Catching Up With Joey Haynos
7/21/2010 8:00:00 AM | Football
July 21, 2010
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - A former walk-on at the University of Maryland, Joey Haynos enjoyed a successful career as a tight end for the Terps from 2004-07 and is preparing to enter his third season with the Miami Dolphins.
Haynos played in 43 games for Maryland, making 68 receptions in his career and earning All-ACC honors in 2006. After originally signing with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in May 2008, Haynos was signed by the Dolphins off the Packers' practice squad in September 2008 and played in two games as a rookie.
His role expanded in his second year as he moved from the third-string to the second-sting tight end. The Silver Spring native played in all 16 games in 2009, including eight starts, and had 19 receptions with two touchdowns.
Haynos, who opens training camp with the Dolphins next week, sat down with umterps.com prior to a workout at Gossett Team House on Wednesday.
I'm catching up with you right before a workout. How long have you been working out here at Gossett?
Well I came back after the season and worked out for three or four weeks. I got back here in the middle of June and have been working out ever since. I started out just about three times a week, but now I'm here about four or five times a week.
And you're preparing for training camp, which starts next week. Describe what training camp at the professional level is like.
The only difference between college and pro - for me - is that I can get cut. In college things are on the line, but you knew you were on the team. In an NFL training camp you could be sent back home, which is always a scary thought. The other thing for me is the heat down in Miami. It took me a while to get used to it, and I'm still not fully adjusted to it. It's getting better though.
You started 2008 on the Packers' practice squad before the Dolphins signed you in week three of the regular season. What were your expectations for that first season?
Well I wanted to make the Packers. I didn't and that was a big letdown. I had a pretty good preseason, and I had a good feeling maybe another team would see me do some good things and pick me up. My expectations were to make a team and to make contributions to that team. I was the third-string tight end on the Dolphins and got in on three tight-end packages and was able to catch a touchdown pass. I was also able to get in on special teams and make some contributions, even though it wasn't as much as I would've liked.
You played alongside Anthony Fasano and David Martin in your rookie season and as a trio, set the Dolphins' single-season record for touchdowns and receiving yards by tight ends. How much were you able to learn from those two?
Those guys are just ultimate professionals. I learned so much from both of them. I came in as a rookie and didn't go through camp with them and all that. Then all of the sudden I'm on the team and I'm their backup. They just treated me like I was part of the group the whole time and really took me under their wings and taught me a lot of things. I learned a lot about blocking from Fasano and a lot about pass-receiving from David and just a lot overall about playing the game at that level.
From your rookie season to your second season, there was a big jump in playing time and production. What are you hoping to accomplish in your third year?
Just keep improving every aspect of my game. Obviously I'd like to improve on my number of catches and touchdown catches. But what's more important in the offense down there is run-blocking. That's the main focus of our offense. If I can improve my run-blocking, that'll help our team and just help me become a better overall tight end.
You're listed at 6-foot-8, 270 pounds. With Fasano there as the number one tight end, are you used mostly in a blocking role?
Yeah. Through college and high school I always thought I was more of a pass-receiver, but on this team in this offense we run I have to be a run-blocker first. If you can't run-block or pass-block, I'm probably not going to play. So I've shifted my focus more toward being a better blocker, but I still like to be part of the pass game.
With the personnel you have, at times there are some very interesting formations on the field. You might see the quarterback lined out wide with running back Ronnie Brown taking the snaps, and you even caught a TD pass on a goal-line situation with Brown running the Wildcat formation. How would you describe the offense?
It's actually simple. It looks crazy but it comes down to running the ball; running our power and our counter, but it's just out of different looks to throw the defense off. But basically we're running the ball and that's what we do. It gets a little wacky sometimes with Ronnie throwing the ball, but it's all to offset what the defense is thinking to try to catch them off guard or get a long-shot downfield.
What's it like to be under the tutelage of Bill Parcells and Tony Sparano?
It's cool. They're kind of old-school coaches. They demand a lot and they're tough, but you come to realize it's all for your benefit. Guys have a lot of respect for them and they deserve it because they're good coaches.
You guys won the AFC East in 2008 and finished third in the division last year. Any predictions for 2010?
It's a tough division but we've got our goals set pretty high. I think we'll win the AFC East but you never know, it's a funky game. We're a pretty good team and there are some pretty good teams in our division, so we'll see.
