Miami Dolphins' Anthony Fasano emerging as an offensive threat
BY SARAH ROTHSCHILD
srothschild@MiamiHerald.comAnthony Fasano said two of his former Dallas Cowboys teammates -- quarterback Tony Romo and tight end Jason Witten -- ribbed him through text messages after the Dolphins' victory against the New England Patriots last week, teasing him for his touchdown celebration.
After catching running back Ronnie Brown's pass and racing into the end zone, Fasano held the ball with one hand and punched it with his free hand.
'They said, `If you're going to keep scoring touchdowns, you've got to figure out something else -- because that was awful,' '' Fasano said, laughing.
The Dolphins' third-year tight end might need to dream up more touchdown celebrations because he is reaching the end zone at a career pace.
After three games, Fasano leads the Dolphins with two touchdown catches and 150 receiving yards on 11 receptions.
He already has doubled his combined touchdown total from the past two seasons, which he spent playing behind Witten, a four-time Pro Bowler.
Fasano believes he is developing into a go-to player, and several Dolphins players said he appears poised for a breakout season.
After a somewhat underwhelming tenure in Dallas, Fasano is rewarding Bill Parcells and Jeff Ireland -- the Dolphins' executive vice president for football operations and general manager, respectively -- for giving him a second chance. Parcells and Ireland were with the Cowboys when they selected Fasano in the second round of the NFL Draft in 2006. During this year's draft weekend, they brought him to Miami along with linebacker Akin Ayodele in exchange for a fourth-round pick.
Five months later, Ireland said, ``He's playing the best football I've seen him play.''
SOMETHING TO PROVE
Fasano is hungry to show that he is a dependable option -- someone the Dolphins can rely on on for instant offense and on third downs, someone the new regime is pleased it reacquired.
''I tried to make the best out of it, but it wasn't the best opportunity for me to be the guy there,'' Fasano said of Dallas. ``Jason is a great player; I think he is a Hall of Famer tight end. I'm trying to make my own little mold down here.''
Fasano has drawn comparisons to former New York Giants tight end Mark Bavaro, a Parcells favorite who won two Super Bowls with him. Growing up in New Jersey, Fasano was a Giants and Bavaro fan but said he didn't emulate anyone.
''I just try to be an all-around tight end,'' he said.
Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said Fasano has always been a solid pass-catching tight end but, since joining the Dolphins, has improved his pass protection and blocking. Sparano said he is pleased with Fasano's run after the catch, something he had not seen Fasano do in Dallas.
Ayodele said he sees a ''little Witten'' in Fasano, and work ethic, size, speed and ability to read defenses are all reasons to believe that Fasano will have an impressive season.
Dolphins cornerback Nathan Jones, who also played in Dallas last season and knew of Fasano in high school as a fellow New Jersey native, said Fasano's toughness is impressive.
''He doesn't shy from contact,'' Jones said.
Sparano said of Fasano: ``He's got the makeup, clearly. He's tough, always has been. This guy's played hurt a bunch. He's very smart. He's very disciplined. He has the makeup. He's exactly what we look for.''
Jones and Ayodele said they are not surprised by Fasano's production. He just needed an opportunity to have a more prominent role in the offense, they said.
Fasano said he was shocked when he found out he had been traded. He was with Witten and Romo at a Las Vegas hotel, and Fasano and Romo summoned Witten back to the room to share the news. After the initial surprise wore off, Fasano said, he was enthused to come to a team on which he could have a bigger role.
Fasano had three receptions for 66 yards against the Patriots, and he said his touchdown pass from Brown ``looked better on TV.''
Fasano said he asked Romo and Witten for touchdown celebration suggestions, so perhaps they won't tease him, but as of Thursday afternoon he had not gotten a response.
Apparently, he will have to figure it out on his own.
FINS HONORED
• Sparano was named NFL Coach of the Week, Brown earned NFL Player Player of the Week honors (with San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers), and linebacker Joey Porter was named NFL Defensive Player of the Week.
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