The football journey of Buffalo Bills Tight End Dalton Kincaid is certainly unique, as after originally walking away from the sport, Kincaid returned to play only one year of high school football. Since then, he’s become a household name and one of the best at his position.
Kincaid walked on to the University of San Diego Football Team, where in his sophomore season, he was named to the 2019 Associated Press FCS All-American Team. After two years in San Diego, Kincaid transferred to play for the University of Utah, where Kincaid was named to the 2022 Associated Press, Pro Football Focus and Bleacher Report All-American Teams.
Following his career with the Utes, Kincaid was selected by the Bills with the 25th Pick of the 2023 NFL Draft. In the 2023 season, Kincaid set the Bills’ rookie single-season reception record.
Going into his third professional season, Kincaid sat down to discuss the mental side of football, his career and life aspirations, as well as why he decided wearing the Q-Collar was right for him.
Why do you love about football?
“Football is just the ultimate team game, and I think just being able to play at the highest level and competing against the best of the best was the goal as a kid. I love the elements that go into it like how you need all eleven guys working in unison doing their job to succeed.”
What motivates you?
“What motivates me most is winning a Super Bowl trophy, especially for Buffalo and all the fans with everything they’ve gone through. I think a big motivating factor is trying to win that.”
How do you approach the mental side of the game?
“I think the mental component is almost equally as important as the physical component. Being in the right head space and the preparation before games is equally as valuable as preparing physically each week.”
At what point in your career did you begin to focus into the mental side of the game?
“I think the mental component wasn’t really emphasized until I got into high school. Then, it started to ramp up a little bit. Those last couple years at Utah is when I really started to utilize our team psychologist to visualize a lot for games. In the NFL we have a great resource, Dr. Dez, and she does a great job of preparing us as well.”
What do you feel are the unique challenges of being a Tight End?
“I think as a Tight End, you’re asked to know so much and do so many different things. You’re dealing with a lot of the same risks that running backs, wide receivers and offensive lineman deal with, which is unique because at other positions you don’t see as much crossover. You see and experience everything on the field, which means you have to prepare physically and mentally the most, simply because you’re dealing with so much out there.”
What does your gameday routine look like?
“. I get to the facility as early as possible. Then, I spend some time in the hot tub and cold tub. I really don’t do anything too crazy. I then go out on the field to warm up a little and listen to some house music. Other than that, I keep it pretty simple.”
How important is recovery to keeping you feeling your best during the season?
“Recovery is a big deal during the season, especially when it comes to staying proactive and staying ahead of everything. I use various ways to recover like Normatec Boots, cold tub, hot tub and sauna. At our facility, we have a lot of resources that we can utilize so it’s important to use them as much as possible to stay ahead of anything that may come your way.”
What do you think separates you from your competition on the field?
“I think what separates me is my drive. I like to play through the whistle and be around the ball. Finding the football whether I have the ball or not is something that separates me.”
What is the Q-Collar and why is it important to you?
“The Q-Collar is a safety device. Something that I can wear and not really think about, but is there to protect me not only presently, but for life. My sister is an ER Doctor, and she really preaches being safe. Any time I get hit during the game she freaks out a little bit, but the main thing she does care about is me protecting my brain. That’s the biggest point of emphasis that I receive from her and it’s one that I really take dearly.”
How did you first learn about the Q-Collar?
“I want to say that I first learned about it through Taylor Rapp, one of my teammates. He had worn it and had positive things to say about it, so that is what got me interested in it.”
How does the Q-Collar make you feel?
“The biggest difference now that I wear the Q-Collar is during the game when big guys are hitting you, you feel more protected. When you get hit, you’re kind of bouncing around a bit but the Q-Collar makes me feel a bit more in-place. I’ve talked to other guys who wear the Q-Collar and they say the same thing. I think this is something that can prolong your career, which is obviously what we want to do. In the game of football, you don’t really know what to expect which is why I would not miss my Q-Collar on a game day, especially in the National Football League with how fast and physical everything is.”
What do you tell your teammates when they ask you about the Q-Collar?
“I ask my own teammates all the time ‘why would you not wear it?’ It’s something that can help protect your brain. We’re all young and we think we’re invincible, but ultimately football will end and whatever that will look like, you want to feel as good as possible and protecting your brain is important to do that. If my future kids got into contact sports, I would definitely promote them wearing the Q-Collar.”
When you think about life after football, what does that look like to you?
“The first thing that comes to mind for me is having a family. I think life after football revolves around being a great parent, a great husband, a great friend, whatever that may look like. I just want to be very present in everything that I do. I think we live in a very visually distracted day and age. Being present whether it’s sports or something at home, I feel like we all kind of struggle with that.
What does being present mean to you?
“Being present helps a lot with the job that I have because you’re surrounded by groups of friends all day and you can there and spend time with people that you enjoy spending time with. Getting in nature is also a way I like to be present.”
What do you want your legacy to look like?
“I think I want my legacy to be defined by the impact I have on generations to come whether that’s future kids in my life, or the younger generations that look up to you as an athlete. Being able to impact them in a positive way and show them how to play football the right way, while also competing at a high level is kind of the legacy I’d like to leave.”
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