Life is all about who you know, and thankfully for Dolphins tight end Julius Thomas, he knows Peyton Manning.
According to the Palm Beach Post, before trading for Thomas this offseason, offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen picked up the phone and called Manning. Christensen worked with the future Hall of Famer for nearly a decade in Indianapolis. Thomas played with Manning for two years in Denver.
"[Manning] talked a lot about [Thomas asking], 'Would you stay out and help me with this? Take me through this,'" Christensen told the paper. "Would you watch a little tape with me? Would you explain what you want on this?' And he still does the same thing. I'll see him in coach [Adam] Gase's office and his questions are right. His questions and his process are right, which as a coach, (is what) you're looking for."
Thomas thrived while attached to Manning's hip in Denver and, not surprisingly, bottomed out in Jacksonville along with Blake Bortles. Thomas played in only 21 of 32 possible starts, catching 76 passes for 736 yards and nine touchdowns.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill, still rebuilding himself in the mold of Gase, could always use a solid intermediate target.
Thomas provides a good lesson for NFL receivers and tight ends coming up now. Attaching yourself to a quarterback is never a bad idea, especially if he's a legend in the making.