Tight end Mike Gesicki saw his role with the Miami Dolphins diminish last season after the addition of Tyreek Hill and implementation of Mike McDaniel’s offensive scheme.
Gesicki is more of a pass catcher than blocker, which led him to see a decrease in his playing time during the 2022 campaign.
Naturally, many people in his position would’ve lashed out eventually, but Gesicki recently took the high road when talking about the drop-off in his role.
Question: What did you learn about yourself last year (dipping from 73 receptions to 32) based on the way things unfolded?
Mike Gesicki: pic.twitter.com/vdxeDJWP2M
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) May 4, 2023
“It’s just how this business goes, so gotta be able to be a professional through all the good and be a professional through all the bad” Gesicki said. “That’s kind of who I’ve always been, so I felt that was a good opportunity for me to continue to practice patience and be ready when opportunities are called.”
During the 2021 campaign, Gesicki caught 73 of his 112 targets for 780 yards and two touchdowns. He was then given the franchise tag by the Dolphins, playing on it for the duration of the 2022 campaign.
Last season, which was McDaniel’s first as head coach of the Dolphins, Gesicki only saw 52 targets, catching 32 of them for 362 yards and five touchdowns.
While he saw an increase in touchdowns, he only played 45 percent of Miami’s offensive snaps, his lowest total since his rookie season. The former second-round pick had played in 72 percent of Miami’s offensive snaps in the 2021 season.
The Pennsylvania State University product is now with the New England Patriots after signing a one-year deal with them this offseason. He’s set to face off against the Dolphins twice this season, and he’s undoubtedly looking forward to those two matchups against his former team.
The one-year deal with the Patriots offers Gesicki the opportunity to rebuild his value. During Super Bowl week earlier this year, his name popped up a lot, as there was optimism about his potential in a different system.
This coming season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the 27-year-old put up the same type of numbers he did two seasons ago. He’s surely still got that type of ability in his system.
It’s a shame things didn’t end on a high note for Gesicki in Miami, but it’s good to see him get a chance to shine elsewhere. While plenty of Dolphins fans are surely still rooting for him, they will probably hope he drops some passes when he faces Miami.
