Head Coach Mike McDaniel
(Why the trade with CB Noah Igbinoghene to Dallas? Did he need a new start or was this to get a new body in here? What was the thinking there?) – “That was something that we definitely weren’t chasing; we were approached with. There was some interest there. Really, regardless, it wasn’t planned. It wasn’t a situation where we were really exploring the idea of not having him on the roster. But when given the opportunity and our specific team with our specific needs, we thought it was both a win for us. I’m so happy for and really proud of Noah because everybody wants to be a first-round draft pick. As a 20-year-old, that sounds cool, but there’s a burden with that. What you’ve seen is a guy grow as a player and as a person. I think being able to be 23 years old and go to a place with a fresh start, specifically with a guy that I’ve worked with in Dan Quinn and just knowing his coaching mentality, I think it’s a good fit for them. I think it’s a good fit for us. That’s how deals are done.”
(DB Keion Crossen and TE Eric Saubert going to injured reserve. I just want to get clarification, does that end their season without the possibility to return?) – “Those are things that you kind of figure out as the week progresses because of the multiple implications within the roster. But it was in both of those players’ interests, with regard to their injury, to go ahead and do that. Later in the week, I think it’s Wednesday night or Thursday, we settled the designated for return players with the accompanied movements.”
(We thought you had to wait until…) – “I can’t remember. Again, why are we even here? The Chris Grier show is tomorrow. (laughter) I stay in my lane. And honestly, I told you guys it’s the worst part of the year. Yeah, I short-changed that. There’s a lot of people that we’re all very close to that our journey together may or may not have ended. So, excuse me if my timelines are a little foggy.”
(I wanted to ask you about trading away OL Dan Feeney. What went into that decision and as of now, who is the backup center to OL Connor Williams?) – “That was another situation, we had a couple that kind of came to us. I think me from a human being standpoint, in this situation as well, knowing Chris Morgan, the offensive line coach, I kind of knew that it was an opportunity that would be good for him and good for us with the return compensation. In terms of the backup center, you guys always sit here and tell me, what’s the big deal about OTAs? Do you remember there was a center every play? (laughter) The first guy’s up to be working on that and who have been training since OTAs and got invaluable reps throughout will be Liam Eichenberg and Lester Cotton. We have a good core of players in the interior and adversity is an opportunity, so remember that next OTAs.”
(You know about, obviously, the long winding road in your career. Do you impart any of that on these guys when they’re let go and talk to them about that stuff?) – “When it’s appropriate, I think it does come up, for sure. Just because they get beat over the head with, ‘Adversity is an opportunity,’ and that’s where it comes from for me, is living experience of those things. I think to be an effective coach, you have to embark on each individual player’s journey, and when you do that, it’s very easy to understand. The first time that I ever got let go with the Houston Texans, viscerally, I’ll never forget, I had been on a team my whole life, and then I remember walking out of Reliant Stadium like, ‘Wow, who am I?’ And that identity, although a player’s experience is different than a coach’s, I think there’s a commonality in that, which is why it’s very emotional and very, very difficult for me in these times because I know exactly what that is. You wake up – I mean, you are embarking on an invested journey that your mind is goal-oriented to be on the 53 (-man roster) for the Miami Dolphins, and then boom. Now what? I don’t wish that on anybody. It’s uncharted territory. The unknown is like one of the greatest sources of stress – it’s science. It’s been studied. And it is a feeling that I don’t wish on anyone. However, I do feel like there are certain times that it’s very, very appropriate to share that with guys, because you can see it on people’s faces, ‘I didn’t even see this coming,’ or ‘What do I do now?’ It’s brutal. So it comes up, I think that’s an important part. It’s not about living exactly in someone’s shoes; it’s being able to connect experiences that might render residual feelings that are similar. So again, I mean it, this is brutal. There’s more than 53 deserving people to be on this football team, but there’s only 53 spots. I pressed upon the locker room today, like part of your grieving of your brethren that isn’t here is doing right by them because they sure wish they were.”
(As it stands, I believe you only have three safeties on the 53-man roster, and S Brandon Jones really hasn’t practiced much. Are you comfortable with that? With the post-cut down day kind of roster shelf thing with IR, do you anticipate adding another safety?) – “I think it would be safe to say that you don’t feel completely safe with too little safeties. There’s a lot of ways now that your roster can be set up with regard to, since the COVID year, the 16-player practice squad and the flexibility and things of that nature. So there’s some depth issues that will be solidified by some practice squad members, maybe some active activity. I mean, shoot, tune in for the Chris Grier show tomorrow. Who knows what you’ll find out? (laughter)”
(How stressful is it from the organization standpoint when you make a move today, and you’re hoping that you can get a guy through waivers, or you’re hoping that a guy will be available tomorrow or down the line?) – “You can’t make moves under any sort of assumption. Either way, you have to be very, very calculated and knowing that you’re taking a risk, and that’s inherent in all of it. It’s bittersweet, because you’d love to have additional players, specifically the guys that you’ve been with that know your system and you’re invested with. However, teammates, the organization itself, you can’t spend too much time getting down for someone’s dream to be realized. So it’s conflicting. It is measured and calculated, but it comes with inherent risk. I’m very much the optimist, but I just flip the role in these situations. I kind of turn to a pessimist with regard to just very ready for that to happen. That’s a real thing. Players aren’t really a secret that much.”
(Can you talk about the three undrafted rookies to make the team, DT Brandon Pili, TE Julian Hill and RB Chris Brooks and what they showed you?) – “So that is the journey that is the hardest, most difficult to navigate that really exists. You go zero to 60 from college to professional, and then you get here, and you’re stacked underneath guys that have been doing it professionally in the scheme or on the stage for an extended period of time. It can look insurmountable. Especially, you have your first rookie minicamp and you’re like, ‘Man, I’m pretty good.’ And then you get to a practice with your whole team, and you’re like, ‘Whoa.’ So undrafted free agents that are able to make a 53-man roster, that in and of itself is such a monumental task that so few people can undertake, promised nothing, and really just behind the eight ball. It’s like if I went to a foreign country, could I speak fluently in a month and a half or however long? That’s tough to do. But every year, there’s certain guys that you’re really trying to find that have that mental fortitude to really accomplish something like that. Very huge accomplishment that really all the teammates really appreciate. You want to see an excited locker room? It’s seeing an undrafted rookie free agent on the 53 (man roster), because most of the time, they’re breathing a sigh of relief because if they’re even in consideration, they’ve made waves in practice and in preseason games. To see that that goal, all of their $5,000 or $10,000 signing bonus, and just really doing stuff for the right reasons and learning fast, it’s a cool process for everybody involved. A lot of respect given to those three and many other rookies that hopefully will join us.”
(Last week when we asked about Jonathan Taylor and you were trying to tell us not to read between the lines, but was there ever a point that you thought it might happen? Or is it always just something that was not attainable?) – “Honestly, I spend zero time except when I answer questions about it. When I can half see your face because your phone’s covering the rest of it. (laughter) It’s again structured that way for a reason. When things are serious enough, it comes to my plate. But when you’re very happy with the players that you’re coaching, know that they’re capable of making a ton of plays, and you have a lot of guys that you’re going with on a journey, just trying to get them better every day, I spend zero time thinking or forecasting. I’m just trigger ready if Chris (Grier) comes knocking on my door for whatever reason. But that hasn’t been a part of my life really since you’ve asked me.”
(You told us you asked WR Tyreek Hill about acquiring CB Eli Apple. If Tyreek would’ve said no, would you guys just move on and would that be the case for Jonathan Taylor, or would that be the case for any other high-profile player you might attain?) – “I think you hit the nail on the head. That’s something that is important to me. That Eli Apple example is a great one, where when you’re adding someone to the team, you want to know it’s residual effect on the team because when you’re adding a player to the team, it’s about the team. So when there’s questions that are obvious, or maybe pseudo not obvious, there are position coaches on our team, the personnel staff, the training staff, the strength staff, and our jobs are to invest in these players. And when you invest in people, you can learn a ton about them, especially when you’re not on your phone. And, in that, if there’s something that you can connect dots to, shame on me if I enter into something that might shake the locker room up in an adverse way. That’s kind of our jobs, as Chris and I look at it, to build a team, coach a team, and make sure the team is as good as it possibly can be. So things like that always factor in.”
(Earlier when we were talking about getting released from a team and that feeling of not being a part of a team, someone who went through that was here a few minutes ago, DT Zach Sieler. And now you saw him get rewarded the way he did. Can you describe your feelings about seeing him get rewarded and why he was able to overcome the way he did and be an important part of the team?) – “The absolute climax of the coaching experience. It is everything because to watch someone go to sustain what that is, that body blow to be released from a team, to battle against the human nature that is, am I good enough? The fortitude to keep pressing forward for the right reasons. The belief it takes in oneself. All of that, and to see someone come out the other side, we’re so fortunate to have Zach and we were so fortunate to be able to extend him for three years. And there’s one thing you know with guys like that. Every piece of the pie was earned and that is a testament, a living testament, that we have in house now. It is a great example of perseverance that you can always resource and point out. I brought it up the other day. I think my last team meeting with the 90-man roster, is before you go into a world where this is all or nothing, I asked Raheem Mostert how many times have you been cut? Zach Sieler, how many times you’ve been cut? And that’s everything, because you don’t go through this this world of NFL football unscathed and it’s not a coincidence that I say adversity is an opportunity every two minutes because it’s always there. But if you can control what you can control, you have a chance to be the best version of yourself and live after football with no regrets.”
WR Jaylen Waddle
(We haven’t seen you at practice for about a week or two. Are you all good to go for Week 1?) – “Yeah, I’m feeling good. Me and the medical staff talked, and they’re doing a good job monitoring me and doing stuff like that. But feeling good.”
(The expectation is you’ll be there Week 1?) – “Yeah, it’s always the expectation to go out and play.”
(QB Teddy Bridgewater wore No. 50 in preseason, but now he switched his number to 17. Do you think that’s an ode to you?) – “No, Teddy is OG. (laughter) I liked him rocking that 50, though, it’s pretty funny. Especially the meaning behind it, being in Detroit and stuff like that. But no, I think he just got one of the best available numbers and stuff like that, for real.”
(I know Head Coach Mike McDaniel had mentioned he had to slow you down out in Houston, hometown, you wanted to practice there. Where are you as far as doing stuff on your own, running and whatnot?) – “Pretty solid. I think our training staff and the coaches are doing a good job of monitoring me, really taking a little incident serious and stuff like that. But like I told them, I’m feeling good. They’re doing a good job of communicating with me, letting me know what to do and what not to do and things like that.”
(How do you balance that from a player perspective? You have the coach saying, “Hey, don’t go,” and you’re like, “Man, I can battle through something like this.” How do you mentally turn yourself down when you want to go?) – “I think just trust, trusting that they know what they’re talking about, knowing what’s best for me and my body, knowing I’m one of the guys that likes to go out there and play and compete. So really just trusting them.”
(It was just reported by ESPN that Jonathan Taylor will not be traded today. He’s going to miss the first four weeks of the season on the physically unable to play list. My question is about the backs that are here, maybe up to six of them I saw out there today. What do you think about the running back room?) – “Oh, I love them. They bring a different dynamic to the game. Each and every one of them has a different style of play I think really helps in the running game and ultimately pass game, and ultimately putting points on the board. So I love the backs, man.”
(There’s a report that CB Noah Igbinoghene was traded to Dallas today. I wanted to know from your perspective, is there a heaviness to being a first-round pick? Is there a pressure? Would it be easier if you were a second- or third-round pick from the expectation standpoint?) – “I think being a first-round pick, they really expect you to come in and kind of make something shake ASAP.
It’s definitely some pressure, being a first-round pick just going out there and just learning on the fly kind of, for sure. But it’s fun, though. It’s fun. The pressure, it makes the game a little more fun, and I ain’t going to lie.”
(Fun or stressful?) – “Not really stressful because – not really stressful at all, because at the end of the day, it’s a game that we all love. It just makes it more fun, a lot more at stake.”
(I was curious, I know you’ll play any game but starting the season off against the Chargers, obviously things didn’t go the way you and the team expected on Sunday night last year. How excited are you to kind of start it off that way?) – “Yeah, it’s going to be a good game. They’ve got a great group. We’ve got a great group. Starting off the season, really getting to showcase what we’ve been learning and all of our hard work coming out of training camp and OTAs and all that good stuff. We get to pop it off with a great team, really showcase where our team is at. It’s really going to be a good test for Week 1.”
(Your shirt has me thinking just so many questions I want to ask you. Do you play golf?) – “No, I suck, I ain’t going to lie. Top Golf I’m pretty good at though. Top Golf, I’m pretty good. No, Tua (Tagovailoa) has been trying to get me out there. I don’t know why people go so early in the morning. (laughter) I don’t know why. I don’t know why that’s a thing. I don’t know why that’s a thing, but I’m not getting up at 6 or 7 in the morning to go golfing, I’ll tell y’all that now.”
(What’s the meaning of the shirt?) – “I just mess with it, for real. Just mess with it, for real.”
(Do you know who John Daly is?) – “I know a little bit about him. I know a little bit about him.”
(Pretty sure his philosophy is hit bombs. Is that kind of what you’re trying to go for, just hitting bombs on the football field?) – “I mean, if the shoe fits.”
(You were talking about the pressure a little earlier. Your draft class has incredible receivers. You, Ja’Marr Chase, DeVonta Smith, Amon-Ra St. Brown is coming up. How much do you guys talk about that class and maybe the competition to be maybe at the top of it when it’s all said and done?) – “We really don’t talk that much about it. All of us, I feel like are doing great things. We’ve got a great receiver class, and I think everybody is doing great things for their team and organization. It’s always good being in a competitive draft class. It kind of keeps people competitive and seeing what people have going on and what they’re doing. So it definitely keeps it fun, but like I said, those guys are doing great for their teams.”
(This is your third year, taking that next big step in Year 3. What are some things that WR Tyreek Hill has spoke to you and your Wide Receivers Coach Wes Welker about as far as just staying consistent and things like that?) – “You learn each and every day with a coach like Wes (Welker) and a guy like ‘Reek’ (Tyreek Hill). If it’s not them telling me something, it’s them doing it themselves, going out there. Playing with a guy like ‘Reek,’ you learn so much just from him going out there and doing it for so many years, being consistent and just being a leader on this team. Wes actually did it, too, so it’s kind of easy when you have a coach that’s done it and really can tell you what to expect out there and what to really do.”
(The expectations of this offense are through the roof externally. You’ve got to be so excited about what you’re going to show this year. Just how thrilled are you that the season is finally starting?) – “Yeah, man, it’s here. We finally get to – kind of in preseason go out there and compete against someone else, but it’s going to be a real, real challenge. We’ve got some good games this year to showcase our ability to put points on the board. It’s going to be good. We have a lot of weapons, a lot of people coming back, a lot of people trying to up their game. It’s going to be fun.”
DT Christian Wilkins
(I saw that you put on social media congratulations to DT Zach Sieler. How do you feel about him getting a deal with the club?) – “Honestly I couldn’t be more proud, more happy, more excited for someone than Zach Sieler honestly. He called me the morning of. He wanted to be the first to tell me. That’s been my brother since day one when he got here with like three games left in the season. I couldn’t be more happy, more proud of someone. All the work he’s put in, we were able to ride this thing out together since he came here. It was salt and pepper. Me and him always had a tight bound since day one. That was a great feeling. I was in his ear yelling on the phone when he called me. I’m sure he didn’t expect anything less, but I couldn’t be more proud, more excited, for someone to have that moment to get what they have been working so hard for all their life. He’s someone who started out literally living life in a trailer when he first got here. Now he’s on his second extension on the team. I couldn’t be more proud of him, just everything he’s worked for. Now he has enough money to finally buy that platinum grill he’s always wanted, or some of those tools, whatever the heck he’ll probably get. We just really had each other’s back throughout this whole process, and I’m so glad he was able to get what he wanted ultimately. I couldn’t be more happy for someone, in a lot of ways more happy than myself. I’ll challenge his wife Hannah – I’m more happy for him than she can ever be. I’m really excited about that.”
(Where do things stand with you? Obviously we saw the hold in. Are you back full now?) – “With all that, at this point I’m just focused on being the best teammate I can be and being there for my guys and getting ready to play a game and get focused on the season. As far as all of that goes, whether or not something gets done, my focus is on the season. We have a game to play in two weeks. Ultimately I’m just here to be the best teammate I can be, and be there for my guys the same way I’ve been all offseason, all training camp. That’s really what it comes down to.”
(On his contract negotiations) – “Like I said, whether or not something gets done, I’m just focused on being the best I can be for my guys, and getting ready to have the best year of my career, and for us to have the best year we can have as well.”
(What have you learned about the business process of the NFL from this experience?) – “I definitely learned a lot, and that’s a good thing. I’ll just say, at the end of the day, nobody wants to be a Miami Dolphin more than me. No one wants to work for this organization more than me. And that’s from Valerie at the front desk, to the coaches on the coaching staff, to Hubert who cleans up the building. Nobody wants to be a part of the organization more than myself. That’s how I feel, that’s what it is, that’s where I’m at with everything still. This is my home. I was drafted here, I love this place and I put my all to be the best player, the best leader, the best teammate, the best Miami Dolphin I can be. That’s not going to change. The organization deserves that, my teammates deserve that, the fans deserve that and everything.”
(We saw your excitement when you were talking about DT Zach Sieler’s deal and we see your energy on the field. How do you wrestle with the internal thoughts of not having something done given how much emotion you play with?) – “With all of that stuff, and everything that goes on, you have to be able to compartmentalize. I’m a professional. That’s business. You understand that part. But at the end of the day, that’s not going to change how I am, how I approach the game, how I approach just life. I still get to play football. At the end of the day, I want to be the best football player I can be. That mindset isn’t changing for anything. I’m really excited about that more than anything. I’m just going to make the most of it, have the same approach each and every day, and just have fun with this thing while I got it.”
(There are others who would’ve made waves, maybe ask to leave this team, trade, all of that. Why was that not something you would consider?) – “Well, just like I just said, no one wants to be a part of this organization more than I do. I love everything about being here. That’s not even a thought of mine or nothing like that to that point. I just want to be here at the end of the day.”
(There is a report that CB Noah Igbinoghene has been traded to Dallas. Are there times when a change of scenery could benefit a guy, and if he has been traded, is this one of those situations?) – “Yeah, it definitely could. Sometimes a change of scenery like you said, or a breath of fresh air, different things. I got a lot of respect for a guy like Noah. He’s always come in each and every day ready to work, whether it’s been good for him, whether it’s been bad for him, whatever. He just remained pretty consistent. I wish him all the best. I just always hope and want the best for my teammates regardless whether they go somewhere else or whether they are here, I always want them to do what’s best for them and do their thing. I’m excited about that.”
(Is there a heaviness that goes along with being a first-round pick?) – “Absolutely. There is obviously a lot of pressure and things like that. There definitely is. There are a lot of things that people don’t understand or really get to know but there is a lot of pressure that comes with that.”
S DeShon Elliott
(What’s this camp been like for you? I mean obviously camp is over, but what’s this journey been like for you, now on your third team and learning a new defensive scheme?) – “Football is football no matter where you go. I can say being here is different because of the energy that we have. We have a lot of young guys, we have a lot of very talented young guys who want to be great. I think that’s a big thing. We’re very hard on each other and ourselves. And I think that can push us to be the best version of ourselves, so I think that’s one of the biggest things for me.”
(What goals do you have this season?) – “I want to win. I want to win. Not just 10-plus games, I want to win and go deep into the playoffs and get my teammates paid who deserve to get paid. And what’s the saying – rising tide raises all ships. So I think that’s the biggest thing for me.”
(You weren’t here last year, but I’m sure you’ve gotten to know DT Zach Sieler a little bit. You’ve obviously been able to watch him do his thing. What’s your sense about the reaction in the locker room with that deal getting done? And also, he’s kind of a cool story that he has been cut and was a seventh rounder and that sort of thing.) – “What you don’t know is me and Zach (Sieler) started together in Baltimore. Same year, everything, so I’ve seen Zach’s growth. He was raw around the edges our rookie year, but he worked hard. And I think the best thing for him was getting cut. With that being said, today’s the grim reaper day, so to all those guys around the league who’s getting cut, don’t make that be the end of it. The way Zach handled it, he’s a very strong-minded guy so he was able to make that into a positive. Came here, dude has worked his butt off. Him and Bradley Bozeman were living in a trailer when they were in Baltimore. Just how humble that guy is and everyone knows how humble he is and how hard he works. It was well deserved and I’m proud of him to see where he’s came for sure.”
(We saw you play a lot in the preseason. How valuable were those reps to get familiar with the new defense here?) – “I think it was great. Just to knock the rust off before the first game. I haven’t played that much in a third preseason games since like, my rookie year, but I think I really needed it just to get out there and get the calls out there and also just, I need to run the show for the younger guys, so I think that’s going to help us in the long run. I felt good honestly. It’s time to play some ball.”
(We know obviously you have a relationship with S Brandon Jones. How has that kind of progressed now that you guys have had so much time together here in Miami?) – “Nothing’s changed. That’s been my boy since we were dang near kids. I think it’s great. I’m happy to see Brandon (Jones) back. I texted him the other day, told him how proud I was of his recovery and whatnot. With more reps, the more comfortable he’ll get with the defense. I think he’ll be fine. I think what me, him, and Jevon (Holland) will be a great trio of safeties for sure.”
(What’s one thing that you’ve learned, maybe that you didn’t know, about the Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio’s scheme since your arrival to know?) – “You have a set of tools that he gives you and it’s up to you to use them. You can’t be a robot in this defense. It’s about what you think is the best for our defense. I think he’s done a great job of making sure we understand that you can’t be a robot, that you’ve got to go out there and be thinking and set everybody else up to make their plays so that’s one of the biggest things for me.”
(Is this the day where there’s kind of a tangible shift to the season from training camp to let’s get going to the regular season? Or when does that shift happen?) – “I wouldn’t say the shift, I would just say, it’s more finetuning. Because we’ve been working since OTAs to try to be the best team we can be. So then this week is just more of just going back to the basics and making sure everybody understands our basic game plans and then once we come back from this little break, it’s time to get back to it. It’s time to get back to it and really lock in on L.A.”
(How do you feel your experience coming from Baltimore helped you to this point? I mean, you played under what Eric Weddle and Earl Thomas, so what are some things that you learned from those two?) – “Just taught me how to be a pro and handle each day the right way and understand it’s one play at a time. You can’t let the last play affect the next one and honestly, it just helped me grow up because I came into the NFL like 20 years old. So with that being said, it’s like hanging around with Weddle and Tony (Jefferson), they really helped me. They weren’t my fathers, but they definitely felt like a mentor for me, just helping me how to be a man in his league, understand the business side because it’s not just about ball no more, it’s about business. It’s different.”
(When did you get that realization that this is business?) – “I would say after my rookie year because I had broken my arm, so I didn’t even get the chance to play that much ball. So just being around a building and just walking in and out, just seeing how the ins and outs of the NFL works. I’m going to rehab and I’m just me, just vibing. So, just seeing how ball was and when I was in Baltimore, it was a lot of very savvy vets on the team, like everybody was above 27 (years old), so just talking to them and bouncing ideas off them. It just kind of helped me develop.”
(Those times when you’re lined up back there with S Jevon Holland, how do you feel the chemistry coming along?) – “I think it’s going great now. I think when I first got here, I was kind of too flustered because I can get a little all over the place, but he helped me just calm down and just play ball. So I think with that our situation is just gelling even more. I think we’re going to be great.”
(You mentioned S Jevon Holland there and you mentioned the trio with you and S Brandon Jones earlier. What has the battle been like? We’ve seen a lot of different safeties in and out of the lineup throughout camp and now it seems you might be the guy there.) – “Battle? Shoot, we are all just working. I’m not even worried about any battles. I’m just doing my thing. God is going to do everything. God is going to do everything that needs to be done and whatever happens, happens. So I never really thought about it as a battle, I was just playing ball.”
DT Zach Sieler
(What I was going to ask DT Christian Wilkins was in the very beginning when you guys got together here and met, was there a moment where your friendship took off or was it kind of a slow build? Like how did that come to be?) – “I’d say it was that first offseason here. I got here with like, three, three-and-a-half weeks left (of the season) so it was just trying to – my head was spinning, just trying to learn Miami’s defense at that point. And then that first offseason, we kind of slowly grew together, learned each other, how he plays, how I play. And then just from there, it’s kind of built to where we’re at now as you see.”
(S DeShon Elliott was saying that you being waived in Baltimore could’ve been the best thing for you. What do you remember going through your mind when that happened, when you were waived and then ultimately you were picked up by the Dolphins?) – “Yeah, it was stressful. Obviously it was terrible. Look at today. Today is one of the worst days in football in my opinion. Guys out there giving their all every day in camp and then – it’s what it is. It’s the fact of the matter. It’s the business. It’s the nature of the beast. But it’s tough whenever that happens. I really just prayed a lot and just kind of sat and then just kind of figured it out. We didn’t really know much. The only thing I heard was maybe Cleveland was a little interested and then once waivers ended that next day – I think it was a Thursday – my agent calls and said, ‘hey, you’ve been claimed.’ I’m like, ‘all right, where am I going?’ He’s like, ‘I don’t know yet.’ And then half an hour later, Miami called and said, ‘hey, there’s a flight at 8 or 9 o’clock, tell me what you want to get on.’ So I flew out at 9 o’clock that night and been here ever since, so I think God has a plan for sure.”
(One game, you actually helped them win.) – “Yeah, that Cincinnati game. I actually played a little bit in the Giants game the week before. We did New York – the Jets, then Giants back-to-back. But yeah, Cincinnati was really my first game I got some serious reps in it.”
(Let’s maybe back up a little bit more and just open it up. What’s your reaction to the contract extension?) – “Blessed. It’s one of those things you just dream about it and you work every day towards it and it’s one of those things that I’m kind of like just don’t talk about it and just work. Things will come and just go from there. And then to be able to get to this point in Miami and just to stay here and be with the team, the guys I love, the staff, the coaches, everybody. It’s really something special.”
(How was the phone call to Mom and Dad after the contract extension?) – “It was pretty good. Mom was tearing up and Dad really was just speechless. So it was pretty crazy.”
(So now we know you’ve moved out of the trailer. That was a long time ago. What’s the plan for yourself and life and maybe the ranch you got?) – “So the ranch, we’ve got one more year left on the lease. We’ll definitely be out there – there’s back and forth. We’ve got a spot down here we love. Definitely for sure keeping that. And then my wife and I, we’ve kind of set around Nashville in the offseason/post-football. We kind of love that Nashville center of the country area right there. Not too cold.”
(Now that you’ve been taken care of, how bad do you want to see DT Christian Wilkins get his so you guys can stay together long-term?) – “That’s my guy. There’s nothing more I’d love than play with Christian (Wilkins) for a long time, even longer. We’ve been very fortunate to have three, four years together now – me, Christian, (Emmanuel) Ogbah, Raekwon (Davis), (Defensive Line Coach Austin) Clark up front. That’s something special in itself, but obviously any extra time we can get would be incredible for Christian and ‘Rae’ (Raekwon Davis).”
(How much did you learn about the business of the NFL from this process?) – “A good amount. Just kind of seeing the inner workings of it. And I wasn’t too – I really told (Drew) Rosenhaus like, ‘Hey, look, you guys do this, I just want to worry about football. I don’t want to get distracted on anything else. I’m in camp. My main goal is getting better each day at football.’ So kind of near the end of it was when we were just talking about kind of realizing how things went and just how the pressure on us and on management as well.”
(Can you maybe talk me through that because you hear players say not making a distraction, but it sounds easier than maybe it probably is. Like how do you go through that knowing that this is potentially life-changing money?) – “Yeah, for me, it was really just keep my routine. Don’t change anything. Just stay focused on each day and just try not to think about it. Obviously it’s there and you’ve got to answer calls here and there with what’s going on, where it’s at, where we’re going. But really it was just kind of focusing and staying locked in and trying not to let that change how I play or change who I am because that’s how I got here.”
(You hear about players getting cut all the time. Including today, it’s happening in this building. For a lot of them, you never hear from them again. It’s a small percentage who get an extension – an eight-figure extension like you have. What inside you, what has gotten you to this point coming from that point in Baltimore?) – “I mean, obviously, none of this could have happened without I think my faith truly, knowing there’s a plan and, like I said, not stressing too much on what’s happening. And just focusing on what I can control. That’s a big part of my thing is what I can control, what I can do for the team, what I can do for myself every day. Rehab more, stretch, massage, lift, whatever I need to do to stay healthy and stay on the field and to play my best ball to be able to get to this point that I’ve gotten to.”
(If a late-round pick or an undrafted guy gets cut today and texts you or calls you, what are you telling the guy?) – “I’ll tell him just keep your head up. It might be over. It also might – tomorrow you might get a chance, you might get picked up and have a chance somewhere else. Make a good impression. Don’t burn any bridges. And really just keep working. I mean, it’s what it is. So I’d just tell them whatever they need, let me know, anything from here on out.”
(DT Christian Wilkins mentioned that you always wanted a platinum grill. Have you begun that process of searching for one?) – “(laughter) I might have to. I have not yet, though, no.”
(Are we talking mouth or truck?) – “Oh, you’re talking grill. See I’m thinking cooking grill. I got a Traeger, I’m good. Yeah. (laughter) I didn’t even think about that.”
(Did Ferris State hit you up for a new gym yet?) – “They actually just got one. They just got one. Actually it was in the talks when I was there my first year. They just got it a year or two ago. Maybe last year. But it’s pretty nice. They’re moving up. Back-to-back championships, they’re doing their thing.”
(Heard a guy on the radio today, Miami sports talk radio. Your contract came up. Leroy Hoard said he’s been to Ferris State and he said it’s one of the best party schools in America. Is this accurate? Is it actually a very fun school?) – “Ferris is incredible. I loved every moment there. It’s in the middle of nowhere. There’s nothing going on, nothing really – the school is it. So we loved it there. We enjoyed our time there. It was a good time. I love all my guys there. I’m still super close with all those guys. We always make a trip every year. When there’s not a long going on, you’re just kind of forced to grow together and I think that’s why their team has done what they’ve done, because you become so close on the football team. There’s not a lot of distractions.”
(What comes to mind when you think back to those YouTube workout days at Ferris?) – “Man, it was crazy. It wasn’t even – YouTube was lucky. We looked up ‘Muscle Farm,’ ‘bodybuilding.com.’ Any workouts we could find and it was just us in there. Like we didn’t know what we were doing. We were doing like 8×2 bodybuilder stuff and it was the absolute opposite thing you should do for football. But just keeping that mindset and that process has been the biggest thing for me and a lot of those guys, they’re quick to remind me, ‘hey, remember what you were back then.’ I’ve got a buddy in Amsterdam now. The first thing, he goes, ‘bro, I used to start in front of you.’ (laughter) I’m like, ‘you did.’ He always reminds me of that.”
(Has WR Jaylen Waddle been out to alligator hunting?) – “No, he hasn’t. No. We’ll definitely try to get some guys at the end of the season this year to do something fun up there.”
(Are you still involved up there?) – “Yes, we are.”
