For the last four seasons, Miami Dolphins tight ends Durham Smythe and Mike Gesicki were nearly inseparable. Whether it was hanging out together at the facility or vacationing together during the offseason, the pair became great friends.
This offseason, as Gesicki free agency and Smythe was under contract, it was a foregone conclusion that the duo would be split up. The former ended up signing with an AFC East rival, as the New England Patriots gave him a one-year deal.
Smythe, while understanding that Gesicki had to take the deal, joked that he takes issue with the decision.
“He had 31 other choices and he chose the one to spite me the most,” Smythe told the media on Tuesday (transcribed by Barry Jackson). “Good for him. We’ll see him twice a year.”
The former Nittany Lion now joining the Patriots adds an extra layer to a rivalry that has been mostly one-sided in recent years. If Smythe or Gesicki find themselves in the end zone during either of their meetings in 2023 will certainly lead to some extra celebrating.
