Suh looks ahead
As minicamp begins, Ndamukong Suh ponders Hall of Fame.
DAVIE — Ndamukong Suh, a seven-year NFLveteran, wants his playing career to last a lot more years. Suh, a five-time All Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, also wants to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame some day. It’s something the defensive tackle admits has crossed his mind a time or two.
“I’d be lying to you if I said I didn’t [think about the Hall of Fame],” Suh said Wednesday, after the second day of the Miami Dolphins’ three-day minicamp. “Everybody thinks about the Hall of Fame.
“One of the first trips I took I remember is going to the Hall of Fame in Canton. I’ve been there a couple of times. I’ve seen teammates there for breaking particular records — [wide receiver] Calvin [Johnson], [quarterback] Matt Stafford — so I’d love to be a part of it.
“[Tight end] Charlie [Sanders] to be there with him and see his bust, and obviously unfortunately passed recently, it was special tome.… But, yeah, of course you think about the Hall of Fame. But like I said I’m very young and I think at this stage I’ve got a lot of work ahead ofme.”
Suh has put up impressive numbers throughout his career.
Suh, who had a career-best 72 tackles last season, has long been regarded among the top defensive tackles in the NFL during his career, whichs tarted in Detroit in 2010 as the
second pick of the draft out of Nebraska.
As a rookie, Suh totaled 66 tackles and a career-best 10 sacks. He followed that with 8.0sacks in 2012 and 8.5 sacks in 2014. Those would be impressive numbers for a defensive end, let alone a defensive tackle.
Suh, who signed a six-year, $114 million contract with $60 million guaranteed in 2015, has been a force on the defensive line for the
Dolphins.
But the rushing yards the Dolphins have given up haven’t reflected his presence.
The Dolphins were 30th in run defense last season at 140.4 yards allowed per game. Suh took responsibility for his role in that ranking a fewweeks ago, saying, “I put a lot of it on myself. I’m supposed to be the anchor and plan to be the anchor, and continue to be thatway.”
Two years ago, in his first season with the Dolphins, Suh posted 61 tackles, the third-best total of his career, and 6.0 sacks, fourth-best
total of his career. Regardless, the Dolphins ranked 28th at 126.2 yards allowed pergamein that2015 season.
Despite playing on two lowlyranked run defenses with the Dolphins, Suh has maintained a high standard for himself.
“I think I’ve always prided myself on wanting to be a guy very similar to the greats — Reggie White, Warren Sapp— guys of that caliber, who changed the game from their particular position,” he said.
To that end, Suh keeps his body in tip-top shape, a practice he started after undergoing surgery after his rookie season. Monday, three days after the Dolphins end minicamp, Suh will begin a five week work out regimen.
Suh, who has a rigorous offseason fitness regimen, isn’t overly concerned about the beating he takes as an every-down defensive tackle.
“I think I’m built for it, first and foremost,” he said. “But I think at the end of the day it’s about coaches and how they take care of us. ‘T’ (defensive line coach Terrell Williams) does a great job, [coach Adam] Gase does a great job in allowing us to get good quality reps where we’re one, getting the work we need to get in but we’re not beating ourselves up, especially in these particular instances.”
Besides, Suh, at a hulking 6-foot-4, 305 pounds, doesn’t concern himself with wearing down.
“For me, I’m not really worried about it,” he said. “I've always prided myself on playing as many plays as Ican[as] possible andI just love being on the football field.”