Gesicki Campaigns for Smythe
Mike Gesicki showed up for his Zoom media session Monday wearing the jersey of teammate, fellow tight end and good friend Durham Smythe.
And there was a very specific reason for it as Gesicki became on this day a combination of Smythe's agent and publicist.
A few questions into it, Gesicki was asked about the dubious (translation: bad) offensive pass interference penalty he was assessed that negated what would have an 18-yard catch.
That prompted him to say he drove to the Baptist Health Training Complex on Monday with two things he figured he would discuss: the OPI and wearing Smythe's jersey.
Gesicki made two things clear in talking about Smythe: he wanted it known that Smythe set a new season high for receiving yards during the game against the New York Jets on Sunday and the Dolphins should sign Smythe to a contract extension.
"(I thought) I’m going to wear his jersey at my press conference today and start an initiative to get him paid here by the Miami Dolphins," Gesicki said. "He’s a good player, has a lot of success, does a lot of good things, special teams, offense, blocking, receiving. I mean, did it take a trick play to get him an 18-yard catch? It sure did. But nonetheless nobody knows that on the stat sheet. An 18-yard catch is an 18-yard catch.”
Gesicki and Smythe have taken friendly jabs at each other in media sessions since they both arrived as 2018 draft picks, so this was nothing new.
Smythe had four catches for 37 yards in the 24-17 viictory against the Jets, giving him 20 receptions for 221 yards on the season. His previous high was 208 in 2020.
“Happy for him, so I figured I would come in here wearing his jersey giving him a little boost," Gesicki said. "I know he wouldn’t do for me, but I’ll do it for him.
“Durham is a guy that kind of guys under the radar and I’m just trying to elevate his … like, he’s not even on the Pro Bowl ballot. That’s another thing. Just get him on there. I’ve got to get in touch with NFL.com. Maybe we can get him on there and I’ll vote for him.”
Smythe and Gesicki are among the 19 Dolphins players scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next March if they don't get an extension.
“Happy for him," Gesicki said. "Very happy for him. He’s a good player. I like Dallas a lot. I met him a couple of times and I don’t have anything bad to say about him. He’s a good dude, great player and I think he got exactly what he deserved. So … we’ll see what happens.”
Asked whether he thought Goedert's contract, reported at four years for $57 million with $37.2 million guaranteed, raised the bar for tight ends, Gesicki said simply: “I like when people get what they deserve.”
Gesicki has been consistent in declining to talk about his own contract situation this season.
But he certainly wasn't shy about talking about Smythe, which prompted a reporter to dub him "Assistant General Manager" Mike Gesicki.
“Yesterday he was like, 'You said I was slow last week, you said I ran a 4.9.' I was like, 'Bro, that was a joke, relax.'
"So I figured today I’d come in here and give him all the praise and start his campaign to be a Miami Dolphin next year and moving forward. So Chris (Grier), if you’re listening, this is my campaign for Durham.”
