TE Adam Shaheen
(Going back earlier in the week, I don’t know if you saw that you guys were a part of the ‘Angry Runs’ segment on Good Morning Football. I was curious if you guys have something similar as far as run-blocking goes. Maybe not the scepter they have, but something you guys rally around when it comes to digging out guys in the running game.) – “We don’t really have anything like that, like a scepter or something we do with ourselves. (We don’t) have really a physical item, but we take good pride in being some dogs in the trenches.”
(You deserve all of the credit for the very good year that you’ve had. I wonder what you think Offensive Coordinator Chan Gailey and Tight Ends Coach George Godsey have done for you personally to maximize your skills this year?) – “I think just giving me the opportunity to come in here and play, as well as the strength staff and training staff for keeping me healthy. Really being able to stay on the field has been my biggest strength. I’ve played all 14 games here so far and I’m looking for finish it out here strong. Being able to maximize and stay out there, and do whatever they ask of me. That’s grown a little bit, week by week, and it’s gotten to the point where me, Mike (Gesicki), and Durham (Smythe) are all playing a pretty significant role. It’s been, I think, a strength of ours.”
(You guys got 250 rushing yards – a whopping 250 rushing yards – last week. What do you guys need to do as a line and as tight ends to re-create that?) – “I think last week was awesome as far as what you said about running for 250. I think just staying on them like we did all game, and then eventually wearing them down, and then we finally broke open some big ones. You could feel that momentum and them just being completely drained and us just taking over.”
DT Raekwon Davis
(Has there been anything that an opposing player or coach on the field after a game has said to you to make you feel good about how you’ve played, because you’ve obviously made a favorable impression during your rookie season?) – “No, we don’t talk about nothing like that. I just do my job. They just let me know when I’m wrong or right. That’s about it.”
(I wanted to ask you about a Christmas event you did in your hometown in Meridian. Can you tell us about that a little bit?) – “I have my marketing team. They provided meals and gifts and stuff for the kids and for the moms and dads and stuff like that back at the Boys and Girls Club.”
(There’s often talk about rookie walls, but obviously you played in a college program that had long seasons because of the playoffs. Has that do you think helped you at all? Have you felt at all tired? Because you played in a big-time program that played a lot of games, do you think that benefits with stamina?) – “I would say it helped. Around this time, we were still playing in games. My body feels the same, so I guess you could say it helped a little bit.”
Head Coach Brian Flores
(RB Myles Gaskin was activated yesterday. What are you seeing at this very early stage out of him? Is it possible we’ll see him in action Saturday night?) – “It was good to have him back out there. I thought he looked good, had some juice, energy. We’ll see how practice goes today and make a decision on whether or not he’s ready to go.”
(I know you guys are trying to figure out who you might be facing in terms of quarterback, but if it is Raiders QB Marcus Mariota, is the key – looking back at film – is the key to try to keep him in the pocket or are there some things you can do when he’s on the move that can be more disruptive?) – “Marcus is very talented, obviously can extend plays, make plays with his feet as well as with his arm. I think with any quarterback, you want to try to keep him in the pocket, especially one who’s as athletic, fast and skilled as Marcus. But (Derek) Carr, he’s also been able to step up and make plays with his feet as well. I’m not really sure which one we’re going to get. I think the game plan for both guys is to try to keep him in the pocket in the pass game and we’ve just got to do a good job with reading our keys on the some of the zone-read things that they do with both quarterbacks, but I would say I think we all know that Marcus is more apt to probably keep the ball and can make plays with his legs.”
(I’m curious your reaction, I guess your thoughts on how the NFL and your team handled 2020 from a COVID standpoint. There has not been any missed weeks. Your team has, I don’t think, really even missed practice. I don’t want to jinx it here obviously, but how do you think it has been handled internally?) – “I think the league and – I think it starts with the league, the players. I think we’ve done a good job getting the games in thus far. I think everyone’s had to make some sacrifices. I think the protocols that were put into place, which are changing all the time; they try to put us in the best position to obviously not get COVID, but then try to contain it when guys do get it. I think overall, it’s been good, as long as guys follow the protocols, make the sacrifices and make smart decisions. We’re still in it, though. We’re not done by any stretch of the imagination, so we’ve all got to continue to be smart and make good decisions and not feel like, ‘oh, it’s been good so far, so we’re okay.’ I don’t even like to talk about how good it’s been. We need to just continue to do the things we’ve been doing so that we talk about whatever it is at the end. So hopefully you didn’t jinx it.”
(I wanted to ask you about the offensive line. Obviously after a 250-yard performance, you kind of – I’m assuming – want to stick with what works, but now that G Solomon Kindley appears to be sidelined, how has G Ereck Flowers looked and can you address C/G Michael Deiter’s development in terms of how he played versus what you saw last year?) – “I think Deiter’s really developed. I think he’s done a great job this year. He’s dealt with some adversity. Obviously played a lot last year and hasn’t played as much this year, goes in last week, plays well for us, has practiced well, has played different positions. This kid, he’s got all the characteristics we’re looking for. He’s tough, he’s competitive, he’s smart. I’m excited for him and his future here and I thought he did a nice job last week. As far as the o-line situation, we’ve got some injuries and we’ve had guys out really the entire year. The next guy just steps up, steps in and just tries to basically step in and play well, and just execute the fundamentals and techniques that we talk about on a daily basis – not try to do too much, just handle his responsibility and do his role in a specific play. Whether that’s Ereck or that’s Deiter, whether we make another move, we’ll just see where it lands. But it’s good to have Ereck out there. It’s good to have ‘Deits’ (Michael Deiter) out there. It’s a tough opponent. They’ve got a good d-line, (line)backers, so we’ve got to play well if we want to run the ball, if we want to protect, if we want to – whatever we want to do offensively, we’re going to have to play with good fundamentals, technique and execute.”
(We all know that family is important to you, and it’s life in the NFL at Christmas time. Making sure that there is time for your family this week – for you, and your coaches and your players – do you struggle with that? Do you ever get to the point where you are comfortable with the balance that you’ve set for the team?) – “Yeah, I’m comfortable with the amount of time we’re giving to the team. I think family is important. It’s important to me. I think you need a balance. If you don’t, you’re not going to be at your optimum level. I’ve said this before, if I don’t see my family, you’re going to get a lesser version of me. I just assume that for everybody on our team. We’ll make time for our families during Christmas, Thanksgiving, the holidays and things of that nature. I think that’s kind of my thought process on that.”
(I really wanted to ask you about the status of TE Mike Gesicki, WR DeVante Parker and WR Jakeem Grant and if any of them have a chance to go on Saturday. But I really want to ask you how does a coach do some Christmas shopping for your family and loved ones during this time?) – “Christmas shopping – Amazon. That’s how we get it done, like everybody else. It’s a pandemic. (laughter) … We handle that with Amazon. But look, DeVante, Mike, Jakeem are doing everything they can to get out there. They are really working hard. It’s important for everyone to be out there. It’s obviously an important game. All of those guys are working hard and hopefully they are wearing masks when they are in the mall.”
(We haven’t asked in a few weeks as we get towards the end of the season. Are you still holding out hope for WR Preston Williams or DT Devon Godchaux to come back at some point? Or are those guys focused more on 2021 at this point?) – “I’m always holding out hope. Those guys are training, they are rehabbing, they are getting treatment. We’ll see how this shakes out here. Obviously not this week, but we’ll see how this shakes out. I’m always holding out hope and so are they.”
(All of the pro teams here in South Florida, there are a lot of high-ranking men and women of color throughout the organization. That’s obviously rare. What are the Dolphins and other teams here doing differently and how can it be replicated across the various leagues?) – “I’d say that starts with ownership (Stephen Ross) – interviewing qualified minority candidates and creating an environment where the people who are qualified and capable, and giving those people an opportunity. I think it’s about putting good people together. I look at our situation with myself and (General Manager) Chris Grier. It’s been great, honestly. For me personally, I’m at times not the easiest guy to deal with, and Chris deals with me at times. When I’m locked into football mode, he’s making sure that things from the roster standpoint are where they need to be. I think we have a great relationship that way; but to your question, I think it starts with ownership and just trying to find good minority candidates to interview. Then if they feel like it’s the right fit within the organization, giving them an opportunity and then I think they’ve got to take advantage of that opportunity, regardless if you’re a minority or not.”
