Read the full transcript from Mike McDaniel's press conference on September 18, 2024.
Q: So the decision to put QB Tua Tagovailoa on IR and be sidelined for four games, what led to that – to have him sit at least four games?
"I think lost in a lot of this is this is something that Chris (Grier) and I have to collaborate on in terms of you have injuries – man, it's clear if it's, 'All right, you're out for the year.' Anything else, you have to weigh the information that you have on that day at that moment and weigh all of the different variables. So in the process, like every other player on this team, we do what we feel is best with the information and collaboration with medical experts. We do the very best for the organization that we can – there are different ways that comes at you, but it's not something that you ever are void of in terms of you have to make the decision with what you have. I think realistically that's something that as Chris and I have worked together we've had these situations each and every year, the entire year of 'All right, well what do we know and what's the best thing for all people involved?' And you make that decision – that's what you do in these roles."
Q: You said on Monday there wasn't information yet to decide whether to put QB Tua Tagovailoa on IR. I'm curious, what more information did you receive from Monday to Tuesday that ultimately led to the decision?
"It's more of an accumulation of different information and again, it's not like we're operating today and trying to make decisions on things that aren't today. So I think that each and every day is a big deal of information; you take all of that and we are very transparent in our conversations and I don't think anybody questions our intentionality. So you just make the decision that's best and move forward. I think we came to the conclusion in collaboration, and I think that's what you have to do."
Q: Did QB Tua Tagovailoa try to fight you on it at all or is it something that he was totally on board with?
"Well, I'd hope that if he was fighting me, I'd be bruised up because I'm just not that physically imposing. (laughter) I think the biggest thing with the way that Chris (Grier) and I really go about all of our relationships within the organization is you work, day-in, day-out, to establish a trust and understand intent, and then you just communicate and have conversations that are without a shadow of a doubt the intentionality and the deliberate nature of it. As a respectful, professional counterpart, I think I've worked very hard to earn his respect and regard and he does everything that you'd want in a teammate. And as teammates, I don't think he's for a second, second guessing or understating the weight of whatever. As a competitor, obviously he loves and wants to play, but understanding how this is a process of health and you take that process with – I've learned a lot about various things in the science field and medical field as a head coach and being in this game for a while and you do everything to make sure that people, your responsibility to them is that you provide an environment that is absolutely best catered to maximizing them as human beings and football players and all of that. And I think the great thing about IR is there's – for a month's time, there's no timelines. I always say that but I'm not sure that people quite understand; if you set a timeline based upon the information you have today, how much of whatever goes on is fulfilling the prophecy of that timeline? And is that the right thing? Especially with competitors and stuff, sometimes you can do more harm than good. I think regardless, not worrying about anything as it relates to timelines is very empowering for him as a human being to recover from injury, and that's steadfast the only motivating factor that you have when you're dealing with players and their careers and their injuries."
Q: What is that process though? Once you have that conversation with him, you guys walk away, what is the process of him going through dealing with this? Is this a situation where he's sitting at home? Or is it he's constantly going through medical procedures? Or what is that? Are you guys still in contact?
"That's a fair question. A lot of times I don't totally recognize, 'Yeah, what does it look like?' Involved teammate that is working with our medical staff in various ways that sometimes involves certain things. Sometimes involves sweating, sometimes there's all sorts of stuff that is part of a daily process to take each day to – we don't want to create an environment where there's like, 'Hey, we're assuming someone's feeling this way,' or you have to communicate, even ad nauseam. Sometimes he doesn't want to talk to my face, but he has to. (laughter) One thing that's interesting that you're not – obviously, I didn't forecast this a week ago, such is the nature of NFL football, but I see a true, true leader and teammate that is worried about the right stuff. What he's worried about is doing everything that he can control for each day and then also very much invested with his teammates. There's a lot of conversation that has to do with just you, and that's odd by nature of odd, right? So on top of that, for a leader, a captain, the quarterback of this franchise, he is approaching it the way that true leaders and captains would in terms of, 'Hey, this is not about me. We have a game. I'm getting healthy. We have a game on Sunday.' Where fortunately for us as a football team, we didn't try to mask the fact that we had high expectations that were completely fallen short of in this past game, and not all the time in life do you have to have something occur and you have any control of it moving forward. No, we literally have an opportunity today on Wednesday. If you're trying to be a team that can handle adversity, you waste no time in doing it and you have a good practice. And that is vitally important to the team and that's what really the conversations that I've had with Tua today, most recently, that's what it's been about. It's about how he's using today to talk to this teammate and this teammates for this reason or that reason, and that's what it is. That's what today is, and we'll worry about tomorrow tomorrow. I'm going to be exhaustively annoying with that approach because it makes sense to me just scientifically. It's not wasting time creating any sort of feelings – whether it's positive or negative anxiety, whatever – on things that are quite literally fake right now because it's not out. Like no, that's not how you go through the process and make sure you do right by yourself as a player, to the organization and etcetera, etcetera. I'm very motivated to do that."
Q: Two-part question, the first part is easy. I'm guessing QB Tua Tagovailoa won't travel to Seattle, but maybe you could set me straight on that?
"We travel on Friday, and I'll probably find out on Friday, because I literally will not, that's how committed to the – there's so much of today. And I would prefer on Friday, if he did or didn't travel, that to be based upon the feelings and motivations that he had on Friday. I wouldn't broach that, not because I don't care but because we have a grinder of a day. Wednesdays, there's a lot of stuff going on. Guys are enthused to work and that's where it's very interesting, but that's all he wants to talk about right now, is literally different sorts of formations, progressions and things that need to get done today based upon the opponent we're playing."
Q: The second part was just how would you describe the team's collective mindset now that they know that QB Skylar Thompson is their guy for the next month?
"I think it's very, very telling – I would encourage anyone to press their ear to the locker room door if they could, because you find out a lot about your team, about how people feel about other people in moments like this. And when I tell you that the confidence that the team has for Skylar (Thompson) is real and it's earned, and it's based upon thousands of hours that as a backup quarterback most people don't see. I would say very motivated to do their jobs and the greatest compliment you could see – I don't think it's on anybody's minds. I think they're focused on doing right by their job, their opportunity, their teammates, and quite frankly, we are only what we commit to each other. If guys were deviating that way – this team with the captains and leadership council, I think if there was anybody wavering from that, they would be communicated with conviction and assertiveness."
Q: Just going back to what you said about QB Tua Tagovailoa's desires at this stage, with where he is with the protocol, is he able to watch practice and help QB Skylar Thompson through maybe some of those progressions and formations and film as well?
"So the old stages – I'm not doing stages for timelines, not doing it. He's very active within the building, and I can firmly – I can guarantee that he is fully committed to the day and his team and is involving himself in every way that the rules allow and that the process allows, because the process is what you focus on; it's not getting through it. And he's very much focused on that because we're all not trying to rush the process. As a matter of fact, we're trying to do the process right and that's what our focus is. I have zero concerns about him. He is in it with his teammates, and sometimes that means being on the field, sometimes that means meetings, sometimes that means in the training room, sometimes that means in the locker room. But he is doing it as a leader and a captain, (like) you'd want them to do."
Q: What do you think QB Skylar Thompson picked up in the 2023 season when he didn't get any game action? What kind of things do you think he gained and learned by staying on that sideline?
"That's a good question because it's a challenging situation where you – all right, so you're a rookie quarterback; you're learning this new language in a game where the hashes are different, the speed is different, all of this, and then you're thrust into an opportunity, I can't remember the weeks anymore but throughout the whole season, and then last training camp in a quarterback competition that was neck and neck. You learn so much about people. It's not about when their next opportunity is; it's when it is, where are they at. So much of this game, particularly at quarterback, if you aren't a lottery pick, you have to seize opportunities and that means the only way you can really execute at the quarterback position in this league is if you are always checking your boxes, forcing yourself to get better in unique and challenging ways so everyone can feel a tangible difference your next opportunity. Especially when it's a year long, you're like, 'OK, well let's see how this all plays out. Here is this op,' It was much the motivation of a lot of the randomness of training camp and preseason games to create scenarios where I want to see where guys are at. He got better, and you have every excuse as a backup quarterback to get worse. Because you don't or you can challenge yourself – he has ran our plays in a walkthrough setting probably more than anybody on our team because he's going through the process diligently with any player that maybe is a practice squad guy, new guy, somebody that's coming back from injury. He's done that for a calendar year incessantly, and the results are there is a broader chest in the huddle. There's more conviction when you do this, that or the other. It's been cool to watch him join multiple players on the team that you're watching – 2024, it might be the same name on the jersey but you're seeing a different man. I think collectively, guys that have been here since 2022 have all recognized in each other when it's happened and then challenged themselves as a group, or just individually, to keep up with the defensive tackle that just had a breakthrough in his game, or the countless number of stories of perseverance we have on this team and all of that – he fits right in. It's probably because, in all honestly, he has had the opportunity for adversity since a young age. He handles it well and he deserves the opportunity that he's going to get."
Q: Has RB Raheem Mostert gotten to the point to where he can return to practice this week? Also if can we get update on T Terron Armstead?
"Raheem (Mostert) is progressing each day. That's a guy I have to read between the lines and not with the words that he tells me, in the most complimentary way. True warrior, getting better every day. So we'll see an uptick, then you see how he responds so that you can further uptick and not have any steps back. Terron (Armstead), he's good. He's our captain for a reason. He just galvanizes people with his presence. He finally strung together – you wouldn't know it, I'm sure PFF's grades wouldn't know it, but what he's been doing in adverse situations is remarkable in terms of how he's executing at as high of an anxiety position that exist that a lot of people totally wig out – you have these pass rushers every week that are really good. He's been playing at a high level for anybody's standards, and he can taste the next level as he's strung together more practices. I'll say that it's not overly concerned for anything at all long term; this is a day-to-day type of situation I would feel good about. And I feel great where he's at most importantly, because sometimes you can – it's a tough game in terms of he's battled through a lot of stuff, but he's not blinking. We'll keep progressing each day with him and see where that lends itself at the end of the week. We got very smiling pearly whites, determined Terron Armstead today. Very focused, and that's my favorite Armstead."
