Grant Has Big Fan in Cardinals Coach

Before he became head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, Kliff Kingsbury spent time at Texas Tech University and that's where he developed great respect for Jakeem Grant.

And that respect has only grown now that both men are in the National Football League.

“He’s one of my favorite all-time players, just his story," Kingsbury said Wednesday morning in a conference call with Dolphins writers. "If people only knew all the responsibilities he had in college and how he handled them and how he’s progressed on and off the field to be where he’s at. It’s phenomenal to see.

"I tell everybody this, he’s the most dynamic player I’ve ever seen with the ball in his hands. The first guy never tackles him and he’s one of the toughest people I’ve ever been around. To see him have the success he’s had, it just makes you proud. I just hope he doesn’t have too much of it on Sunday.”

Kingsbury spoke not long after the announcement that Grant had been named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance against the Los Angeles Rams.

Grant had the first punt return for a touchdown in the NFL this season with an 88-yard score and added a season-long 45-yard kickoff return.

It was the fifth career return for a touchdown for Grant, who the Dolphins selected in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL draft.

Before he left Texas Tech, Grant became the school's all-time leader in receiving yards. But Kingsbury's admiration for Grant involved a lot more than football.

“He had a family, first off, three children and had his partner there," Kingsbury explained. "So he’s handling that, he’s handling school and then his football responsibilities. Just to be able to handle that on a daily basis when you’re 20, 21 years old was just phenomenal. And to watch him grow up from where he started to where he is now, couldn’t be prouder of the young man.

"I think we kind of butted heads there at the end of his junior year. I remember we benched him for a game, or didn’t start him, and since that day forward, he practiced his tail off, worked his tail and became a phenomenal receiver. I think he’s the all-time leading receiver in Texas Tech history and you can see what he’s doing now in the pros. A phenomenal story about perseverance and mental toughness.”

Dolphins head coach Brian Flores also talked about Grant's dedication in discussing his AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.

It was the second time Grant won the award, the first coming for his performance in the marathon 2018 season opener against the Tennessee Titans.

"He’s worked extremely hard really in all areas of his game, as a receiver, as a returner," Flores said. "You can kind of see some of that start to manifest itself on the field. Look, we all know he’s an explosive player. I’m proud of the way he’s worked and kind of seeing some of that, but we need to continue and I think he knows that. He’s in there continuing to work, watching the film on the punters and the kickers and their walk-offs and any kind of tell he can get to get a better read on the ball and put himself in position to get himself going. … He’s done a nice job."

Add us as a preferred source on Google