Tannehill is back, and making the throws
DAVIE Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill is back, and so are hopes Miami can return to the playoffs.
Tannehill looked good Wednesday, the second day of this week’s three-day organized team activities. He appeared agile and confident. It’s a far cry from a few months ago when Tannehill, while nursing an injured left knee, would look out the window from a chair in the team cafeteria, gloomily peering at teammates in practice.
“I was telling the guys I can remember sitting in the cafeteria looking through the glass like a little kid that’s not allowed to go out and play,” he said.
Tannehill didn’t wear a brace Tuesday or Wednesday on his left knee, the one that’s been injured twice and kept him sidelined since December 2016. But he said he’ll wear it during the regular season.
“I’ll wear a brace,” he said. “It does nothing structurally. It’s purely to prevent what started that whole train wreck with my injury.”
Tannehill said he had a checkup with his surgeon last week and he’s been fully cleared for all football activities.
“I’m clear to play football, so whatever that entails I can do it,” he said. “Honestly, at this point it’s just, ‘Let it rip.’ ”
Tannehill seemed to have good command of the offense and his throws Wednesday. Those are two of the qualities coach Adam Gase liked when he last saw Tannehill on the field as the Dolphins were marching toward the playoffs in 2016, and Gase is seeing it again this week.
“His calmness,” Gase said. “When you have the offense to the point where you’re reacting, you’re not thinking, I think he’s really to that point. And he can do next-level things to where he can get us out of bad plays. He can do run checks to get us out of bad looks.”
The Dolphins, per league rules, weren’t in pads Wednesday and they didn’t have any contact. Teams are permitted to have 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills.
Tannehill didn’t have any mobility or agility issues Wednesday even after getting his foot stepped on once.
Tannehill said he didn’t have any regrets about not having surgery on his left knee after the first December 2016.
“We sought out the best options we could find and everyone was in agreement the knee was stable,” he said. “It was just unfortunate the way it turned out.”
Tannehill has missed the last 20 games due to a left knee injury originally sustained Dec. 11, 2016 on a hit by Arizona defensive lineman Calais Campbell, and then the injury on Aug. 3, 2017, during training camp while escaping a pass rush.
“It was a long year, some dark times,” he said of the experience.
Tannehill, who credited his wife, Lauren, for aiding his recovery, said he did gain something from the recovery process.
“I definitely grew last year,” he said. “I learned a lot of football.”
Tannehill had 19 touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a career-best 93.5 passer rating in 2016 through 13 games when he sustained the first knee injury.
“I feel like I was finally starting to play really good football,” he said.
Tannehill added a few weeks earlier he’d “finally got over that hump of learning the offense and really feeling good about knowing what Adam wants and how to execute it.”
Gase likes what from Tannehill so year.
“He’s probably further ahead now than he was last year,” he said.
Teammates like what they see from Tannehill, too.
Wide receiver Albert Wilson, acquired in the offseason from Kansas City, expressed an affinity for Tannehill’s skills.
“I love his injury ball,” he far in sees this Wilson said. “He’s definitely good with the timing and he puts it to where you can make a play on the ball.”
Gase said he sees the enthusiasm in Tannehill as he takes the field.
“I think when you’re away for a year and you get your opportunity to get back out there it’s something where you’ve missed it,” Gase said. “It was taken away from you and now you have a chance to get back out there with the guys.”
Guard Josh Sitton, acquired from Chicago during the offseason, said he sees some of the same qualities Gase sees.
“He seems like a great leader,” Sitton said of Tannehill. “He always takes command of the huddle, he takes command of the meetings so from that aspect everything has been positive.”
Sitton said there have been a couple of throws Tannehill has made on the run that have been impressive.
“I’ve seen some good things from him so far,” Sitton said.
Center Daniel Kilgore, who said it’s been great getting to know Tannehill as well as his wife and son, Steele, has observed the same things.
“Ryan’s been great,” said Kilgore, acquired from San Francisco 49ers in the offseason. “He’s a leader obviously, in and out of the huddle. Just his ability to move in the pocket and throw the deep ball has been great.”
Tannehill said he’s not worried about taking a hit on his left knee.
“The knee has been tested to the ninth degree of pushing it as far as it can go,” he said.