Jason Taylor: ‘Just tell me what I can’t do, I’ll tell you okay, look at you with a little smirk, and you might think I’m a jerk for it, but then I’ll go try to prove you wrong.’
August 14, 2009 – 10:31 am by Michael Bean
It didn’t seem quite right watching Jason Taylor suit up for somebody other than the Miami Dolphins last year. Granted, his stint in Washington only lasted 13 games and was hardly filled with the same type and volume of highlights we’re used to seeing out of Taylor. It was still disheartening though to know that the business side of the NFL had prompted Taylor to play elsewhere in 2008. Now the 6-time Pro Bowler is back in South Beach where he belongs on the upstart Miami Dolphins. He may not be the same type of player he was earlier this decade, but something tells me a year later and with something to prove, Taylor might again find himself in opposing backfields disrupting quarterbacks on a more frequent basis. Taylor joined WQAM in Miami to talk about his return to the Dolphins, how he’s feeling and the excitement level surrounding him and the team as the 2009 season rapidly approaches.
On what it’s like being back in Miami after his one-year hiatus away:
“It’s great. It’s like riding a bike. You come in, you know the parking lot, you know where your locker is, you can find the showers easily. Being familiar with everything’s great.”
On if he feels like he has something extra to prove this year:
“No i mean. I always felt that way, that I had to prove myself every season. No matter whether it was an MVP season or it was a down year, or I was away like last year. Everybody in this league has to prove themselves week in and week out every season. So you know, Tom Brady is going to go out and prove himself again this year and I’m going to try to do the same thing.”
On if he’s adjusting nicely to playing some standing up as a strong-side linebacker in addition to his defensive line duties:
“Yeah, it’s an adjustment. It’s been different. Some of things I did with Nick a little bit when Saban was here. But it was a lot more on the weak side, away from the tight end. The majority of the time, it was rushing the passer. There were a few times, we dropped. I had a lot of freedom to do things in that defense and those things are starting to evolve here. But playing over the tight end is an adjustment. You know, you’re on the offensive running side, you have to learn to read blocks a lot quicker and adjust to the run and the pass. It takes a little getting used to but that’s what training camp is for.”
On what he has left in the tank at age 34:
“At age 34, I still have a little bit left. I can still play the game. I mean, I’m not a big, fat guy that has to battle weight issues. And God’s blessed me a whole lot these past 12 years to keep me pretty much injury-free. I had a little freak thing last year but I feel great now. My leg is not bothering much at all, or at all. I can still play. This a different place to play. Miami, it’s a little more difficult because you have the sun and the heat – and that helps zap you some throughout a ball game. And you know, I don’t anticipate them letting me play 70 plays a game like they used to. You know, if they put me out there, I’m a hard head and I’m going to do it, but whatever Tony [Sparano] wants to do with this team, I told him from the beginning, whatever you want me to do – besides play fullback, I’m not a big fullback – anything else, I’ll do it. If I have to cover kicks, if you need a tight end, if you need whatever, just let me know and I’ll declare myself eligible for that play and go do it.”
On if he’s always fed on people telling him what he’s not capable of accomplishing out there on the football field:
“Absolutely, absolutely. Just tell me what I can’t do, I’ll tell you okay, look at you with a little smirk, and you might think I’m a jerk for it, but then I’ll go try to prove you wrong. And you know what, there’s a lot of guys that have been that way. I played with a great one for 11 years that was that way in Zach Thomas. He was doing the same thing. And he’s that little engine that could and everyone tells him he can’t do something. And you know, he’ll quietly shut you up in a classy way and not throw it back in your face. But, that’s kind of how we’ve always operated since Day 1 when we came in. He was short and couldn’t play and I was too long and skinny and couldn’t play. And you know, we used our God given ability and tried to make the best of it.”
Listen here to Taylor with Joe Rose on WQAM in Miami
Tags: Jason Taylor, Jason Taylor returns to Miami, Miami Dolphins, NFL training camp, WQAM
