Terron Armstead – March 24, 2022
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Thursday, March 24, 2022
T Terron Armstead
(What appealed to you about coming here? What were the factors that made you want to come here?) – “Talking to (Offensive Coordinator) Frank Smith, he was one of my former coaches – my assistant O-line coach my rookie year. Keeping that relationship with him, what he did for me as a rookie, and the impression that he left for us to re-unite 10 years later. Really just doing my homework on what I wanted from my career. The offense that (Head Coach) Mike (McDaniel) brings, his energy, his demeaner, the vision he has for this team and then coming down to the city, I mean it’s Miami. The location, you can’t beat the location. The front office, coaches and everyone was so welcoming, and expressed their desire for me to be here. I just felt like it was a perfect fit.”
(What took you so long? Because you were one of those top-tier free agents and here we are a week into free agency and you hadn’t made a decision.) – “Going through all of those factors. Making the best decision for myself and my family. I’ve been playing for a while. I’ve been in New Orleans for nine years. Entering my 10th year, I didn’t just want to make an impulsive decision. I wanted to weigh all options and go through the process and take my time. Ultimately, I felt like I made the right decision.”
(What has been your message to QB Tua Tagovailoa, or what would be your message to Tua Tagovailoa?) – “I haven’t gotten to speak with him yet, but when I do, I’m just excited to see him ball really, and be successful. I know Mike has a vision for him. Me watching him, he’s as accurate and as precise as anyone I’ve ever seen. I’m excited to work for him, protect him – myself and the other guys who are up there with me. It’s going to be fun.”
(You were brought here to continue playing at a pro bowl level. Beyond that, you’re going to be playing next to a lot of young linemen. What can you do to make them better?) – “I’m coming in with my experience, how I see the game, my knowledge of the game, and these guys are extremely talented. Just watching them and getting a chance to meet a few of them, they’re extremely talented. There is a reason why they are in this building and in this business. Just being able to work together bring what I bring to the table and what they bring to the table, we’re going to put our hard hat on every day and try to go out and try to create space for our playmakers.”
(Why the Dan Marino jersey?) – “Why not? He’s a legend. I’m a real big fan of the sport, of the game, so I always pay respect to the legends, the Hall of Famers. On my visit, I walked upstairs and I saw the Dan Marino office. I just thought it was out of respect. I walked into the offensive staff room and there he is. It only makes sense.”
(What do you think it would be like meeting him for the first time?) – “I met him on my visit.”
(What was that like?) – “Just humbling. He came up and introduced himself like I didn’t know him, which was crazy. (laughter) It’s great to have the legends around and share their experience and knowledge. That’s really what it’s about, passing down that knowledge.”
(Less than 24 hours after you signed, the team trades for WR Tyreek Hill. What was your reaction when you heard the news about that trade?) – “Come on now, the most dynamic player in the league. I’ve always been a fan of his game, just watching him. Now having him be a part of this offense, I think we’re building something. We’re building something special. Him paired with (Jaylen) Waddle, (Raheem) Mostert and that speed, and then the speed of us up front on the offensive line, we’re going to try to turn these Sundays into a track meet. A physical track meet. Let’s not try to overshadow that at all. Up front we’re going to implement that physicality, that mentality. Speed kills when you try to catch these guys on the outside.”
(What excites an offensive lineman about Head Coach Mike McDaniel?) – “He understands us more than a few others. It’s a tough job. It’s a tough position. It’s a thankless position. We are asked to go and create. You don’t necessarily get the celebrations or the rewards, which is fine. It takes a unique group of individuals to do that over and over without expecting to be rewarded or to be patted on the back. Mike likes to put offensive linemen in the best position to be successful. He uses your strengths and abilities, which was another factor with me signing to Miami. The offensive scheme and the fit I think is perfect for what I do best. Be explosive, physical, get out and run.”
(The moves made this week changed a lot of people’s perception of the Miami Dolphins. Do you want to change the perception broadly about what this team can do?) – “We’ll write our own story. I don’t want to stand up here and try to change any perception. I would rather us get to work, offseason program, training camp, and then once we start playing football, we’ll write our own story.”
(Coming from the University of Arkansas Pine-Bluff, what does today mean for you being a product of an HBCU and being a 10-year vet?) – “It’s amazing. It’s a blessing for sure. I thank God for the opportunity, for being here, for being here for so long, for being an HBCU guy, a small school guy. It’s a longer road. It honestly is. It’s a longer trip to get here and to stay here, but it’s possible. It’s becoming more and more frequent and evident that the talent is in those buildings and in those spaces. I was at the HBCU legacy bowl. A lot of talented players, a lot of NFL scouts and front office people making decisions. I think it will continue to grow as they continue to get exposure.”
(Where do you feel like you are in your career arc?) – “Progressing, learning, still trying to get better. I’ve got goals and aspirations that I haven’t necessarily touched yet, so I’m chasing them.”
(Busy offseason for the AFC. A lot of trades, a lot of moves. Where do you think you guys stack up?) – “Every team at this point feels like they are Super Bowl contenders. All 32. It’s not true. We can talk about what it looks like on paper. I’ve been doing it long enough to know that it doesn’t really matter. You’ve got a depth chart and that’s a starting point. You’ve got to go out there and do it, put the work in and practice, then you really get a chance to know. Right now, I can’t really – I think it’s unfair to say. I’m going to say we’ll be Super Bowl champions but you go (ask and) anybody else is going to say the same thing.”
(How is your health at this age in your career?) – “I feel great. I feel great. I had a procedure in the offseason. Cleaned up some stuff from last year. I feel great. I’ve just been rehabbing, training and getting myself ready to roll for when we start.”
(You said that QB Tua Tagovailoa is as accurate and precise as anyone you’ve ever seen. You spent a few years with somebody known for his accuracy and decision-making in QB Drew Brees in New Orleans. What do you take from your experience there, having a quarterback you rely on for timing, precision and things like that?) – “Spending so long with Drew and being such a fan of what he does, Drew is as accurate as they come. He can knock the wing off a fly. (laughter) Just watching his game and his preparation I’m excited to get around Tua and see how he prepares. I don’t know if he has much experience or connection with Drew. That definitely would be something that I’d like to bridge just because he was such a cerebral mind and a student of the game. He saw it differently than most, so if I could just connect those two. That’s even before meeting Tua. I think Drew would be an asset to anybody.”
(If you made a list of the five leading sack artists in the game from last season, you’d start with LB T.J. Watt all the way down to DE Nick Bosa and so forth. The Dolphins play all five of those in 2022. When you hear that, what do you think?) – “That’s part of the game. It’s the NFL. It’s the best of the best. Those guys, those few names, they stand out for a reason. Special players, elite players, are part of the competition, part of the sport. We thrive to play against those guys, the ones that have been doing it at a high level. Just go out there and perform.”
(How much time have you spent previously in Miami? Have you visited Miami at all?) – “I’ve been down a few times. (laughter) Not too much though.”
(What are you looking forward to doing or finding out about the city?) – “I’ve got a lot of friends here. Like I said, I’ve visited a few times. Just excited to really get here and make it home, grow in the city and get into the community. That’s really it. Find a place to live first. It’s expensive down here. (laughter)”
(How would you describe your approach to run block?) – “It’s a mindset. It’s a mentality. I love the way Mike (McDaniel) looks at it. That’s the most rewarding for an offensive linemen, to be able to go forward. We’re asked to go backwards so much and stay in front of the best athletes in the world. So to get a chance to go forward and be on offense and be the aggressor, it’s a great feeling. To have a coaching staff that values that and sees that as the foundation of the offense, I think it will help everyone in the building.”
(Are we going to get a new freestyle mix tape and what beat are we going to use?) – “Dropping soon. (laughter) Dropping soon. Nah, I’ve got some music I’ve been working on. I put out some music while I was in New Orleans last year that did really well. I got some new content coming. Stay tuned.”
