a little arch in your heel, you’ve got to do all that. Then once you’re done with all that and you’re out of the boot, just start warming it up, loosening it up. You’re going to start walking around on it a little bit. Just trust it, though, because after the months of being in that boot and that cast, it’s pretty much healed, so you’ve just got to start loosening it up. So start loosening it up and trusting in it as soon as you can once you get out of that, because it’s going to hold up. You don’t have to worry about it re-tearing, pulling or anything. So just trust in it. When it’s time to go, just start going and believing that it’s going to hold up.”
(Was there a point last year where you felt like your old self or was it still kind of bothering you for much of the year?) – “It didn’t really bother me at all. It was just from being in a boot. Like the top of my foot right here was what was bothering me a lot. So once that went down a little bit, and I started getting treatment on that, it started feeling a lot better. But honestly, I thought throughout the whole year, I was like, ‘it feels good, it feels good.’ But it wasn’t until the end of the year when you’ve done football and you’re not doing anything for a week or so, you actually feel like, ‘oh, it could feel better.’ So it was still a little sore throughout the whole year, but I thought it was fine because I was feeling that throughout the whole year. But once I took a break, I did feel that it healed up a little bit more and it just felt better.”
(I’m doing something on the importance of the pass rush in today’s NFL and obviously it’s a passing league, so I don’t know what you think are the most important positions – quarterback, wide receiver, corner, edge rusher – but what is the importance and the role of the pass rush? How does it influence the game? How does it change the game? How does it allow the defense to dictate the game to the offense?) – “The pass rush is super important. I think that goes hand-in-hand with the DBs and cornerbacks to give you time to get to the quarterback, so if you’re able to affect the quarterback and get pressure on him, you can get touchdowns off of sacks, strip-sack recoveries, turnovers off of sacks, off of just great pass rushes. So you can affect the game at every aspect off of pass rushing. I think other than quarterbacks – quarterbacks have the hardest job, then maybe cornerbacks because you are on an island and you see they get beat because obviously if it was them or not. And then I think it’s us. You can tell easily if we’re doing our job or not. If a quarterback is back there, just nobody in front of him, nobody in his face; you can see that we’re not doing our job. So I think if we’re doing our job at a good level, high level, we should have a chance to win the game no matter what the offense is doing, special teams is doing. Pass rushers, you can affect the game and pretty much singlehandedly win a game for your team.”
(Would it be accurate to say that that’s an essential part of a Super Bowl-winning team?) – “One hundred percent. Like yeah, if you don’t have a pass rush in that Super Bowl game, somebody is going to lose a job that next year, for sure. (laughter)”
(I wanted to ask you, you’ve been a part of two Super Bowl-winning teams, some really strong defenses, and you’re joining a defense that has a lot of talent but as you know, has a lot of fresh faces as well and a new coordinator. What stood out to you from those two Super Bowl-winning defenses maybe in terms of personnel, in terms of scheme, and just the way you guys operated?) – “So we had players at every level who could make plays, literally playmakers throughout the whole entire defense, and we all fed off of that. Like if Von (Miller) wasn’t making a play, it was ‘D. Ware’ (DeMarcus Ware). If it wasn’t ‘D. Ware,’ it was ‘B. Marsh’ (Brandon Marshall). If it wasn’t ‘B. Marsh,’ it was Danny Trevathan. If it wasn’t Danny Trevathan, Chris Harris or Aqib Talib or T.J. Ward. Like during install, everybody could make a play. Then when guys went down and got hurt, the next guy stepped in and was able to be a playmaker as well. So just having them playmakers right there and then having a mindset and mentality of being dawgs, not just coming out there playing football, but playing football like with a mentality that we have to dominate and we ain’t taking nothing from nobody. That’s what we had in Denver. In Tampa, we had the same thing. We had players all everywhere and I don’t think we – we were still dawgs, but it was a different level of dawg between Denver and Tampa. But we still had dawgs out there. But it wasn’t to the extent of in Denver. So if you have them dawgs and you got playmakers all over the field and you got people who can step up and play great football when somebody gets hurt, because injuries are going to happen as y’all can see like last year with us down here last year, like it was a lot of injuries that affected chances of winning the game. But if guys can step up and fill in and do a good job filling in, then we’ll be alright.”
(Your last year in Denver was LB Bradley Chubb’s rookie year. What do you recall from playing with him?) – “We all knew Chubb, from Day 1, that he was going to come in and do his thing. His tools, coming in as a rookie were – I always said coming out, I should have been a draft pick, a first-round pick. But after coming out and seeing a guy who was a first-round pick and the moves that he’s got and the maturity he had coming out of college, Chubb (had it) all. I’m looking at it like yeah, I might not have been a first-round pick if this is what first-round picks look like coming out and play like coming out. I knew Chubb was going to be the man. And we all did, honestly. We’re always rooting for each other. We all compete with each other but we all root for each other. We’re still brothers at the end of the day. It was just nice to be able to see that he’s doing everything that we thought he could do and more.”
(You’re one of the fewer players along with Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker, who had the privilege of playing with both Peyton Manning and Tom Brady during their careers. What was that like and how fortunate do you feel that you got the chance to do that?) – “I was very fortunate. It was amazing to see those guys ready to work. I know it might be cliché but they literally were in there early before everybody else. They got a lot of film work in, more than everybody else. Then they’re still cool guys, down-to-earth guys, that hang out and joke around with you. As a fan before I got to the NFL, I didn’t know how they would act because they have a persona bigger than life on the football field. Just to see them and meet them in person and see how cool they are and down to earth, it was really cool to see.”
(Can you quantify what is a dawg? A lot of people have a misinterpretation of what a dawg is on a football field.) – “A dawg on a football field, you’re super aggressive. You might talk a lot. You might not even talk at all. But you’re going to let the person know that you are right there play in and play out. You’re going to bring it every single play. It’s a mentality that I’m going to get the job done no matter what it takes. Sometimes it’s like alright, he got me this play. Dang, good job. Nah, he might have gotten you this play but you are going to come back and you’re going to get him the next play, the next play, the next play. You don’t get no good jobs. It’s like there are no friends on the football field when you’re a dawg. I understand we’re boys outside of football. But right now, I’m going at your neck right now. I want you to feel my presence on the football field. It’s hard and easy to describe a dawg because you’re going to keep saying the same stuff over and over again. But you know a dawg out there when you see him. That’s why I’m happy because I know (Bradley) Chubb is a dawg out there. I know (Jaelan) Phillips, I haven’t gotten to meet him but from watching his play, it looks like he’s a dawg out there too. (Jalen) Ramsey is a dawg. I’m glad to be on a defense with those types of guys.”
(With your age at 31, the NFL kind of has this mentality that they think they can put down NFL players once they past 30. How much do you feel like you have left to prove?) – “I still got a lot to prove. Especially getting cut from another team. That adds another whole fuel to the fire right there. The Dolphins are going to be happy they signed me. Tampa is going to be mad they let me go because this year that I’m planning on having and the success that we’re about to have as a team is going to be amazing.”
(I heard you talking about Denver and I wanted to ask you, in Denver you were sort of the understudy for Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, a lot of those guys. Now you’re the vet. Maybe what did you learn from that experience as you maybe take that role to some of the younger guys here?) – “Being in Denver just taught me that no matter who you were, no matter what level of success you had, you can still be an open book and you can still be willing to give game to people in your room and on your team. Even Von (Miller) with the Pass Rush Summit, like game to people in the position in general. So that’s what I learned. Whatever moves I wanted to learn, they were willing to teach. Whatever moves – I had moves that he was like, ‘Shaq, how do you do that?’ And they wanted to learn so we were all just like brothers in there trying to get better with each other and trying to help elevate each other. So that’s what I want to do down here. If there’s something that I do that they like, I will try to teach it to them. If it’s something they do that I like, try to get them to show me how to do it as well. So it’s just that camaraderie that we have and that willingness to want to learn and to want to share was amazing. And ‘D. Ware’ (DeMarcus Ware) was very technical, so I learned some stuff from him, but I got a lot from Von because Von, his moves are more similar to mine. But ‘D. Ware’ was really good with his hands. Yhey were always willing to teach whenever we would ask.”
(I believe you had a daughter, Allanah. What has the last year been like for you and then having Allanah for your family?) – “This last year was a lot, like a whole lot. Good, bad, ugly and it just helped me figure out how strong of a person I can be, how to go through trials and tribulations and still be able to get through to the other side when it it’s something that unfathomable to face. But then the bright side out of it was having Allanah and getting to be a parent to a baby newborn and just welcoming a new addition to our family, which the kids love, we love. And there’s no second that goes by where we’re not appreciating her and appreciating having her in our family. No matter what’s going on – like, we had a hard night with her last night, but I don’t care. I’m smiling. I’m laughing. I’m going to take this. I don’t care. Whatever it is, I’m on board for.”
(Very briefly, I love that 2015 Denver team because you guys won a Super Bowl with quarterbacks throwing, I believe it was 19 touchdowns and 23 interceptions that season. So my question to you is, could a team like that win a Super Bowl once again? I know that was fairly recent, about eight or nine years ago, but could a defensive-heavy team win a Super Bowl again like that?) – “Yes, I think a defensive-heavy team could win a Super Bowl like that, but you’ve got to have that type of defense and you’ve still got to have a smart quarterback back there, because we had Peyton (Manning) back there. He might not have been playing his prime time Peyton football, but he still had the mindset and the mentality to be able to get the right checks and to be able to make the right calls in certain situations to get us into stuff like when a defense was showing something. So having that mind out there, not just any quarterback, like you’ve got to have that mind and the mentality to be able to do it as well. Because Peyton, he was very smart. He was able to get us into a lot of good situations when maybe the play call was something different and he was able to read the defense and change it. So having that and along with the playmaking ability, like we had C.J. (Anderson) making plays and then Peyton still was making plays and ‘D.T.’ (DeMaryius Thomas), ‘E’ (Emmanuel Sanders). We still had playmakers over there, but yeah, I think it can be done still.”
(And did the defense have to take a bigger role when Brock Osweiler was in there? How did you guys handle that?) – “It was the same business as usual because Brock (Osweiler) came in and he came in doing his thing. I think he led us to a 5-2 record or something like that, 5-1 record. And then the game when he got subbed out, I remember, it was like five picks, but it was like, three tipped or dropped passes or something, like four dropped passes to picks. So he wasn’t even playing bad that game, but bringing Peyton back in after that just gave us a little, lit the team on fire and we were able to come back and win that game. But yeah, everybody who had the opportunity to come in and help the team, they came in and helped the team.”
(How difficult was the free agency process for you, leaving a team that you won a Super Bowl with and coming to a new team? This is your third team, looking to win a third Super Bowl ring for you?) – “It wasn’t too difficult because I honestly, like depending on the season I had coming into last year, I knew that it was one of those times. Depending on if we’re going to be a Super Bowl contender and I played good, then there was a chance I was going to stay, but if I played like the season I had, I knew they had to pay people and I was going to be a potential cut, so I was preparing my family for pretty much the whole year, honestly. And then like once it happened, it wasn’t a surprise at all because I was making the money I was making then, but then my numbers weren’t supporting the fee that I was being paid, so I understood that part of the business, so it wasn’t too hard. But moving my family, that’s usually the hard part. But only going down the road, we’re going to be able to keep our house in Tampa and then they’re going to come travel down here every other week, so we’re going to make it work. That’s the best part about it, not having to really relocate the whole family.”
Jordan Poyer – March 18, 2024
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Monday, March 18, 2024
S Jordan Poyer
(How much did it mean to you to be able to sign with the Dolphins and play football where you live outside the season?) – “Yeah, it meant a lot. I’ve had a lot of respect for this program for the past few years, Coach (Mike) McDaniel, a lot of the players. I live 30 minutes from the facility, 25 minutes from the stadium. I’m just super thankful. It’s a lot of gratitude in this situation of being able to come in with an open mind and an open heart to help teach, to learn, to play and continue to play at a high level, in which I know I can. Again, I’m extremely thankful to be in this position and I’m ready to get to work.”
(What was the Bills-Dolphins rivalry like for you on the side that you were on before? How strange is it going to be going forward now that you’re going to meet them twice a year?) – “I mean a rivalry is a rivalry. You can call a couple teams up there when I was playing in Buffalo, a couple teams were rivalries, with Miami being one of the bigger ones. It’s another game. That’s exactly what it will be this year playing them up there and then playing them down here. That’s not something that I’m going to look and put a star on the game. I just love playing the game of football. I love being out here in the warm weather seeing the palm trees. It’s just alive. The energy is alive, which makes me feel happy about. Again, I’m extremely thankful to be in this position and to have this opportunity. And I’m going to take it and run with it and be the best version of myself I can be, which I know I can still play at a high level and still can impact a lot of games. Again, I’m just extremely excited to be here.”
(Were you prepared for the decision the Bills made? How did you think they handled the end of your time there?) – “I was prepared. I’m always prepared. I’ve been in this league long enough to understand moves have to be made. You see guys come and go, guys get cut unexpectedly. So I was prepared. I’m in a good place in my life where I have the understanding that it is what it is, it ain’t what it ain’t. You just keep moving on and putting the next foot forward. I’m here right now with another great opportunity.”
(This defense most likely will have a lot of new faces as starters on opening day. What are the complications or challenges of a lot of new faces in the starting lineup, a new system and a new defensive coordinator?) – “I mean every year presents its own challenges in its own ways. Obviously having some new faces, a new (defensive) coordinator, it’s just coming in with the right mindset of being willing and open enough to learn with open minds, open hearts and learn the system to the best of our ability. Then us being able to connect on and off the field with each other. Just being able to build that trust. I think that’s a huge component in this game is building trust with the guys that you are playing with, with the system, with the calls. So when you’re able to build that, everything else really takes care of itself. There’s a lot of great football players on this defense. So you put it all together with that communication, with that trust that’s essentially built in the offseason, in training camp and all throughout the season, through the ups and downs; it’s all part of it. But having that strong foundation and strong trust, you can make anything shake. I’m excited to get to work with the guys. I’m excited to learn about the guys as a player and as a person and go to work.”
(It’s been my thought that Buffalo ‘out-physicaled’ the Dolphins on many occasions in the past. I want to know if you agree with that. And beyond that, how does physicality and aggressiveness help in football and how do you use it to win games?) – “That’s a deep question right there. (laughter) I mean, obviously you want to be the most physical team every time you step out on the football field, right? Whether that’s the way you get after the quarterback or that’s the way you finish plays both offensively and defensively. You go into the game with a mindset of being the more physical team. In doing so, you tire the other team out then maybe they don’t want to catch the ball over the middle. Maybe they think twice about throwing a certain ball. It’s really almost the game within the game, right? Which team is going to be more physical? And sometimes ultimately it doesn’t matter if a team is more talented then the other team. If one team is getting really manhandled across the line and the line is getting either pushed back or pushed forward, it’s hard to beat. You like to obviously come in with the mindset that we’re going to be the most physical team on the field. I’m going to be the most physical player out there on the field. And the rest usually takes care of itself.”
(You were a seventh-round draft pick. Would you say you played with a chip on your shoulder to help elevate your game as an All-Pro and a Pro Bowler?) – “Absolutely. Seventh round, 218th (overall pick) coming out of Oregon State as a consensus All-American, getting cut by Philadelphia, going to Cleveland and playing there for three and a half years, having a pretty bad injury then them not wanting to bring me back, then playing in Buffalo for seven years, getting cut with a year left on my contract. This is just another one of those opportunities, like I said, another one of those great opportunities to go out there and prove to myself really, and to everyone else around me, that I can still play and play at a high level. I can still help win games. I have a lot of experience in this game, a lot of experience within this division, of a lot of people that I’ve seen over the years and played over the years. I’m going to bring all that knowledge here to ultimately help the Dolphins win football games. Like I said, I’m here with an open mind, open heart, open arms, to learn, to grow, to evolve as a person and as a player, and just bring the best version of myself that I can to help this team win football games.”
(How would you feel about taking batting practice at the Miami Marlins ballpark?) – “I would love that. Couldn’t do that in Buffalo. I would love to do that. (laughter) I’d love to.”
(When was the last time you hit a baseball?) – “A baseball? It’s been a while. Yeah, it’s been a while since I tried to hit a baseball. Probably about two or three years. But the golf swing is pretty nice right now. I’m not going to lie, the golf swing is pretty nice.”
(S Jevon Holland, how do you feel your skillset can compliment his skillset, in terms of what you know about his strengths?) – “I mean, he’s an extremely athletic player. An extremely gifted player that I’ve been following and watch kind of grow over the last few years. That’s an Oregon Duck and you have another Oregon State guy here, so that’ll be pretty cool to connect with him and learn about him. Again, I want to help as much as I can. (I’m) 32, I guess you can call me old or whatever, but at the same time, I have a lot of knowledge about this game that I feel like I can bring and help players see the game in maybe a different light, a different perspective. (I can) help them essentially get one step closer to the ball, one step closer to making that play or even them helping me in those situations. That connection is important to where we have to work with each other. It’s not just me out there. It’s not just Jalen (Ramsey), (Kendall) Fuller or Holland. We’re out there as a group. If we play good team football, the sky’s the limit for us. That’s something that OTAs are for, essentially training camp, is building those relationships, building those connections, learning about each other and continuing to just grow. Ultimately, that’s what we are here to do.”
(First, I’m curious about that golf game. Are you feeling pretty good about it?) – “I’m feeling pretty good about it. I’m feeling pretty good about it. I’m going to Mexico this week to play at the NFLPA golf event on Thursday to Saturday, so I’m really excited to go out there and swing the clubs with some boys.”
(On the football side of things, you were just asked about S Jevon Holland. Obviously you spent time a lot of time with S Micah Hyde in Buffalo. You guys are best friends. What did you maybe learn from playing with him and the communication there that you can maybe take here to Miami?) – “Just how important it is, right? How important it is to understand the whole defense, really the scheme within the scheme, and understand each players’ skillset and understand there are things he’s going to be able to do better than me and there are things I’m going to be able to do better than him, and being able to intertwine those and grow and evolve and continue to learn and continue to communicate. Communication is – Micah and I, we were great pals in the locker room. But we were even better pals off the field. That connection that you have, it goes a long way when it’s the fourth quarter and you need a call from a guy and you just look over and you see him in a position and he’s giving you a hand signal and ‘bam, we’re good.’ That trust is built throughout. It’s a process. It’s not going to happen overnight. Like I said, it’s why I’m here. I’m here to just help this team grow and do what I can to get over that hump of whatever that is. The past is the past. We’re here right now with a great football team. Another great opportunity this season to play football games and win football games.”
(You mentioned the energy in Miami. You mentioned Head Coach Mike McDaniel. I’m curious, what was that first interaction with him like when you’re not on the opposite sideline? When you’re going to be on the same team as him.) – “It was just that, right? I texted him the day I found out I was signing with Miami. I think it was a Friday morning or a Thursday morning and it was six o’clock in the morning. I was in Costa Rica and had just got up, so it was 4:30 in the morning, so 6:30 out here. As soon as I hit send – I don’t even think he had a chance to read my text. I sent him a long text and I don’t think he had a chance to read it. My phone started buzzing and it was him. I picked up the phone and we talked for a good 30 minutes. His energy is unmatched. So much respect for him, not just as a coach but as a player for overcoming a lot of his stuff that he’s had to deal with that I can really relate to, right? I’m just here to shed my light and to be a light and that’s exactly what he is too. You see it on the Hard Knocks. You see it on the field when you cross (paths). It’s just him man. He’s a great dude and a great coach. I have a lot of respect for him.”
(You were actually drafted by the Florida Marlins going back to 2009 I believe it was. Was there a decision that you had to make? How good of a baseball player were you?) – “Yeah, I was really good. My signability wasn’t high coming out of high school, so I ended up signing with Oregon State with the intention of also playing baseball there too. So I did play baseball there for a year at Oregon State. It was extremely hard. I wasn’t a very studious student-athlete. I was more just the athlete part than the student part. So it was extremely hard after my first year playing baseball, especially seeing the guys during offseason workouts grinding hard and I’m swinging a baseball bat. It just didn’t sit right with me, didn’t feel right with me. So I made the decision in college that football was going to be my path and essentially I put all my eggs in that basket. And shoot, 12 years later, I’m still playing at a high level. I do wonder if I kept the baseball bat in my hand, where it would’ve taken me. But like I said, everything happens for a reason. There’s no mistakes behind it. But that was the reason I didn’t sign with the Florida Marlins was cause my signability – I wanted to go to school. I wanted to play in college. I wanted to experience college. It was a big decision, but you’re a young, 18, 19-year-old athlete turning down an ‘x’ amount of dollars to basically play in a farm system. But like I said, I really wanted to go to school. I figured if I was good enough to still play baseball, then I could’ve got re-signed or re-drafted another two years down the road. But it didn’t end up happening like that.”
(You mentioned in the past you have a strong relationship with WR Tyreek Hill and QB Tua Tagovailoa. I was just curious with those relationships and the insight that those guys have been able to give you with the Dolphins. How much did that make the decision easier knowing you have some guys here who you already have really strong relationships off the field with?) – “I mean, it made the decision a lot easier for sure. Tua, he was at my golf event a couple years ago. I went to his birthday party, not this last year but the year before. Tyreek, I’ve hopped on a couple podcasts with him. I’ve been around him for quite a bit. We have the same agent. Even (Raheem) Mostert, training with him and Braxton (Berrios) down at Pete’s (Bommarito). A lot of guys you see training then you obviously see on the football field. It’s a really good group of guys. Even some of the guys that I haven’t met, some of the guys I’ve met in the building today, you can tell the energy is high. You can tell the vibes are high. I just want to continue to bring the vibes man. Be a light and just excited to get to work and meet everybody and to get going, get this thing going.”
Benito Jones – March 18, 2024
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Monday, March 18, 2024
DT Benito Jones
(How different of a player, in what ways, would you say you are since you last left South Florida?) – “I think I grew a lot. Just going out and being with another organization and seeing how they play. Just getting familiar with different systems. I think I’ve been through a lot and just learning more football.”
(I wanted to ask you about dealing with expectations. I know in Detroit they weren’t that high at the start of the season, but it seemed like as the season progressed, the expectations got higher for that Lions team. Did you feel that? Was there a heaviness about it? Was it on your mind late in the year? Was it on your mind in the playoffs?) – “Nah, not really. What Coach (Dan) Campbell had pretty much preached to us was we’re going to go out and play hard every Sunday. We’re not going to worry about what the media says, how we are, what the Lions used to be and all of that kind of stuff. We just went out every Sunday and took it week by week. We had a pretty good season and went to the NFC Championship.”
(Dan Campbell is a very affable players’ coach. Mike McDaniel is regarded as the same way. How much did Mike McDaniel influence you to coming to the Miami Dolphins? Have you had any interactions with him to this point?) – “I haven’t had a lot of interactions with him yet. I just stepped in. But they’re both players’ coaches. They’re some good guys that you’ll want to run through a wall for. I wouldn’t mind playing for either team but just right now, I’m coming back with the Dolphins. Mike is a great coach and I’d love to play for him.”
(What are your memories from your previous stint in Miami and what made it an appealing place to return in your free agency?) – “This is the place that I (started). I wasn’t drafted here. I was undrafted here. Austin Clark stood out to me. He knew some of the coaches that I knew from college and just got me here. I learned a lot from him. My memories here were I made my first tackle here. That was something we’d always talk about. He’d always say he would coach me here at some point someday. We just never knew I would be coming back this year. Just coming back here where it all started, that’s great for me.”
(You mentioned Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark. What were the impressions he left you with just as far as him as a coach?) – “Great coach. He’s going to give you every tool you need to be on the field with. He’s never going to leave you without whatever. I’ve got a lot of love for that guy. He’s a great coach.”
(You’ve gone from backing up DT Christian Wilkins to now replacing him. I’m just curious your thoughts on what it will take to fill the void left by a really good player?) – “Those are some pretty big shoes (to fill) because he’s leaving. You just got to come in and set the bar how he had it. Christian is a heck of a player. When I first came in, he kind of took me under his wing as a young guy. I never saw myself kind of replacing him on the field. People always want to play with him or play beside him. I’m happy for him going to Las Vegas.”
(You became a full-time starter last year for the first time in your career. How big of a goal is that for you in 2024 with the Dolphins, to remain that status?) – “It’s a big role just to come in. You know that you just go to work. There isn’t nothing given to you. You’ve just got to come in and go to work in OTAs and training camp, and pretty much fight for a job.”
(I wanted to ask about your alignment. Do you see yourself strictly at nose or do you feel versatile on the line? Three technique? Stuff like that?) – “It’s basically wherever they want me. I’m never going to sit here and say I’m just a nose guard or here or there. I’ll play both if I have to.”
(I’m doing something on physicality and toughness. How does that apply in the NFL? How important is it to reset the line of scrimmage each play? Where does that physicality come into play? How does that help you win games, do you think?) – “Physicality is going to play a lot. It’s football. It’s a contact sport. Nobody is going to just let you put your hands on them. It breaks up a lot of separation on the line. The lowest man wins. The best hand placement wins. That’s pretty much how it goes.”
Neville Gallimore – March 15, 2024
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Friday, March 15, 2024
DT Neville Gallimore
(Why were the Dolphins the right choice for you now?) – “They just bring a lot to the table. I saw the DTs that had a lot of success here and I was just looking for an opportunity to follow that train.”
(What do you know about the Ravens scheme? Because obviously Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver is going to kind of install a Ravens-like scheme. How does that align with your strengths?) – “As you can see, the amount of success that they had last year, those guys are very effective. They were just playing at a high level. So I feel like bringing that here is going to bring a lot. I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to learn and just see that success that he’s had over there translate over here with the group of guys that we have here.”
(What can you tell us about Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark?) – “I know all in all, he’s a great guy. High intensity coach. Just through guys that he’s coached, he competes at a high level. Whenever you have a d-line coach like that, those are usually the guys who demand the most out of their players. So just looking forward to that opportunity. Obviously you can see what he’s done with the group of guys he’s had. And I’m just looking forward to that opportunity to grow and develop with him as well.”
(I wanted to follow up on that question about Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark. When it came out that you were signing with the Dolphins, it was reported that you trained with Austin Clark. Can you tell us a little more about your relationship with him?) – “Yeah, absolutely. In the d-line world, Coach Pete Jenkins, all those guys, they’re fantastic. And again, just seeing what he’s done and the caliber of guys, the amount of players that spoke so highly of him, and just getting an opportunity to be in the same presence at this point of time was great. Obviously we spoke very little, but just to see the amount of guys that were raving on and on about him, I knew if the opportunity presented himself, he was going to do his best to get whoever he had in his room right. We’re here and thankfully getting the opportunity to do so.”
(Obviously there’s been a lot of turnover on the defensive line with the Dolphins. I was curious for you personally, where do you feel most comfortable playing? Is it three technique? Zero? Shade?) – “The beauty of it is Coach Clark and as well as the rest of the staff, obviously that’s what makes them great, right? I know they are going to find a fit that’s perfect for me. And really, I’m just coming with the mindset ready to work, ready to learn, ready to grow and ready to be where they see best fit. I couldn’t tell you right there, couldn’t tell you off rip, but we’ll see as the season progresses.”
(Recovering from injury, you had the elbow injury. I want to know about the mental side of recovering from the injury and the isolation part of it. You’re not really around the team. How do you deal with that? What keeps you going? What gets you through what I think is probably a fairly dark time?) – “The beauty of it is it’s been two years since that. As a competitor, if you love this game, you never want to be away from it. But even thankfully going through that experience, I had a great group of guys that even though I’m here, you have such a strong relationship. I feel like it’s kind of what comes with it. You devote your life to this game, it’s going to come with some bruises, it’s going to come with some pain, but I feel like if anything, that’s what’s driven me to take it another step further. It’s helped me to understand the value of taking care of your body and not taking things for granted. I feel like with that, it’s allowed me to be tougher and really just made me approach the game with another level of respect. So yes, it was tough, but I feel like when tough times like that happen, the benefit of having a great team – I got to give a major shoutout to my wife because she played a major role in helping me overcome, and just understand even with that happening, there’s so much more work to be done. I still knew I had a lot to give. It was just a major but minor stepping stone. We give God thanks because we’re in this position now and are still able to keep pushing forward. That happened two years ago and I’m about to enter year five, so it’s a blessing. It was a minor setback, but we were still able to build.”
(What attracted you to the Dolphins? I know opportunity and money are usually a big thing in the NFL. Did Head Coach Mike McDaniel play a role? Did Defensive Line Coach Austin Clark play a role? You’re on another team with no state income tax like in Dallas. Did the weather play a role? What were the factors aside from opportunity and money?) – “It goes back to the fact that I love this game and I know that there is a level that I aspire to get to. When you sit back, there is no fluke. It doesn’t matter what team you play for. You saw the impact that this team has had when it comes to developing d-linemen. You saw the success they had. You’ve seen guys really be able to take care of their family and you just see that every d-lineman that has played here under this staff played with a chip on their shoulder. They’ve brought a lot to the table. I was just looking forward to the opportunity to grow my game and take it to another level. That’s why when the opportunity presented itself, it felt right. It felt like what I needed and I felt like with this team, there will be a lot of work that will be able to get done.”
(I know you grew up in Ottawa, so I’m wondering if you played any hockey growing up, and at which point did it become strictly football?) – “I wish I would’ve gotten the chance to play hockey. I just wasn’t the best skater. Ice skating and me, we just didn’t match. But I was always a fan of football. And really I was just a fan of you get to put your hands on somebody and not get in trouble for it. It really just helped with the mental as a kid. When I started playing football, when I saw it as an opportunity to get school taken care of, that was kind of the first and major mission. Obviously you have aspirations to go to the NFL. It was kind of unheard of being from where I’m from, but God has a way of working things out. It’s just exciting that we’re in the position we’re in now.”
(Are you tight with S Jevon Holland?) – “Jevon, I got the chance to shake hand, and he beat me in air hockey in Vegas. (laughter) I don’t really know him personally. But I’m looking forward to the opportunity to be around him. I want to say he’s from the (Vancouver) area. It goes to show the level of football, the level of guys that are in Canada. I got the chance to hang with Chase Claypool at the Senior Bowl. Both great guys. Both are guys that are hungry. It’s always exciting to see guys come from similar backgrounds, just all of us being Canadian and having our dreams come true. Seeing all of those guys compete, and seeing the success they’ve had, I’m just looking forward to the opportunity to add to that.“
Aaron Brewer – March 15, 2024
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Friday, March 15, 2024
OL Aaron Brewer
(I know you’re pretty agile for your position. Do you think this Dolphins offense can highlight that and how well do you feel you fit in this scheme?) – “I believe it’s pretty solid. They’ve got a fast team and that’s one of my strong suits. I’m one of the fast offensive linemen, being able to get to the first level, second level. In open space, I can move pretty well. I feel like it’ll be a nice fit for me.”
(Some center last year, you also have experience at guard. You’re very versatile. Have you been told definitively you’re the starting center next year for this team? Or is that still to be determined based on who else the team can bring in?) – “I believe that’s still to be determined. Right now, I’m just here trying to figure out the best way I can help the team.”
(You spent this past season at center and you kind of transitioned from guard to center when you were in Tennessee. Can you kind of give us the backstory into you transitioning to center? I know in college and even high school, it seemed like you played everywhere on the offensive line, but a lot really at guard.) – “I’d say that transition to center, I feel like that was always my destined position, just for me being more of an undersized offensive lineman. I’m not one of the big 320, 310, 300-pound offensive lineman. You don’t really see too many of the undersized offensive linemen being at guard. I just feel like me being undersized, it was basically predetermined for me to be at center.”
(How would you describe your strengths?) – “My strengths, I would say, are my speed, my aggressiveness, my will, my work ethic and leverage. I would say those are my strengths. I would say those are my strengths. My speed, strength and just that will I’ve got. I’m not going to stop so I’m going to keep going. I’ve got that chip on my shoulder and I feel like that’s my edge above the people I’m playing against.”
(The dude who played center last year, OL Connor Williams, he’s hurt. But he was also a converted guard. And it blew our mind sometimes to see this man run blocking 10, 15, 20 yards down the field. How do you approach that when that opportunity comes to be doing that second-level run blocking from the middle?) – “Me personally, I’m going until I hear the whistle. I’m just trying to be aggressive. I’m headhunting out there, so if I can get my hands on you, I’m on you until I hear the whistle. If we’re running downfield, the ball the hasn’t stopped yet, so I’m on you until then, until the ball passed me. Even when it passed me, I’m still trying to find some more work.”
(You have run blocked for a pretty good, powerful, downhill running back for a good while in Tennessee. What does it take to be a good downhill power running football team?) – “You’ve got to be aggressive. You’ve got to be in shape. You’ve just got to be relentless. You’ve just got to be able to go. You’ve got speed. You know Derrick Henry, he’s a big back. He’s fast for his size. If your back’s fast, you’ve got to be fast as well in what you’re doing. I’ll say just being in shape, having that effort and finish mentality about you and not giving up, and being able to go four quarters.”
(I would assume that you want to bring that kind of mentality to the Miami Dolphins?) – “Absolutely. It’s been the mentality I’ve had with me since I can remember. That was that edge that I had, just being in condition. Because if you’re conditioned, you can have your technique and you can give the effort you need. If you’re tired, you’re not going to be able to give the effort you want to give or your technique might start lacking as well.”
(I’m working on a couple of things, one is on Head Coach Mike McDaniel and his personality and what it does for him as a recruiter. How did his personality play a role, if it did, in you coming to the Dolphins?) – “His personality from what I’ve seen – I haven’t had much of a personal conversation with him yet – but personally from what I’ve seen and heard and just read about the dude, he’s got that juice about him. He’s just very knowledgeable. He’s passionate about what he’s doing. I just love that you can feel it without even knowing him. You feel that passion about him, so I like that and that definitely played a role in me coming here.”
(Winning at the line of scrimmage, that’s something that this team needs to improve on. How do you win at the line of scrimmage? Is it being mean? Is it being aggressive? Good fundamentals? How do you win at the line of scrimmage?) – “I’d say it’s good fundamentals. Everything you said, it takes all of that all together and just trying to be as fast as you can at the line of scrimmage. You’re trying to win the line of scrimmage, so whoever is coming off the ball fastest, whoever initiates that contact, that’s who most of the time is going to win the line of scrimmage. It takes those fundamentals, that aggressiveness, being intentional with everything you’re doing, your first steps and all that. It all plays together.”
(I’ve got to ask you, we can’t let this introductory news conference go without asking you about backflips. Not every offensive lineman can pull that off, so tell me about your backflips and when there’s a touchdown, are we going to see you doing one in the end zone or what?) – “I feel like it’s going to have to be the right situation for me to pull that out during a celebration. You can’t just pull out just anytime, because as you said, that’s special. You don’t see too many offensive linemen that can do a backflip, and then definitely in pads in that. So I’m for sure going to try to pull it out sometime, but when? I can’t tell you.”
(I wanted to ask you, you talked about you felt like center was your natural position, so why did it take so long for you to make that move? Like why didn’t you do it earlier?) – “Because I felt like that was a part of my plan, the process when I was coming out. I was undrafted. I had a great vet ahead of me, Ben Jones, who is a hell of a player, but just coming in, that was the role I was put into to try to be like the XL tight end, guard/center. Taking on, learning, getting little gems from Ben and the older vets ahead of me, because I had Ben Jones, Rodger Saffold, Taylor Lewan. Just a lot of great players ahead of me. I was always working both of them in practice, but in the game, you’re seeing Ben Jones or whoever it was, and whenever one of them had a hiccup or got an injury, I had to come in and step into that spot. So that’s just what it was and I just had to trust the process.”
(When did the snapping part of it become easier or second nature?) – “I’d say it was like when I got into the season, to be honest. Because you’ve got to think I didn’t play a full season at center since probably I was in middle school. Even when I was in high school, I was always switching center, guard, tackle, going to every one. Just having that full season of being a center and just getting that repetition and the reps, I got more comfortable in just learning my style of play with being at center.”
Jody Fortson – March 15, 2024
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Friday, March 15, 2024
TE Jody Fortson
(I’m doing something on injury recoveries and as you know, LB Jaelan Phillips has an Achilles injury that he’s recovering from. You had an Achilles. I’m not asking specifically about Jaelan’s recovery, but with you, what were the keys to recovering and how long did it take you to get back to 100 percent?) – “The main key is just to listen to who is your respective athletic trainer, trust in the information that they’re presenting to you, believing that they’re putting you in the best position to win. I think the best thing I did was – I guess I really was off my foot for the most part. I didn’t try to put my foot into a shoe, try to walk on it, put too much weight on it too early. I think the best thing for that is you’ve just got to let time and just kind of let that heal on its own and just make sure you’re doing your strengthening and your mobility to get the strength back. There’s not really too many other things you can do to get that to heal correctly. It’s just a time thing. But just diligence. I’m praying for him in his recovery. I hope it works for him. It didn’t take that long. I was back running in four-and-a-half months. It didn’t really take that long.”
(And how long before you felt that you were at 100 percent?) – “I would say I felt pretty good going into OTAs at 100 percent. Like I tore my Achilles on October 17 of 2021 and I was back on the field that February so I kind of felt 100 percent by OTAs.”
(I know you played receiver in college and have made the transition to tight end. How has that transition gone and from your perspective what’s the difference of playing college receiver vs. pro tight end?) – “The transition has been – I guess like everything else, you have to be willing to want change and to want growth. At first obviously I was like, ‘I don’t really want to be a tight end,’ but it’s been in my mind since (I was a) kid. So many people that have come before me with a great mental aspect of the game have been like, ‘no, you’ll feel great in the NFL as a tight end so you should try to go to that route earlier.’ If I could go back, I wish I would’ve did it earlier, but we are where we are. As far as the difference between being a receiver on the amateur level and being a tight end on the pro level, I guess it’s more so of a ‘want to’ and a discipline. It’s like what are you willing to put into your craft to be the best that you can be? Nothing is going to be easy. Everything is change. Everything is going to be some type of obstacle within it. It’s just about how do you plan on attacking it? What type of mindset are you going to have when it presents itself? And as for me, I just attack everything with my head up and my chest out and I’m ready to rock. Like let’s do it.”
(I read a story that indicated that when you were a rookie in Kansas City, you made some impressive plays during the preseason. What do you remember about that preseason and how did that impact your confidence and your ability to play at this level?) – “I know my rookie year, my preseason – I know if I had to just grab anything, I would probably think about the last preseason game that we had against the Packers. I had a hitch route, but I was being pressed. It might have been Cover 1 or something like that and press, so we verted it. So I had just a little fly ball and my quarterback at the time, he gave me a chance to make a play and I made a play on the sideline and it kind of boosted my confidence to see the people on the sideline. At the time, all the starters were out so Patrick (Mahomes) and ‘Trav’ (Travis Kelce) and Tyreek (Hill) were there at the time. They’re all on the sideline hyped about me making a play. And I guess my confidence grew from right there that I could play in this league at some point. I made a play. And then later on in the game, I actually ended up making a forced fumble on kickoff, so that gave me a little special teams nuance right there. It’s just about getting reps in this game and getting warm in it. It’ll all take care of itself.”
(I wanted to ask you, you’ve been a young developmental player on a championship team for three years. What’s that transition going from that developmental guy that everybody sees upside in to actually having to produce now?) – “It’s about getting a chance, an opportunity to go out there and show what you can do. Everything looks good on paper. Everybody looks good on paper, but when you get out there, it’s about letting the training wheels off and let’s see what he can do. And that’s where we are right now. It’s about, all right, well let’s see what he can do.”
(Do you feel – not many people can say they have three championship rings – what do you think that brings to your resume?) – “I just think it brings a winner’s attitude, a winner’s mindset. Everybody here knows I’ve been with the Chiefs my entire career. We’ve won there. I might not have the role that I like, but I know what it takes to win. I’ve been around winners. I have been around what it takes, the consistency, the discipline, the sacrifices, what it takes to separate from this and when you have to put more into that. I feel like that’s what I inherited within my time from being with Kansas City, is the discipline to win, the seriousness behind it, what it takes. You’re just not going to wake up one day and just be a winner. You’ve got to do it. You’ve got to constantly chip at it every single day.”
(You’re going from one offensive coach to another. I was curious if you can kind of take us into the mind of Andy Reid as an offensive game planner? I’m sure you weren’t in the meetings with the coaching staff when they put in the game plan together, but things he emphasized, the creativity that they showed, what were some of the things that really impressed you from your time with Coach Reid?) – “First of all, everything about Coach Reid is impressive. That’s just a football genius, especially on the offensive side of the ball. That’s a guy that can literally – I remember him telling the story about him taking plays from people just around the building, the janitor – he uses plays from everything, from everybody. So anybody that has that perspective that you know what, just because you’re sitting back there and you’re picking up trash doesn’t mean that you don’t know what’s going on up here. Let me see what you got to say. Anybody that has that intellect to tap into that, they know what’s going on in this game. So as far as Coach Reid, he’s a great coach, first of all, but Coach Reid had a different way of dissecting the game. Like the motions and all that, giving different tells and just how he attacked each different week. Like you said, I wasn’t in there and coming up with the game plan, but just seeing how it just kind of flowed from one week to the next. Last week, it looked like this and this week, it might look like that. It was a great time being up there and seeing how he was able to maneuver that for some years.”
(A quick follow-up if I may, what has WR Tyreek Hill told you about Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “Let me double back on something like this. Coach Reid always said ‘let your personality show.’ That’s one thing Coach Reid always said and the first conversation that I had with Tyreek was similar to that. He was like, ‘you’re coming into a situation where you need to be you. Let your personality, let you ooze out. Just let that happen and everything will be fine.’ So that’s my biggest takeaway from the similarities between the two.”
(I wanted to get your thoughts on getting the chance to play with WR Tyreek Hill again and maybe this being different perhaps with you being more of a factor in the offense than you were with the Chiefs?) – “Any time you get to be on the field with Tyreek, it’s a blessing. Somebody that just blows the top off of defenses and creates separation to allow other people to get open and show what they can do, it’s always going to be a great environment to be in. I’m excited to get back being around him, and also pick his brain for the game. Tyreek is a goofball all the time, but that’s also another intelligent player. So it’s great to be around guys like that where you can just constantly grow.”
(I wanted to ask you about Head Coach Mike McDaniel and you touched on his personality, but I wanted to know how much of his personality influenced you coming here because I know usually with a player, it’s opportunity and then maybe money but did Mike McDaniel’s personality have much with you coming here?) – “Of course. Everybody wants to go play for someone they feel like they can relate to in a sense. Like everybody wants to be able to laugh but then take serious when it’s time to take serious, but not be too serious to the point where it’s like ‘we’re like this all day.’ Everybody wants to be in a comfortable environment where not only you can learn, but you can excel and I feel like this does just that.”
(I wanted to ask a little bit about you spending the past few years as a teammate of one of the all-time greats at tight end in Travis Kelce. What was it like sharing the meeting room with him? How much did you use him to just learn the position and get advice? And was there a time where you kind of saw maybe you had to move on in order to show what you can do?) – “Let me just tell you, Travis Kelce is my favorite teammate of all-time. On any level – Pop Warner, high school, college – Travis Kelce is my favorite teammate. It’s not only because he took his time trying to teach me the role of being a tight end, but just because of how great of a person he is. He didn’t have to. Anybody could be like ‘Nah, this kid is good. He might got what it takes.’ But he didn’t give me that attention, not to me but to anybody in the tight end room or the receiver room. He just showed unconditional love and knowledge for the game. Being in the room with Kelce, it definitely set me forward, lightyears of where I would have been had I not had him. Arguably having the greatest of all-time in that room, being able to learn and see how he’s attacking different routes and why he views coverage like this and how he’s able to find the holes in different stuff. You’re not able to get that unless you’re with somebody that knows that. So being in the room with Kelce these last few years have been an extraordinary blessing to my game. As far as even taking patience from the game, like I used to be rushing my routes and stuff, but going to Kelce’s house, he’d be like, ‘You can slow it down. Every route doesn’t have to be 100 miles an hour. You can kind of play with a tempo. You can kind of maneuver it a little bit.’ There’s a lot of different nuances of the game that I learned from Kelce in my time in Kansas City, that I’m forever grateful for.”
(Was there one piece of advice that especially stood out or maybe something Travis Kelce said as you were leaving Kansas City, that kind of stuck with you?) – “There’s so much information. So much stuff that Kelce said that sticks with you. I would just say the biggest thing is just be you. Be who you are. Then everything that’s for you will come to you. Just be you.”
