Miami Dolphins Media Conference

Sunday, January 8, 2023

Miami, Florida, USA

Robert Saleh

Visitors Postgame Presser


Miami 11, Jets 6

Q. Went out banged up but wanted to get back in for the team, for the organization and the teammates?

ROBERT SALEH: It speaks a lot to the locker room. We've got the right guys. It's unfortunate the way it ended, obviously, with not getting in the playoffs, starting 7-4 but we asked the guys to fight and they absolutely fought all the way to the end and give credit to Miami, they are going to the playoffs. But gave them a run.

Q. How do you explain a six-game losing streak toned the season?

ROBERT SALEH: Doesn't matter. I can explain it a million different ways but it's a six-game losing streak.

Q. You've gone three games without scoring a touchdown. Just talk about the problem recently.

ROBERT SALEH: Same thing. I can give you a bunch of problems but we didn't get it done.

Q. To have that start to the season, how frustrating, disappointing is it to end this way?

ROBERT SALEH: It's frustrating because you know you're right there, and there was, when you're rolling on all cylinders, and 7-4, pretty healthy and one thing leads to another and you lose six in a row. I'm not going to fault these guys for how hard they fought. Took Minnesota to the wire, Buffalo to the wire, Detroit to the wire. Didn't like the way we played that Thursday night game in Seattle but loved the way we came out today. Again, took Miami down to the wire and just one or two plays go our way it's a different story. It just didn't work out today.

Q. How do you think Joe played today?

ROBERT SALEH: I thought Joe was awesome. He took a beating. Just getting rid of the ball as best he could and playing within the offense, trying to give it to our play-makers. Thought Garrett played really well but he did about everything you could ask out of them.

Q. How do you remain positive during all of this?

ROBERT SALEH: Because I know what kind of team we have, and I get it, I get outside noise and all that stuff. I get the disappointment of a six-game losing streak but honestly the silver lining is that we've got an unbelievable core group of guys and I'm really excited for this off-season, really excited to see them take off, and we're going to get this opportunity again and we've got to go finish.

Q. What message did you send to the guys after today's game?

ROBERT SALEH: You know, we're going to be in these positions again. I know we are. You know, in my first year, I'm going to talk about it more tomorrow but when we're out of the playoffs with four games left, we simulated a playoff run, playing December football and this year we actually got to live December football. Didn't go the way we wanted at all.

Next year we're going to be in December football and the challenge is going to be finish, not just be satisfied with December football but finishing December football. We had our opportunities. Didn't work out the way we wanted it to for whatever reasons you want to give, but next year we're going to be in this exact opportunity and it's going to be about finishing.

Q. What gives you the confidence that that's going to be the case?

ROBERT SALEH: Because we've got a good team. We do. We've got a good team. 7-4, it wasn't a mirage. We've got a championship-calibre defense, we've got a bunch of young guys that are going to be healthy and get back here, and we've got an O-Line that's going to be healthy and get back here, and I know we'll get the quarterback position right.

When all that happens, we're going to be in the same situation and it's going to be about finishing and it's going to be about finishing all off-season.

Q. Any particular message?

ROBERT SALEH: I'll talk to them tomorrow. But I've been talking to them throughout. It's not going to change. It's going to be the same. Go home, go on vacation, go do something, clear your mind from football and when you get back, have that clear mind and get ready to go play and become the person we all know he's capable of.

Q. Standing by the door coming in -- I'm sure you feel his disappointment. What do you say to him about the way this happened?

ROBERT SALEH: You know, I say sorry to everybody, Woody, Christopher, IRA, Jamie, E, all the players, all the coaches, all the fans. Because I know it's been a long, long ride of not being in the playoffs and I know it was right in our finger tips and we're not going. But at the same time I know we've come a long way over two years and I'm excited about what we've got ahead of us.

So you know, it's just, like I said, it stings right now but when all this dust settles and we reflect on the season, we'll be excited about what we have to offer and kicking off this off-season the right way and getting us back into this position where we've got a chance to clinch and get into the playoffs.

Q. The quarterback fixed, what does that look like to you?

ROBERT SALEH: Getting the people that are here better and just evaluating it and just like I said, it's all hands on deck. We've got a free agent in Mike, free agent in Joe, we've got to talk to them. We've got a young kid in Zach that we are committed to.

Right now it's taking over our quarterbacks in house and from there, just evaluating and finding ways we can get better.

Q. Are you prepared to say Michael Cole will be back next year?

ROBERT SALEH: You know what I'm going to go back and do my process. I get it. It is so important for me to go through process. I've said it before, just the amount of things, the adversity that he's had to deal with this year, you just can't blame one person. There's a lot of things that can go around, and so making the best decisions for this organization are first and foremost.

Q. How long does it take you to put football behind you before you get back on it?

ROBERT SALEH: I don't know. This one is going to be on my mind for a little bit. I don't know, I've got seven kids and a beautiful wife at home, so they let me forget pretty quick.

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128256-1-1003 2023-01-08 21:42:00 GMT

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