Mike McDaniel – September 13, 2023
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Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(I was going to ask you if you thought T Terron Armstead or DB Elijah Campbell would practice this week?) – “I think we’ll see a little of (Terron) Armstead today and we’ll see how that goes. Then the next day, we’ll assess that. (We are) starting to get Elijah (Campbell) into individual drills and go through that process as well because, again, the foremost priority is guys come back without having a setback. We’re just trying to do our due diligence, so it will be cool to see them.”
(With T Terron Armstead, is it more the injury? Or, is it the wind, just being able to play 50-plus snaps?) – “No, it’s more when players always want to play, we obviously want them to play. But there’s some, I don’t know, gut feeling that he might have to resort to a style of play just to get through. I don’t think that’s fair to him or his teammates. If there was a scenario that it was the only human being possible, you’d maybe consider that, but probably not. The biggest thing is that you have to have depth on your football team. For him and the Dolphins, you just don’t want him to gut through it for a cause and then the tape doesn’t go away. It’s part of our personal relationship and he respects it in regards to those types of decisions, which I appreciate.”
(A couple of personnel questions; LB David Long Jr., why was his snap count so low? Also RB De’Von Achane, why didn’t we see him active on Sunday?) – “So the game day actives are real and there’s only a finite (number). When you have areas of your team that necessitate certain things, you kind of have to go light on positions. That’s why De’Von (Achane) was inactive. Really, it’s kind of what I was getting in front of last week about Week 1 and how interesting it is, because it feels like Groundhog week, and I get why. It’s because there are all these thoughts and opinions and people care. Then something happens and you have a whole week to sit on it. Well, Week 1, in the first year of a system, I mean, how often does everything never change during the course of the season? I think especially with new players on this team and a new system, that is really the formula for that game. But that’s a far stretch to say that it’s going to be that way the next game. These are things that there’s only 11 on the field. We have some depth and every game presents different challenges and you have different tools in your toolbox. He’ll keep working and his teammates love him. I’m not expecting that to be the norm, but the players decide that not me, ironically.”
(What are some things you’d like to see cleaned up on defense this week?) – “I think the biggest thing is you want to see a constant mode of progression. So, whatever the outcome is, and literally, you could talk about both phases, are you going to have a game that’s not as desirable as you’d like? Does that mean now you should try to improve so then you have a game that you do like and you let your foot off the gas? The idea is that we have to improve on certain things. Specifically, if I could sum it up, I think there are a lot of people with the right motivations that were trying to independently make plays and not thinking about technique and fundamentals. So that’s been my message to them, which is my message to all players. Really, it’s humanity. If you’re able to worry completely about what you can control, and only that, it’s amazing what individuals can do. Case in point, if you asked Tua (Tagovailoa) about his game and say, ‘hey, what was the reason for that?’ Well, I worried about my technique and fundamentals every play. So that’s a process that is not easy. It is very hard in this world to not worry about all the stuff that you can’t control. But if you’re able to do that, you might turn the page and find yourself getting better at what you actually care about.”
(I just saw a stat this week that you guys, going back to Week 1 of last year, are the best team in passing against Cover 1. The Patriots, going back to that same time, are the best defending in Cover 1. What is it about their defense that makes them so difficult to attack in that package that’s kind of rare these days?) – “It is amazing to me, and I hope one day I can even sniff this, it’s amazing that the orchestration of the defense is so consistent, so fundamentally consistent and sound. The strain. Very, very detailed. And the leader of the ship was at the same job when we were all like, ‘what’s an iPod?’ The coolest part about what they do is it’s not because they’re entitled. It’s because they work at stuff. You can really see it. They have very strong and consistent technique and fundamentals that you can tell from the top down, and all the coaches on the defensive side, that it’s non-negotiable. Then they work together. I think they are unique in what they do, and that’s a testament from an X’s and O’s standpoint to one of the founding fathers of this generation of football. It’s pretty cool to watch. It’s a great challenge, and that’s what you want. You want to be challenged week in, week out with different things because, again, you’re preparing to try to be the best version of yourself against the best teams when it matters most.”
(I feel like the characteristics of the Shanahan coaching tree is the scheme gets guys open a lot. I was curious, when you go to coaches like high school coaches, college coaches, for seminars, and you tell them, here’s one or two things scheme-wise that can help you get guys open. Obviously, the answer is get really fast players like WR Tyreek Hill and WR Jaylen Waddle. But from a scheme standpoint, what can you do to really enhance that?) – “That’s something that there’s a little bit of fortune involved. You kind of made the categorical consistency there, where you’re able to learn under somebody that does it the right way. And that is constantly challenging what has been done or relentlessly watching tape. That’s why I’m so grateful for Mike Shanahan and there’s so much that was embedded when that’s your standard. I think it’s hard to like, X’s and O’s. What are your players skill sets? What coverages are you seeing? What fronts? Everything’s so specific. Like, if you were to ask me, give me your favorite Cover 1-beater, I’d be like, what? Who’s the defense? Where are the matchups? What’s the structure? How do they treat stacks and bunches? Those types of things. When I talk to coaches, it’s not like I know how to coach in high school or college. I’ve never done that. But I think there’s an element of consistency with good and fair scheme that there’s a why for everything you’re doing. It’s abstract, but literally every alignment, every assignment, every motion, literally everything, if you exhaust that process, you end up coming out with a solid opportunity that doesn’t even matter unless your players are bought in and they fully immerse themselves and do all the hard work and labor. To me, we’re coaches. Professionally, we get paid to and inherent in that is a devotion to players and their success. I think that’s the standard that is inherent in being a coach, that you should be attempting to put your players in advantageous situations. You only do that when everyone’s invested. But I think the biggest point is that, I’ll draw up sweet, sick plays on this board right now. But they mean nothing. I’ve been drawing plays since I got started in 2005. It’s the players that make it come to life and that’s the cool thing to watch. Because you watch the whole process and know that the execution is earned not given.”
(When you have to make a decision during the game that’s not easy, not obvious, for example fourth-and-7, like last game, do you get a sense of adrenaline at that moment? Is that an exciting time for you? What’s that moment like?) – “It’s the purest form of living. You’re locked in every blink, like time stops really, and I get proud of whatever the decision is. And honestly, regardless of the result, if the decision’s made for the right reasons. When I recognize there’s a decision that before I send the play in, I know if it doesn’t work what comes next. But I think it’s very important that you take the job serious enough. For me, I wouldn’t be able to sleep if that factored in. And so in the moments, there is a little adrenaline only because what I’m able to execute on something with all of my information, with all the preparation, it’s the right decision for certain reasons. And that is far from saying, I know it’s going to work. But yeah, it’s living.”
(You mentioned QB Tua Tagovailoa. He was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. With all the work he put in, whether it be jiu-jitsu or whatever else he did during the offseason to be stronger, as you watched this Sunday, was it just something that you felt this was going to happen right out of the gate considering he didn’t play since last Christmas against Green Bay?) – “It’s funny, I talk about it with the coaching staff, because we’re very fortunate to be around some really, really good players that stand the test of time. And so when we’re practicing and as we’re evolving in our techniques and getting better and better, there’s certain things in practice that you’re like, ‘Wow, I haven’t seen that in the game before.’ However, it didn’t surprise me that guys were able to execute. It made me very proud of all the training that it took because I know how it was for all people involved. You’re witnessing their most invested, intentional, deliberate execution of whatever they’re doing. But I didn’t know it was going to work. Players decided on the field and sometimes players decide to be the best versions of themselves and you don’t know what’s going to happen on Sunday. But I knew with the way they invested, it was either going to live up to their expectations, or it wasn’t. Either one, we have to flourish at. It’s literally that’s cool, that’s well earned, but that means nothing on this Wednesday for the Patriots. Literally, zero. I checked with the league. We can’t take the points from last game and put them in the points of this game. (laughter) So it was a really, really cool little thing that you’ll look back on. And that night, as a team, it felt nice to see some of those rewards. But the goal this offseason, the goal for these guys lives wasn’t like, ‘Man, I’m going to have a good game.’ So you have to keep that in perspective. But I’m excited to see what they do with that moving forward.”
(I don’t know if you were watching live on Monday night, but obviously Jets QB Aaron Rodgers injury is a big league story. What’s your reaction to him having his season end?) – “I was watching the Patriots, but I heard a couple of people came down and told me and I’m not going to lie, you don’t want to ever see that. I think it’s important for all teams that they’re the best of their ability for the sake of the game and the product that we want to deliver on. But I also think that – I did check, someone also did tell me, that they won the game. And I think there’s a lot of players and coaches that I know on that team, that all their hopes and dreams as NFL players in the organization wasn’t to hang out with and play with one guy. They still have a lot of players and I promise you that the Miami Dolphins won’t be the team that overlooks them because of anybody not being there. Granted he is one of the greatest players to ever do it. And so that is supreme adversity, and if I was a betting man, I think that that team will find a way but we shall see.”
(What are some of the qualities that WR River Cracraft possess that make him a guy that you want on your team?) – “I think he’s been cut seven times, I think, before making an active roster. Do you realize how – well first of all the professional athlete, the investment it takes, and then the lack of control that you have in situations like that if you’re an undrafted player or something of that nature, and then the fortitude to say, ‘No, you guys are wrong,’ and to keep coming back means he’s spending a lot of time not worried about stuff that he can’t control. And I’ve had a lot of people tell me that I couldn’t do a lot of things. Generally, whatever I’m doing the first time, people see me and they’re like, ‘You can’t do that.’ Whatever it is. So there’s a place in my heart for it. But the bottom line is you have to be a special individual when you put that much on the table. And then when the moment comes and you’re able to produce, I think that’s what all the players see. And he makes his teammates better around him. So that’s an important part too.”
(How have you seen the Patriots offense change in the limited sample size of Bill O’Brien taking over as the offensive coordinator?) – “You can tell there’s some good relationships going on there. Bill O’Brien has always done a really good job and I think they’re doing some things that, you can tell when there’s connectivity between coach and quarterback, and there’s stuff that he’s playing very confident in. It’s a good litmus test when the quarterback is playing better. Generally everyone is because they go hand in hand. And he can only be successful if his players are in the right spots doing the right thing. So there’s definitely some tempo going on. There’s some different formations. There’s different ways to attack, similar to what he’s done in the past to a degree. But then there’s new things. The crazy thing about NFL Sundays is then you could just come to work on Sunday and he could have five wide receivers, no running backs or tight ends every play. You just don’t know. There is some unknown in that regard for what they’re doing. You have one team that is known on how they want to do attack. But outside of that, you have to defend everything. So it’ll be a good challenge for us.”
(What time are you going to bed if you’re waking up and go to work at 2:30 a.m having seen the ESPN piece?) – “I mean it just depends. I think for the most part, you try to compensate. Science keeps telling me that you do need sleep to function. So you do compensate with earlier nights when you can. There’s some late ones, but I’m super fortunate because my wife and daughter get my back and as long as I make it to Thursday or Friday, really, they positively reinforce naps. So although the science doesn’t support, cram sleeping – yeah, I debunk science with that. With a lot of coaches, there’s just a lot of stuff to do. And in the morning, I might be the only person for a little while, but there’s always people here when I leave. So I make sure to stop by and say what time did you get in? I was earlier. (laughter)”
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.”
