It was only one practice, but Matthew Judon certainly made a good first impression wearing Miami Dolphins colors Wednesday.
In his first practice after his signing became official Tuesday afternoon, Judon was one of the top performers in the one session before the Dolphins conduct a joint practice with/against the Jacksonville Jaguars ahead of the preseason finale at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.
Judon showed off his versatility with some noticeable plays while pass rushing or dropping into coverage.
After that first practice, Judon addressed the media and here is what he said:
You’ve been a little bit of a whirlwind since coming down. I know you posted some nice Miami views; what has it been like just in the facility working with the team?
“It’s been all right. I got a little bit of views, but mostly it’s about the work. It ain’t about kind of coming down here and enjoying myself and relaxing. I had enough time while everybody was at camp to relax and view. So it’s about the work I put in and coming in here and hurrying up and getting acclimated with the system, learning kind of the locker room traditions, the culture that they are building around here. And kind of just figuring out where I’m going to be, how I’m going to be and how I’m going to play.”
We saw you jump into team drills on day one; how did you think it went?
“We’ve got to watch it. We’ve got to watch it. But it felt good. It felt good just to have cleets on and the jersey back on. So I was happy about that. So that was the most impressive stuff. Just shout-out to the organization, whole Miami Dolphins culture, everybody here. They made it easy. It was more welcoming than anything. And so just from going out to practice for the first time in a very long time, they made it easy for me and comfortable, especially coach (OLB coach Ryan) Crow.”
How does your experience in those Baltimore and New England defenses translate to what they do here in Miami?
“I think more the Baltimore than New England defense translates to what they do here in Miami. I think more Baltimore than New England, but I think New England just helped me with the kind of division. I’m comfortable in it, comfortable in the division, familiar with how we play, appreciate it. But I think everywhere is different and every year is different. So it’s gonna be a week-to-week thing. I can’t just say I’m gonna be good just because I played in the system before.”
Sometimes when guys come into camp late, they feel like they have to make some splash plays. But I’m wondering if it’s different for you because you’ve got a body of work in this league. So tell me about that balance. What’s your approach out here?
“I think I kind of got to follow the lead of the guys that have been here, man. JP (Jaelan Phillips) and (Bradley) Chubb, they also have a body of work that they can put on tape. So from afar, I’ve been watching those guys and we kind of know each other off the field as well. And so I think that’s a big thing. I don’t have to come in here and be the guy right away. Like I can let those guys go out and do what they do. And I can just plug and play. And however they see me fit or however they see us all four working together, especially Chop, he’s coming into his own. And I’m not here to step on no toes or nothing like that. But however they see me playing … that’s gonna be a week-to-week thing, but it’s never a bad thing to have more than one rusher.”
Tell me about the potential of you guys as a foursome. How can you influence a game, change a game? What can you do to quarterbacks, the offensive line?
“For sure. You can’t game-plan anybody. And if you got to chip both ends, that’s great for us. And then we have a guy in (Zach) Sieler that can go, you know, get it hisself. And so the inside outside going to help. So we just got to see how every week pan out, untapped potential. You can talk about it, it can look good on paper. But right now we gotta go out there and put the work in, everybody collectively. And then you gotta understand how we all rush together. So I rush with Sieler a little bit and we kinda speak the same language from where we’re from, our background. And so he’s made it easy for me and he’s just kind of talking to me. And as we go, even though we’re not in the same room, he’s just like he showing me more ropes and just talking. Because he a big talker, big communicator. And so it’s making it easy for me.”
Were you able to secure from the equipment staff both aqua and orange sleeves so you have an option?
“Yeah, man, I’m always gonna have sleeves on. It ain’t really nothing bad on my arms, I just try to stay out the elements and stay out the sun. I don’t wear sunscreen, so there’s my sunscreen.”
Why is it that you’re signing so late? What went into your decision about picking a team? Like why two weeks before the regular season?
“As you’ll find out in this league, it ain’t really about the players, it’s about the organization. So the organization has to see a want and see fit for you. And so I could have wanted to sign seven weeks ago during free agency when I was unrestricted free agent. I could have wanted to sign in, but it ain’t up to me. So just the team, which was the Dolphins, saw fit and saw that I could come make their team better. And that’s why I’m here to me. So, a lot of this ain’t about me. It ain’t about me. It’s the organization seeing that I could help them and that’s all I’m here to do.”
In your relationship with JP, with Chubb, what was something that you didn’t necessarily know until getting on the field with him?
“I mean, I’m a student of the game, so that’s more off the field stuff I don’t know. But on the field, you see the work that they put in, and you understand what it takes to be that good, to be that dominant. And so both of them are good in a run, both of them cause havoc. Both of them can get to the quarterback at a high rate. And so right now I’m just getting to see their work ethic that nobody get to see besides kind of y’all and the coaches at practice, so that’s what I’m really getting to see.”
How did you go from Division II (at Grand Valley State) football to 72 career sacks?
“Sh*t, I’m a dawg, boy.”
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