Key Highlights
- No more participation trophies. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHere’s hoping new Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley brings what’s needed. Hafley must deal with this organization’s mental game before the physical game. Hopefully that’s what the new hires at general manager and head coach acknowledge. Hafley, the former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator, is believed to be here because of his relationship with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan.
- The two worked together in Green Bay for the past two seasons when Sullivan was vice president of player personnel. You’ve got to hope Sullivan and Hafley are in lockstep agreement that this team, and this organization, need to reset their priorities. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Dolphins are 17-23 (.425) in their past 40 games, starting with that 28-27 home loss to the Tennessee Titans in 2023 — a game in which Miami blew a big lead late. They were 18-12 (.600) in their first 30 games under coach Mike McDaniel, the games before that Tennessee loss. Last season the Dolphins went 7-10.
- They lost seven of those games by double digits, five by 22 or more points.
- In other words, they were blown out on a regular basis last season, including being outscored, 130-27, in the third quarter. Even with all of that, the big task with the Dolphins is mental, and that’s with the team administration, coaches, players and fans. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Dolphins need to have a mindset that doesn’t accept or celebrate mediocrity. The Xs and Os are secondary right now. For a few years I’ve been begging the Dolphins to make changes. I’ve written that the Dolphins need culture change. I’ve written that the Dolphins needed a new offense. Beginning in December 2022, I questioned McDaniel’s coaching chops. I’ve questioned everything ranging from toughness to attitude including before the 2025 season, in training camp of 2024, in the spring of 2024, and, well, you get the idea. This is a core issue with me, this team changing its ways. To that end, I’ve said I like that the Dolphins leaned toward defensive coaches in this hiring process. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementDefensive coaches such as the New England Patriots’ Mike Vrabel, Houston Texans’ DeMeco Ryans and former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin tend to have players who report to work with a hard hat and lunch pail. Under McDaniel, Dolphins players reported to work with a cell phone and ideas about a viral touchdown celebration. I’ve always said the McDaniel era can be summarized in the two-week span in 2023 when the Dolphins pounded the Denver Broncos, 70-20, and then went to the Buffalo Bills the next week and got pounded, 48-20. The organization fixated on the 50-point win over a sub-.500 team at home. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe real story was the 28-point loss to a playoff-caliber team on the road. It’s that type of mentality that’s caused this franchise to regress. Hopefully both Sullivan and Hafley understand their No.
- 1 job is setting higher expectations. By the way, owner Steve Ross’ credibility is on the line with these two hires — general manager and head coach. The NFL offseason is about selling hope. But hope is in short supply with the Dolphins. There’s a “been there, done that” feel to this entire process. At this point it still appears to be the same bumbling Dolphins operation we’ve grown accustomed to seeing under Ross. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementI mean, they contacted 11 candidates and had a seven-person hiring committee?Exactly how many Do.