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In time, McCain said he got his mind right and started working diligently on the future.
And McCain, a Miami Dolphins rookie linebacker, didn't want the feeling to end.
"After watching the tape and looking at it closely in all three phases, I think there was obviously a lot of good things," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said Monday afternoon.
It had been nearly a year since he played a real game.
No need to worry. The Dolphins will give him another one to wear this week,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic. His NFL dreams are suddenly very real.
Eventually, McCain did take that uniform off.
For the Dolphins to get where they want to go this season, rookies are going to have to play a big role and McCain answered the call in Week 1 by helping Miami pull off a 33-20 win over the New England Patriots. On Monday, the Dolphins (1-0) began switching gears and getting ready for a trip to Buffalo (1-0) this weekend.
NOTES: The Dolphins are putting LB Danell Ellerbe (hip) on injured reserve and Philbin announced Miami would sign LB Kelvin Sheppard, who has played for Buffalo and Indianapolis. "Danell's a heck of a player ... but that's part of the game and we move on,Cheap Adidas NHL Jerseys," Coyle said. It's not believed Ellerbe will carry the designation that would allow the Dolphins to reinstate him from IR later this season. ... Even after scoring 33 points, Miami felt like the offensive showing was a long way from perfect. "We better get better fast,Cheap Jerseys USA, particularly in the passing game," offensive coordinator Bill Lazor said.
"He's a work in progress,Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic," Coyle said. "He's getting better every week. ... It's pretty amazing to be in your first NFL game as an undrafted free agent, first snap, and block a punt."
With Miami's linebacker corps already ailing because of injuries, the Dolphins needed him Sunday.
There were no shortage of players who stood out Sunday. Knowshon Moreno rushed for 134 yards in his Miami debut,Hockey Jerseys 2018 Cheap, Ryan Tannehill threw two touchdown passes and Cameron Wake wreaked plenty of havoc on the outside of the defense. But McCain might have been one of the more unlikely stars,Nike Air Max 95 Sale, given that he was undrafted and his stock damaged when California kicked him off the team early last season.
DAVIE, Fla. (AP) — Chris McCain remained at his locker for about an hour after his first NFL contest, still with red eyes from happy tears, still wearing his entire uniform sans for the helmet and cleats.
"I'm just overwhelmed right now," McCain said.
"The people, they know who they are who doubted me," McCain said. "Now they see who I am and who we are as a team."
Defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said he expects McCain to remember Sunday's effort "for a long time."
"Is it mindblowing? Yeah, it is mindblowing. It is mindblowing," McCain said. "A lot of people told me I couldn't be here. ... Getting a sack on him felt good. Blocking a punt felt good. Winning a game felt good. Seeing Cam Wake doing what he do felt good. Everybody was just feeding off energy and I was getting energy from a lot of people."
He had a punt block to set up Miami's first touchdown, sacked Tom Brady for a 9-yard loss later in the game and was one of the happier guys in an ecstatic locker room when the day was over.
On Sunday, finally, his future was now.
McCain was dismissed by California after four games of what would have been his junior season "for conduct detrimental to the team," a year after he was an honorable mention selection on the All-Pac-12 team.
The Dolphins — who had 13 rookies on the Week 1 roster, tying a team record — figured McCain was, at worst, a low-risk, high-reward possibility when they brought him in. He's been impressive ever since, and some around the team needed little time in training camp to think that McCain was an overlooked talent.
"Yeah, he made an impact in the game," Philbin said. "That's evident. He had an impact play on special teams. He did a great job, I thought." |
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