If Brandon Marshall Was A Rookie He Would Support The NFLPA, Believes It Would Be A “Disaster” To Miss One Preseason Game

If Brandon Marshall Was A Rookie He Would Support The NFLPA, Believes It Would Be A “Disaster” To Miss One Preseason Game

Brandon Marshall was traded from the Denver Broncos over to the Miami Dolphins around this time roughly a year ago. I’m not sure if the superstar wide receiver could have envisioned the Dolphins being under this much disarray down in South Beach with Tony Sparano. Sparano almost lost his his head coaching position when the Dolphins were rumored to give Jim Harbaugh a long, hard, look in January. Miami sits in a division where the New England Patriots and the New York Jets do not seem to be going anywhere but up talent wise if the lockout is to be lifted.As for Marshall, he’s trying to enjoy the down time during this lockout. He’s had to recover from multiple hip surgeries in the past few off-seasons, nursing himself back to playable health. During this off-season, Marshall can strengthen himself to be leaner than ever before and he feels the progress has been great so far.

He commented on his thoughts of the current lockout along with the feeling that he would lean towards “brotherhood” in terms of siding with the former NFLPA if he was a rookie heading into the draft. Marshall said little regarding Mark Ingram possibly becoming a Dolphin in the draft seemingly not wanting to say too much, looking to back Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.Brandon Marshall joined WQAM in Miami on the Michael Irvin Show with Kevin Kiley to discuss who he’s been working out with during the NFL lockout, if he’s heard about Davone Bess renting out an apartment to hold workouts with his teammates, if he was a rookie draft pick would he attend the NFL Draft, his thoughts on the Dolphins upcoming season if the lockout is lifted and his thoughts about Mark Ingram potentially being drafted by the Dolphins.

When you say we have been working out, who is we and who are you working out with?

“Well you know what you gotta be careful. We don’t want to….we’re locked out. You know the owners are locking us out, so you know for two years we’ve been trying to get a deal done. Yeah well for two years we’ve been trying to get a deal done. You know it’s been tough. It’s been really hard and hopefully things change on April 6th and you know get back to football or after that get a deal done with the owners done, but as far as working out there’s a lot of rules out there, so guys gotta be careful because you gotta make the best business decision for you and your family. You know if you go out there and get hurt you can get cut and don’t see a dime you know. It’s important you know…I think our group of guys we have a lot of character and we have a great organization at the end of the day. You gotta stay together whether if it’s us coming together watching a movie or if we getting together heading over working out together a couple of days a week. You know you gotta have a great balance, but at the same time we gotta remember there is a lockout. The owners are locking us out on their end and you gotta be careful not getting injured because the money you’re making isn’t guaranteed, especially  in this lockout.”

Have you heard about Davone Bess renting out some apartments and holding workout sessions with your teammates? Have you heard about that?

“Well I have my own things going on, but I’m trying to do my best now to put the perfect schedule for me, so I can be around my teammates to not only work out with them a few days a week, but also just to enjoy them and grow a relationship with them even bigger. That’s how you win games. You win games off the field. You know that camaraderie, just that relationship and that trust and you only build that in the off-season. It’s really important for us to stay together throughout this time, but also make the best business decision for each individual and their family, but at the same time I’m taking advantage of this lockout. It’s a pivotal, a really important time for us as players, the NFL in general, because the players, the old school guys before us, the current players and the guys coming into this league now, it’s going to be really important for us to put the best CBA together, so it can only benefit the owners, but also us a fair deal, so that no one is getting taken advantage of. We have to do our due diligence and do our best by putting the right plan together moving forward for the players and the NFL.

Our game is so popular right now that it’d be pretty devastating if we do not have football or even miss one game. I would go as far as saying if we miss a preseason game we have to keep it going. Hopefully the owners would be willing to work with us a little bit more and we get a deal done that is fair for both of us. I’m taking advantage like I said I’m taking advantage of this opportunity for the past three years I haven’t had a chance to get better in the off-season. I’ve had two hip surgeries back-to-back, an arm surgery before that took away my whole off-season. I’ve just been focused on getting healthy in my condition with that burst and that explosion that hasn’t been there and I’ve just been going off my natural ability, so now that I finish the season strong as far as healthy I’m excited to just getting better and seeing the small success and building off them and seeing these improvements. I’m working. I have my personal trainer, Matt Gates, from FIT Speed and we’re doing an amazing job with this overspeed work, the weight room work, the nutrition part of it and I’m seeing myself just grow and grow. I really think I’m heading into my prime this year, so I’m excited about it.”

If you had been a rookie coming into the NFL draft would you attend the event if asked?

“I would go to the NFLPA. I’m such a loyal person and have a better understanding of brotherhood, of that fraternity, that I wouldn’t be selfish. You know as far as these guys gotta understand that yes this is a once in a lifetime thing, but sometimes there are unique situations and you just have to work around them. You still have to look out for yourself. You know we’re not talking contracts or anything like that. We asking guys to take a hit on something personal, but for the betterment of the group. You know why would you want to go shake hands with people that are trying to lock you out and trying to take things away from you and your family. We’re fighting right now, the current players and the former players are fighting for them [rookies]. You know we’re fighting for each other, but also for them. You know so when they come in the NFL they have a fair deal that they can also secure their family and have that stability. If I was coming out I would definitely go to New York, but do my best just to show my support and faith to the NFLPA events. We’re not trying to compete with the draft process, us players we’re not trying to compete and telling guys not to go, but if it was on me I would see the bigger picture and see this fight that was going.”

What is your thoughts on the Dolphins season if the lockout is lifted?

“Well as far as the Dolphins fans listening you know my motto this year going into the season and approaching this off-season is we will win. I promise you that. We will win. Yeah we’ll play [a season]. We’ll play. Now when will this lockout be lifted? I’m not sure about that, but our game is too popular right now for us not to play. Like I said it would be a disaster for us to miss a preseason game, but if we get 8 games or 6 games we will win. The Dolphins will win, so we’re prepared.”

A lot of speculation about Mark Ingram being drafted by the Miami Dolphins?Are you familiar with him? Have you ever met him? What are your thoughts on Mark Ingram?

“He’ll be a great compliment to either Ronnie [Brown] or Ricky Williams…”