Hurns says he’s on surer footing
When Allen Hurns joined the Miami Dolphins last season, he was tasked with recalibrating his footwork once training camp began as his recovery from an ankle injury the previous season didn’t allow him to participate in organized team activities.
Hurns played through uneasiness with the left ankle his first year with the Dolphins after the gruesome injury in his final game with the Dallas Cowboys, a wild-card round playoff win over the Seattle Seahawks in January 2019.
As Hurns on Wednesday teamed up with Feed the Children at Hard Rock Stadium to distribute boxes of essential supplies to area students, the Miami Hurricanes and Carol City High product feels ready to move past the injury when he reports back to Dolphins training camp on Tuesday.
“Just more confident in my ankle,” Hurns said in a Skype interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I can really feel the difference with that.”
Now, Hurns feels he can expand on a first season back in his hometown where he had 32 receptions for 416 yards and two touchdowns, making seven starts last year.
“Mentally, I was in a good place, but my ankle-wise, it was tough,” said Hurns, who had his best season in 2015 with 1,031 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a second-year pro. “I got a whole year [now] after the surgery. It kind of recovered. Before, it was one of those thoughts of ‘I don’t know if my ankle will ever be the same.’ Now, I can really say I’m feeling better, way better.”
Hurns said strength training and change of direction in route running, especially with the left ankle, were key focus points in offseason training. During the coronavirus pandemic, he first got creative do
ing home workouts and rode a bike. As parks opened, he did field drills and ran hills and eventually got back to his local workout facilities once they reopened.
Hurns is looking forward to a second season with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and said rookie Tua Tagovailoa has made a positive first impression in their conversations.
“Those two guys, they’re unbelievable and I think they’ll work well together,” said Hurns. “Fitz, everyone loves working with him. On game day, he plays the game like he’s 5 years old. He’s having fun. He’s just a gunslinger.
“Talking to Tua, you can see that he doesn’t have that young mindset. He’s real humble. He’s real serious about things. You can really see that he’s ahead of the curve. He’s always trying to see how we do things as receivers and just trying to get on the same page. You can tell just talking to him that leadership skills come naturally.”
Hurns is looking forward to watching his alma mater in UM’s second season under coach Manny Diaz and with grad transfer quarterback D’Eriq King now in Coral Gables. He said he joined current Hurricanes receivers on a Zoom call earlier in the pandemic.
“A lot of guys that are willing to work and eager to learn,” Hurns said of his impression. “Main thing I mentioned to them was just control what you can and learn your strengths and weaknesses.”
Hurns and his mother, Erica Wilson, partnered with Feed the Children on Wednesday to distribute boxes of essential school supplies to preselected students who just finished their senior year of high school and will be entering college. As part of his SOAR Movement, each student received two boxes, one which included non-perishable food items and a second with essentials like laundry detergent.
“We came up with this idea, just to be a part of their journey going forward and just to give them a little life, let them know that they have accomplished a huge accomplishment and you should be
Allen Hurns catches a pass before the game against the Patriots on Sept. 15. proud of that,” said Hurns, who remembers some of his own experiences transitioning from Carol City High to UM when he interacts with the local youth. “I put myself in their shoes a lot. That’s why everything I try to do, I make it something I can relate to.”
Hurns also wants to educate local youngsters on mental health and financial literacy through his initiatives. His 88 Blessings foundation also benefits single parents, which Hurns also relates to as his father was incarcerated for part of Hurns’ childhood before he came back into his life once released.
Hurns was joined by Dolphins teammates Albert Wilson and Isaiah Ford in his efforts on Wednesday. An additional 41 sets of boxes will be mailed out to other students.
“We’re thankful for partners like Allen Hurns of the Miami Dolphins and 88 Blessings who partnered with us and took action to address the urgent issue of hunger this summer,” said John
Ricketts, director of disaster programs at Feed the Children, in a statement.
“The impact of COVID-19 has been vast and deep. Recent studies have shown that by the end of April, more than 1 in 5 households in the U.S. was food insecure — before the pandemic, 1 in 9 households was food insecure. The need is great and it will take all of us working together to bring hope and resources to families during these uncertain times.”