Adam Gase – July 27, 2017
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(C Mike Pouncey told us to ask you what the plan is for him in camp. Can you shed any light on that?) – “No. We’re going to take it one day at a time. The guys have a good plan as far as his progression going through training camp and what days he’s doing individual, when he can start doing plays, days he has off. I told him I was like we have the best Jane Fonda workouts for you right now (laughter). He’s dreading the cardio stuff. But he’s done such a good job of trusting these guys and sticking with the plan that they’re setting up for him. It will be nice when we get him on the field.”
(C Mike Pouncey seems in good spirits, though. A lot of smiling today and in practice today. How happy was he just to be out there?) – “I told him the same thing last night. I mean he couldn’t stop smiling and when he’s in the meeting room and he’s like coming out of his seat. You could just tell he was … he missed it. When it’s taken away from you and it has been a few times, I think it really hit him this time to where he wants to make sure he’s out there, he can contribute and he can help us do what we’re trying to do.”
(Can you explain the thinking behind the video boards at practice?) – “We kind of started investigating this in spring. We were working with 8K Solutions and one of the guys that works for Bob White (at 8K Solutions) has known (Video Director) Mike Nobler and myself for a long time and we kind of heard, and (Owner) Mr. (Stephen) Ross kind of knew about it and we’ve been discussing it. We weren’t really sure what was the best way we could implement it. We started doing it in the spring and our guys really liked it and they kept looking back and seeing the replay and when they were out, you can take one of the boards and show that period that was going on. Our guys kept asking us about it and we thought this really might be something good for us going forward. I don’t know everything about it. They started asking me questions. They were like ‘Hey, can we get this period up?’ I’m like ‘I’m calling plays right now. I’m really not worried about it.’ But the guys really liking, that helps us a lot. It’s just another tool for us to almost start watching film before we get in the meeting room.”
(Coming off the playoff season, does training camp feel any different and are expectations changed?) – “The only thing that feels different about training camp, I just really feel like our guys came out there with a purpose, just knowing what to expect and they’re able to come out there knowing that ‘Hey, first day we’re doing red zone and prepare over the summer and be ready to go,’ and they come out here and play fast, taking every rep as serious as possible and making the most everything that we’re doing. That’s something that we’re looking to continue to do throughout training camp. We keep talking about maximizing every day and with how short training camp is and one practice a day, and then you’ve got a walk through, we’ve got to make sure that we make everything count.”
(Can you give us an update on S Reshad Jones’ status, why he began on NFI and TE Anthony Fasano?) – “So Anthony, he’s got a personal thing that he’s attending to right now. I’ve been well aware of that for a few days here. There’s no timetable. I can’t give you an exact day he’ll be back, but when he handles what he needs to handle right now, then football will be here. But he’s doing what he needs to do right. With Reshad, we’re just being precautionary. It’s what happens sometimes when it’s the offseason and you come in sometimes when you’re working out and something doesn’t feel quite right. We’re not going to rush him out there and say ‘Hey, he’s standing out there unhealthy.’ But it’s nothing major.”
(I know it’s only the first practice at camp but how encouraging was it to see WR DeVante Parker pick up pretty much where he left off in spring?) – “Just seeing him come in, you really can tell with him with just his body and how lean he looks and his attitude in the meetings that he was ready to go today, that he’s prepared all summer. These guys have been down here for a while. They took a little bit of a break but it sounds like the majority of them were hanging out all summer working together and I think he was not looking to kind of ease into camp. Last night when I talke to him, he was ready to get after it right away.”
(Obviously with LB Koa Misi being out for the year and the third linebacker job … Obviously a lot of young guys with LB Raekwon McMillan and LB Mike Hull and LB Neville Hewitt. How are you going to approach that in terms of sharing snaps among those three? What’s your thinking in that spot at this point?) – “With us putting Koa (Misi) on IR going into it, that was … He’s coming off of a major neck injury. That was going to be a bonus (if we had him). I mean we’ve been preparing for this for a while. I know nobody else realized that, but we kind of have an idea of what we’re doing. We feel good about everybody’s that’s in that linebacker group. The great thing is they have a lot of experience because they had to play last year. When that second group goes out there, I don’t have a lot of worries.”
(You said early this week that you still had confidence that LB Koa Misi might play again someday. Does that remain true?) – “This caught me a little bit off guard, as far as when we had to put him on IR. It wasn’t really the answer we were expecting and when we got the results, went back out there to kind of have another talk with the doctor, the timetable was not ideal. It was going to be more time – a lot more time – and that was the decision that was made with all of us, in conversation between him, his agent and our front office. I can’t speak on moving forward. My discussions with him yesterday was we’ve got a long time to go before we have to have our next conversation. Right now it’s about getting him healthy and kind of go through that process. This is not something that you can lift or … There’s only certain rehab things that he can do. It’s time. It’s healing. It’s kind of your body dealing with this and it’s a tough … It’s a wait and see for him all the time. It’s a tough thing for a professional athlete to go through because you’re completely out of control.”
(With LB Raekwon McMillan and all of these young guys – LB Mike Hull and LB Neville Hewitt – what do you want to see from them to get that third spot?) – “I think continue with the knowledge of the defense and really kind of get in that reaction state instead of thinking. Sometimes with younger players, they start thinking about ‘Well what if this happens? What if this happens?’ And you have so much mental clutter that you don’t react as fast. That’s why you see sometimes that Mike and Neville, they’ve been doing it for a couple years now and it becomes more reactionary. It takes a minute to get adjusted to … When you are in training camp, all of a sudden it is a little faster than the spring. There is probably a big sense of urgency because of the time. It’s going to be us going through our process day in and day out and we’ll just see how that whole thing shakes out and develops. I like where we’re at right now and I like the way the guys are working.”
(What did you see from DE Charles Harris today?) – “We threw a couple of different things at him just to make sure those edge guys weren’t just coming around the corner, so we tried to run the ball a little bit more. It’s just what we saw in the spring. The get-off off the ball is outstanding. He has a good grasp of what we’re doing defensively. Every time he gets a look that he hasn’t seen before or something that he rarely saw in college – it’s a good thing for him because we need to throw as much as we can with the looks, protections, play actions, run game – as much as we can at him so he can get used to seeing all of these things because when we get in real games, every week is a different animal. You just never know what you’re going to see.”
(What’s the difference between the first day of training camp QB Ryan Tannehill this year versus first day of training camp last year?) – “He’s already corrected me about three times on play calls. (laughter) So that was one. He’s just more comfortable with everything he does. I see a guy that is completely in control of the huddle. Those guys do a great job. The communication was really good today. If something wasn’t quite right on what happened or if the defense played something right, they knew how to talk to each other as far as ‘Here is what we have to do to adjust this.’ They’re making those changes that most coaches have to make. They’re already coming to me being like, ‘Hey, we have to do this, this and this if they’re going to do it like this.’ It’s not only him, it’s that group of skill guys. It’s that comfortability of they have an idea of what’s going on. Last year you walked into this and it was like, ‘Where are we going with this? How does this work? When things don’t quite go right, what’s our answer?’ Now they’re one step ahead. It was fun to go through that today because those guys look like we just had an OTA like three days ago. They look really comfortable and the speed of practice was good.”
(What did you like about CB Alterraun Verner to sign him?) – “Any time you can get a guy who’s been around for a minute is great. We were probably a little surprised that we had the opportunity. Any time we can bring in a guy and bring in competition, it always puts you in a position to where if something happens, at least you have an answer. If you bring in a guy like that, all of a sudden the young guys that are working to fight for a spot, that raises some antennas. You better be on it because you have a guy that’s done it.”
(Do you envision CB Alterraun Verner playing inside or is he going to be working on the boundary?) – “We’ll be mixing him up. We’ll do everything. We’re always going to … The way we do our personnel groups – you see Bobby (McCain) go outside every once in a while because we’re always going … When you get to game day, you only have so many guys active so everybody has to be ready to do everything. Those guys train, they cross-train, just like every other position. We’ll emphasize more inside but he’s going to do enough outside to where he’ll have that experience. It’s just creating competition among that whole group, whether it be inside or outside.”
Mike Pouncey – July 27, 2017
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
C Mike Pouncey
(How is the hip?) – “It feels real good. It felt great running around out there today. We’ve got an awesome plan that I’m all aboard with and I can’t wait to get out there and get going.”
(What is the plan?) – “You’ve got to ask (Head Coach Adam) Gase. (laughter)”
(How big was it not to start camp on PUP?) – “It was great. I was able to come out today and run around with my helmet on, get back used to doing football stuff. It felt great going out there. I was kind of nervous at first because it was my first time being back on the football field. I don’t know if it was nerves or excitement. It was a long, humbling process for me. I had a lot of dark days during the recovery part of it. I’m just glad to be on the bright side of it.”
(Did it make you appreciate the game a little more maybe?) – “Just appreciate … not the game as much, but just not taking it for granted. There was one play that I had that could’ve taken away my whole career. I’m just glad to be out here with the guys again and be able to play the sport that I love.”
(You sent out that Instagram post after the hospital visit. What did you learn that got you so excited?) – “Obviously the doc cleared me to play football again. It was something that all of us had expected, but we always had doubt in our mind because of the extent of the injury. I’m just glad that I got the news that I got and I wanted to get it out to you guys before today got here.”
(What was the most difficult part about this journey for you?) – “The most difficult part I think was just the recovery process. What I had going on in my hip was different than any other surgery I’d had. I could tell you one thing, God is good because without him, I wouldn’t have been able to get through this. My family was there for me each and every day. They kept me positive through all the dark days. It just feels good. Today I just couldn’t stop smiling pulling in because I knew I was going to get back on the football field and get out here and run around with the guys. I just can’t wait until I start back doing everything with them.”
(Head Coach Adam Gase said if it was up to him, he’d be like leaving you right next to him in [bubble wrap]) – “(laughter) Me and him have a little disagreement on that; but he wants to keep me in a bubble and I’m fine with it. I just want to get back out and work on being a good football player again.”
(How bad was the pain last year?) – “The pain? It was bad most of the time, but I kept wanting to get back out there. That was my biggest thing was just keep pushing through it. Some of the days I felt like I couldn’t walk. Now I’m back healthy and it’s made me appreciate everything that I went through.”
(How much time would you want to see in the preseason?) – “As much as they want me to. I want to get back out there and play football again. I’m a football player; I play football. If I can get all of those quality reps that they want to see me during practice, I’m fine with that. If they don’t want me playing in any games, I’m fine with that. If they want me to get out there with the guys, then I’m more than fine. I’m comfortable with it.”
(How good could this offensive line be?) – “I think it could be really good. We’ve got a lot of talent up there. We’ve got a lot of guys that come in and work their tails off each and every day. I feel really good about our offensive line coach and the things he’s taught us over the past year has just been awesome. I think our offensive line could be really good.”
(With the chemistry, how long will it take you particularly to develop, if you haven’t played in a game?) – “I don’t think it’s going to take that much. I’ve had situations where I’ve missed all of training camp, I missed the first four games of the season and came back and played really, really well. I’m not too concerned about it. This is our second year in this offense so we know the plays really well. The communication part we’ve got down pat. It’s just getting back out there and getting comfortable as a football player.”
(What do you think is the most important thing that has to happen between now and Tampa kickoff?) – “No setbacks. Just staying healthy.”
(We saw you out there dancing earlier, did you kind of hesitate on doing the hip moves when you dance?) – “No. Heck, no. (laughter) If that was the case, I wouldn’t be out here at all. I was just excited to be out there today. The music got me going a little bit. Seeing the fans and everybody out here today, I’m just excited. I thinks it’s been 37 weeks since I had my injury and a lot of those weeks were hard to deal with. But I was just excited to be back out there because football has done so much for me and my family. I’m just very grateful.”
(Who specifically helped keep you up, like you said, on those dark days?) – “My girlfriend, my kids, my brother, my mom, my dad. Even when I doubted myself, they believed in me. We pulled through this together. Without them it wouldn’t even be possible.”
(How much football do you feel like you have left in that body? You’re only 28.) – “I’m playing this whole contract out, whatever years are left. (laughter) I don’t even know.”
(Was there a point where you wondered if this day would even come?) – “Yes. When I first got the injury and was seeing different doctors, I thought this day would never come. Then just believing in myself and believing in the hard work. A lot of credit has to go to (Assistant Athletic Trainer/Physical Therapist) Jon Gress, our physical therapist. He’s been with me through every surgery that I had and this was our toughest task. The plan he had this whole offseason – starting my rehab and then doing the stem cell surgery – a lot of credit goes to him. He got me through this and I feel great being out here right now. All through my other hip surgeries, I never gave him any credit; but he deserves a lot of the credit for this one.”
(You had a nice couple of days. Your birthday was Monday, you got good news the other day and now you’re starting training camp.) – “It’s been awesome. It’s been an up and down roller coaster, but to be where I’m at right now, I never thought I would be here; but it feels great to be back.”
(You had a lost this offseason with former Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez. You took to Instagram and talked about that. What was that entire experience like for you?) – “It was tough. Obviously I don’t condone the things that he was accused of; but just to have a friend that I was so close with and I felt like he was my brother and I know he felt the same way, it was tough. It is tough for anybody that has a loss in their family; but that one there kind of hit me and my brother really hard.”
(What did you talk about with former Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez in your last conversation?) – “Just about the case that he had just won. He was excited and ready to fight the first one again. Just a lot of different stuff. I was happy for him. It was just tough.”
(Did former Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez seem in good spirits then?) – “He was in great spirits in our conversation. We’re still shocked to this day that we are even at this point.”
(How is former Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez’s family doing?) – “Everyone is good. His wife and daughter were down here spending time with us this offseason and they are doing really well.”
Ryan Tannehill – July 27, 2017
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill
(How’d it go Day 1 out there?) – “Day 1, it feels good to be back out. I think everyone out here has put a lot of work into this offseason. To finally be able to kick off the year feels really good. Guys are out there working. I think you can see that the guys prepared over our break, came back in shape and ready to go. I’m excited about the way we kicked things off. Obviously, we have a lot of things to correct’ but it was a good first day for us.”
(Everybody keeps coming at you about your knee. How was it today? How did you feel out there?) – “It feels good, just like it did in the spring. No changes, even better.”
(Coming off a playoff season, does camp feel any different? Do expectations change?) – “Expectations are up, but that’s what you want. You want to be putting that pressure on yourself. I think we have the right people in this building to do what we need to do and the mindset is right. Now it’s a matter of establishing practice habits, going out, pushing each other each and every day, making those gains, getting better every day and showing up on Sundays. Ultimately, that’s what it comes down to. It doesn’t matter what you say, what you think. It matters putting the work in, preparing through the process and showing up on Sundays.”
(You guys want to take it one day at a time, a win the day approach. Do you feel like the offense, the way they were able to go out there today, do you feel like you won the day?) – “It’s tough to say we won the day. I think we got some good plays, some guys making plays. Early on, DeVante (Parker) made a huge play down (near) the end zone, so that kind of kicked us off with a good start. There were several other plays where things weren’t quite right. That’s to be expected on the first day. You’re not going to be clicking on all cylinders the first day; but I think we got a good start. We’ve got guys competing and establishing, like I said, those practice habits that we want to carry out throughout the year.”
(From your point of view, how is the progression of WR DeVante Parker from Year 1 and 2 to now?) – “I think throughout this year, I’ve probably seen more gain from DeVante than either of the (first) two years combined. That’s exciting for us to see him coming into his own, getting his confidence up, being explosive, being physical and healthy. I think that’s what it comes down to ultimately is that he’s healthy for the first time in a long time. That’s great for us and hopefully we’ll keep him that way and keep progressing.”
(How does it feel to have C Mike Pouncey out there, just the veteran leadership?) – “It’s great to have him back on the field. I know he didn’t participate a whole lot during the team drills, but it’s great to have him out on the field. He’s going to be out here shortly. To have his veteran leadership – his experience – out on the field with us is huge.”
(How is it to walk out onto the field with this continuity that the offense seems to have? Everybody seems to be back.) – “Yes, it’s not our first go around. We spent a year in the offense last year and got to bring back almost all of our key pieces. Like you said, there’s a lot of continuity there with the guys that we have. We’re able to build on what we did last year, build on what we did in the offseason, and we’re not so much learning the overall concepts, we’re trying to work on the details and master plays. When you get to do that, that’s when you become really good.”
(What do you like about TE Julius Thomas?) – “I like a lot about Julius. He’s a smart guy. He has played in the system before. He understands football, he understands what we’re trying to accomplish. He’s long, he’s athletic, he has great hands. He has everything that you’re looking for in a tight end. Now it’s just a matter of him and I getting those reps and building that confidence within each other.”
(When we talk about fine-tuning instead of teaching, can you give us an example of how that worked today maybe in a red zone drill or anything like that?) – “When it’s not your first time running the concept, the first couple times you’re just trying to get the overall concept down and make sure everyone is lining up in the right spot and they’re finishing in the right spot. Once you have guys doing that, then you can work on understanding the plays. What’s the goal of the play? If one guy adjusts his route a little bit, shields off a defender. I think Kenny (Stills) did a great job down in the red zone on a two-point play. (He) shielded off the defender just for a half second (and) allowed me to make the throw to DeVante (Parker) for the conversion. Once you get to that step, that next step, in development as an offense, that’s when you see more plays being made, because guys have an overall understanding of what we’re trying to accomplish.”
(What do you want to improve in your game and at the end of that improvement, what is it that you want to accomplish this year personally?) – “There’s a lot I want to improve in my game. Constantly working on footwork and timing, accuracy, and it all starts with the feet. Being able to get the ball out, playing fast and understanding where the ball is supposed to go. Being the second year in the offense, it’s much easier for me to have that understanding of where the ball is supposed to go and be able to move through my progressions quicker and get the ball out on time.”
(WR Kenny Stills asks: Did you get anything special for your birthday?) – “I got nothing special so far.”
(WR Kenny Stills asks: You guys told him happy birthday right?) – “No, they didn’t! (laughter) That’s your answer. I got no birthday wishes. (laughter) I got to see my little guy at practice, so that was a good birthday gift for me. It’s fun. Last year, he was just born, just a few days old. This time, to be able to bring him out here and have a smile with him, see him running around a little bit, it’s really fun for me.”
(How’s his arm?) – “He’s not throwing yet. (laughter) We’re trying to decide which … His throw is more like a spike, so he’s got the spike down. The throw, not so much. We’re working backwards there.”
(If I can bring you back to the accomplishment thing, what’s a good year for Ryan Tannehill?) – “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter to me on individual stats. I want to win games, put us in the playoffs and win the division, be in the Super Bowl. That’s our goal. That’s what we set out each and every year to do is to win games, make the playoffs first, win the division and be in the Super Bowl. It’s tough to say what exactly is success; but for me, that’s my goal right now is to put this team in position to win and win a lot of games and compete for a championship.”
(I have to ask even though I know you’re sick of talking about it, but how’s the knee doing? Are you still feeling positive with that?) – “The knee is really good. It feels really good. I haven’t had any changes since the spring. I was a full participant in the spring and still going really well. Now we don’t have to address that anymore, right? (laughter) We’re good?”
(How’s your other knee?) – “The other knee is feeling really good, too. (laughter) I appreciate you asking. (laughter) It has been a journey. I think dealing with an injury like that for the first time, it was a tough process for me. But the building, everyone around me, really supported me throughout that whole process. I’m glad to be back out here and feeling really healthy again.”
(In terms of running in your career, we’ve seen you run a lot and then other years not so much. What can we expect this year in terms of you running?) – “I like to use my feet. I think that’s something that we’ve talked about throughout this offseason and I’d like to see myself do a little bit more is use my feet as a weapon. When things aren’t happening downfield, be able to escape, put pressure on the defense and make them honor my feet. That’ll be something that we’ll work on throughout the year.”
(How nice is it not to hear questions about getting the long ball completions? You don’t hear that anymore.) – “I guess it’s nice. I honestly never doubted myself in that regard. It’s nice to be able to go play.”
(Have you talked to anyone else – maybe like Ravens QB Joe Flacco, kind of was in a similar situation – when he took off running, his knee brace would dig into the turf and that kind of became an issue. Have you thought about that a little bit?) – “I’ve worn a brace before, so I understand that issue. It does happen. It happened to me in college when I wore a brace. When you do slide, you put your weight on your left leg and it does catch and can bend. I had one bend on me in college, and I had to hop off the field awkwardly and get the thing off. That is something that can happen, but you can’t think about that. You just have to go play. You’re not thinking about how you’re going to slide or, ‘I might have to slide at the end of this play.’ Just go play and get down and move on to the next play.”
(It’s reactionary?) – “Yes.”
(With you having trust in the offensive line, whoever lines up in front of you, is there something to be said – because you’ve had inconsistency there – is there something to be said about continuity?) – “You’d like for those five guys to play together. Since I’ve been here, we’ve never had a full season of five guys playing together. It’s probably not going to happen, that’s just the nature of the business; but the more consistency we can get from those guys … It’s a unit. It’s not five individual positions. It’s a five-man unit. They have to work together – pass-off game, combo blocks and stuff like that. The more that they can work together and know how each other plays, the better we’re going to be.”
Alterraun Verner – July 27, 2017
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
CB Alterraun Verner
(What was it about the Dolphins that you thought was a good opportunity for you?) – “One, a playoff team. They’ve been to the playoffs. It seems like they have a young nucleus and are building towards something. And just the atmosphere around here when I walked in – the competitiveness, the fire and everything. It just seemed like a good fit, a good time to compete and try to help out.”
(Had they reached out to you and your agent a while ago or was this just a recent thing where the first time you heard from them was in the last week or so?) – “I think they’ve been in communication. The first time I worked out was obviously when I did a couple of days ago. The rest just led to here.”
(Do you still think you’re the guy who was a Pro Bowl player three years ago? Those skills are still in you I assume, no?) – “No question. Things happen. I’m not here to put blame or excuses on anything; but yes, I’m only 28. If anything, I’m entering my prime and I’m better than what I was at that time. That’s the way I look at it. I got better and I definitely didn’t get worse.”
(How would you describe your on-field strengths? What are you best at?) – “I think just making plays on the ball. That’s something I’ve always taken pride in. Even in college, just getting my hands on the ball whether that’s getting an interception or batting a ball down, and just communicating and making tackles and things like that. I’ve always considered myself an all-around corner to do it all. To me, that’s my strength, that I can be used in so many ways and be effective for the team.”
(In Tampa, you were a standup guy in the locker room and always being a leader. What is that like to have a refreshing approach coming into this situation?) – “I guess with it being fresh – no pun intended – it’s just refreshing. It’s refreshing to have a clean slate again and work your way back up. I’ve been telling people, I feel like a rookie again, coming in here and just learning a new system, new playbook and new team. But it’s exciting. It’s exciting to get a helmet back on and just to do some football things. It’s more exciting and I’m ready to go.”
(What have you been told relative to opportunity to compete for a starting spot and all of that?) – “They just preach competition in all facets. They said just go out there and compete and then my play will speak for myself on where they’re going to put me. I think they’re going to use me in many different areas and wherever they put me at, that’s where I’m going to compete and try to work hard and see some snaps and get on the field. It’s definitely competition. I saw it from the first day today. Competition brings out the best in people and I experienced that all through my seven years (in the NFL).”
(Is this a very similar system that you played in when you were in Tennessee or with the Bucs?) – “I would say this is a mix between Tennessee and my UCLA days. The term might be called different but the way that it’s played is very similar to when I was in Tennessee and at UCLA.”
(How do you think your skillset lends itself to the slot position, the nickel position?) – “I think as a nickel, you have to know a lot more. There are a lot more nuances in the nickel because you’re an extension of a linebacker in a way. Most of the guys that are in the slot are going to be quick, so you have to be a big student of the game. You have to know what’s coming, you have to know where your help is and things like that. With me, I feel like I’m a smart player and have very good IQ, and I think I communicate very well. So I think those are some traits that they would probably like if I did play that spot.”
(If you had to estimate how much over your seven-year career you’ve played in the slot compared to the boundary, what percent ballpark would you say?) – “I would say it’s only been two of my seven years.”
(All the rest was outside?) – “Yes.”
(Do you get a sense here if you will be equal parts outside and slot? Or more slot here?) – “I think it’s going to be equal opportunity for either way. I think they’re looking for the best players going out there. They knew me coming in would create that competition for all places. I think that’s what you want. You want competition because you don’t want to just rest on your laurels and just kind of cruise out there. You want to have somebody at your heels chomping at you. There is no indication on which one I’m going to be playing. I’m going out there and I’m just going to go out there wherever they put me and see what happens.”
(What’s the first thing you notice about getting here to South Florida and this organization?) – “I think the fire and the competitiveness from everybody. You see a good camaraderie of people. Just out there, I haven’t been around in the secondary but I listen to the guys talk on the sidelines. I think that’s essential to being such a good team is just communication and trusting people. I can sense that through the guys even though I haven’t been here and been a part of it. It’s just encouragement, encouraging guys and that’s what you want. You want somebody that’s going to build you up but they compete with you at the same time. To me, those are signs of a good team.”
(What do you take from your Tampa experience, the years you spent there and what did you learn from them?) – “What I learned from Tampa is that the chips may be down on you or things may not go the right way or the way that you expect, but you have to find a way to bounce back and make the best of it. Just like Miami I guess last year. They started off 1-4 but they corrected what they made mistakes on and then they went on a run and made the playoffs. I think that’s the way you have to approach things. That’s the biggest thing I took away because there were times where we were losing or were down, or just situations that I might have been in – things of that nature – and you can’t just sulk and be down on yourself. You have to pick yourself up and find a way to make the play next time and find the way to get the next win. Those were the experiences that I think I learned the best.”
(What was it like being a player of your caliber out of work for this long?) – “It was different. It was different; it was weird. I was just telling Nate (Allen) that this is the first time I’ve put on a helmet since January 1st so it’s been a long time since I even had a helmet. It was weird seeing article and seeing guys, highlights and things. It was weird but it gives you an appreciation for the game and (makes you) realize that it’s a privilege to be on this stage and it’s not a right. It’s something that I’ve always known, but you get a better sense of it when you’re not doing it.”
(Do you have to work to chip away that doubt about yourself and your ability?) – “No.”
(Why so?) – “Because I know what type of player I am. Regardless of what people might think on the outside or what people might evaluate, that’s something I’ve been dealing with all my life. That’s why I was a fourth rounder. That’s why things happen the way that it’s been for me. There has been a lot of doubt but I’ve never had a doubt in my mind on how I could play or what I could do or what I’m capable of, because I know what God has blessed me with and I just go out and be my best.”
Ndamukong Suh – July 27, 2017
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
DT Ndamukong Suh
(Does training camp feel any different when you come off a playoff season?) – “No. It’s back to the basics. That’s how I look at it; that’s how I approach it. Obviously, to be able to have the opportunity to build off of some of the good things you did last year, but it’s back to the basics. You have to forget about the previous year and prepare for the upcoming year.”
(Expectations, they have to be a little different this year?) – “Expectations? I’m not talking about them just yet. We have to get into the season first. Maybe after we get a third preseason game, that’s where we get a true test of what we have to some extent. A lot of guys only play half a game at most, but it’s way too early to talk about expectations.”
(Being a leader on the defensive side of the ball when you step out on the field, I’m sure the defense gets a boost from that. Do you notice it as a leader with C Mike Pouncey being out there for the offense?) – “Without question. I’m very happy to see Pouncey back. He has obviously got the ‘it’ factor, and he brings a lot to the table. I love going against him, love learning (from him), as well as (Jermon) Bushrod and guys like that, that are veterans and the young guys, because they push you, they’re going hard and vice versa. It’s definitely a good thing to have everybody out there and everybody pushing each other to get better. But like I said, we’re at the basics, so we have to get back to the fundamentals.”
(Does the first day of camp feel any different as you keep progressing in your career?) – “No, because I try to approach it like I’m a rookie – make sure I get my fundamentals down, footwork. Obviously as we get into the situation that we like to run – red zone, whatever it may be – as we started with today, you work on and add things to your game.”
(Does it feel like the first day when you have all these OTAs and minicamps? Does it still feel like the first day?) – “It definitely feels good. It’s without question the first day. It’s just excitement to be back on the football field. Obviously, soon we’re going to get pads on, which is probably the most exciting time of the year and then go from there.”
(It’s the second year with this new staff. Does that help at all the familiarity with them, the protocol, all that?) – “No question. I think – without question – having the similar staff, even though we have some changes, some new additions, it’s a great feeling to know what you’re running. We’ve put – if I’m not mistaken – our defense in three or four times between the first couple phases of OTAs and obviously minicamp and all those things. Right now, it’s refreshing with those pieces and being able to get off to the races.”
(We’re not going to get a true sense of rookies until pads are on, but is there a skill you see from DT Davon Godchaux that you think is an NFL caliber skill being around him?) – “His ability to understand details is something that I’m very surprised with, especially at a young age. For him being able to pick up on those and implement them into practice … because the biggest thing that we preach is being able to take and translate the stuff that we work on in individual and take that to team periods. As you get older, veterans are a lot easier to do that. Young guys struggle a little bit. They forget that real bullets are flying. They kind of forget about those things, but Godchaux has done a pretty good job being able to translate that.”
(DT Jordan Phillips has talked about wanting to raise his game to a more consistent level? We’re not going to know until September, October. Do you see any difference in him this offseason, as much time as you spend around him helping mentor him?) – “I think he’s focused, and I think he has an opportunity to prove a lot of people wrong. I think at the end of the day, like you said, it’s going to come down to when we start playing real games and live bullets; but obviously he has the ability to get to where he wants to be.”
Jarvis Landry – July 27, 2017
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Thursday, July 27, 2017
Wide Receiver Jarvis Landry
(Does training camp feel any different this year coming off a playoff season?) – “No. It’s always going to be hot, I know that. (laughter) For us today, I think we had a good day. Coach took care of us a little bit, having us in the red area a little bit, coming off the offseason. I think we had a good day today.”
(Are expectations any different this year coming off the playoffs?) – “No. Nothing has changed. The best thing about it is all 32 teams are at the same point right now. We all have that one goal in mind and that’s win the Super Bowl.”
(Is there not a confidence level of knowing ‘Look, we’ve been a playoff team. We are a good team now.’ Instead of hoping in the past that you guys would be a good team?) – “We’re not hoping. We’re preparing for each and every opportunity, each and every game. We’re excited about it. We understand that for us, it’s about today and getting back in there and looking at the film, correcting our mistakes and coming back out here for the walkthrough and tomorrow, and being even better than we were today.”
(Is there even a question of whether you would be out here today?) – “No, there was not.”
(If you could improve one aspect of your game, what would it be?) – “Just continue to finish with the ball and get in the end zone. (I want to) continue to make the catches, do the little things right and get in the end zone.”
(You said it was very important for you to be out here despite everything else that’s going on with the contract. How important was it to deliver on that promise and be out here?) – “Very. Like I said, for me, being a leader and having an opportunity to take another step, we don’t need anything hindering us off that path. So for me to be here and to show the guys that it is about them and it’s about the team, that’s what I’m here to do.”
(Do you think that was also the approach that C Mike Pouncey was taking by being out there today and getting cleared?) – “That’s Mike. Everybody knows Mike. Mike’s a fighter. He has something that you can’t coach and every guy wants. To have him cleared and have him back out here; we got the news yesterday really. To have him back out here is amazing.”
(Just so you don’t have to answer this again the rest of camp, just to get it on the record, does it matter to you one way or the other if you get a contract extension before September 10th?) – “Like I said, I’m out here just focusing on now. I’m focusing on all of the things that I can control, every time I step on the field. Everything else is out of my hands, is out of my control. I leave that with God.”
(Do you ease your way into this physically? Or are you out there just full speed, full go from the jump?) – “Full speed, full go. You have to find a way to pick your spots; but at the same time, for the most part I’m full speed.”
(Is the competition level with you guys and the secondary, is that up a level from OTAs and things like that? Or a continuation of that?) – “Absolutely. I think we got the best of the defense today. I think we won Round 1. We’ll see. (laughter)”
(You and WR DeVante Parker and WR Kenny Stills have a chance to be what in terms of where you guys rank as a trio of NFL receivers? Could it be a Top 5 group? Top 10?) – “Everything we do, we want to be the best. It’s not Top 5; it’s No. 1. For us, again, it starts with today. We’re not looking ahead. We’re just trying to find a way to better what we did last year and get better every time we touch the field.”
(How have things shifted for you as far as the way you approach training camp or your expectations for a season now that this is your fourth year?) – “Everything has slowed down a little bit. After probably your first two training camps, you kind of learn what to expect. Knowing what to expect and knowing coming in here what we were getting ourselves into, it’s a little bit … It’s hard; but it’s a little bit easier as far as just making the transition from the offseason to now.”
(Has anything changed for you over the last few years as far as what you look to get out of a season? Do you go in with numerical goals or did you used to go in with that and now you think differently about it?) – “No. Everybody goes in with goals, of course; but again, it starts with me putting the work in now and that will translate when the games come around after the preseason. We’ll talk about the rest later.”
(How much pride do you take in having, not only part of the record of most catches in the first three seasons in a career [288] but sharing it with a buddy like N.Y. Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.? Is there a pride in both of those things?) – “Absolutely. It means everything. It’s something that we’ve both talked about. The race for Year 4 is on. I don’t think anybody has done Year 4 either, so that’s on now. It’ll be fun. It’ll be interesting. I love him to death so it’s all good.”
Adam Gase – July 25, 2017
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Tuesday, July 25, 2017
Head Coach Adam Gase
(Any news for us?) – “The only one for sure that I know is going to be on PUP is WR Rashawn (Scott) 100 percent. I’m waiting to hear back on anything with Koa (Misi) and Mike (Pouncey) right now. We haven’t done anything with the league yet, but Rashawn I know for a fact that’s going to happen.”
(What is the Day 1 plan for C Mike Pouncey?) – “I’ll have to wait until … We have a whole bunch of different scenarios right now that could possibly come up after we get more information today. Working with our guys that have been dealing with him, we’ve put together all of these different contingency plans as far as ‘Alright, he can do individual, and then we can do practice, and here’s his rest day.’ We’re waiting to hear where we’re at and then we’ll go from there.”
(What’s changed in C Mike Pouncey’s health since the last time we’ve talked to you? What’s progressed or what hasn’t?) – “He’s been able to run. I mean he’s doing everything that you need to do to be able to show that he’s in good shape and feeling good and feeling stronger. Really, now it’s that final checkup to see exactly where we’re at and once we get those results, we’ll be able to move forward after that.”
(How much work does he need in training camp for you to feel comfortable about putting him out there for the season opener?) – “Nothing. That’s me; but I know he doesn’t feel that way. I know he wants to practice and go through his routine for training camp. I was amazed by the fact that he missed as much time as he did last year during the season, he walks right back in and plays at an elite level. I’m always going to listen to him though. It’s his body and his mindset. I trust what he tells me.”
(How would you describe the importance of having C Mike Pouncey in the lineup, as you’ve said, for up to or more than 16 games?) – “He’s an elite player at his position. You guys have been around him long enough, his leadership skills are just natural. People gravitate to him, whether it’s players, coaches, fans. He’s just got whatever the ‘it’ factor is, he has that. Anytime that you can have one of your best players in the huddle every game, that’s to our advantage. You just never know what’s going to happen. I know all he can do is just keep doing what he’s been doing and working hard and trying to prepare himself as well as he can. And then after that, it’s kind of see what happens.”
(How do you feel about your depth at that position?) – “We’ve got so many guys playing center, I’m good.”
(Is there a point where you feel like you need to see him to get him ready for the regular season?) – “I don’t, but he wants to go through that process.”
(What’s the challenge of making sure that he doesn’t hurt himself or suffer a setback considering he wants to practice and play so much?) – “I think our guys have a good plan of how he should work. He’s done a really good job, especially since the last injury, of following to a ‘T’ of how we should do things. He’s done exactly what the doctors have asked him to do. That’s age, that’s experience in the league of going through this a couple of times. You feel like, ‘I feel better,’ and you get ahead of schedule. I think that he’s gotten to the point of he’s just going to listen to the people that are telling him what’s best for him. He’s done a great job of following that. I think he’s seeing good results right now.”
(Regarding LB Koa Misi, whether he opens on PUP or not, are you confident – reasonably confident – that he’ll be able to participate in camp?) – “When I get more information this afternoon … I know that’s not what you guys want to hear right now. I told Matt that we should do (the press conference) tomorrow, but he wanted to do it today. (laughter)”
(Is there any question in your mind about whether LB Koa Misi will be able to actually play football again in his career?) – “In my mind, I feel confident that (he will be able to play again) at some point. I just don’t know where we’re at right now. Once I get those results and talk to our guys and talk to (Executive Vice President of Football Operations) Mike (Tannenbaum) and (General Manager) Chris (Grier) and Koa, then I’ll know more. I just … I don’t have enough information right now.”
(If LB Koa Misi isn’t healthy enough to begin the season practicing and playing, how comfortable are you with the linebacker depth?) – “We’ve got a lot of guys that have played, I know that, because everybody had to play last year. I feel better probably than a lot of people do outside of our building. I like our guys. I saw a lot of good things in the spring. I feel like we look a lot different than we did last year with, when you get to the twos and threes, with the competition. I think that there are some guys in there that when we actually get into some preseason games with full pads, I think that we’re going to see … It’s going to look different for us.”
(Knowing how many carries you want to get from RB Jay Ajayi this season, how do you approach training camp for someone like him?) – “He’s going to do his thing. He’s going to practice. He’ll be alright. I’ll make sure I manage it right. I know that seems to be a big concern. We have a good plan for him. We understand his running style. He does a good job of telling us where’s he’s at. He’s not afraid to … If he starts to get banged up a little bit, he’ll tell us. It’s in a good way. He’s constantly communicating to make sure that we know exactly where he’s at. He doesn’t hide anything from us.”
(With the new acquisitions at defensive tackle, how do you feel about that new depth? Even though some of the players that are there are pretty young, how do you feel about that new depth?) – “Any time that you can bring in, whether it’s a veteran player or young guys, it’s just … Any time you feel like there’s someone right there with you and they are competing with you, that’s good. I think a lot of players embrace that, they like that. They like the fact that they feel like somebody is trying to push them a little bit. The more we can get that across the board, that’s what we’re looking for. I think most teams in the NFL, that’s what they’re hoping to have. They’re always hoping that the front line and then whoever’s behind them are really trying to push those guys to get in the lineup.”
(Can you give us a preview of what you’ll tell the team tomorrow?) – “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it yet. When I get there, I’ll let you know.”
(Have you guys been in touch with WR Jarvis Landry’s representatives recently about the contract situation?) – “I haven’t dealt with anything. All the contract stuff, we never talk about it, really, publicly. That’s a different focus. Right now, I’m worried about getting ready for training camp.”
(What would you tell or have you told WR Jarvis Landry about the way you would like him to approach training camp, preseason considering that contract situation is at least in the back of his mind?) – “I don’t have to tell him anything. He does his thing. He comes in here. He works. He’s trying to get ready for the season. It’s football for him. That’s what he’s dealing with.”
(What did you learn last year from the first training camp and how’s it going to be different this year?) – “The one thing I did learn was trying to match up offense, defense – do what’s best for both sides of the ball – understanding … Offensively, you can’t say, ‘Here’s our install. We’re not worried about what our defense does.’ We took a little more time of – and it started in the spring of – we have a little more of that game-plan type feel, but at the same time, we’re installing our base stuff. We’re just making sure that we’re not putting our players on offense at a disadvantage. And (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) is doing the same thing on defense. He’s trying to put those guys in a position to where you’re installing your base stuff, but at the same time, you’re trying to give those guys enough to where they don’t feel like one side of the ball is taking advantage of the other. I really enjoyed it in the spring, because there was a sense of competition and that intensity was good. I think the players felt it as we got going in the spring – and the same thing in training camp – where they feel like a little game plan-ish type feel on each other and guys making adjustments and not just saying, ‘This is what we’re going to do.’ It’s making those tweaks here and there to help our guys have success.”
(Do you think it helps the focus, too?) – “Absolutely. Because when you start making all these adjustments and you’re talking a lot of football, guys are engaged with all the kind of stuff. When it becomes that same old talk every day and you’re talking about the exact same thing, that’s when it gets tough on guys. The fact that we keep moving situations around and trying to change it up and giving different looks on both sides, guys enjoy that and they get engaged.”
(What do you hope to see, or want to see, in this particular training camp from TE Julius Thomas?) – “I saw a different guy when it comes to the run game compared to when we were together in Denver; but it was a different scheme, so I think this fits him a little bit better. As far as the passing game goes, I liked what those guys were doing in the spring. They spent a lot of time together, because he’s the newer face and him and Ryan (Tannehill) trying to get on the same page. I like the process they went through. We had some good plays. He’s trying to feel his role out in this team and he does a good job of that, because he’s a team guy first, and he’s always going to see how he fits in and where his skillset fits in with the rest of the guys. We’ll use him to his strengths and see how it fits in this year.”
(I know you said if C Mike Pouncey showed up on Week 1 and he’d be ready to go, you’d be fine with that; but how much would you like the continuity of the offensive line, especially trying to establish that left guard position?) – “I guess that’s less of a worry for me, because when Pouncey steps in the huddle, you know who’s running it up front. He’s clear with what he does and there’s just a presence there. When he speaks, everybody listens. It’s not as difficult as you’d think when you’ve got a player like that, that steps into that role.”
(How do you feel about your guard situation? Looking, for example, at G Isaac Asiata as a rookie, what did he show you in the offseason? Is he ready to compete for a starting job potentially?) – “I think if you’re on the roster right now you’re competing, whether it be a roster spot or a starting spot. We’ll see how this plays out. We’re so far away from Week 1 and so many things can happen. I guess I feel good about our entire offensive line and that room. I like the competition. I like the flexibility. Guys really have a great feel for the scheme right now, and it has allowed our guys to play fast in practice in the spring and it should carry over to training camp. The biggest thing is going to be when we get pads on is carrying that over and being able to play fast and not thinking as much as we did last year.”
(What’s your vision for the line in 2017? What would you like it to look like?) – “I think if we can clean up some of … The times we had penetration, we had some of those negative runs, and I think that came towards the end of last year, probably those last six or so games, where we had less of that, less times Jay (Ajayi) was trying to make somebody miss in the backfield. That takes some time every once in a while with what we do with the outside zone, where guys try to get a feel for what we’re trying to do. If we can eliminate a lot of that, we’re going to try to keep working our play action and drop backs. In this league, everybody is built to pass rush. It’s a tough matchup for all these guys. The defensive tackles are getting better. The (defensive) ends are as good as I ever remember across the board. Every week it feels like you have to stop somebody. We’re always going to look to improve that. I know we’re lucky because we do have a really good defensive line and we get great work every day and it’s really going to let us know where we stand against really good competition.”
(Have you noticed a change that you are chomping at the bit and ready to go with the training camp?) — “I think the way that I look at it is as a staff, we’re trying to get our guys in the right mindset of we’ve got to start that one day at a time mentality right now. It’s easy to look ahead, like I’m sure some people are talking about the first game of the season (and) we haven’t even gotten to the first day yet. There’s a lot of meetings, there’s a lot of practice, there’s a lot of walk-throughs, and if you lose focus in any of that stuff, then that’s how you get beat. Our guys have heard it from us so many times that you’ll hear a lot of them saying the same thing about just focusing on that day and in this league right now, the way the rules are set up, if you waste a day, that’s a lot of time you lose. So you can’t have one of those days of ‘Oh, we’ll get it right tomorrow.’ Our guys, they know our big emphasis is going to be ‘Don’t waste a day.’ We’ve got to make sure that whatever we’re doing on that day, we’ve got to make it count.”
(So with that being said, are you okay with WR Jarvis Landry making comments about the season and the confidence that he has beating the Patriots and what not or would you rather he not do that?) – “Guys can do whatever they want. They can say what they want. Some guys, they want to talk about the season. I try to emphasize what we’re doing right now because you can’t get there without doing the first part of it. That’s why our main focus always is ‘He,y let’s do it right today.’ Because Week 1, Week 10, if you get lucky enough to get into the playoffs, all that other stuff you did before that is going to matter, because when you get in those single-elimination games, you make the same mistakes you did in the regular season, it’ll be a short trip to the playoffs.”
(During the spring a lot of your players came in and talked about how they self- scouted themselves from last year and the improvements they wanted to make. Did you do that and if so how do you want to be a different coach in Year 2?) – “We looked at a lot of the stuff that we did offensively. Me personally, looking at it as the play caller, there were a lot of things that I would have done a lot different those first five games, whether it be how we played as a group or certain individuals or how we use certain guys. When you get to that second year as a head coach, your involvement to be able to help the defense, it changes, because you’re not setting anything up in the spring. You’re really trying to figure out what went right, what went wrong, make those adjustments, communicate to the staff, meet with those guys. Now you’re able to at least have more conversations with the defensive coaches and ask questions and kind of have a little more give and take with those guys, where in that first year, you’re trying so hard just to make sure the side of the ball that you’re working with is all set up. That’s why I felt like I was really lucky having (former Defensive Coordinator) Vance (Joseph). I mean it was really like I was having another head coach on the staff, and obviously that showed by him getting a job after the season. I never had to worry about anything and now I feel like I can be a good sounding board for (Defensive Coordinator) Matt (Burke) if he needs me and I just kind of talked with him and we kind of go back and forth as far as how he looks at things, how I look at things and it’s a good give and take because I can always pull things from him and prepare myself that way and hopefully I’m doing the same for him.”
(With RB Jay Ajayi accepting this bell cow role coming into the season this year, can you talk about the difference in the way he’s carried himself through the offseason and what you expect from him as a leader coming into training camp?) – “Well we kind of thought that was what it was going to be last year. He did a good job last spring. I’d say we had like four bad days and this spring he did an outstanding job of coming into, just the offseason in general, talking about what he felt like he wasn’t as good at as some other guys around the league, to where he wanted to improve. You could see when we were watching him in practice he had really worked on a lot of things as far as in the passing game – routes, protection – to where he either studied video or he spent a lot time running routes and we saw it in practice. I love the fact that he challenged himself. He wanted to be a guy that could be used on all three downs that ‘Hey, when we’re doing this certain concept, we’d rather have somebody else in there.’ He wants to make sure you can call anything you want on that call sheet and I can do it. He did a great job of putting that out there, showing us that whatever we ask him, whatever we’ve got on there he can do.”
(Regarding QB Ryan Tannehill’s knee, is it 100 percent?) – “I don’t know. I have no clue. (laughter) I’m not a doctor. Ask the doctor. Ask (Tannehill) and see how that goes. (laughter)”
(Is it important? Is there a pre-injury…) – “I don’t know. He looked good to me. He runs around and throws the ball. He’s fine.”
(How have you been doing with your rookies the last week or so? Where do you feel like they’re at as far as being prepared to handle everything you’re about to throw at them?) – “So last year, I had never done it before. I had never brought the rookies in early. I haven’t really … it’s been a long time since I’ve been associated with that and last year, we had a whole bunch of coaches come back the week before we were coming back to work. A lot of guys asking ‘Hey, can I work with the rookies,’ and we couldn’t because they were coming in with the veterans. So we brought them in and if coaches were back in town and they had the chance to meet with them, we were encouraging that. But we wanted (Head Strength & Conditioning Coach) Dave (Puloka) to kind of get a hold of them and get them going in the weight room and get them outside and be able to run. So we were able to do a lot of that kind of stuff and just get them down here and settled and it wasn’t like they just got thrown in with all the vets. So we tried to do it a little different this year and getting these guys rolling just a few days here. We haven’t been crushing them by any means and just giving them a little jump start there just so … because I mean they started later than the vets, so any time they can get a little bit a head start, it’s good for them.”
(With DE Charles Harris, it seemed like he was really picking things up back in minicamp and OTAs. Are you expecting him now to just jump right in and be good to go here on Thursday?) – “We’ll see. That’s a hard prediction for me to make. I just know when we left here, he was feeling pretty good about where he was on the … like as far as the scheme goes and how he was practicing. We’ll just see how it goes in training camp. I’m excited to watch him rush the passer, for sure.”
(You guys are bring in some cornerbacks to work out. Is there an injury or is there a little bit of a deficiency?) – “We’ve got an extra (roster) spot and I’ve had so many people tell me you can never find enough corners. So, we’re checking guys out; but we do it quite a bit with a lot of different positions and some don’t make as much news as others. So we’re always making sure that we’ve got everything, you know our ducks in a row, just in case something happens in camp and we’ve got to push forward and do something. When you start working guys out, you get information on them, physicals, everybody’s kind of on the same page there and you can react a little quicker.”
William Wachtel & Martin Luther King III – June 15, 2017
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Thursday, June 15, 2017
William Wachtel & Martin Luther King III
William Wachtel:
(Opening Statement) – “Hi, there. Martin King and I are the co-chairmen of the Drum Major Institute that was founded in 1961 by our dads. We are truly proud to stand with the Dolphins as they help RISE (Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality) and (Owner) Steve Ross kick off a unique voter registration drive. The Dolphins are well on their way to being the first professional ball team in American history to have a roster of fully registered voters, and this is just the beginning.”
Martin Luther King III:
(Opening Statement) – “Good afternoon. We’re certainly really honored to be here with this organization, as it takes a very unique step. As you perhaps have heard or are aware, my father and his team, along with John Lewis and others led the campaign to garner the right to vote in 1965. So for the Miami Dolphins to embrace this concept of being the first team to have all of its players registered … Of course the hope is that translates to encouraging more people across our nation to get engaged and to vote because a vote-less people, as dad said, is a powerless people. One of the most important steps that we can take is that short step to the ballot box.”
William Wachtel:
(How did you guys get hooked up with the Dolphins?) – “(Owner) Steve Ross has been a dear friend for 30 years. He’s clearly an owner who is more invested in the well-being of the players, not just on the field but off the field. And as part of the civic engagement, he asked us if we would work with the Dolphins in this initiative. As you know, he runs an organization called RISE. He’s got every major league sport involved and hopefully what happened here today will be an inspiration for the entire RISE organization and, if in fact, the teams and their players all register by national registration day, which is September 26th of this year, then we will rise up and all be very proud of the fact that the ballplayers, who really are at the end of the day role models, will do something special. This is, after all, the 70th anniversary of Jackie Robinson stepping out onto the field of America’s dream. To pay homage to the dream of Dr. (Martin Luther) King, what could be better for all players to stand up and say ‘We vote; we count.’”
(What percentage of the roster was registered before you began your campaign?) – “What we know today is that today we’re probably close to about 90 percent. That’s just because we haven’t been able to catch a few people. But every single person, the ones who were already registered and the ones who were registering today for the first time, were truly pleased to participate in something which, as part of civic engagement, really is, as (Head) Coach (Adam Gase) said earlier, a great lesson for the kids watching from the sideline.”
(So it’s 90 percent now registered?) – “My guess is we are very close to 90 percent but that’s simply because we literally were standing in the hall with guys signing things as we came in and talked to you guys.”
(The deadline to be 100 percent is September, is that correct?) – “Well, interestingly enough, it’s a well-kept secret; but there is something known as National Voter Registration Day. It’s something sponsored by the secretaries of state throughout the country, and they have that date set. Our goal is starting with the Dolphins and then rolling through the NFL and every major team and for that matter, every sport, because they are all part of the RISE movement, to hopefully have them all registered. That will send a powerful signal to young people that if you care, you have to vote. The first thing you need to do to vote is to register.”
(And if they weren’t registered, you guys gave them a form? Or you gave them a link to go online? How did that work?) – “They literally stood there. We had the forms and they signed it. Whether the team has pictures that they want to share, but it was special. It was neat.”
(How many players would you say weren’t registered that are registered now?) – “It’s hard to say because you’ve got to remember that as people move into the state, registration changes; but what we’re happy to say is that today we think we’re close to having 90 percent that have all registered. And look, we included the rookies and the people that were trying out for the team. So the good news is …”
(How many were not registered before that are registered now?) – “I can’t say that for sure. We did not … we asked if they were registered and they said … Some of them said yes, a lot of them said no; but a lot of them, because they’re moving into the state, said ‘Well look, I’m going to be here so I ought to register here.’”
(Is there an effort through the organization to reach out to the rest of the league or is it just strictly focused on the Dolphins?) – “Well you know (Owner) Steve (Ross) started RISE, which has as its members, every major league sport – from NHL to MLB to NASCAR – and this is a RISE initiative. We’re here as members of the Drum Major Institute, but we’re really here to salute RISE and to salute the Dolphins for kicking this off. Do we hope it becomes viral? Absolutely. Should it become viral? Let’s face it. What team owner, what league wouldn’t say ‘Geez, our players are role models to young people, what could be better than for them to say we vote, we count?’ So fingers crossed. You never know. I mean my guess is … It’s not my place to ask you questions but I suspect very few people have ever heard of a National Voter Registration Day, something which President Obama declared by proclamation to be a day that would be remembered in every year to come.”
(So will the players possibly be involved in say PSAs or anything of that nature?) – “Some of these players were like ‘How can I help? What can I do?’ And it’s not for us to decide, but certainly I know that (Owner) Steve (Ross) really believes, as the coach (Head Coach Adam Gase) was speaking earlier, about the idea of the work that (Director of Player Engagement) Kaleb Thornhill is doing to bring players, not just onto the field, but into the community. So it’s up to them, but fingers crossed, absolutely. And when they go back to their high schools and the kids say ‘What can we do to be better in sports?’ They say ‘The first thing you can do is register because you can’t be a good member of a team if you’re not a part of the American team.’”
(What’s the divide on the team between Democrats and Republicans?) – “(laughter) All I know is that they’re all believers in one thing and that is winning the Super Bowl. (laughter) Both for the team, for (Owner) Steve Ross and democracy.”
Martin Luther King III:
“And for themselves. (laughter)”
