Just Another Game for Ogbah
Emmanuel Ogbah will be facing his former team when the Kansas City Chiefs come to Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday, but the Miami Dolphins defensive end is adamant that it's just another game for him.
Ogbah joined the Dolphins as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason after spending the 2019 season with the Chiefs after they acquired him in a trade with the Cleveland Browns.
Speaking to the media via Zoom on Friday, Ogbah repeated the theme of "just another game" on more than one occasion.
“It’s a big game for us," Ogbah said. "We feel (it's) like every other game. They’re a good team. We’ve got a good game plan and we’re just ready to take them on. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Mind you, there was no hint of animosity between Ogbah and the Chiefs that prompted his departure; their decision to let him leave via free agency had more to do with them needing to take care of the contracts of other, more important, players on the roster.
“They’re a good football team," Ogbah said. "They have great players. We’ve just got to do a good job trying to stop them. They’ve got a lot of speed. That’s all I take from (the one year with the Chiefs).“
Ogbah was off to a good start for the Chiefs in 2019, getting 5.5 sacks in the first 10 games but his season was cut short by a torn pectoral muscle that landed him on injured reserve.
As a result, he had to watch from the sidelines as the Chiefs went on their Super Bowl run, which culminated in their victory against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium.
“It was very tough for me," Ogbah said. "Watching those guys. I was happy for them. They know how to work. I was happy for them, but at the same time I was salty because I didn’t get to play, but it’s all good. Try to do it for Miami.”
Ogbah already has eight sacks for the Dolphins this season, topping his previous career high that he first set as a rookie second-round pick for the Cleveland Browns in 2016 and tied last year.
Just like facing the Chiefs again, Ogbah downplayed the significance of reaching double digits in sacks.
“My goal is just to create plays and to cause havoc for the offense," he said. "And if that’s getting sacks, getting pressures, I’m ready to do it all.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said this week he's not surprised by Ogbah's impact in his first year in Miami, and he's actually happy about it.
"I loved him as a player and person," Reid said. "He's great kid. … He got hurt with us. I thought he was really playing good football. And the Dolphins saw that, they brought him down, they paid him good money and he's living up to all that. What a great deal for him and the Dolphins."
Reid, of course, won't like Ogbah too much if he can make one of his signature impact plays Sunday.
