Ryan Tannehill walked a season in the coaches' shoes. The Miami Dolphins quarterback believes he's better for the experience.
Tannehill returns from missing the entire 2017 season due to an ACL tear. He told NFL Network's Tiffany Blackmon on Tuesday that his time on the sideline will prove beneficial as he moves back into the starting role.
"I got to gain a different perspective last year that I wanted to gain," Tannehill said after the first day of minicamp. "There was a lot of beneficial things that I learned throughout the year. Just being able to take a step back and really just watch and observe how guys prepare, how we install, how I can better help guys throughout the year. So I learned a lot."
Getting a different perspective on the whys and hows of play calling and preparation can help slow the game down for quarterbacks. Most QBs spend their careers in the fire -- Tannehill started every game from when he was drafted in 2012 until missing the final three tilts of 2016. A respite outside the cauldron could be helpful in Tannehill's mental growth as a signal-caller.
The different perspective is nice. Tannehill, however, is ready to get back to work on the field.
The 29-year-old, who was fully cleared last month, said he's back to moving as well as he was before the ACL tear.
"I'm feeling good," Tannehill told Blackmon. "I think it's a progression, day in and day out, just trying to get better each and every day. But physically I feel really good. I feel fresh. The knee feels really good, I'm able to move around just like I would have before the injury. So I'm confident moving forward that we can just keep getting better."
The Dolphins spent the offseason overhauling both sides of the ball. The success of that endeavor relies on Tannehill being the best version of himself post-injury.
