Raheem Mostert – September 11, 2023
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Monday, September 11, 2023
RB Raheem Mostert
(I wanted to ask you about the resilience that the team showed yesterday. Obviously CB Jalen Ramsey isn’t there, T Terron Armstead isn’t there, back and forth game. You guys showed this resilience last year, this fighting spirit. What does that do for a team? How do you acquire it, how do you use it and what does it do for you?”) – “It’s apparent, just to see the guys that can go out there and step up and make the plays. Even in a shootout game with the Chargers, it was a little bit of – not revenge, but we were still thinking about last year and how that game turned out with some key guys that we missed at the time. To be able to go out there in Week 1 and get the win that we did, that team was really good in all aspects of the game, especially with how their offense was rolling on all cylinders and it just seemed like we had to come back and fight even more so on our side. The resilience by all the guys is second to none. You could just see how it all played out, especially with the win that we got. Fairly happy, I know it’s Week 1 and we still have some wrinkles that we need to iron out but all in all, you can’t be more impressed.”
(What was it like in the huddle there on that final game-winning drive? What were you guys talking about and just going through mentally in that last drive?) – “Just act like you’ve been there before. It was one of those things where we knew we were down by however many points and then all of a sudden, just got to go down the field and make the plays happen and connect. Obviously you see what Tua Tagovailoa and Tyreek Hill were able to do on that last play. That’s something that we’ve been working on this offseason and even into training camp. It paid off fairly well I could say and it’s just awesome that we were in that position. No team wants to be in that position in the last few minutes of the game, but for us, it was one of those things where you just have to get the job done so we were able to do that.”
(Head Coach Mike McDaniel said a month ago that he thinks that QB Tua Tagovailoa looks like the best version of himself the explosiveness off the top of the drop, different clubs in his bag on different types of throws. Have you noticed that in a second year with Tua?) – “I even mentioned during training camp when I was being interviewed. He definitely has that mindset of going out there and getting it and being dominant. He’s a guy that puts a lot on his shoulders, but at the same time he can handle it. You see what he’s doing out there and it’s just amazing. I mean, to go from Year 1 to Year 2 in the way that he’s doing it, he had a good start at the beginning of the year, last year, but yesterday was an even better start. You can only grow from there. Whether that be in the pass game, in the run game, he’s going to do what he has to do, and he’s going to make the right calls and we believe him.”
(There was obviously a lot more attention national attention on Tua after his performance yesterday, but it seems like in talking to Head Coach Mike McDaniel and teammates, this is what you got to expect from Tua. I was curious, as somebody who came in as a new player to the team last year, at what point did you realize like, “Okay, we’re going to be alright,” because obviously you didn’t know to up from afar, but at what point did you know?) – “Being a player in this league, and for me, I’ve been fortunate enough to go into year nine and just watching the surrounding league and just witnessing different quarterbacks and of course, offenses and stuff like that. But when I first got the impression of Tua, I knew that he was a sharp young man that was ready to take on any challenge. I know that prior to me coming here that he had some setbacks of his own and I don’t know necessarily what that entailed in regards to the other coaching staff, but at some point it does have to kick in for yourself as a player. It doesn’t matter what offense that you’re put in, you just got to go out there and try to put your best foot forward and he’s been able to do that. I watched tape with him at Alabama. He stepped into a role when a quarterback got hurt and he took that role on with nothing but conviction and full confidence. And that’s what’s happening right now. You see the confidence that he has, and the ability that he’s able to – alone, just the simple fact that he threw a ball in a tight window to Braxton (Berrios) and the way Braxton caught the ball, it was just, you don’t really see that on a day-to-day basis, let alone in the NFL. So for him to make that type of throws just yeah, you want to you want to believe he can do it. We all believe that he can make those throws and we all believe that he has that capability. Tyreek even mentioned it when he first got here that he can throw the ball with precision. It’s no shock to us, but at the same time, he’s really taking that step forward and you could just tell the confidence in the in the build that he has.”
(The offensive line, as you guys watch the tape or discuss it today how admirable of a job against that front T Kendall Lamm at left tackle and OL Isaiah Wynn first start at guard for this team?) – “Oh yeah, look at what happened yesterday. We put up a stat just a few minutes ago, Frank (Smith) did, about between two players on that defensive line, there were seven Pro Bowls. And a guy that’s won – has been a sack leader in the league and stuff like that. And we didn’t give up one sack. That just tells you the growth that this line has. To be able to go out there and just to dominate and move the line of scrimmage and to be able to protect and then it just reflects on what Tua can do in the pocket. It just – everything is clicking, but still there’s is always going to be some work to be done to improve and man, I’m excited. That’s very compelling that that happened yesterday and more so, you’re just ready to roll for the rest of the season.”
(I’m not going to ask you to compare what the system Head Coach Mike McDaniel runs compared to 49ers Head Coach Kyle Shanahan ran when you were there, but how has it evolved? It seems like guys just get open, obviously talented people, but the scheme is tailor-made for guys getting open.) – “The scheme is tailor-made for guys to get open and you see what happened with Tyreek yesterday, he had a 200-yard game. And then also Jaylen Waddle and then even getting River (Cracraft) and Braxton involved as well. It just shows you that this team is very dynamic. We got a lot of playmakers on this side of the ball and we’re going to try our best to expose the defense one way or the other and just try to make plays when the plays need to be made. It’s nice to be out there, I’m not going to lie. The speed is crazy. You got a lot of guys out there.”
(At the risk of sounding crazy, why is WR Tyreek Hill so difficult to defend?) – “This man, he’s literally like a little jitterbug out there just running around just going crazy. You just see the separation that he’s able to have against these DBs and to be able to get in these windows. Then like I said and I alluded to Tua (Tagovailoa), to be able to make those throws, they’re rolling right now. They’re on these high ceilings, man, that can’t be stopped. Once everybody else gets involved, man, you see what we were able to do yesterday. It’s just going to carry over and hopefully it carries over in a plentiful way.”
(Two areas you guys worked on in the offseason – penalties and getting the play down to the huddle – seemed to be great yesterday. Six penalties for 38 yards, which is good. I don’t recall any issues, delay of game or anything like that. In your point of view, how did those two areas go yesterday?) – “Yeah, we improved in those areas, but I will say, we still have to understand the game of ball. At the end of the day, that’s what you have to do as this job, to understand the situation, understand clock management. I know the time of possession wasn’t in our favor, but obviously that’s what you want as well, is to win the time of possession ratio. There’s still a lot of work to be done and we’re just going to go back to the drawing boards and get those things corrected, too.”
Jevon Holland – September 11, 2023
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Monday, September 11, 2023
S Jevon Holland
(You guys didn’t blitz a ton yesterday, but when you did give me an account. Just take us through that last possession and what the importance that was to this team.) – “We needed that to win the game. Bar none, that’s basically it. We needed that to win the game and we went out there and executed.”
(What does it tell you about this team that no CB Jalen Ramsey, no T Terron Armstead, you’re on the road in the opener against the team that beat you last year and you come out with a gritty victory, what does that say about this team?) – “We’re a gritty team. We needed that to go out there and win. It feels good to win that Week 1 even though we’re not satisfied with our performance as a defense. We got stuff to build on and everything is easier when you’re building off of a win, not a loss. It feels good.”
(What was the message from defensive coordinator Vic Fangio today when you guys were watching film?) – “We need to be better. Plain and simple.”
(Any challenges moving to a defensive coordinator who calls games differently – there’s clearly a question in terms of the number of blitzes, the math would show you that. Is there an adjustment for players when moving from one coordinator to another when it’s a different approach like that?) – “Yeah, it’s completely different. It’s in a completely different defense with a completely different person with a philosophy, completely different defensive coordinator, so obviously there is going to be an adjustment period and it’s going to be different because it’s not the same human that was calling the defense last year.”
Christian Wilkins – September 11, 2023
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Monday, September 11, 2023
DT Christian Wilkins
(This is not a question meant as an excuse because you all are a no-excuse team. But is there a natural adjustment in terms of playing for a coordinator that calls games much differently than the previous coordinator? Is there a feeling out period or adjustment that you all are going through?) – “I’d definitely say the first thing, to your point, no excuses need to be made. We all know that wasn’t our standard. We’ve got to play better defense and that starts with me as an individual, as a leader. As the leader of the defense, it starts with me. We’ll definitely be better this week and moving forward, we’ll definitely be better. No if’s, and’s or but’s about it. We’re about business moving forward and about improving moving forward, so that’s what we’ll do. But just naturally, there’s obviously a little bit of adjusting but that’s no excuse. We’re all professionals so we all have to do our job regardless of how plays are being called, what’s being called. If there is a good play called, we’ve got to execute it. If there’s a bad play called, we still have to execute. Regardless, there’s no if’s, and’s or but’s about it. We just have to be better.”
(What did the film show you?) – “Again, just that there are a lot of improvements to be made. There’s just a lot of areas that we weren’t so great at. But at the end of the day, we did get the win so I was excited for that. And I was excited for what the offense was able to do and how they were able to have our backs through it all. That was definitely good and we definitely needed a full 60-minute game and full team effort.”
(Was the in-game operation any different like with Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio calling plays from the booth? I think Linebackers Coach Anthony Campanile was kind of running things down. Does it change anything as far as communication?) – “Not for me because I’m not the green dot. That doesn’t really do anything for me. I get the calls from the linebacker and then line up and get ready to play.”
(What was the biggest issue in the run game?) – “We just have to be better technique, fundamentals and just executing the plays that are called. Each one of the 11 doing their job.”
(Can you take us through that last drive?) – “I would say those last two series, maybe the last 10 plays or so – obviously it wasn’t great, wasn’t pretty for most of the game, but we can build off of how we finished moving forward. Guys playing at a high level when we needed it the most. Jaelan (Phillips), Zach (Sieler), we were all able to focus in a little bit more. We know we needed it. The offense did their part. We couldn’t let them down. We were able to pull it together and do a good job.”
(Was it surprising because of obviously it’s not your standard and it’s surprising any time, but what you saw during training camp, did what happened yesterday completely throw you for a loop after – did you feel you were much better in training camp?) – “I would say no we’re not rattled, again, it just wasn’t the performance that we expected and when you put a lot of work into this, when you invest your all at this and when you know the guys we’ve got on defense and you’ve got the right coaches in the position; you never expect anything like that. But like I said, we will be better moving forward. We really don’t have a choice.”
(I don’t know how much you get to see of WR Tyreek Hill, but when you see him and when you see a game like yesterday, what comes to mind? How do you defend this guy?) – “He’s definitely a pretty damn good football player. I’m glad he’s on our side. Really a lot of the guys on offense, they all stepped up and played pretty well. That damn No. 1 was pretty solid, too. And just guys were making plays left and right and it was just fun to see and like I said it was just good that they’re on our side and they had our backs even with everything going on. So that was definitely a lot of fun to watch and just to see guys putting a lot of work and who it means a lot to and an underdog like River Cracraft goes out there and balls out, catches another touchdown. Just everybody. Just good to see the o-line step up and do their thing. Just a lot of respect for those guys on that side of the ball and what they did yesterday.”
(And what does that tell you about this team? All that stuff you just said – no CB Jalen Ramsey, no T Terron Armstead, hostile environment, team that beat you last year? What does that tell you about this team?) – “Just that we’re going to compete and that we definitely all care about each other and we’re not – as I started at the beginning – we’re not an excuse-making team and I won’t allow us to be that regardless of who’s on that field, what we’re doing, what’s going on, what’s happening – good, bad or indifferent. We’re all going to play hard and do our best to have each other’s backs through it all.”
Mike McDaniel – September 11, 2023
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Monday, September 11, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(What led to the decision to use T Isaiah Wynn at guard for this team now after four years at tackle for New England? And then on WR Erik Ezukanma, the idea of actually lining him up in the backfield, is that something you drew on a napkin one night? Drew on your iPad at 2 a.m. in March? What led to that usage for him?) – “Isaiah Wynn wasn’t new. I’m a young old guy, so when he was coming out, that’s how I evaluated him. I saw him as having some good skill sets there. I think the experience at tackle helps an interior player tremendously if they have the skill set to cross over because of the types of athletes that you face on the edge. He’s been a wonderful addition to the team and earned his opportunity to start through his play, which is the only way we accept it here, so I was pumped about that. What if I told you that Erik wasn’t even supposed to line up there? Just kidding. (laughter) That’s stuff that you try as a coaching staff to see and open your mind to the unique skillsets of certain players. For that game, it made sense to try to introduce that a bit. Whether that’s something that we expand upon just depends on the opponent and the pros and cons of what that does, if anything. We felt like that was a good way to get him the ball that way and get him some opportunities and get the defense talking a bit. I believe he was in the backfield during the go-ahead touchdown, right? I’m pretty sure he was lined up in the backfield, at least that’s what I called. It was a long flight. (laughter) Those are fun things that you’re able to do, especially in year two where you can move people around a little bit more just because of the inherit understanding of what words mean.”
(When you reviewed the tape today, there were a lot of QB Tua Tagovailoa completions. Which one was your favorite?) – “Well, which one presented as though adversity was an opportunity?
(The 35-yard touchdown) – “Boom. Those are things that are not easy to do. It was my favorite because it was more of a team moment. That was a series of plays, starting with the interception that he targeted Braxton (Berrios) on, because on that specific play, the Chargers got the ball on the four-yard line because they intercepted it, and (Jaylen) Waddle and ‘SA’ (Salvon Ahmed) didn’t stop playing, and got a tackle on the four. Got the ball back following a really good play by Kader (Kohou) on a well-timed blitzed that is rarely executed to be honest. Free runners at quarterbacks generally miss for whatever reason. We’ve been emphasizing some technique, he got the sack, and then we had a great punt return blocked up, but it was a short kick. So we had a short field and off that momentum, Tyreek Hill started making it very known that he was ready to make a play. I fancy myself as a great listener. That throw culminated a team effort that is very, very important playing off each other in the various phases that are important to winning close games like that.”
(I was thinking of the third-and-10 where he scrambles forward and…) – “That was another good one.”
(We have seen QB Tua Tagovailoa off-platform a bit but that throw in particular, we haven’t really seen that. Was that…) – “I need to open more practices to you guys. (laughter) That’s really cool stuff from a developing quarterback that is finding his own footing in how he plays because he went through his progression, felt the pressure in a good interior pocket, utilized that and then did something that most people can’t do with their writing hand let alone their non-writing hand like he does it. That was a good one too, but I really liked him taking advantage of everything that he’s learned and really focused on and had a game application, similar to the preseason rep where you throw an interception and then what? And in a game like that, for all three phases to come together at that moment, and then for the three phrases to play off of each other, when the offense scores the final touchdown but leaves a solid amount of time left on the clock, Jason (Sanders) is one of the guys we count on most on the entire team and pushes one, and then the defense comes and saves the day and wins the game. Those ones, especially where he was participating in big team moments like that one, were the most important to me.”
(One thing that I noticed that was a wrinkle in Year 2 was instead of motioning WR Tyreek Hill and other pass catches across the formation, you kind of had him as a flex in the slot and then put him in motion. I’m curious if that’s a way to get pass catchers free releases, to prevent communication with the defense or maybe a little bit of both?) – “I was just bored. (laughter) We work hard here at the Miami Dolphins as a collective group. Coaches bring forth things. You see stuff on tape. Players bring forth things. I think it is important to be constantly pressing the envelope. I believe that players deserve schematic advantages. It’s hard enough to do their job and a coach’s job is to try to generate those. But man, I’ve drawn a lot of stuff on paper. It’s a lot harder doing it. So on the road, to execute that with the crowd noise on a silent (count) is a credit to a lot of people working deliberately. I think Tua (Tagovailoa) and Tyreek (Hill) did a really good job with that as well as the rest of the offense that’s doing it in a noisy situation.”
(The decision to go for points at the end of the second quarter, was that situation-specific or was that a general Mike McDaniel, here’s an opportunity, all points matter?) – “I think it’s important that you constantly evolve as a coach and a play-caller. At that point in time, I thought our guys would block them well enough to pump the ball down the field and see if our playmakers could do something with it. There had been a good amount of plays made by the skill positions in the first half so shame on me if I just mailed it in. It was great execution by a lot of people on those plays and a good job by (Jaylen) Waddle running fast and getting out of bounds, and then a good job with Erik (Ezukanma) putting enough stress on the defense that they had to hit him before the ball got there.”
(I know you do a lot of situational stuff but something like that, where a lot of people were confused at first when you did take the timeout, do you practice or go over those things outside of practice?) – “A little bit of both. I have situational meetings with our analytics department in the offseason then I do every Thursday night. You can’t rep enough situational football because what you don’t want is to be in a foreign situation for the first time when the box score matters. So that exact one, no. But I think you do enough situational reps, knowing how much time things take, and felt pretty good that we could get an explosive within six or seven seconds, with the proper execution. I hadn’t done that one. I think when I started the process of calling timeouts, most people knew what was going on but I was very aware it was going to be unusual and if it didn’t work, people would be like, ‘What were you doing?’”
(I can’t remember a time if a touchback with less than 10 seconds left would result in a field goal. Touchdowns obviously happen. But can you remember an instance where that happened?) – “No. But if you can’t remember an instance, you might as well create one, right? The players did a great job of executing crucial points. Then on top of that, for us to take advantage of it, means that the field goal team needs to properly do their job. Blake (Ferguson) and Jake (Bailey) need to operate and so does Jason (Sanders). That’s the type of stuff that if you can take advantage of every second and every yard, you have a chance to win. It proved very beneficial for us yesterday.”
(A couple of small injuries. I know you addressed WR Jaylen Waddle after the game. Any update today on him and his soreness or stiffness?) – “It was a positive interaction with Jaylen in terms of the soreness is where we kind of had hoped. We knew it existed but we didn’t want it to be something debilitating. That’s something that he’ll continue to work through. For him, he does such a good job of developing his game within practice, so it’s very important to him that he gets out there and we’ll just manage it accordingly. But he should still be able to get some reps in this week, which I know is very important to him.”
(WR Tyreek Hill went to the locker room early. Obviously he was ok. Cramps or was that anything…?) – “Preventative hydration is what we’ll call it. Well no, we weren’t preventing hydration. (laughter)”
(Preventive methods to keep hydrated?) – “Boom.”
(WR Tyreek Hill mentioned yesterday that some of the receivers have been getting together after practices to work on being in the right spot and things like that. I’m wondering as a coach, how is that helpful for you when position groups are kind of proactive in that way and get on the same page?) – “This is the difference between being average and good or good and great. It’s a very, very big deal when guys are able to communicate directly with each other. It lends for little to no gray area. You don’t know some questions or maybe uncertainties that players will have a lot of times in the environment of student teacher. The great thing about those meetings are there’s no federal agents, as they would call them (laughter) and they can just discuss stuff freely. That type of ownership gives you a chance to max out your current situation and your current locker room and phase of football. I think that’s something that I haven’t been on a team that’s done anything worthwhile that hasn’t had players do that. That doesn’t mean that it’s always done. It means it’s vitally important if you want your product of football to really meet your expectations.”
Tyreek Hill – September 10, 2023 (Postgame)
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Sunday, September 10, 2023
Postgame – L.A. Chargers
WR Tyreek Hill
(How do you feel? You’re on an accelerated pace for 2,000 receiving yards. You made a statement Game 1.) – “Oh yeah, it’s good. Very grateful to be in this position that I’m in. It means a lot, coming from a small town, being able to play on this platform, I’m very grateful. I’m very honored to be in this position, and I wouldn’t take it for granted. I was telling the guys today right before the game, I’m like, ‘We’re playing on the Lord’s day. So let’s come out here, and let’s ball. Let’s have fun. Let’s play fast and deliberate.’ I just, I don’t know, I kind of went into a zone there.”
(I feel like there are so many throws and catches to ask you about. Let’s start with that 35-yarder down the sideline for the touchdown when you were hyped coming around the side of field?) – “Our coaches, they do a great job of giving the defense a certain look. So I was inside releasing the whole game, and that’s what the corner was expecting. Inside released the whole game, and (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) and Tua (Tagovailoa) came to me and were like, ‘What do you think about Z-Sky?’ I was like, ‘You know what? That sounds like a great idea, because I’ve been releasing inside, the corner isn’t going to be expecting me to release outside.’ Sure enough, I hit him with an inside move, and I was wide open. I was able to use my speed. Tua delivered a great pass. I was so hyped though, because that dude, J.C. Jackson, a hell of a player. He had just caught a pick, and I’m like, ‘No, we need some momentum,’ so I got us.”
(What about QB Tua Tagovailoa? We’ve been waiting to see him since he went out last year. After the day he had and the way you connected with him?) – “Bro, Tua is a baller. I’ve been saying this since last year. I’ve been an advocate for him, and he definitely showed it today. Even during halftime, he was able to come in and get guys going a little bit. Even on the sideline with me, he was like, ‘Hey, Cheetah. Let’s get it, baby.’ Big time moment, big time players make big time plays. He kind of leaned on me a little bit towards the end. That just means more targets for me, and I kind of enjoy that.”
(You had 15 targets. That final drive, this is a league where that final drive matters. The poise and some of the plays that you guys were able to execute, if you could just walk me through some of the big plays, including your catch and then the TD catch at the end?) – “Right, that’s what training camp moments are for. I feel like me and Tua and the rest of the guys, the rest of the pass catchers, we’ve been working our tail off on being on the same page. We meet together after every practice, and we just try to find ways to just be in the right spot for the quarterback. We actually got that advice from the great Dan Marino, actually. He was like, ‘You guys need to start meeting together after the practice and don’t meet with your position coach.’ So we decided to start meeting together, and ever since then, it’s like everything has been on the same page with Tua. Everybody’s been on the same page with Tua, and the last drive was a perfect example of it.”
(Was that this year that Dan Marino gave you that advice?) – “Yeah, that was Dan Marino, the great Dan Marino.”
(Did he give you that this offseason?) – “No, it was actually preseason, because I just so happened to be at the bar in a preseason game. I walked in and he was like, ‘Hey, Reek. Man, you’ve been doing a great job.’ We began to talk about practice and stuff like that, and he was like, ‘You guys need to start meeting together. You know, I used to do that with all my guys back in the day, and we used to be on the same page.’ So Tua went to ‘Bev’ (Quarterbacks Coach Darrell Bevell), and we just came together, started watching film every day after practicing. It’s been working wonders.”
(I know it’s just Game 1 of 17, which you hope is more, but how satisfying is it? You said you wanted to start off with Los Angeles, how satisfying is it to come here to kind of get the stench off of last year to start the year off?) – “It feels good. It feels good, man, to come back here and win a tough game against a tough opponent. They have great talent on that side of the ball, and I’m just glad that we started with this game. Last year, those guys, they did a great job of pressing us. So I feel like this year, like I’ve been saying all offseason, we had a chance to go back and get a full understanding of the offense, and you see that the results were different.”
(Do you feel unstoppable, like they’re going to throw it to you, and nobody is going to be able to cover you? Because you had so many big plays today.) – “I always feel like that. I always feel like nobody can guard me as a competitor. I feel like if you ask anybody in our room, they’ll say the same thing – can’t nobody guard me or them. I just feel like that’s just a competitive mindset. I want the ball. Well, that sounds kind of like crazy. But yeah, like I just feel like can’t nobody guard me.”
(You told us last year you really got by mostly on athleticism. The first time now that you get to apply what you’ve learned in the offseason, do you feel more second nature and instinctual?) – “Oh man, like everything is more fluid this year. Because last year, I was just banking on my speed and just banking on me just outrunning guys. But this year, I was in my bag a little bit more on release moves and just routes at the top and stuff like that. That’s how I was able to get my first catch, I had a dagger. Last year, we ran the same exact route, and I wasn’t open. But this year, it’s a whole lot different, because I know how to run it and I know exactly how many steps I need to be at and stuff like that. So yeah, everything was different. And I’m not just counting on my speed, obviously after the catch I am but yeah.”
(Speaking of in his bag, how much was Head Coach Mike McDaniel doing that for you this game?) – “Oh, yeah, he was definitely in his bag. I definitely got to give him a shoutout, also our offensive coordinator, Frank (Smith). Those guys do a great job of dialing us up, setting up plays. Also just aligning plays for really just everybody to make plays. So those guys do a great job of just getting everybody involved.”
(In the game, there were a lot of fans here from Miami supporting the team.) – “Oh yeah, I saw that. Shout out to the Fins fans.”
(You threw a ball over there in that section. How much energy did you guys feed off that, just having the crowd support?) – “I definitely caught a cramp after throwing that ball up there. I shouldn’t have been so hype. (laughter) But besides that, it was definitely a momentum swing for us. We definitely needed that. Defense had just got a stop, I believe. So, us being able to come off a turnover, defense get a stop and then score, that’s definitely huge, especially for a young team. So I just feel like me being that captain man, I have to be that dude. I sometimes got to get out of my shell and just turn up man and just show people that maybe I’m not a cheetah, I’m a lion, baby.”
(Tell us a little bit more about these meetings. How long do they last? And what do you think is the main gain that you get out of it? Is it getting down your timing or exchanging ideas on plays that you feel most comfortable with?) – “No, it’s not about that man. Because I feel like the players, our job is to play, so we just leave play calls and all that to Tua (Tagovailoa) and the offensive coordinator and head coach. It’s just about just understanding coverages together and just being in the right spot for Tua. So we ran a bunch of out routes today, and we knew that we were going to get a certain coverage from them. Just being on the same page about, ‘Hey Tua, I’m going to take this many steps,’ or ‘If he does this, I’m going to go inside.’ Or ‘If he does this, I’m going to keep going over the top.’ So just small things like that, but the main thing is just understanding coverage, because obviously this offense is about timing. And if it’s not on time, then it’s either a sack or something much worse, and we don’t want that. We want to be in the right spot for the quarterback.”
Mike McDaniel – September 10, 2023 (Postgame)
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Sunday, September 10, 2023
Postgame – L.A. Chargers
Head Coach Mike McDaniel (transcribed by L.A. Chargers)
(On the connection with Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa and Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill) – “That’s an offseason of — more than just two guys, but those two guys are a great example — of not focusing on anything but their craft. There’s a lot of noise that can occur. A lot of statements that can be made. It’s the National Football League and those are two guys that really worried about the right stuff. That’s the ultimate hope as a coach — all that time invested and those high standards that you’re holding yourself to, that that’s rewarded. I think, today it definitely was. They were on the same page for sure.”
(On the offensive performance) – “I think the biggest part was that I saw a lot of guys who have really maxed out their investment in themselves and their teammates. I think it was really cool to see guys make right of that. We really didn’t spend little or any time talking about last year. Just because it was erroneous, I thought. Week 1 is always interesting, that’s what I spent most of the time talking to players because the whole league — really, all fan bases kind of lose their mind Week 1 and it’s totally understandable. You have all of this build up and it’s the first game. You can really go sideways with your emotions when things don’t work out your way. People overreact, a two-score deficit feels bigger. A dropped pass feels bigger than it actually is. So, overall, I was just really, really fired up about the team playing through things — having leads, losing leads and then ultimately, say what you want, the game was won with the defense on the field. That will always be the story of how teams win or lose. There’ll be a game this year, I told the guys in the locker room, where we’ll have to win the game without scoring a touchdown. Teams find a way. I was really pumped about that. It was just weathering the storm, doing what you have to do on both sides of the ball. If we need points, go and get two points, and if we need to stop, get a stop.”
(On getting the field goal to close the first half) – “I think it was tremendous of the players on the field, Tua [Tagovailoa] in particular. He hit [WR Jaylen] Waddle and then bought some time in the pocket, stepped up in it, which in that situation is a huge credit to the offensive line, who I thought really put their best foot forward against some challenging players. To get those points is as big as any points, especially when you win by two points or whatever. Then at the end, that’s the stuff that you want to see. You put the ball in the hands of your best players, at the end of the game. I know it gives us a chance as a team because there’s multiple players that want the ball in their hands.”
(On if he puts stock in ‘coaching matchups) – “No. The reason I kind of scoffed at something early in the week — and it has nothing to do with anything, but I find it super insulting to players to make anything about myself or a competition between me and another guy who both are not playing. It’s really irrelevant to me only because the second I start saying, ‘I beat somebody,’ I have lost what this job is and it is erroneous. We did win an AFC game on the road and that fires you up against a team that will give a lot of people problems. As we’ve seen, [Chargers Head] Coach [Brandon] Staley and the boys have a lot of resolve, as well, so I’m sure they’ll come back.”
(On WR Tyreek Hill) – “I think there was a couple of them. The second play of the game was his first catch. It was a play that’s probably a catch-tackle last year, but understanding the timing of the play, I think that set the tone for everything. I think it was his first catch. Then, I think the one right before, he caught a deep over-route — really, all of his catches, now that I think about it, he probably would have had half [of the yardage] last year. Understanding how to beat coverage is not something that we needed to teach him, but understanding when to separate and how to get the ball, that’s what he’s really majored in this this year. He exaggerates, you know, he’s a natural performer so he did know some things, but it would be very, very accurate to say we saw a better version of him today within the offense. I think that is a big part of his success.”
(On the team’s resolve after the early fumble) – “Well, so that’s kind of what we’re talking about, is not making things that happen do anything negatively towards your performance. So we drove the ball down the field and we had a fumbled exchange from center to quarterback. That feeling is totally irrelevant towards what happened on that drive. That was one play and it can feel defeating. Then, when an opponent scores, it makes it even worse. That’s a huge challenge in Week 1 to not overreact. I didn’t see anybody, I thought the sidelines, really the captains and the players in leadership positions, had their mind right for what today was. I thought they were in for the entirety of it, were not going to get too high or too low. That’s a key component in the National Football League when games are won and lost with leads or with deficits.”
(On Dolphins WR Jaylen Waddle) – “He was fine. He wanted to go in more. He was straining through some pain, but it was nothing that he couldn’t play with. I was going in and out of, ‘Alright we need you on this one, we’re OK with that.’ He’ll continue to get treatment and be tough. I don’t see it as an issue moving forward.”
(On Tua Tagovailoa’s performance today) – “It’s validating to me because I don’t feel crazy. That’s kind of what I expected to happen with the work that he’s done. I think he needs to continue – literally, it’s the easiest most layup coaching point of all time – continue to do what you’re doing. Honestly, that’s where he’s at. He is tough-minded enough and accountable enough that he puts, probably even more than he should, on his own shoulders. Has very high standards for himself and wants to continue to grow and get better. With that relentless approach and that consistent understanding of who you have to be on a day-to-day basis if you want to be a big-time quarterback on a big-time team – which I know is the way he looks at it. The cost is real, and I want him to keep paying that cost at whatever comes across his plate. He’s as coachable as any player I’ve ever been around in my life. I want him to keep doing that.”
Tua Tagovailoa – September 10, 2023 (Postgame)
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Sunday, September 10, 2023
Postgame – L.A. Chargers
QB Tua Tagovailoa (transcribed by L.A. Chargers)
(On the final scoring drive) – “It was a situation where we needed to go down and we needed to score in order to give our team an opportunity to be in the lead. I think our guys did a phenomenal job of not losing their composure in the heat of the moment, especially with the plays that happened prior to us getting that thing going, like that shot down the sideline to [Dolphins WR] Tyreek [Hill]. I’m just very proud of our guys. Our defense, they only needed one stop, and that was at the end of the game. I’m very proud of them, how they went out there. They didn’t let anything hinder them from continuing to press forward, continuing to play the things that they play. Like I said, I’m just really proud of it. It’s always tough to come into another stadium and come out with a win. That’s a tough team, and we’re very glad that we got to get the win.”
(On the fourth-down conversion in the third quarter) – “For me, I have to see the sticks and have to know where our guys are. [Dolphins WR] Jaylen [Waddle] was first in my read, and Jaylen sort of slipped. I believe it was a three-man rush, so I was able to maneuver the pocket and step up. As I was looking at Jaylen, it sort of brought all those guys with vision on Jaylen outside-in, and Tyreek [Hill] was streaking on the sideline one-on-one, so I just tried to throw it out there, let him run under it.”
(On WR Tyreek Hill) – “You guys see what he can do for defenses, the problems that he offers – his speed, for one, his ability to catch the ball. It’s like ‘Man, I got to find a way to stop this guy.’ He can catch the ball and he can turn a two-yard route into a 20-yard route. Things like that. What helps him is the other guy, the guy we have on the other side, Jaylen Waddle. Although Jaylen didn’t get as much burn today as Tyreek [Hill], it just tells you about the competitive nature for both of them and it tells you the great teammates that both of them are. Jaylen was super excited when Tyreek caught his first touchdown on the sideline, and when Tyreek led us down there for that final drive. It’s a team sport. We’re very excited to have the guys that we have on our team. Like I said, it’s tough, tough to come out here and get a win.”
(On today’s win and ‘how much it means) – “They all mean a lot, it’s tough to win games in the NFL. They have a lot of really good talent on their side. You come out every day preparing day in and day out, and hoping for this result, to get a win. I think there are a lot of things out there that are underrated, in terms of the things that our coaches have put out there. For instance, the ending of our second-quarter deal. We were able to kick a field goal there, but no one’s necessarily looking at that, they’re looking at the last touchdown, and points matter in this league. To me, that was almost all the difference in winning and losing this game.”
(On his first game since Week 16 of last season) – “I was just really excited to be out there again. I don’t think anything else relates to the adrenaline rush that you get when you go out there. You have the fans – even when you’re warming up, you can smell the popcorn. There are just a lot of things that you just can’t really emulate. Being able to go out there with the guys, it was awesome. I was very appreciative of the opportunity.”
(On if he was ‘surprised’ by Dolphins fans in attendance) – “I really wasn’t, because last year, I felt like it was sort of similar to this year. We had a lot of Dolphins fans come to last year’s game. Shout out to the Fins Nation, they were probably just as loud, if not a little louder, than the Chargers home team. That could have made all the difference, as well for their communication. Shout out to Fins Nation.”
(On winning a close game) – “It feels good to win any game regardless of how you win. This isn’t the first time a lot of the guys on the offensive side of the ball have seen this, we were able to do that last year, the resilience and the focus that these guys needed to have today. It’s the first game, you don’t necessarily know what to expect from their team. I felt like they did their best and gave us their best shot. They ran almost everything that we’ve seen watching film. It feels really good to be able to come out with a win.”
(On competing against another quarterback from the 2020 NFL Draft) – “I don’t look at it as, ‘Hey, I’m competing to be better than this person or that person.’ My job is plain and simple, and it’s to help our guys win a football game and help lead our team to where we want to go, and that’s the Super Bowl. I don’t look at it in that sense. I don’t look at it as this guy is doing this and this guy’s doing that. We’re all different players. [Bengals QB] Joe [Burrow] plays different than the way I play. [Chargers QB] Justin Herbert, he plays different than the way I play. You take it for what it is. You’re not playing against them, you’re playing against their defense.”
Mike McDaniel – September 8, 2023
Friday, September 8, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Opening statement) – “I might be more fired up about this press conference than any press conference ever. You guys want to know why? Because of reps, okay? This is my second year and Friday of Week 1 press conference – it’s a phenomenal time for us to be teammates because here’s what’s going to happen. We’re going to talk about injuries. And then like, nothing’s happened this year – we’re basing it off last year, but it’s this year’s season – so whatever you guys have in store for writing articles, I can’t wait to help write them and I have no idea what it’s going to be about so let’s go.”
(I begin with T Terron Armstead. He hasn’t practiced in over three weeks. He’s got three injuries. So if you think rationally, it would seem unlikely he would play Sunday. However, here is the magic question. Are you ready to confirm that he is out Sunday or would you prefer for gamesmanship reasons to wait until we get the injury report in three hours and 52 minutes?) – “Here’s what I will say, especially I’m sure you guys have talked to Terron. I know his expectation has been the entire time to play Week 1. And if he has the final say, if Chris Grier and the boys decided to fire me and make him the head coach today, he’ll definitely be playing. However, I want to take a look at him this afternoon and really kind of make a concrete decision for Sunday. So I think by today, we’ll have an answer for Sunday. And literally the only reason there’s even a debate is because it’s my job to protect players from themselves, and it’s my job with the aid of all sorts of well-intentioned, very well-schooled individuals, is that we do what’s best for the Dolphins for the entirety of the season. So going through that process, making sure that there continues to not be setbacks, more that we’re trying to do something for the long-haul, and we’ll assess it today and see where that leaves us.”
(So he won’t be practicing?) – “Depending on the timing – and I don’t comb the time that you guys are out there – you may or may not see him, depending on the timing of it. But we’re going to put him through some stuff to see where he’s at so we can take care of both sides of the coin there.”
(“Some stuff” meaning physical activity, but not practice is what you’re saying or actually practice?) – “To be determined on practice in terms of the later stage of it, kind of assessing stuff that is football related. I won’t be putting him through back handsprings. It will be just to kind of see the state of the union, but we’ll assess.”
(There’s not many guys like S Derwin James in the league. How difficult is it to prepare for a defense that has a chess piece like that?) – “It’s a problem that NFL teams generally have some game-changing players on them, on offense or defense. So it’s rare you go a week without having an issue that if you don’t prepare for, will bite you hard. With this particular player, it’s even more unique because of the versatility, the amount of places that the coaches teach him and that he can learn. He’s all over the place and when you are dealing with some unknowns in terms of it’s Week 1, so you don’t really know – I haven’t been in the in the Chargers building all offseason so you don’t know what they have in store but you know he’s a featured player. So every person on the offense needs to know where he’s at and his playmaking ability. So it’s one of the challenges of the NFL process. It’s not completely foreign, but because he’s a unique, special player, it is a different sort of formula than a lot of the better players in the league present.”
(When you see the preparation for Week 1 and the T Terron Armstead situation looming, guys like T Kion Smith who’s one of your undrafted guys who made the team this year, have you seen a progression from training camp – his performance to now preparing for Week 1 – and what’s your thoughts on his progression?) – “Absolutely I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that one of the great things about having that 90-man roster that was – speaking of all the hard decisions and the depth – is that there’s not a player on the team that didn’t develop. Because if they didn’t develop, they literally wouldn’t be here because we had so many options. So we are seeing better versions within our scheme of each and every player, when you really look at it from that perspective. Kion (Smith) is a guy that I’ve highlighted a ton within the whole team because he’s really, really gravitated to the particular coaching and it’s clicked for him in terms of what we’re asking him to do. So what does that mean? He’s really tried difficult techniques fully committed and that’s a hard thing for offensive linemen to do because when you’re trying different techniques and it doesn’t work, everybody knows about it. And so he’s really attacked that process and because he’s attacked it that way, he’s gotten significantly better this year. He’s a great guy to highlight amongst a lot of people that are going along the same journey. And that’s what happens when you have detailed coaching that’s committed from their position coaches to anybody that’s discussing football with them. And then you have guys that are not trying to get through it; they’re trying to be their best versions. So he’s a cool one, like a lot of the guys.”
(What about your confidence in T Kendall Lamm if he has to go in for T Terron Armstead?) – “Kendall (Lamm) is a great example of a guy that has found a place on a team that had been through some trials in his career. Last year he made an impact so early in the room, about how he goes about his business. He uses every slight that’s happened to him to his advantage, not disadvantage. And he’s a core piece of the locker room at this point, which says a lot. So my confidence is high, just because I see better than I hear and he’s shown me as consistent, really, as anybody of what I can expect, what his teammates can expect from him, and that’s a guy that there’s nothing more important to him than what he needs to deliver on for himself and his teammates. So any time he’s on the field, I get excited for him because he’s been down the rigors of the NFL journey for a player that’s not a lottery pick, so to speak, and he’s coming out a better version than he went in.”
(I did want to follow up on T Kendall Lamm. Where is he from a technique standpoint and the principles and the things that you guys are teaching? I know he’s been through so many different systems, but you guys teach things a little bit differently.) – “So those are the guys that you learn the most about with regard to who the people are. With offensive linemen that are veterans that have been in the league, that have been coached in different ways and watching the progression here where we’re very concrete in what we’re looking for and very aware of the times that’s ‘whoa, that’s way different.’ It’s an old dog new tricks analogy. Like it is really hard for guys to be like, ‘wait, you want me to do this other thing that I would never have done ever in my career to get to this point?’ That’s a trust fall. And so when watching his progression, it shows you more than anything, the amount of deliberate fixation on certain things to watch the techniques evolve. Where he was at last year, versus this year is not even close. And he did one of the harder things that players do in this league is play in a regular season game a couple of weeks after arriving to a team. I think we kind of hedged our bet. We felt pretty confident in the person that he’d be able to have an offseason like he has and he has only exceeded expectations. I’m fired up for his opportunities whenever they arise.”
(You have interesting options when you go three or four receivers. That’s obviously with WR Braxton Berrios, WR Cedrick Wilson Jr., WR Erik Ezukanma and WR River Cracraft. How much time have you and Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker and Offensive Coordinator Frank Smith talked about snap allocation among those four and how tough a call is it in terms of playing time, to give each of those four reps when you go three or four wide receiver sets?) – “When you have capable players that have different skill sets, you have to make decisions, or educated guesses, or formation decisions earlier in the week, so that you can kind of steer people in a certain direction on what to focus on. The more talent you have, that’s never a bad problem. More skill sets, hopefully you can utilize them the best and that can be diverse. It’s something that has to be detailed early and often because of the different multiplicity and because you’re trying to involve everyone. It’s not as simple as okay, these three go out here. By and large, a lot of communication has to occur the entire week. I have to be clear with distinctions and personnels if I want three wide receivers, but a different assortment of them. Those are things that we have to work together in a fluid way. Players have to be on it and attentive during the game. It’s fun involving everybody, so it’s a good problem to have. It’s something that there’s a way to take advantage of depth at that position. So that’s what I’m excited about.”
(How would you assess S Brandon Jones’ readiness level from a physical standpoint to handle a major role on defense if he were called upon to do so?) – “Well, alright, that’s a vet right there. (laughter) First and foremost, that was our priority and assessment from this whole offseason. Because again, you’re trying to make sure that you’re coming back the best version that you possibly can, and that’s a process. So we’re very, very attentive to the physical part of that. I’m very happy with Brandon. I’m very happy with the training staff, because I think for a normal timeline purpose, he’s done everything he could and more and I feel very good about his physical ability to play within the defense. For him, it’s trying to make up the reps that are lost live. That process, in a new defense, it’s not linear. When it clicks, it clicks. Each and every day he’s been getting better and better at getting to that click spot. I’m very happy with where he’s at because he’s a big part of the team. That’s a very impactful player and I feel pretty confident, as confident as one can be in the game of football, that we’ve done right by him and the Dolphins with our progression that will continue as he gets caught up.”
(A lot has been made of the past game and their coverages from last year, but how important can the run game be?) – “I think to be what we’re all trying to be, to go after goals, to win football games in this league, they get paid too and they’re good at it. So you have to show a progression during the course of the season of getting better at both running and passing the ball. This game will be no different in that I want to see what I’ve seen in practice in the games. And that’s my litmus test. I think all plays that are called, the idea of them is for them to work. All of them. Literally every play we’re like, ‘Yeah, we hope this works.’ Some will. Some won’t. I think overall, the game will take care of itself. You kind of have to – you’re playing football against an opponent. And so what I’m hoping for is if they are fully committed to one phase or the othey – if they’re fully committed to defending pass, hopefully we can execute run plays. If they’re loading up the box, hopefully we can execute pass and vice versa. That’s always the way I look at it. And here, the value of a balanced offense is never lost in us, so we’ll never be satisfied even if things are good, if it’s just one-sided either way.”
(I saw a podcast with your childhood friend Dan Soder, talking about the many pick-sixes you score on him in Tecmo Super Bowl back in the day. Every snap you said you were pulling off Deion Sanders and picking them off. Is it safe to say that’s where you first developed your football genius and maybe your trash talk?) – “Well, genius huh? I mean, I’m not sure if I’m qualified for that. (laughter) But in terms of developing football passion – I think I got my first video game as a reward for straight A’s. And so whenever those report (cards came in) – maybe it was first grade or something. But once I got my hands on video games, that was a game changer. And the Tecmo Super Bowl, college football, all those games I spent way too much time (playing). At the time, when talking about Dan Soder, I was 4’10” in seventh grade, right? And probably didn’t have that much to talk crap about just in general in life. So video games (were) a nice outlet. Being good at Tecmo Super Bowl allowed me to lay off some steam probably on my taller, more manly looking friend. Listen, ‘Primetime.’ It’s real and it was obnoxious. And then I would get upset like, ‘Dude, you don’t want to play anymore? Like come on, man. It’s like two games. I’ll be different team.’ Then I would be the Raiders and have Bo Jackson and do the same thing. (laughter) But yeah, you live and you learn.”
(I was a Christian Okoye guy. Nigerian nightmare.) – “Yeah. Steve Atwater wouldn’t let me. I wasn’t allowed. For my fan fandom of Steve Atwater, I couldn’t be the Chiefs ever, ever.”
(But what about Bo Jackson and the Raiders?) – “Yeah, but I mean I had a poster of him. I was a Broncos fan, but he was an outlier. He did both (football and baseball). So yeah, whatever, you can cheer for the once in a century athlete.”
