Mike McDaniel – December 31, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023
Postgame – Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel
On Bradley Chubb Injury Update: “We will have to get more information tomorrow. One of my least favorite things in this sport and for my role is seeing a competitor go down and then have to get a cart. It’s pretty emotional just in general but, we don’t really have the information exactly what it is. We’ll be able to find out tomorrow.”
On the decision making of playing starters late in a lopsided game: “It’s me. I mean, in hindsight, I would absolutely not have one of them out there if I had known that he was going to get hurt, for sure. That’s a known part of the job that I understand fully. It doesn’t look smart at all. The thinking behind it is the same as it kind of was last year against this team in this place, where I think we were down 35-14 at the beginning of the fourth quarter. When you are as close of a team as we are, and you know the players inside and out, there’s times in football games where it’s not about winning or losing or [if we] can come back. It’s about finishing the football game and having a taste of what our expectations were going into it. The team was very confident in themselves going into the game, with good reason. Our expectations fell very short. Hats off to the Ravens for really taking it to us. The guys were very frustrated. I think that my role on gameday is; you know, the players wanted to go back in and play and finish the right way heading into next week. I have the ability to tell them no on everything in this situation. There’s plenty of decisions that I’ll cross examine. It’s hard not to. I do that every week. It’s just with the amount of regard that I hold this position and the decisions I do make. The intent is always purposeful, and I made the call that the guys that went out there wanted to be out there. It’s one of those things that will forever be a part of the job, that as a competitor you understand that the results will always be what you have to be accountable for as they should. It’s not an exact science. There’s a part of it that you do have to literally take all of the information that you do have and make your best decision. I always do that with a high regard for everybody involved. There are times like this one, where it doesn’t look like … I would like to have a time machine for sure in that situation after the events occurred. You don’t know that when you go into it. You do the best you can. I think the players didn’t see the result of the game looking the way it did. They were hungry to get it right, and it didn’t work out for us. Right now, a lot of guys are hurting, as they should be. They’ve invested an unbelievable amount into the season. The biggest thing is that with a locker room like this, with those failed expectations, I know they’re going to grow closer, not farther apart. That’s important in this part of the year because we will have a divisional crown to play for next week. We will have to take everything that we’ve learned good, bad and indifferent and apply it next week. If we had said that after Week 4 or whatever that we’re going to play this Buffalo team again, and it will be the last game of the season for the [AFC East] division crown, I think everyone would have accepted that. That’s some perspective that I talked to the team about. Their eyes were laser focused; they will be eager to wash away this past game. The only way you can do that is to prepare for the next one.”
On CB Xavien Howard’s Injury: “We’ll get more information on that tomorrow. That happened early in the game; we know it has to do with this foot, but we are not exact on what it is.”
On his thoughts about the Baltimore Ravens throwing for touchdowns with such a big lead: “I don’t really have any thoughts in terms of the opposing team’s decision making. When you have a lead of multiple scores, you’re free to do whatever you want. We have to defend it, and we didn’t.”
On where the accountability lies for inconsistent offense play on the road: “I thought we started off fairly consistent. I think with circumstances within the game, there was a play or two where maybe we were forcing something. It did feel a little out of sorts right before the half. You have to really learn from each endeavor appropriately and not lump it into, you know, everything’s independent of each other. They had a good defensive plan. For the whole season, one of the reasons they’ve been so good as a team is defensively [is] they’ve been very opportunistic. We knew that, and ultimately, we played right into their hands. I wouldn’t say that’s a road thing. I look at road things as operations whether we’re getting out of the huddle, the communication and assignment-oriented stuff. I didn’t feel that. Maybe watching the tape, there might be some of that. I don’t know. On the field, it didn’t feel like it was, ‘Man this is something that’s caused because we’re not at home.’ I thought the orchestration of, the cadence, and the various snap counts, and we didn’t have any delay of game penalties or procedural stuff in the first half. I thought we were just going against a good defense. From that perspective, relative to the numbers that we put up this year, maybe it felt a little off kilter. Going against that defense, I thought it was productive enough, if you don’t turn the ball over, and if you’re playing all three phases cleanly. I thought the offense was doing its part. Once the turnovers came, they became a part of the problem, not the solution.”
On the defense allowing six touchdown passes: “Really for me, we pride ourselves on, ‘If you’re going to score, you’re going to have to earn it.’ What I mean by that is we haven’t had a run in touchdown or that many run in touchdowns as we had in this game, which is a function of tackling. It’s to their credit. They had a good game plan and for their players, that are pretty good, in space. I’m confident saying before watching the film, we’re not going to be happy with the way we tackled in open space. We have to get down to the bottom of that. I’m very confident that we will. We have a lot of talented, prideful, invested players that know that they’ve created with the Dolphins this season. We’ll be very highly motivated to get that stuff corrected in a short amount of time. That’s what it takes to get something like that corrected is high motivation because you don’t have that much time to do it.”
On the role of mentality and mental toughness going forward: “It’s everything. Situations like this where you go into a game with full belief in each other and the eventual outcome, but then it ends up monumentally in another direction. It’s a gut check for a football team. I feel very fortunate that I’m not nervous about it. Typically, you get nervous about guys just throwing in the towel because it’s hard to invest. It’s hard to believe and then have things fall short. Human nature is to care less, to maybe point a finger, or be in your little cocoon of security that it’s not your fault. I feel very blessed that we don’t have the people for that formula. Our guys are going to be individually very hard on themselves in a constructive manner. Throughout any NFL season that has been really successful that I’ve been a part of, there’s these types of moments. We’ve had a couple this season that had been pretty wrenching. This is probably the top of the list. Those things can be galvanizers to the ultimate end of your season. If you lean into it as a group, it brings you closer together because you just add to the list of people that don’t believe in you. What are you going to do with that? I think that’s very motivating. We have a lot of people that have chips on their shoulders in general from people saying they can’t do X, Y, or Z. This is the time to lean into that. I’m firmly confident that guys are going to approach it the way I would hope. This has kind of become our standard which is run from nothing. Own it. If you’re trying to do anything worthwhile, you have to assess, ‘Well it this hard?’ It is hard. That probably means this is your opportunity to separate yourself as a team and handle this in ways other teams wouldn’t. Not splintering, staying together which, I think with leaders the captains, the leadership council on this team, we don’t have anything to worry about. We need to recalibrate, get back together and press forward together. That’s the only way that outcomes like this don’t exist is when people really depending on each other and trusting each other and putting their focus and their mind in the appropriate direction, which is what I see all of our guys do time and time again. Expect nothing else.”
On the decision to make RB Raheem Mostert inactive: “That surprised [me]. I think you operate from patterns of past experiences. We’ve been in situations very similar. However, this time, he didn’t progress as much as he had in the past. He still wanted to go and didn’t want to hear that we were going to put him down. It was the best decision for the Dolphins and him because it just didn’t respond. He didn’t really respond the way he had in previous situations. It was kind of unanticipated. Not something I think anybody on offense or defense … There’s so much faith and trust in all of the [running] backs in our running back room that we were excited for the opportunity to try to take this one home for Raheem [Mostert] and for everybody else. It just didn’t work out that way. It was a little unexpected obviously as I talked to you guys throughout the week. We had to do right by him and the Dolphins in the past 48 hours.”
Christian Wilkins – December 31, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023
Postgame – Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins DT Christian Wilkins
On what was wrong with the defense today: “It just wasn’t our best day; it was not a good outing. Whatever it is, we’ll get it fixed and we’ll watch the tape. Me, as a leader, on this defense, you know, and I’m one of the guys everyone looks to to take full responsibility. It starts with me; I’ve got to be better throughout the week in getting guys ready. I’ve got to be better on gameday, so I take full responsibility for everything that went on out there today. Whether I was involved in a play or not, you know, I take full accountability. We’ll be better moving forward.”
On how important next week is versus Buffalo: “We know what it could be, and you definitely embrace that. You know, 24-hour rule, like always, in this league – win, lose or draw. You know, get prepared for this one, it’ll be fun and exciting in a lot of ways. It will be a great test for us and a great opportunity for us, and you know, we’ll be excited and ready for this next one.”
On LB Bradley Chubb’s injury: “Bradley is a warrior. What he’s done this year has been great to see. I love playing with that guy. It’s always tough in those situations to see anyone get banged up. Again, I don’t know the extent of the injury or anything like that. But, you know, obviously, my thoughts and prayers and all that is with him. I had the chance to talk to him briefly and that’s my guy, man. I love Bradley and what he’s done for this team. Since, you know, obviously, joining last year.”
On the late touchdown Baltimore threw to TE Charlie Kolar: “It is what it is. You know, regardless of what they call in that situation and whatever the situation is, we’ve got to be ready to defend that. And a lot of that stuff, I mean, it is what it is. You know, we just got to put our best foot forward always while we’re out there.”
On his reaction to LB Bradley Chubb’s injury in real time: “You always want to fight until the end. Obviously, it’s a tough situation that went down and, you know, just, obviously, a tough situation. You always want to compete until the end, and you know, regardless of who’s out there, during those minutes, you’re always going to give it your all. Things happen in this game, it’s just, obviously, an unfortunate situation.”
Zach Sieler – December 31, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023
Postgame – Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins DT Zach Sieler
On how the game went versus how we expected it: “[It was] just what you expect. The Ravens are going to play hard-nose football. They’re going to run the ball. They’re going to [play] their game. They did that, so obviously, we couldn’t stop them good enough today. [There is] a lot to correct.”
On the Ravens rotating offensive linemen: “It’s more to prepare for [and] to be ready for multiple different guys in similar spots. But, at the end of the day, it comes down to your technique and your fundamentals, and we just didn’t do that today.”
On his feelings about losing LB Bradley Chubb: “Prayers go out to him. God’s got a plan, and hopefully he’ll see that, and he can recover quick and come back stronger than ever. [It’s] just something you never want to see. It really kind of shook me, honestly – all of us, truly.”
On his emotions on playing a big game in Baltimore after starting his career here: “It’s always a huge game to me, no matter what. No hard feelings towards Baltimore. It’s just that I was here, so it always feels good to come here and play my best ball and show out. And sadly, me and my team [weren’t] able to do it today.”
On how they bounce back next week: “[It’s] just like any other week. Make the corrections, check the tape [and] really self-reflect. Obviously, we’ve got the [Buffalo] Bills next, and we’ve got to take it to them.”
On if the team felt like they were in the game after they got the score to 14-13: “Oh yes. I mean, you always have that feeling. I mean, last year, obviously, we all know how that went, and that’s the goal. You’re going to play every snap, no matter how the game goes, and that’s [because of] the name on the front of your jersey and in the back.”
Duke Riley – December 31, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023
Postgame – Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins LB Duke Riley
On how they bounce back from a loss like this: “I have a lot of emotions going through my head right now. But at the end of the day, we’ve got a big game coming up this week. [There’s a] 24-hour rule in this league. You have got to look at the tape and look at the things that we can correct and the things that we did. Me, personally, looking at the things I could do better, you know, I gave up that first touchdown and that’s something I usually don’t do. So, I’ve got to get better. If we’re going to point the finger at anybody, we’re going to point it at me. We are not one to point fingers, so it’s just one of those things.”
On the belief in this team in the playoffs: “I believe in everybody on this team, including myself. It just wasn’t our day and that’s how the league is. The good thing about it is, you can get back to the drawing board and we [have] an opportunity against a great team in Buffalo. And, who knows, you know? If we keep going, we may see this team again. This is just how the game goes.”
On how they put a loss behind them: “Be a man and look at the film and see what you can do better and how you can do better. What can be done better throughout the week? In practice, what can be done to be better in all phases, you know? It wasn’t just one play that lost the game, it wasn’t just one person, so we lost as a team. We’re going to regroup as a team, just like we always do. A lot is going to be said, but who cares? You know, we will take it day-by-day, and we’ve got to be present every single day. Right now, I’m just thinking, you know, about Bradley [Chubb] in the moment. So, I’m just kind of messed up right now. That’s it.”
On losing Bradley [Chubb] and Jaelan [Phillips] from the defense: “Those guys are great guys, great leaders on this team. They’re guys, I don’t even know what to say. He [LB Bradley Chubb] is just an unbelievable guy, an unbelievable man. He comes to work every day, plays as hard as he can, and everyone can see it. That moment, you know, it’s just, I don’t know why things happen like that. But they happen, I guess, for a reason. I don’t know. I don’t have an answer for it. It’s just a lot going on right now, especially thinking about that man. He is a great teammate, you know, so it hurts when you lose a great man and a great teammate like that, especially somebody who’s been playing really well for us.”
On how they replace two edge rushers: “We got a lot of guys who can play ball. Our organization does a great job of picking people who can step in and play and who can play ball, you know? Those guys are obviously elite players. We got last week … I don’t know if it was last week or the week before, we pick up Melvin Ingram, we still have Emmanuel Ogbah, other guys as well, you know? And at the end of the day, it’s an 11-player game, so as long as we all do our job, which we didn’t do today, and as anyone can see, I’m starting with myself. I have to be a lot better, and I will be. I know everyone else will be as well. That’s just how we are and how we roll. We’re going to get back to the drawing board, put it behind us. We have a huge, huge, huge game coming up this week. We’ve got an opportunity to do something special with this team, [that] this organization hasn’t done in a while. That is going to be our focus, and at the end of the day, you can’t do anything about what happened, and we’ve got to move forward. That’s what everything in life, you know … Football teaches you so much about life. Especially when things hit you in the face and how you respond and how you react is who you are. So, I know the men that we have on this team and how we’re going to respond.”
Tua Tagovailoa – December 31, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023
Postgame – Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
On his shoulder: “Shoulder is good, shoulder is good. Just a little sore, that’s all.”
On what the feeling is in the locker room: “I think we came into this game with high hopes of playing the standard that we wanted to play. And when those standards aren’t met, it feels like it’s very disappointing. So, I would say in the locker room, that’s sort of the feel. You’ve got a lot of leaders, and a lot of the guys stepping up to get our guys going for next week and the games to follow. We’ve still got a lot of football left to play.”
On if the Ravens showed something different than what they saw on tape: “Not necessarily. We just needed to execute, and they did a better job.”
On what happened after the success of the first two drives: “It’s just staying consistent. That’s what this league is about, who can stay consistent the longest. And we weren’t able to put good drives together for a long period of time. So, we’ve just got to be better, in essence.”
On the two interceptions: “The first one, I sort of held my eyes a little long on the first interception. Then with the second interception, because of the score, they didn’t really need to do much. They try to keep everything in front of them – they were dropping, and that was just a poor decision on my part trying to throw it over a ‘backer to get that to Tyreek [Hill] when I could’ve just checked the ball down. So, I’ve got to be better on that part.”
On his thoughts on the next game being for the AFC East Division: “Any game we play, we want to win. We’ll go look at the film tomorrow, and we’ll see where we can do better. And then we’ll move on to the Bills.”
On if he feels everything is still in front of him despite losing the top seed: “Yeah, I feel everything is still in front of us for what we want to accomplish as a team. I just want to say a big shoutout to Bradley Chubb. We’re thinking of you, brother, and praying for you as well. It’s kind of tough seeing one of our guys go down. It’s unfortunate. But we know we still have everything in front of us.”
On taking advantage of the Ravens’ secondary injuries: “We had a gameplan, [and] we stuck to our gameplan of what we wanted to do. There were opportunities that presented themselves, [and] we took those shots. But it’s just staying consistent, being able to sustain drives for us offensively. And that’s what we need to do. We need to be able to finish.”
On what actually happened to his shoulder: “Yeah, that’s basically what happened. I ran, slid, and then there was contact.”
On if he feels the offense started to press: “Yep, that’s exactly what we didn’t need to do. We didn’t need to press. And I say ‘we’ as in me. I didn’t need to press and force throws down the field that weren’t there with certain looks. I should’ve just [taken] the checkdowns. Yeah, I’ve just got to be better.”
On after taking time does it feel more or like a normal loss: “You know, I think if you have the perspective of things could be worse, we could have not clinched a playoff berth, we could have not been playing in a game like this that matter for positioning with the seeding. So, if you think of it like that, we’re right where we need to be as a team, regardless of the outcome of today, and we’ll be better for it, and hopefully we’ll get to see these guys again.”
On how the offense did without having all their starters: “Tough not having your star guys out there. I think the guys that stepped up did a good job today.”
On what gave him confidence despite the Dolphins having injuries: “I think the trust that we have with one another, even with guys who came earlier in the season, just the comaraderie the guys have with one another, that’s what gives me hope. That we can do it with anyone.”
On RB De’Von Achane’s play: “Well first play, 23 yards, I think that says a lot about the trust that [head coach] Mike [McDaniel] has in him, the trust that we all have in him. You know he’s had a lot of big runs for us to extend drives in this game, so I think he’s done a great job.”
Tyreek Hill – December 31, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023
Postgame – Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill
On the emotions after today’s result: “Well, it sucks, man. But the reality of it in our world, you’ve got to be able to move past it. Speaking for myself, I played probably one of the worst games of my career. As a leader of this team, I can’t put that on tape. [I’ve] just got to erase it [and] move forward. Obviously, [I will] go watch the tape and get better from it.”
On the dropped touchdown pass on the second drive: “That’s definitely like a concentration thing. I will say, I never get that wide open. The ball just floated so long. It was just like, ‘Get here’ to me. I just have to make the play, man.”
On what the team needs to show next week against the Bills: “The great thing about this team is we have such tremendous leaders. You know what, I’m looking forward to seeing how we bounce back. I know Coach [Mike McDaniel] is going to get us prepared, and it’s going to be what we need heading into the playoffs. It’s going to be fine.”
On if they were aware of the injuries in the Ravens’ secondary: “Yeah, we were trying to take advantage of it. But just like every team we play, they seem to find their way to Cover 2. We’ve just got to find a way to put drives together when teams begin to feel comfortable in Cover 2. Watching film, the Ravens ran Cover 2, but it wasn’t that much. But towards the end of the game, whenever their corners went out, they fell in love with Cover 2. So, we just have to find ways to put drives together, if it’s passing the ball, whether it’s running the ball, whatever. Whatever the case may be, we’ve just got to do a better job on that.”
On if he noticed any additional focus with WR Jaylen Waddle out of the game: “You know what’s crazy, I don’t say nothing, man. It’s my job to make every play. Those guys had a great gameplan. Whatever it was to double me, whatever it was, those guys did a great job.”
On why he feels confident with this team: “Because every guy has prepared the same. Every guy is in the meeting room. Every guy does the same strength and conditioning. It’s ‘Next Man Up’ in this league. If you don’t have that mentality, then I just don’t know what to say. And I just feel like every guy has prepared the same way. Our skillset and physical traits are different. I feel that every guy adds value in some kind of way.”
De’Von Achane – December 31, 2023 (Postgame)
Sunday, Dec. 31, 2023
Postgame – Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins RB De’Von Achane
On how he deals with a large loss like this: “I mean, obviously, we’ll go back, watch film and correct the little things that we did. We need to correct all the mistakes and we need to move on. We have another opponent next week, so we’ve got to put it past, you know, we can’t dwell on it.”
On if he felt like his old self: “Yeah, I had a pretty decent game, but I left some things out there on the field. Like you said, it is not about me, this is a team game.”
On what adjustments the Ravens made: “I mean, like you said, we started out hot, we did a lot of runs. We did a lot of screen plays, and like you said, they just went and made adjustments. They came out and they were ready to play.”
On if this is the best he’s felt physically: “Yeah, I feel pretty good. There was a little bit of this and that, but I came out of the game healthy. So, let’s move on to next week.”
Mike McDaniel – December 29, 2023
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Friday, December 29, 2023
Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Is QB Tua Tagovailoa playing Sunday?) – “Yes.”
(Are WR Jaylen Waddle and OL Rob Hunt out Sunday?) – “Waddle will be out and we’re going to work some more Rob Hunt today to see where he’s at.”
(How much activity has OL Rob Hunt gotten in team portions, if anything?) – “He got a little work yesterday and the day before, so that was kind of where we were at. You can kind of control things when it’s not in a team environment more. There’s a little more risk when you get into the team environment, so then you wait until you feel comfortable doing that. We haven’t had any setbacks, so it was a good risk and we’ll see what is in store for today.”
(How did QB Tua Tagovailoa sustain the thumb injury?) – “A high-stakes, left-handed thumb war with me. (laughter) Bad decision. I really haven’t been worried about it at all just because he sustained it – I didn’t know about it during the game. When I found out about it the day after the game, he let me know what play it was. It was in the first quarter and he played the entire game without saying anything and has just been getting treatment on it. It was off an opposing player’s helmet in the first quarter. He was spinning it through the fourth.”
(And how about QB Tua Tagovailoa’s quad? What’s the status of that?) – “He feels real good about the quad. He’s been very intentional and deliberate during the week to make sure it wouldn’t be an issue at all. When he puts his mind to something – it was encouraging.”
(Just to get some clarity on S Jevon Holland, I know he’s practiced or participated, more this week. Is he closer to being back in the lineup or at least dressed for game day?) – “I’m optimistic about Jevon. The biggest thing is him not having any setbacks today, and so we’ll see how he handles that, or his body, I should say. Like I’ve been talking about from the onset, the deliberate nature of him, you just really, really have to be careful to not make yourself vulnerable to setbacks with him because he’s all gas and no brake, really. I’m encouraged by him and we’ll see what today has to offer.”
(RB Raheem Mostert and RB De’Von Achane?) – “Raheem is probably a guy that I’m least worried about in life in terms of, I just know him so well and his prerequisite toughness. He’ll get a little work today. He’s had a good week. And then De’Von, no issues with him. It’s been a good week for him too.”
(Where is WR Robbie Chosen in the concussion protocol?) – “Where DeShon (Elliott) was last week. The final stages of clearance will happen today and I’m optimistic that will be the case.”
(I’ll pivot off of the injuries and go towards a psychological question. So you guys come off a big win last week over the Cowboys, the first win over a winning team, all that stuff. The Ravens get a big win over a team that is favored in that game. What’s the approach for managing the emotions coming off of such an emotional high, going into another big game? How do you approach getting the guy’s minds back to that exact same place as they were ahead of the Cowboys game?) – “Each week is independent of itself. This one was really easy, just because you know the challenge. You know you have a high regard for the team you’re playing. The opportunity to play the NFL’s best is just that for us. We’re excited about that opportunity because as competitors, that’s what we want to do. We want to go against the best and put our best foot forward and see how it plays out. I think that is definitely a legitimate question. There’s different types of scenarios and a lot of times after a big win, you feel as though you have to manage the emotions because we have another big game in front of us. This one was not that way. There was a lot of excitement about the win, but once Wednesday started, the Dallas game could have been two or three months previous for all the players’ concerns. They have been locked in at the task at hand.”
(I ask this question against the backdrop of your growth as a second-year head coach. Could you guys have had the same success in the run game last year as you’ve had this year if you’d have called more rushing plays? I think you guys were 29th in rushing attempts last year and I think you’re 12th or 13th this year.) – “I hope not or I should have called more running plays. (laughter) I think last year was its own entity. I think this year, there’s no doubt in my mind that we’re better upfront at really everything we do, just with a more concrete understanding, more reps of what we’re really trying to accomplish. The one thing I can say is … if you put this year’s team, the same number of attempts against last year’s opponents, we’re without a doubt better at doing our jobs, which speaks to not only the deliberate nature of how it’s being coached, but the players I think have such an understanding and buy-in to what we’re trying to do that they’re able to execute responsibilities beyond just what we’re asking for. They’re taking stuff to another level. You have to be that way. This last game was a great example, to have success running the football when everyone knows you’re running it at the end of the game. That’s a great litmus test for where you’re at. That’s a tough thing to do and this group here doesn’t blink at any adverse situations. They were happy to rise to the challenge and they sure did.”
(How fair is it to say you’re coming for Dan Marino’s records considering how much the game has changed? They didn’t throw it as much.) – “So there’s a backstory to that that’s long. (laughter) I drive to work on Dan Marino Boulevard every day. From the onset, when I first saw him in the building, I’m like, ‘you’re Dan Marino.’ And he’s like, ‘would you be okay if I sat in the meeting?’ I’m like, ‘What? Yes. I’m just honored that you’d actually be interested.’ But he’s around in the quarterback meetings a lot, in our staff meetings and in those, over the course of time, you throw a jab out here or there and every time you throw a jab out, he says, ‘I’ve been waiting for someone.’ He’s the biggest Dolphins fan and he wants every success that Tua and the guys can have and so when he was coming to the coin toss, I think there were some records up there, so literally I said that to make Dan laugh. That was the only reason, because we talk about breaking records and he’s like, ‘finally.’ And on top of that, what you just alluded to is 100 percent the case. Like 5,000 yards in 1984 is pretty much the equivalent of 6,500, I would say, now. That record stood for 27 years or something like that. So there’s a reason is stood for that long and it’s a mind-blowing number. I remember as a kid just being so involved in stats and I was a huge John Elway fan and he wasn’t sniffing 5,000. So yeah, you’re exactly right. That’s like inflation. You have to account for inflation so it would be about 6,500 to break his record I think.”
(I wanted to ask about the fact that this unit, this defense, you’ve already got the franchise sack record with two games more to play and you’ve had some injuries in that group. How much is a testament to what you’re doing collectively on defense?) – “I’ve said this to the team numerous times, but the sacks, the quarterback hits, that is a defensive stat – team defense – because to be able to do that, of course, the people that are getting the numbers deserve them. They’re executing pass rush whether it’s just straight rush or there’s games or blitzes. All those things. They deserve all the credit they get, however, there’s a coverage aspect to it that I think speaks to the greater big picture of what the defense is doing on pass downs. What’s really happening is the inner play between coverage and pass rush is so tied together that guys are starting to feel how long they typically will have success – if they can hold up, you can be aggressive in coverage in certain different ways because realistically you know that there’s going to be a quarterback off the spot after a certain amount of time. I think as a defense, that’s a defensive stat that has to do just as much with the pass rush as the coverage. If there are blown coverages or leaky coverages, some of those hits or sacks can be avoided. So I think that really speaks to everyone. That’s what I’m really, really happy about with the Miami Dolphins team. Our team is a collection of people and a lot of people contributing, and when one guy goes down, another one steps in and rises to the challenge. The locker room that the players have built is really strong and guys are playing well with each other.”
(There was a moment in the Jets game where Solomon Thomas is down on a knee and you’re walking toward him. He’s a defensive player, you’re offensive. I know you were together in San Francisco, but can you tell me about that moment and maybe anything about your history with Solomon?) –– “I think people lose sight of, especially with pads, helmets, that this is a relationship game. I‘ve never shortchanged anybody that I’ve been able to be on a team with that there’s a certain bond there that never leaves. With a guy that I was there, he was our first draft pick in San Francico. Solomon Thomas is a great human being, great work ethic. When you have a relationship like that, a former teammate, there’s a part of that that never leaves you. If the relationship is right, both sides feel the same way. I was just trying to make sure he was okay. I don’t like seeing anybody get hurt on the football field.”
(I was watching the Browns last night, and was like, ‘wow, No Deshaun Watson, no Nick Chubb, no Jedrick Wills Jr., no Jack Conklin, and yet here they are fighting for one of the top seeds in the AFC. I was thinking about how even the Texas Rangers in baseball won a World Series without two Hall of Fame Pitchers, Jacob deGrom and Max Scherzer. What lesson is there in that? Can almost any injury actually be overcome?) – “I think adversity is an opportunity, for one. For two, I think it speaks to where your attention lies. So if a group of people are so focused on doing their independent jobs for the collective goal and only worry about that, there’s kind of a mindset that things happen in football, or in sports as you related, and not focusing on, ‘oh, our guy’s hurt,’ and focusing on what my job is. Let the people that have to step up to replace that player worry about their game; I’m going to worry about mine. And collectively, the idea of minimizing internal distractions, I think is a life lesson for all people because it’s very, very easy to go into the world of worry. It’s one of the reasons I don’t spend – for example, how the offensive line has played out this yea – I don’t spend any time bitching or moaning about, ‘oh, this guy is hurt.’ It’s what’s the next thing? How do we adjust? What are some of the skill sets of their replacement? And move on. I think that’s what you’re seeing with the Cleveland Browns is a lot people were worried about what they didn’t have except them. And their focus, when your focus is on the opponent and not what you don’t have, really cool things can happen. Because they were put behind the eight ball with injuries, now the accomplishments are that much more satisfying. So, henceforth, adversity is an opportunity because now they have this cool moment of a galvanizing team experience that the reason why it’s so cool and so impactful is because they’ve overcome some things to do it. That’s kind of the name of the game in life and football, and they’re doing a tremendous job providing that example.”
(With WR Tyreek Hill and four other good receivers available Sunday, pending what WR Robbie Chosen’s status is, do you think there’s something more that can be called for WR Chase Claypool? Is he on top of the system? Is there something there you’d like to maybe extract?) – “There is. In practice, there’s been an uptick in involvement and particularly in this game. Really everyone understands what Waddle brings to our team and then understands that it’s an opportunity for playmakers to make plays in his absence. So yeah, there has been. Chase has done an unbelievable job defining to me who he truly is. Whatever narratives existed before, all he’s done here is chopped wood and gotten better and assimilated into a system that isn’t necessarily easy. And he’s done it with the intent of helping the team through selflessness. It’s been really cool to watch him define himself with his teammates and take advantage of whatever opportunity is given. He also had a couple really good plays on special teams last week. And yeah, I expect to see a little bit more of him too.”
