Read the full transcript from CB Chris Johnson's media availability on October 12, 2026.
I know I asked you last week about the matchup with Chase. How do you think you did?
Chris Johnson: Yeah, I think I did solid. It's not like we matched up all game, but the matchups we had, I feel like I was able to hold my own. I did solid.
The punch out, take us through that play. And does that just go back to the teachings from going back to OTAs and training cam? I remember you guys working on those kind of drills.
Chris Johnson: Yeah, really just a repetition, man, taking it back to the playing the game. Obviously, they throw the check down. I got to leverage it outside, force it back in. And once I force it back inside, I just see the ball. And that's just opportunity, you know? Like you said, we've been punching out balls since OTAs and we've been punching out balls every game and we just haven't been lucky enough to have one fall until yesterday. So just keep going, keep trying, don't get discouraged by the result.
I got a kind of a bizarre special teams question for you because I noticed on extra points and field goals, you used to be on the edge. You used to be coming in there and it looked like you were getting close. But I think you've been taken off of that recently, right?
Chris Johnson: Yeah.
Is that because you're playing too many snaps?
Chris Johnson: Nah. No real reason in particular.
What's the bye week look like for you as this team is 0-5 and a lot of players now have a chance to kind of self-evaluate?
Chris Johnson: Yeah, really just staying here, kind of just taking this week, like you said, to self-evaluate, kind of work on things. We have a lot more time, work on things that we're not personally good at. So I'm going to be in here in the building, whether it's getting a lift in or working on different kind of techniques that I feel like I've been lacking over the last few weeks just to come back and be prepared.
Anything you can share as far as techniques that you do want to improve on?
Chris Johnson: Nothing really in specific. Really just stay in tune. I feel like obviously having any sort of time off is kind of dangerous to anybody. You might just end up sinking into the couch at home. So just being able to get up and get in here in the building and just hitting the field, staying in the sun and stuff like that.
What is something that some of the veterans have told you about how to use this time wisely?
Chris Johnson: Really just echoing through the building, just take care of your body. Having this bye is valuable, whenever it lands, just to be able to get your body back and try to get back to preseason shape, back when everybody's 100%.
How do you feel you've handled as the season has gone on at kind of handling the ebbs and flows of a game and not getting too high or too low after a good or a bad play?
Chris Johnson: Definitely growing into it more. I feel like earlier in the year, obviously, I feel like I didn't have a great game against the Raiders. And just me, myself, how I've been my whole life, I'm really my biggest critic. So just really understanding, next play, whether it's a good play or a bad play, just move on with the next play. Just understand that my teammates got my back and I got theirs.
How aware are you of how well the rookie draft class has done? I mean, you go through five rounds and it's except for Trey and Kyle who are hurt. Everybody else is off to a good start. Are you aware of that? Do you guys talk about that?
Chris Johnson: Yeah, I'm definitely aware of it. I feel like we get these kind of opportunities because we get to be on the field. I wouldn't say it's anything more or less than that, just being able to get out there and show what we could do.
There's one play where you come on the blitz, I think you fight off the blitz pickup from the running back and then also a tight end and then affect the quarterback. How much do you enjoy that? You're so often in coverage, but then to get to blitz and rush the passer?
Chris Johnson: Yeah, it's a cool switch up. I'd definitely prefer it more if nobody was there to see me coming. But obviously, a couple guys stepped up to block me. But at the end of the day, I know we're one less in the back end if I'm on a blitz. So just having that, having a high motor, just trying to get back there to affect the quarterback.
What's the mentality when you fight through those blocks?
Chris Johnson: One, just if you decide to go inside of a block, the quarterback can't get outside of you. So really just that you got to understand what choice you're willing to make. Like if I go inside and he gets outside, it's going to be a bad movie. But if I go inside and make a play, then it's a play.
I don't know if you saw this, but you and Michael were the first pair of Dolphins rookies this century to force a fumble in the same game. Is that something that's emphasized by a particular coach? Is it a mentality you've always had? Who on the staff would emphasize that?
Chris Johnson: Really everybody, but probably the guy who physically does it is Wendel (Davis). Wendel, what is it, Friday, I think? I think it's Friday. He has a meeting about taking the ball away, in front of the team. Like it's a little segment in the team meeting that he gets up there and shows and stresses the importance of protecting the ball and taking away the ball. So obviously, like I said, through these last five weeks, we've been trying to take the ball away as a defense and we've got, like you said, we just got two out. So that was pretty cool, but we just got to keep going and keep taking the ball away more.
Sometimes when you talk to slot defenders, they'll talk about the traffic that they have to go through and all of that. How has that been from your end? What have you experienced and what's the best way to fight through all that?
Chris Johnson: Really just understand the levels. I feel like the easiest way to kind of get through it is that – like me and the other DBs on the field, just have to be on different levels but be on the same page, you know? Like if I'm at nickel, I'm going to go down and then between the other two guys, they got to figure out who's going to line up where, just so that we're all on different levels. Everybody slides through flat, and hopefully no collisions happen.
