Read the full transcript from TE Will Kacmarek's media availability on April 25, 2026.
(Tell me about your value. We know that you are a blocking tight end, but you seem like you have some good hands also. This seems like a good place for you because they want to run the ball. Tell me about your value to the NFL and your value to the Dolphins, what you think both are.) – "You kind of hit on it a little bit. I think I'm a dominant run blocker. I think I'm a dominant blocker at the point of attack, but I don't think people give me enough credit for my passing ability. I was used in an offense with tons of weapons so the opportunities were limited, but whenever I got the ball, like you said, I had sure hands, I caught it and I made the most of it."
(And tell me about attitude. This Dolphins regime with Jon-Eric Sullivan, the GM, and Jeff Hafley, the coach, they want physicality, they want aggression, they want to run the ball. How do you fit into that mold?) – "I think mentality and the aggression is 90 percent of the game. I think you need to have that to impose your will on other players and wear them down throughout the game. You're not going to win the game after one play, so I think it's important to, again, wear down players. This is something I've had my entire life, that mentality. I play with the switch. On the field you see, you check out the film, that's how I play; but off the field, I feel like I'm a pretty genuine guy that doesn't have too many enemies."
(So T Kadyn Proctor, the Dolphins first-round pick, said, and I quote, "we're going to run the [expletive] out of the ball. Drafting you in the third seems to fall in line with choosing him in the first. What do you think of the identity this new Dolphins regime is trying to establish with players like yourself and Proctor on the offensive side?) – "I think it's pretty clear. Like you said, he's a powerful run blocker and I think of that of myself. So you pair us two together, I think we're going to move some defensive line, and I think that's going to be our identity."
(I wanted to ask a little bit about the mentality of run blocking. I think that takes a special type of person to commit to that, especially in the day and age where a lot of tight ends want to catch the ball, go up field. So just kind of walk me through why you've leaned into this run blocking identity.) – "I played a bunch of sports growing up. I've played against a lot of tough competition. I feel like I just kind of figured out to be successful, you need that mentality. Not a lot of people like to go to that area, but I think it's important and could really wear down the opponent. Again, that's something I take pride in and it's something I definitely hang my hat on as my mentality and again, just imposing your will on someone else."
(Obviously you're part of that team that won the national championship in 2024. Just what was that experience like, and what did you learn that you hope to take to Miami?) – "Yeah, no, absolutely. I never thought I would be in that position. I started at Ohio and then transferring to Ohio State the first season I went there, won a natty. So it's just cool how things play out. And then again, just being in this situation right now, I think I've gone through the levels of football. I just think it's something that it's just the next level and I have to adapt to it like any other level, but once you get there just take off running with it."
(You talked about playing multiple sports a little bit. I saw that you were a lacrosse player back in your day. How do you think that helped you translate onto the football field?) – "That's right. I think just overall footwork. I'm a taller guy and in lacrosse, there's not the biggest guys playing. They are usually quicker guys. I was a defender so I think just being able to move with those guys and stay in front of them and again, just footwork. I think lacrosse is a great game, just competitively. I mean, they say it's the fastest game on two feet. Again, it puts you in a lot of situations to where it's you versus somebody else, and then again, just working with a team."
(That footwork comment is interesting, because you did so many things in terms of roles as a blocker at Ohio State, whether you were h-back, attached to the line of scrimmage or out in space. I'm curious, with all those different assignments that you got, how did you approach preparing for different blocking angles, different assignments, digging out defensive tackles, kicking out the end of the line of scrimmage? What was your process like for getting ready for all that you did there at Ohio State?) – "I was fortunate to play with a lot of really good OCs. Two years ago, I was with Chip Kelly, and he was super creative, so you never knew what you're going to get at practice the next day. He's putting you in the backfield, we got 14 personnel, you got so many different jobs. It's just cool to be able to be trusted in those positions, like you said, whether it's in the backfield, on the ball in the hip or split out. I think just a lot of it is just trust and then every day of practice, we rep everything, because again, you never know what you're going to get."
(Tell me about the challenge of going to Ohio State, and at the risk of sounding ridiculous, why? Because you could have stayed at Ohio. Was stepping up in competition a factor? Was NIL a factor? Why'd you go?) – "I think just to where I wanted to go and reach my maximum potential, I think entering the portal was best in my favor. Nothing against Ohio, I loved Ohio. I love all those coaches. I left on good terms, but I think just where I wanted to go and to be against the best competition, I had to make that leap and it definitely wasn't easy. It was definitely a shot in the dark, but it worked out. There was a spot open at Ohio State with Cade leaving, Cade Stover. So, filling that role and then just proving to the team that I'm meant to be there and then just running with the opportunity. It was kind of my mentality."
(You've got to have a good amount of confidence in yourself, right? Ohio State, I mean, they could bring in a five-star, they could get another guy out of the transfer portal, right? You have to be confident to go to Ohio State.) – "Absolutely, and I feel like my entire life, I've always been in these situations to where I was a two-star d-end coming out of high school and then I was fortunate to play at Ohio, and then again fortunate to play at Ohio State, so I think just getting to the level at each level is something I do. And I think I'm a good fit for the Dolphins."
(You mentioned being a good fit for the Dolphins. The past four seasons under Mike McDaniel, they ran a lot of outside zone. Some continuity on the offensive side with Bobby Slowik still being on the staff now as OC. So how much do you enjoy outside zone, that blocking scheme and how do you think you perform in that setting?) – "I love it. We got into that a lot throughout the season last year. I was on the front side a lot, and I feel like I really figured out the different combinations and different looks and what to expect. That's something I'm definitely comfortable with. We ran a lot of counter, so again, I mentioned playing different positions, playing off the ball, frontside, just being able to do all that and being trusted at the point of attack is something I feel confident in."
