New Veterans Gore, Amendola Excited To Get Started With Dolphins
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
DAVIE (CBSMiami) – Members of the Miami Dolphins are back at the team's practice facility in Davie this week.
They are taking part in offseason workouts, which are not mandatory for players to participate in but generally have a good turnout.
Several new members of the Dolphins were present on Tuesday, including veteran free agents Frank Gore and Danny Amendola.
"If I felt like I couldn't play I wouldn't play," the 34-year-old Gore said.
Gore comes to the Dolphins trying to prove there's something left in the tank.
He thought he would be staying in South Florida out of college, where he attended the University of Miami, but instead the Dolphins took Ronnie Brown with the second overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft.
Gore was selected by San Francisco in the third round, 63 picks after Miami picked Brown.
While Ronnie had some solid years with the Dolphins, Gore's career has been much more productive.
The Miami native racked up most of his Hall of Fame numbers in San Francisco, where he nearly won a Super Bowl in 2012.
He hopes to inject some of his work ethic into the Dolphins locker room.
"Once we got the chance to taste how to win, we never wanted to go back," Gore said of his days in San Francisco. "So every day we competed. I remember me and Patrick [Willis], he a Pro Bowler, I'm a Pro Bowler. We use to be about to fight [during practice]. I didn't want to lose against him, he didn't want to lose against me. Basically it was the same thing how we was at the University of Miami."
Another player walking in with Super Bowl experience is new receiver Danny Amendola, who came up with the then-St. Louis Rams before going in the spotlight with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.
In fact, the 32-year-old Amendola has become known for making big plays when the game is on the line.
"It all comes down to preparation and being ready when you're number's called," he said. "No matter what month it is, what down it is. For me it's all about preparation.
For 5 years, it was Amendola's job to score on the Dolphins.
Naturally, when the time came Miami made him an offer he couldn't refuse and Amendola signed a 2-year, $12 million dollar contract.
"I'm excited to get there and play football," Amendola said. "It's what I like to focus on. Obviously there's a business aspect to this game. Sometimes it works out for you, sometimes it doesn't. I've been on both ends and I try to keep it consistent by playing good football."
Even though Amendola has only been in Davie for a couple of days, he says he's already gotten acquainted with Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill.
The two are already picking each other's brains and tossing the football out on the practice fields.
CBS Miami's David Dwork contributed to this story.
