Dolphins TE coach on Gesicki: 'It's not how many passes you catch'

Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki. Rich Storry-USA TODAY Sports

Dolphins TE coach on Mike Gesicki's low usage: 'It's not how many passes you catch'

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Larry Brown | Last updated 10/8/22

Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki meets with the media

The Miami Dolphins have a good pass-catcher in tight end Mike Gesicki, but don’t expect the Penn State product to put up big numbers in the passing game this season.

Gesicki had a career-high 73 catches for 780 yards last season. Through four games this year, Gesicki has just eight catches for 71 yards.

Apparently that kind of low usage for Gesicki is just the way Dolphins tight end coach Jon Embree wants it.

Fins TE coach Embree when asked about Gesicki having 71 receiving yards: "I got a text from George Kittle Tuesday morning at 3 a.m. and it was video of him against the Rams knocking a DB on his behind. That's what we want, that mentality here. It's not how many passes you catch."

— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) October 6, 2022

“I got a text from George Kittle Tuesday morning at 3 a.m. and it was video of him against the Rams knocking a DB on his behind. That’s what we want, that mentality here. It’s not how many passes you catch,” Embree said Thursday, via the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.

Embree is focusing on the blocking aspect for Gesicki, and that could have a lot to do with who else is on the roster. When you have elite pass-catching options such as Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, you build your offense around them. Mike McDaniels has certainly figured that out.

Through four games, Waddle (35) and Hill (43) have combined for 57 percent of the team’s targets (78/137). No other Dolphins player has been targeted more than 11 times. And you know what? The plan seems to have been working for the 3-1 Dolphins.

This article first appeared on Larry Brown Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: