Lawrence Timmons – July 29, 2017
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Saturday, July 29, 2017
LB Lawrence Timmons
(So what do you think of the heat?) – “I haven’t thrown up yet, so far so good. (laughter) I’m enjoying it. It’s the third day of camp so I’m still trying to get acclimated. The heat is kind of serious but I’m having fun.”
(How do you prevent the heat from becoming a problem?) – “Cool tubs after practice. Popsicles preferably. Stuff like that because it’s real hot out here.”
(I’ve seen you talking to LB Kiko Alonso on the side a lot. How do you form a bond with a new teammate like that?) – “It’s huge. Team camaraderie is everything. We’ve got to be like brothers and family out there – on the field, off the field. We’ve got to be each other’s friend, brother.”
(You were in half packs today but how was it to have at least a little more contact?) – “It was good getting your pads low, getting that muscle memory back of bending the pads. That and just out here like you’re little again, playing ball and having fun.”
(It’s practice but how cool was it to get that interception?) – “It was fun. (Head) Coach (Adam) Gase makes it fun for us. It’s very youthful here. It’s just fun out there. It’s like high school all over again.”
(And you had a lateral…) – “Yes. You saw that? When I was a quarterback (I ran) the veer option. (laughter)”
(You’ve been on some good defenses. What do you think when you see that d-line in front of you?) – “I feel like we have one of the best d-lines in football. You’ve got (Cameron) Wake, you’ve got (Ndamukong) Suh – the best d-tackle ever. (Andre) Branch has been going crazy. We’ve got a lot of players and it’s going to be fun. We’re still trying to develop and get better at the same time.”
(LB Raekwon McMillan, what do you think of him so far and his early development?) – “I feel like he’s very young but he’s willing to work and come to work every day. He doesn’t say much but he listens, which is major for him. I think he’s going about it the right way and I’m just waiting to see his success.”
(LB Neville Hewitt is a guy who made a few starts last year. He played some special teams. What does he bring to the table?) – “I like Neville because he’s a hard-nosed player. He gives you one speed every time. He’s very passionate. That’s another guy that’s going to make a lot of noise this year.”
(When you have three linebackers on the field and you’re outside, what does that enable you to do? What are the positives from that scenario when you line up like that compared to the middle?) – “I play both so it doesn’t matter to me. I’ve got to be a flexible player and play both. In the middle, you’re in the scrum more. On the outside, you’re free. You get to run around. That’s the difference.”
(Have you been playing more Sam linebacker?) – “I’m both – all over.”
(Is it true that sometimes in the summer the Steelers would tackle each other to the ground?) – “We’re the Dolphins here. (laughter) What are you talking about? Who is this guy? (laughter)”
(I read that the Steelers used to tackle each other in practice. I thought that was interesting.) – “No.”
(Not really?) – “No. (Steelers Head Coach) Mike Tomlin is still my guy. (Owner) Mr. Rooney, you already know.”
(He’s going to get an extension it sounds like?) – “Who?”
(Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin) – “He should. Why wouldn’t he?”
Adam Gase – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(We saw CB Cordrea Tankersley leave the field. Is there anything you can tell us about his situation?) – “Yes, he got a little over-heated, so our guys pulled him in. I just saw him a few minutes ago. He seemed alright.”
(Cramps?) – “No, he’s just dehydrated. Overheated.”
(The first day in pads will be what and with your first two defensive draft picks, what specifically on each are you eager to see with them in pads, with DE Charles Harris and LB Raekwon McMillan?) – “Tomorrow will be the first day that we’ll have our uppers on. We don’t go the full lower body pads. We’ll be in those for a couple of days before we go full pads. We’re a little selective on the full pads. Just guys stay off the ground when we go with uppers and we still get good work out of it. Really, all I’m looking for is to keep seeing what we’ve been seeing so far. Guys have been doing a good job of doing their job and you see those guys flash – whether it’s a run game or pass game. We’ll just keep working those guys in, giving them different looks and the longer we go, hopefully that will help them get ready for what they’re going to see in the preseason.”
(How comfortable are you with LB Raekwon McMillan making those calls?) – “Fine. That’s why we drafted him. He’s really smart. That’s the least of my worries. He does a good job of being vocal. He’s very clear. He knows what he’s doing. He’s going to make mistakes because that’s part of it; but a lot of the things are still done by Kiko (Alonso). It’s not as big of a deal as a lot of people think.”
(CB Alterraun Verner, I didn’t notice him out there in team stuff. Was he out there or did you guys just kind of bring him…) – “I mean we’re going to be rotating guys all over the place so I don’t know the reps until I watch the film and kind of see what’s going on. We kind of … Everything is moving real quickly. Every once in a while I’ll get informed that somebody’s been pulled out; but I’m not going to sit there and count the reps during practice.”
(It looked like the DT Davon Godchaux and DT Vincent Taylor made a couple of plays. What have you seen?) – “It seemed like the whole defensive line was making a lot of plays. They really made it tough today. It was a frustrating practice for the offense because the defense was really doing a good job. They made it hard for the run game to get going. That’s really what we kind have been expecting. We knew it was going to be tough this training camp because these guys have a really good feel for what we want to do on defense. They did a really good job of executing today and they’ll make it a rough practice for the offense. That’s what we want. It’s kind of one of those … it’s frustrating for one side, but the other side, that’s what they’re getting paid to do. That’s why we’ve got those guys up front. We want them to stop the run first and make them one-dimensional.”
(You have a lot of athletic big guys there to play that defensive tackle position but not many have that much game experience. What do you hope to see during training camp that will keep you encouraged?) – “We’ll give them so many looks and really you’re just trying to get them prepared for the preseason, so that’s not like a shock to them. The faster we can keep those guys playing, the better, and it just becomes a game of reaction. I don’t want them thinking, which that’s why our defense is set up really for those guys to get up the field and penetrate and just play hard and fast. We don’t try to over-complicate anything and right now, those guys are doing a really good job. They’re making it really tough – whether you’re in the one’s, two’s or three’s – because they’re getting a ton of reps. It’s really been … It’s an encouraging sign that the front, they’re trying to really push each other. That whole group, I mean you can see the leadership of those veterans has really been paying off for us because those guys are pushing those younger guys and they’re setting the tempo of practice early, and those guys are following suit.”
(It what ways has T Laremy Tunsil grown and improved now versus a year ago?) – “I mean he’s playing the position that really he’s been playing his whole life. So for him it’s … I know he enjoyed … When he plays tackle, he really … That’s his thing. He really kind of did that for us for one year – going inside – and did a good job and had to learn real fast, and that’s the way we were built last year. Now with him being able to bump out there, that’s just more his game. It’s nice having him out there. It’s just every day you look out there going, ‘I’m glad he fell to us.’”
(Does it fit his T Laremy Tunsil’s skillset better?) – “Definitely.”
(How so?) – “He’s a big man that’s very athletic, great with his hands (and) just has a really good feel. It’s just one of those things, he’s just so used to playing that spot and when you get bumped inside, everything’s happening a little quicker. It’s a different perspective. Your eyes are going different spots and things get a little tighter. It’s a whole different game for him, and then you throw him at left tackle and it’s hard to get around him. It’s hard to get inside him. He can redirect so good. It’s good to get him out there.”
(Does he compare to anyone that you’ve coached at left tackle or coached against?) – “That would be hard for me to say. I haven’t really … I’m trying to think. Really I was with (Ryan) Clady there for a second before he started getting hurt all the time; but coming into 2009, he was a dominate guy in the league when he was a young player. I haven’t been around too many guys that have those kind of skillsets.”
(Do you guys have some clarity with your offensive line? Is the group that we’re seeing out there now the plan as it stands today?) – “We’ll see. I don’t know. I don’t have to put a depth chart out yet.”
(You don’t have to.) – “I know.”
(I asked you. It’s your prerogative.) – “(laughter) I don’t know, just keep watching. Chart it. (laughter) It’ll give you something to do during practice. (laughter)”
(Back to G/T Laremy Tunsil, do you see a change in his personality in Year 2? So often guys do change a lot from their rookie season.) – “He’s very … I would say he was real quiet last year. He was trying to find his niche in the locker room and now you can see he’s got some ability to talk a little trash every once in a while. So you can tell he’s having fun. I think he really enjoys playing left tackle again.”
(You said in the spring you were happy with what you were seeing from DT Jordan Phillips in terms of raising his game a little bit. Have you seen signs early in camp that he kept that up through the break and early on here?) – “Yes, he’s done a good job with his pursuit when we’re throwing balls. That’s been a big point of emphasis for the d-line. I know that group is really trying to hold each other accountable with that where a ball is thrown (and they are) running down the field. Really, that’s kind of getting their extra conditioning right there. He’s been one of those guys trying to do that. In the run game, you’ll see him every once in a while. He’ll make a really good play. He’s trying to do what his responsibility is. That’s why … Those are tough positons to play inside because it’s hard to make a ton of plays because you’re kind of protecting those linebackers, and at the same time, every once in a while when you take a shot, you’ve got to be right. He’s done a good job of staying in his lane; but at the same time, he’s been making plays by doing that.”
(When you have your own veteran guys that have the trust level with from last year, like DE Cameron Wake for example. How much do you kind of leave to him or defer to him in terms of taking care of some of the teaching out there with the younger guys?) – “Yes, that’s kind of why we’re doing those last periods of the practice when those guys kind of break off. When we first started doing it, it was more for coaches and the young guys, and the vets kind of started taking over a lot of those drills. It means probably a little more when it’s coming from those guys that they’re playing with, and they’re kind of watching, making comments and kind of giving them their tricks of the trade. Those guys will listen to that. At the end of the day, they don’t want to let them down. They want to make sure that they do it right for the guys that they’re playing with. And it’s been … All of those guys have been great between Cam (Wake) and (Ndamukong) Suh and (Andre) Branch, William (Hayes), they’re all out there, always trying to help those guys get better, which is great to see. You can see there’s a lot of pride in that room to where they’re playing as a group and they all want to make sure they’re doing the right stuff.”
(We noticed CB Jordan Lucas’ interception today. Has he found a home at safety or is he still cross-training, and what do you want to see from him on special teams?) – “When we get kind of past that first line guys, we’re cross-training as many guys as we can that can handle it. He’s a guy that’s … he’s able to play a lot of different positions. We’ve had him at safety, corner, nickel. We’ve moved him around a lot. He’s one of those guys, he works extremely hard to make sure he knows what to do so if something happens, he can jump in there. It’s tough because if you’re a one-dimensional guy and you’re that second line of defense, you better know what to do because if one guy goes down, the next guy is up and you’ve got to be able to play a lot of different positions.”
(Special teams-wise with CB Jordan Lucas?) – “He’s a big-time guy that’s playing a lot of phases. He’s trying to develop into one of those guys that we can count on. It’s not as easy to jump into those roles. You can see like Mike Thomas has developed into a guy that’s extremely good and well-known across the league, and all of those guys are trying to push to that level. I’m sure that wasn’t Day 1 for Mike, where he just jumped in there and was like ‘Alright, now I’m going to be a good special teams (player).’ He works extremely hard at that. He studies a lot of film. He knows exactly what everybody’s supposed to do. That’s what makes him such a good special teams player.”
(It’s hard to predict, obviously, on feet; but have you gotten any feedback from the medical staff on how far WR Rashawn Scott is away from being able to do anything?) – “I don’t know. We’re way a ways away. We’ve got time.”
(I wasn’t around for training camp last year, so I don’t know the answer to this question: perhaps at the scrimmage, there’ll be tackling to the ground? Anywhere else where you’ll actually have the guys tackle each other to the ground?) – “That was something that we’ve been discussing. It’s really going to be … We’re going to see where we are health-wise. We always start going into it saying, ‘The scrimmage is going to be live.’ And then we’re going to see where we’re at. It makes it a little difficult because if we go live with our d-line, it would make it extremely hard. We might cheat it for the offense a little bit. (laughter) We’ll see. A lot of times too, you want to be careful about who’s taking how many hits. You know Jay (Ajayi) is already scheduled to carry the ball 400 times for you guys. (laughter) I don’t want to give any carries up.”
(How does WR Jakeem Grant look so far on special teams and then separately on offense?) – “Good. He’s doing extremely well on both. He’s really taking a lot of pride to special teams. I can tell it really bothered him in the spring. A couple of the drops last year he had on those punt returns, it just really bothered him. I know he has been working relentlessly to be a reliable guy and catch every one. On offense, he’s really making a huge jump for us. He looks so much more comfortable and he’s making a lot of plays. He understands how he fits in. It’s fun to watch him play because when he gets the ball in his hands and he gets a little bit of space, you see the defense start to panic, because if they don’t get near him, he’s gone. A guy like that, they’re rare. We want to keep trying to put him in position to make plays and when we hit the preseason, the same thing. We’ll see if we can get him going at receiver. It makes him more valuable. He’s not just a special teams guy. He wants to be a guy that can help on offense.”
(Running back a possibility for WR Jakeem Grant as well?) – “I don’t know if I’m ready to go down that road yet.”
(When you’re trying to decide on full pads or just the uppers and you have to consider keeping players excited and all that, is that an overriding philosophy or a day-by-day type thing?) – “It’s day by day. You get a feel for it; you see where your health is. You get your mind right as far as what’s the weather going to be like, as well. One day to the next, you just never know. You roll out there and it gets pretty hot. When we’re in the uppers, it’s just a mindset for those guys. They get going and then we throw the full pads on and they’ve got to have a different mindset. They know the night before. It kind of gets them ready. We keep talking about, ‘Let’s prepare every day like a game.’ We try to give them a heads up on that, because when we go full pads, they’ve got to have a different mindset, because out here it’s not going to be cool by any means.”
(When you’re out here with no pads, does the boredom level build quicker for the guys after two days?) – “I think they’re a little anxious to throw pads on. Like today, offense, they’re always going to say, ‘We don’t have pads on. It’s not going to look like that when we have pads on.’ That’s why tomorrow it gets a little more interesting.”
Kenny Stills – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
WR Kenny Stills
(As you enter training camp and prepare for the season, is there an ease in your mind now that there’s no contract to be playing for. I’m not saying that you’re going to be working any less hard, but are things a little bit mentally easier?) – “I don’t know. That’s not something I really think about, honestly.”
(What changes tomorrow intensity-wise when the pads come on?) – “You hear the pads popping, that’s pretty much it. We’ve been going pretty hard. You see the tempo. You’ll hear the pads popping here and there and you’ll see some guys showing a little more aggression.”
(How different is RB Jay Ajayi this camp as a leader? Is there a big noticeable difference in how he’s carrying himself?) – “Yes, you see Jay out there just trying to lead by example. You hear him a little bit more; he’s a little bit more vocal. It’s great for us as an offense. We’ve got so many young guys that can do big things for this offense. Just for us to be out there and picking each other up all the time is pretty big for all of us.”
(To have a year of this offense under your belt, for all of you, how does that change your familiarity with it?) – “We’re just more comfortable and we’re playing faster and we’re having fun. When you’re not thinking as much, you’re out there just playing ball, so we’re seeing that for the offense.”
(How much confidence does it give the offense as whole just to have a guy coming off a historic season like RB Jay Ajayi out there taking care of the running game?) – “We know at every position that we’ve got guys that can make plays. The offensive line started making those big holes for Jay last year and it started opening up the passing game for us. We know we can all play off of each other; so yes, it’s exciting for us. We just continue to push each other to get better and we want to build off of what we did last year.”
(Is RB Jay Ajayi the type of guy that can do better than what he did last year?) – “You can always improve. At every position we can improve, so I guess we’ll see.”
(Usually there’s a lot of turnover. It seems on offense there’s a couple new pieces but not a lot of change. How does that help having so many familiar faces back?) – “The continuity on our offense, you can tell. You don’t see any mistakes made. We’re comfortable in this offense. The new pieces are coming in and they’re helping us. Like I said, we’re having fun and we’re thinking less.”
Jay Ajayi – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
Running Back Jay Ajayi
(The pads come on tomorrow. What kind of intensity does that add to a practice?) – “It’s going to add a lot more contact. Energy is going to be up. I know the o-line and d-line, they’ll probably be excited for that. It should be a fun practice.”
(How does it affect you – no pads to pads? You’re a physical runner. I know it’s not always tackling to the ground and everything. How does that affect you?) – “In practice (it is) a little bit different, because you get to see the holes a little bit clearer, the landmarks are a little more easier to read. For me, personally, in practice it’s all about aiming points and landmarks. Making sure I’m consistent with my keys and running hard whether I got pads on or whether I don’t.”
(And the landmarks are easier because there’s contact and it’s more game like?) – “It’s a little bit more game like. Obviously, the line, they can use their physicality a lot better than if they were just in jerseys. They can actually hold onto their blocks better, get good leverage and the holes are easier to read.”
(You had a historic season in many ways last year. Do you find yourself even more hungry for camp?) – “Definitely. I’m a competitor. I’m striving to be the best. Last year was a great season. Now it’s just about starting fresh and building with this team, building on this season and trying to be great.”
(How different is this training camp for you after what you did last season?) – “I’m in a different space mentally now. I know my role. I’m comfortable with what I know. Now it’s just about pushing myself every day, coming out here and striving to be great. (I’m) working on the little details here and there to really stretch my game and really take my game to another level.”
(How would you describe your role?) – “Just to be a leader on this team. I was able to do a lot of good things for the offense last year. It’s just about building off of that, taking the next step on the field and off the field.”
(Last year RB Arian Foster was the starter through camp going into the season. You now know you are. Do you do anything different as camp unfolds as you prepare for opening day?) – “No. Just come in, know what my plays are. Know my assignments. Come out here. Come with energy. Be a leader and try and be consistent and improve my game every day.”
(I’m sure you wanted to be a leader last year, but you got to wait your turn. Is that the way it works?) – “It was opportunity, just waiting. When it finally came, it was about making the plays, keeping your head down and do what you need to do. For me, it was running hard and having great blocking and working. Now, this year, knowing what I was able to do last year, it’s about taking the next step. For me, that’s what it has been all about this offseason, this spring – pushing myself to do even more than I did last year.”
(Can you talk about what we should expect to see out of you as a ball catcher this year, as a pass catcher?) – “I’ve been working hard on it all offseason. It’s something that I’ve been working to get real comfortable (with). I believe I can do it. I know I have the skillset to do it. I’m striving to be that all-around back that never needs to come off the field. That’s what I’ve been working on every day.”
(Attacking the wide-nine front proved to be a little bit difficult in training camp last offseason. Now, you guys seem to be doing a little bit better with it. How much easier was it seeing it the second year?) – “For us, we go against our defense every day – a great defensive front – so it’s always a challenge to go against them. It was about learning the … Go against them, wide-nine technique. You have to read the keys different than if was just a regular defensive end. You have to know what you see in pre-snap. After that, it’s just playing football. It was just about growing comfortable with that as an offense, as a running back room. Now I think that we’re pretty knowledgeable of how to run against different techniques.”
(You went home in the offseason. Did you notice there were more Dolphins fans than ever where you live?) – “I was in London, so I didn’t see as many ‘Fins jerseys all over, but I saw some pictured here and there. People were showing love, and that was fun. I went back home to the U.K., so that was cool.”
(Do you often get recognized on the street there?) – “I got recognized a little bit. It was pretty cool just to be able to go home and enjoy being with my family after having a great year last year.”
(Healthy C Mike Pouncey, healthy QB Ryan Tannehill, offensive line coming in tact. Are you excited about the offense this year, a dynamic offense?) – “You look at our toolbox, I think we’re pretty stacked. Now we know what the weapons are, we all have to contribute. We have to play even more than what’s expected of us and we’re excited to go and do that.”
Laremy Tunsil – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
T Laremy Tunsil
(Your thoughts on opening camp at your old college position?) – “It feels pretty good. OTAs, it was pretty good at left tackle. Training camp is going good at left tackle. We’re going to see tomorrow when we put on the pads. I really can’t say much because we haven’t done anything (yet).”
(Is the second year in the system, for all of you, just more reacting rather than thinking?) – “More reacting, used to the offense, better knowledge – different things.”
(What’s the next step for you personally?) – “I just want to make my team better. That’s my goal is to make my team better and get to the next level.”
(How much are you looking forward to going one-on-one with DE Charles Harris?) – “I’m looking to go one-on-one with everybody. That’s all it’s about – competition and just getting better.”
(Last year former T Branden Albert made a point of mentioning how, to him, left tackle is a badge of honor. What is it to you?) – “I could also say it’s a badge of honor. Branden Albert taught me a lot of things and how to play left tackle, how to play guard and just understanding the game of football. He taught me a lot of things.”
(How much more confident do you feel in your second training camp?) – “I feel a little bit better going in. It’s a new position but I’ll get used to it. I have more knowledge of the game now since I played guard and I moved out to tackle. So I understand the offensive line more and the offense.”
(On a unit where continuity is very important, how will C Mike Pouncey’s uncertainty – being out there and not out there – how will that affect you guys?) – “I’m positive that he’ll come back out here and be better than ever. It’s just patience. We were with him basically the whole season. We have his back, so that will be pretty good.”
(So you’re confident you guys can just pick up where you left off? C Mike Pouncey is in meetings and he’s communicating? Is that how it works?) – “Yes.”
(Is there anyone you study on tape – any NFL left tackles – that you’ve admired over the years, that you’ve looked at on tape this summer or spring?) – “(Dallas Cowboys tackle) Tyron Smith. That’s a monster.”
(Why Dallas Cowboys T Tyron Smith? Do you see similarities?) – “That’s a monster right there. You’ve got to look at the best. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to look at the best.”
(Do you know Dallas Cowboys T Tyron Smith? Have you ever talked to him?) – “Never talked to him. Just watched his film.”
(When you look at your game between pass protection and run blocking, where do you expect to make the greatest improvement this year?) – “I want to be improved on pass protection and run game. I want to be great at both, not just one. I don’t want to be one-dimensional and good at pass and horrible at run. I want to be good at both.”
(So if you spent more time on one or the other in the offseason, which one would it be?) – “Like I said, I want to spend the majority of my time on both of them.”
(How much did the year playing guard do you think helped you now and will help you this year?) – “I feel like it gave me more knowledge for the offensive line. Last year at left guard, it was a new position, so I had to get used to that. Understanding the offensive line was a breeze.”
(Talk about protecting QB Ryan Tannehill’s back side.) – “I’ve got to. That’s my guy. I want to protect Tannehill with all I have and put everything on the line every single game.”
(Is there a little extra pressure knowing that QB Ryan Tannehill is coming back from that knee injury? The offensive line is a big front for him.) – “There’s always pressure every game. I want to be the best.”
Charles Harris – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
Defensive End Charles Harris
(First two days of practice, how do you feel right now?) – “I feel good. I feel ready to go. (It was a) long break. I’m not used to that in college. So I’m ready to go.”
(How do you handle the heat?) – “I’m adjusting pretty well. Everybody is adjusting pretty well … I think the first day was a little hot, but today was hotter than yesterday; but today was a lot easier in terms of the wind and everything. I think everyone is getting acclimated to it.”
(Talk about a guy like DE Cameron Wake. He’s such a great player.) – “It’s great. I’m learning from him on and off the field, in the film room and stuff like that. I just watch him, just be in the background watching him, watch the way he moves and stuff like that, the way he gets ready for practice. It’s great.”
(I also saw you talking to DE Andre Branch. What’s it like being with a lot of veterans at your position? How much do you think that’s going to help you?) – “It helps me a lot. As a rookie, it’s hard to come in and know everything, so it’s always good to have somebody ahead of you to teach you the ropes and teach you everything. After every single play – I think you all probably saw today – Branch pulled me to the side and told me what I did right, what I did wrong. The great thing about it is that (Defensive Line) Coach ‘T’ (Terrell Williams) doesn’t have to tell us. The veterans a lot of times are correcting us, which I think that’s why we’re like a well-oiled machine.”
(What are some specific things you focused on in training camp?) – “So far, working against tight ends. Playing against the run and stuff like that. We don’t have pads on, so just getting my hands right for the pass rush.”
(Is there a level of excitement that pads come on tomorrow?) – “Definitely. Across the board. I think everybody will know it’s coming up. Defense, we’re about to get to rocking. It’s going to be good.”
(The first game is less than two weeks away.) – “I’ve got to take it one day at a time. I’m not really thinking about the game right now, just really thinking about practice. I feel like by the end of camp … Camp is designed for you to get ready, so the end of camp we’ll be ready.”
(It’s still very early, but what so far have you noticed between an NFL training camp and the summer program at Mizzou?) – “I think between here and college, it’s really the time that you have. I feel like we got a lot less time at night, but throughout the day we have more time in the middle of the day and stuff like that. It’s about what you do in between the day. I feel like everybody … Right now, you go into the room – into the building – everybody is in the cold tub, everybody is recovering. That’s the biggest thing is you have to take care of your body during training camp.”
(There’s been a lot of talk about how polished you are as a pass rusher and your ability to use your hands. Where did you begin cultivating that? Who’s helped you most with your hands?) – “Probably coach ‘Dre’ (Andre Carter), our assistant d-line coach. He helps us a lot. Actually, after practice, just a minute ago, I was out there perfecting my hands and stuff like that. From college, ‘Coach Kool’ (Craig Kuligowski). Coming here to the NFL, I feel like Coach ‘T’ and Coach ‘Dre’ take it to a whole other level.”
(How’s life for a rookie first-round draft pick in that group with those veterans? Do you hear the business or what’s the talk? Normally, there’s a history in the NFL of people picking on rookies. First-round draft pick, you have a lot of veterans in there. Have you heard any of that?) – “What happens indoors stays in our doors. (laughter) I’m not going to speak on things that we do. But it’s great. I couldn’t imagine another group of guys I’d rather be under and learning from.”
(What’s something that former DE Jason Taylor has said in conversation or literally showed you that helped you?) – “The biggest thing I took away from working out with him was the things he did post-practice during camp, when your body is tired, when it’s after practice and you’ve already drained yourself; but it’s like working technique, working on fundamentals. Post-practice is what’s going to really help you in the fourth quarter late in the game or even in overtime, when the offensive tackle is tired. You might be winded as well, but you still got your technique, and that’s one thing that can always out beat an opponent.”
(How big is that for a rookie like yourself to work with a Hall of Famer?) – “It’s great. I couldn’t imagine another Hall of Famer I’d rather learn after. But it’s great. It’s great overall.”
(What do you remember about former DE Jason Taylor as a player?) – “Just his relentlessness, especially his stab-club-rip – his go-to move, and the way he bend the corner. He was always relentless against the pass, the run, things like that.”
Raekwon McMillan – July 28, 2017
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Friday, July 28, 2017
Linebacker Raekwon McMillan
(What is the biggest adjustment you’ve had to make coming from college – Ohio State – to now here in the NFL?) – “In Ohio, it wasn’t this hot, for one; but just coming in and being around veteran guys. At Ohio State, I came in and I started as a freshman. So I was in early and I kind of built leadership early; but here, I don’t have to be that leader out there. They’ve already got leaders on the team – guys who have been in the league for five, six, seven, eight, nine or 10 years. So I don’t have to be that vocal leader out there. I just need to do my job and figure my stuff out first.”
(You’re known as a physical player. When [shoulder] pads come on tomorrow, how does practice change from today to tomorrow?) – “It’s my first one. All I can tell you is when the pads come on, it’s a different level of physicality. A lot of the thinking goes out of the window because it becomes more of a physical game; not more mental, touchy, touchy. It’s physical with the pads on.”
(How do you handle yourself out here in the ‘touchy, touchy’ periods of practice?) – “You just practice like a pro – keep everybody up, try not to get anybody hurt, no feet tangled up or anything like that. But when the pads come on, you know we’ll be physical.”
(Is it a little frustrating out there when you can’t tackle?) – “No, it’s part of being a pro.”
(Would starting be something important to you? Obviously with LB Koa Misi out for the year, there’s even a greater opportunity. Is that a goal?) – “Yes, it’s definitely a goal of mine; but it’s a long-term goal. What I have to focus on is getting better tomorrow and focusing on what I did wrong today so I can get better tomorrow.”
(How comfortable are you at Mike linebacker? We saw you out there today.) – “I’m comfortable at Mike but we’ve been switching out and doing a lot of things out here. But I’m very comfortable out there at Mike.”
(You’ve been at Mike and strong side, those two?) – “I’ve been playing all three – whatever my coach wants me to do.”
(Your strengths right now, you point to what? I know coaches have talked about how prepared you are, how you know the playbook. What would you point to as your strengths at this point?) – “Just coming in prepared. I try to be one of the most prepared guys out there. I haven’t gotten everything down pat. I learn as I go, picking things up from the veterans; but other than that, I think being just mentally prepared and physically prepared with my body.”
(When you’re playing the middle linebacker position, is that a situation where the middle linebacker calls the plays? Is that how that would work in two weeks?) – “Yes. I call the plays. I get the huddle call for the guys and get everything lined up. But then from there, everybody makes their own checks and calls too.”
(If they do end up putting you in the middle, how much of a pride – and of course we’re a long way off from knowing that – but how much pride would you take in that knowing there are two established pros who have been successful middle linebackers that would be alongside you in LB Lawrence Timmons and LB Kiko Alonso?) – “There are a lot of expectations for me. Those guys are proven leaders and proven players out there on the field. So going out there and living up to my own expectations and playing to a high standard.”
(You mentioned the heat. How tough it is to sometimes concentrate when it’s this hot?) – “It’s hard to concentrate right now talking to you all. (laughter) Other than that, it’s alright once you get used to it. We’ve been down here for a little while and got a little taste of it in the spring, but there isn’t nothing like this.”
(How has the Ohio State program prepared you for the NFL?) – “It’s the best program in the nation, to me. There’s no place I feel like a recruit should rather go than Ohio State, because you can get mentally prepared for the NFL physically and you’ll win championships at Ohio State.”
(Outside of the heat, what is the biggest challenge about this process?) – “Just learning the game. It’s a different game. The (hash marks), player speed, physicality, it’s just a totally different game that you have to prepare for.”
(Will you get to tackle someone before the Falcons game?) – “You tell me. This is my first (training camp). (laughter)”
(Saturday scrimmage at the stadium, maybe?) – “I don’t know. I’m worried about tomorrow. I don’t know what they have going on, but hopefully.”
(What’s the best way to be a good tackler when you hardly practice it?) – “You always practice it mentally. So when you’re pursuing the ball, we always do the eyes-through-the-thighs, wrap-and-roll type tackle. Just getting low, bending your knees and always being in a good football position.”
Stephen Ross – July 27, 2017
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
Chairman of the Board/Managing General Partner Stephen Ross
(Were you here at all this morning?) – “No.”
(Were you sorry to miss it, the first day?) – “Yes. I’ve been here before – been there, done that as they say. We had a meeting with the city so I had to take care of that as opposed to … I would have otherwise been here.”
(What are your thoughts about getting started?) – “I think everybody is excited to get started. While we had a good season last year, I think everybody is excited for this year. Ticket sales have kind of reflected that. I think just the whole attitude. You can feel it in the town. I’m ready for football.”
(Expectations?) – “Every year you want to go all the way. That’s where you start. I don’t have any real predictions because if I do, I get killed by you guys anyway (laughter).”
(Do you feel like you have things in place here?) – “Yes. I really think – as I said last year and I think you can see it – I think we have a team that really is working well together. By the team, I mean the front office, both on the business side and the football side. I’m really kind of thrilled the way things are … I think we have the right people and that’s key. I believe in them and they work together well. That’s as important.”
(Were you surprised it took as long as it has to get this core organization working the way you want it to?) – “Yes, I mean sure, I would have liked it to have been that way a lot sooner; but I can only look at it today. You guys are writing about the future and today, not about the past.”
(How different does it feel than a year ago when Adam Gase was a rookie head coach and everything was new?) – “I told you last time that I really believe in Adam. I spend a lot of time … I told you it was my decision last time. I wasn’t enlisting consultants. We didn’t have any consultants in the room when we hired him. It was something that I went with my gut. I did a lot of homework. I’m thrilled. I think maybe you guys were a lot more skeptical. You had to see it yourself. The proof in the pudding is in the eating. I think today and when you talk to people, when you read the papers, everybody is talking about what a great, young coach Miami has.”
(What do you think of the soccer? Is that coming about as you planned, as you dreamed?) – “Yes. I don’t know how much you guys know about it but we started this five years ago. This is our fifth year bringing European soccer to the United States for this two-week period. It’s grown and grown and grown. Yesterday we had 92,000 people at our game in Los Angeles. We had over 70,000 in Washington and we had 45,000 here (at Hard Rock Stadium) last night. It’ll be sold out for El Clasico. We’ve also had last weekend 82,000 in New York, 67,000 in Houston and 67,000 in San Francisco. It really shows you 1) the popularity of soccer. It is growing in this country, there’s no question about it. But it also shows you that people really want to see the great stars, the great performers and the great teams. I think that’s why you see these type of crowds.”
(Any word on Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo playing in El Clasico on Saturday?) – “I’d like to say I’m optimistic. We’ve reached out. We’ve done everything that we can. He has some complex issues, as you all know, back in Spain. He hasn’t said absolutely not. I have a plane waiting. (laughter) But I really don’t know. I can’t … I’m more, probably, pessimistic than I am optimistic; but he hasn’t said finally no. We’ll probably know relatively soon.”
(Now that you’ve made the playoffs, did you find yourself this offseason thinking about the Super Bowl a little bit more and did it seem a little more tangible or touchable?) – “I think you take one step at a time. I’ve been in business for a long time. You’ve got to take one day at a time and one season at a time and growing it. I also don’t want to put anybody in a situation where they have expectations that everybody doesn’t want to see … They have expectations; we all have great expectations. But you’ve got to be realistic. We’re a young, growing team.”
(Earlier this week, the CTE study was released out of Boston University. What are your thoughts on that study?) – “We do everything as a team and as a league to really make sure we’re looking at all the different issues. We’re all concerned about it. There’s a tremendous amount of research that’s going into it and things to make it better. As close as I am, I know if I had a son, I’d have him playing football today. Yes, these are things of concern; but I know so much attention, time and money and everybody’s efforts is looking to really make sure the sport is safer. They’ve done many, many rule changes over the last number of years to do that. I think we’ll just keep doing that until we really find a solution.”
(Do you worry about the long-term health of the game?) – “I think if you look at … I think the way people look at football today, I think it’s as popular as it has probably ever been, and I think it’ll continue to be that way. I think the things that we do are forward thinking. We’re not just sitting back as a league – certainly we not as a team – and saying, ‘Hey, everything is great,’ and not realize that there are issues, and you’ve got to make them better. I think that’s what we’re all – in this business – and I think every owner in the league feels the same way.”
(You have a number of the 1972 guys that are dealing with cognitive issues. Where you surprised to read about the Jim Kiick’s and all that?) – “I was very saddened to know about that. You’ve read that it’s not just Miami Dolphins; it’s across the league (that) there have been players. At the same time, many great players that are still around that have suffered nothing and you see them have full, healthy lives. But you hate to see any one person really suffer.”
(What did it mean to you for RISE to win the ESPN Stuart Scott ENSPIRE Award?) – “I really believed in RISE. I think we put together an organization and seeing the impact that we’re having and the fact that somebody else recognizes that, I think is important. I think it’s great for the country. I think it’s great for sports in general. This isn’t a Miami Dolphins issue, it’s not an NFL issue, it’s a country’s issue. I think seeing everybody coming together and dealing with that and trying to make the world a better place, you have to feel good about something like that.”
(Are you seeing your program spread though throughout the league? Are other owners taking on that responsibility of mentoring, doing internships?) – “That’s different than RISE, but yes. I think people recognized what we were doing. I had dinner the other night with (Commissioner) Roger (Goodell) and he said, ‘It’s great what you guys have done.’ I think everybody in the league should be doing things like that for players and recognizing what they put into it and making sure that part of your responsibility is when the game is over, that they can really use that same passion that they have for something else and lead a really successful life, because we all know that a football player’s life is very short in comparison to your life span.”
(You already made a vast investment on the stadium the last couple of years. What kind of facility will fans see when they drive up this year and is there anything else in the works in that area?) – “Yes. With this year … in other words you haven’t been out there yet this year? I mean you’re going to see a lot of landscaping that’s been put in there. We’ve re-done all the clubs, the suites and that’s all brand new. There are a lot of punch-list items so if I went there today, could I tell you it was finished? No. But it looks damn good. It will be ready for our home opener – the exhibition – it will be complete. Next year.”
Senior Vice President of Communications & Community Affairs Jason Jenkins:
“The press box will be done as well.”
Stephen Ross:
“You guys will like that. (laughter)”
(That’s the big one) – “What do you care about anybody else? You guys are taken care of. (laughter) But next year we’ll be putting in bridges and tunnels so that fans will have a better experience of arriving and departing from the stadium, where the fans will walk underneath the ring road, so that the cars can get out of there a lot faster. And also walking in, the safety issues of going over Dan Marino Boulevard, where we’ll have bridges to take the fans over there. I think that will have a big impact. The whole thing is to make the experience at the game that much better. I think our stadium is unique and I think fans really appreciate it.”
(Regarding WR Jarvis Landry, what do you think of the way that he’s handled himself this offseason and where do things stand between him and the organization?) – “I think that he’s a great player. There’s no question about it. I think he’s handled himself well. He didn’t hold out. It’s not a question if we don’t sign him now, we lose him. We can franchise him and go from there. So there is a lot of opportunity for him to stay here. I hope he stays here because he’s a great player.”
(Are you optimistic that you guys will get a deal done with WR Jarvis Landry before the season?) – “I don’t know if before the season, but like I said, it’s not really mandatory that we do it before the season.”
(There’s a lot of perception that QB Colin Kaepernick is being black-balled from the NFL and owners are somewhat involved in this situation. What is your viewpoint on … You stood kind of supporting your players when they made a social stance. Do you feel like Colin Kaepernick is being punished for making a social stance?) – “I would sure hope not. I know that a lot has been written about it, but you know owners or coaches – even more specifically – they’ll do anything it takes to win. And if they think he can help them win, I’m sure … I would hope they would sign him.”
(There was a Wall Street Journal report in May that said you had bid for the Marlins at some point. Just to address that, was that true and is there any price point in which you’d have interest?) – “I have my hands full with the Dolphins, the stadium and I wish them well.”
(Have any of the current people trying to buy the Marlins approached you looking for you to invest?) – “I’ve had phone calls, but I’m not interested.”
(As you know, the NFL has gone from exhibitions to sending regular season games overseas, including high-level games like the Dolphins and the Jets. I’m wondering if you see a time when European Leagues will reciprocate and send regular season matches here. And if so, are you interested in such a thing?) – “Well certainly … I mean the rules there prohibit that at this point. You can’t play games outside of your country and then there’s the Champions League, and they also cannot play outside of Europe, wherever the games are designated. Certainly we’d be interested in having that. To bring big games here that are more meaningful would be great. But I think having the great teams that are coming here playing each other and seeing the great stars there, I think, are what the fans really want to see in other words. But I think you never know what’s going to happen there because there’s a lot of pressure for media dollars and everything else. So how the teams in Europe look at it, it wouldn’t surprise me if at some point they play games outside their country; but right now they’re prohibited from that.”
(Is there anything new to report on potential tennis at Hard Rock Stadium?) – “Stay tuned.”
(It’s in the works then?) – “It’s a thought. (laughter)”
(The NFL has made hosting a Super Bowl … one of the requirements that it wants to impose is that the team plays overseas in London. Is that unfair to teams in cities that want to host Super Bowls – as opposed to cold weather cities that aren’t even getting involved in stuff like that – to give up a home game?) – “I think it’s great for really promoting the brand by going international. A lot of teams are reluctant to do that. We did that when we were building the stadium to give us more time to build it the first year. We’re going this year because that’s part of getting the Super Bowl. I think what should happen is that as long as we’re promoting international football, they should have a schedule where every team would have to give up a home game so that it’s not unfair to the smaller cities are putting pressure on to having to do that just to host the Super Bowl.”
(It seems silly for David Beckham to go through all of these hoops to try to find a stadium when your location and venue, albeit large, seems to be more appealing than anything they could built at that location. Have you ever talked to his group or to the MLS commissioner about hosting an MLS team at your venue?) – “There have been conversations but nothing really serious. I think what the fans want to see is the great teams that we’re bringing here. I think it would be an awful lot of competition to bring a team here knowing that we are bringing all of these great games to Miami. You’re still fighting for the sports dollar. You’re competing for that. I think there are crowds of building a stadium for 20,000 seats when you see how we can fill up a stadium with the stars coming in. I think Miami is a great event city. That’s what it’s known as. It’s not the great sports city we’d like to think we are. Coming in to compete with us, I wouldn’t want to be doing that.”
(Have they approached you at all? The David Beckham group, have they talked to you at all?) – “I think that they realize our stadium is too big.”
(As far as the Miami Marlins situation goes, do you feel like the sell of that team and buying a pro franchise has gone awry, has gone wrong?) – “I think that (the Marlins ownership) is holding out right now for dollars that are unrealistic, that’s what I would guess. And they have their issues certainly; but that’s their problem. I’ve got to worry about mine.”
(Has there been any talks in the NFL about extra security measures between the Dolphins and the NFL and the Saints when you guys go to London?) – “There will be severe security precautions there. Everybody’s aware of that. Certainly with what’s happening in London and everybody’s aware, so I’m sure that’s all will being taken care of. The league is very serious about that, as we are at our stadiums here.”
(Amongst Pro Bowl, the NFL Draft, the Scouting Combine, which has obviously been an Indianapolis staple for years. Do any of those appeal to you to the point where you’ve mentioned it to the commissioner and you’re prepared to aggressively pursue any of those three?) – “I think people are satisfied with the Combine. People get caught in their ways. It’s working in Indianapolis. I haven’t heard any conversation of moving the Combine. We had the Pro Bowl here. I think it’s been in Orlando and it’s scheduled to go to Orlando again. The real question is should we continue with the Pro Bowl? That’s really the bigger question.”
(The NFL Draft, is there any interest in hosting the NFL Draft?) – “I don’t know where you would host it, that’s the issue. It was really cool what they did last year in Philadelphia. It’s a nice time of the year here, the end of April is as nice as it gets; but you still can’t be sure that it’s not going to rain. That’s the issue here. But if there was really kind of a neat place, if anybody has any ideas, we would certainly support it.”
(No questions about the coach, is he going to last, or the team not making the playoffs. This is like the first time you’ve gone into a season where everything seems to be hitting on all cylinders.) – “Let’s not jinx ourselves.”
