Morstead speaks on Miami Dolphins, expectations, & butt punt

Thomas Morstead – The butt punt & most underrated player on special teams:

Vasquez: The butt punt, when you lined up to take the snap did you think “Man I don’t know if I got enough room here, this might get blocked” or did it all catch you by surprise?

"Morstead: You’re certainly aware when you’re punting from the 1-inch line that you don’t have your normal setup distance, but I’m not thinking about anything negative, I’m thinking about the swing I’m putting on the ball and not covering much ground. So yeah I was not in a negative mindset I was thinking I was going to make the play of the game in a huge moment. Obviously, it didn’t work out to the positive on that play but my mindset regarding it was just like it would be on every other play. It’s a different sensation with the pressure, late in the game, protecting a 4-point lead, Bills vs the Dolphins, and it’s been a long time since the Dolphins beat the Bills. All those things are a part of it, that brings that energy and excitement. That’s the great thing about this game and being in the position I’m in, being able to be counted on by your teammates in a big moment."

Vasquez: You kick the ball and you hear the double thump, did you ever see the ball while it was in the air after? Or were you left lost wondering what just happened?

"Morstead: Yeah you’re trying to locate the ball as soon as that happens, and I didn’t see it until the play was over, thank god the ball landed out of bounds and wasn’t caught in the air for a touchdown by the Bills."

Vasquez: Special Teams rarely get the spotlight the way they should. Who do you think is the most underrated player in special teams for the Dolphins? You know, someone who really has that dawg in them.

"Morstead: We have a lot of guys that are special players in their role, that’s what’s unique about special teams, it’s not just the 3 specialists that punt, kick, and snap. You have fast guys that run down and can make a play off the gunner position, we have guys that are special teams only that have played for a quarter and made big plays, and we have a few defensive starters that have played on a punt return that have made some big plays. I wouldn’t single out a single guy, I would say that when you have a really good group which we are still working to be, it becomes infectious. Like you almost know somebody is going to make a play, you don’t know who it’s going to be but everyone is doing their task exactly as the coach asked, we know that if everybody depends on everybody else and if everyone buys in on the play then we know something good is going to happen. Once the good plays start happening, the big plays become infectious. It’s fun to be a part of, and hopefully, we’ll continue to make strides and get better."

It was great hearing from Thomas Morstead and his thoughts on his career, the Miami Dolphins, and the culture being built around the team. Morstead has been in a championship environment for the majority of his career, so to see him be impressed with Miami and what is being built is definitely a good sign for the future.

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