MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Dolphins have been NFL outliers the previous few years, and happy with it, nonconformists who leant into their progressive methods. Coaches known as gamers, “teammates.” Gamers received paid who didn’t want new contracts. They labored much less relatively than extra in a tradition of equanimity and kumbaya togetherness.
The outcome was this dud of an 8-9 season. However nonetheless Tuesday, in an annual autopsy speak to media, normal supervisor Chris Grier referred this crew that grew to become troubled by unprofessional edges all the best way to captain Tyreek Hill quitting on them within the finale, as a, “player-driven crew.”
Does that specify the issue? And present what has to alter?
It’s not simply this crew that ought to get known as, “comfortable,” as numerous Dolphins who lived within the locker room have labeled it over the previous 12 months. It’s these operating the crew, at the start.
It’s not simply gamers who have to be known as out for being late to conferences in a symptom of bigger issues inside a crew.
It’s Grier and coach Mike McDaniel who needs to be known as out first for permitting such nonsense to occur.
Grier is a double offender at this, too. He was normal supervisor when participant tardiness within the Adam Gase years grew to become such an issue the offending gamers’ names have been written on the locker-room whiteboard subsequent to the fined greenback quantity to embarrass them. We, the media, wrote down the names.
That didn’t right the issue. Nor did this present Dolphins new-age tradition stop it from occurring once more. It grew to become such a difficulty McDaniel addressed it in his postseason assembly, saying gamers must be on time subsequent season.
However how did he let it occur this season?
“One factor I did be taught through the course of the season is that fining guys … didn’t notably transfer the needle in the best way we have to so I’ll modify as I ought to as the top coach,’’ McDaniel mentioned.
He might have requested Gase. Or Grier. It’s good to say you’re a “player-driven crew,” as a result of that’s the objective. Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice says he typically stands behind the bench at video games and doesn’t have to speak to gamers as a result of they’re saying all the precise issues themselves. They’re two-time Stanley Cup finalists with a title, too.
These Dolphins have gained nothing. Why ought to the gamers be given keys of the franchise? Folks speak of “tradition” in sports activities, however typically don’t know what it means. That is it. One thing as little because the coach letting gamers be late for conferences is a porthole right into a crew’s professionalism and a spotlight to element that exhibits up (or not) in video games.
The hunt for excellence, you see, is present in issues massive and small. I as soon as requested NBA veteran Shane Battier what “Warmth Tradition” meant to him.
“If follow begins at midday, everybody’s standing on the road with knee braces on and sneakers laced, able to go, at 11:59,” he mentioned.
Doesn’t that occur all over the place — these are execs, in spite of everything?
He laughed. “Often, in the beginning of most groups’ practices, guys are taking pictures half-court photographs, operating round, probably not prepared. Right here, there’s a tradition of self-discipline.”
Chris Perkins: Dolphins want main tradition change of their locker room
Can the Dolphins remodel in a single day into that type of tradition in 12 months 4 of McDaniel and 12 months Seven of Grier? That’s step one to success in 2025.
Certain, there are extra tangible points ready this offseason: put money into a backup quarterback? Why spend $60 million on two receivers in case you can’t persistently get them the ball? The place to get two beginning safeties and guards?
For the earlier two seasons, this going-away information convention with Grier and McDaniel leaned on accidents as crushing their possibilities. That excuse is at all times there (apart from the No. 1 seed this season, the Detroit Lions, with 12 defensive gamers on injured reserve).
Grier went there solely as an apart this time in mentioning Tua Tagovailoa’s six video games misplaced to harm and …
“We missed the playoffs by a sport,” he mentioned.
Tua has missed 4, 4, zero and 6 video games to harm the previous 4 seasons. Which one is the outlier? And why didn’t the overall supervisor have a succesful backup quarterback?
Dolphins Deep Dive: Perkins, Furones on Tyreek’s future in Miami; offseason priorities | VIDEO
“We have been in on plenty of top-flight back-up quarterbacks,” Grier mentioned. “We simply couldn’t go to these costs.”
Not adequate. Not within the massive leagues. Not when you’ve a obtrusive well being concern at a very powerful place and let it dig a gap to your season. Perhaps that type of speak works with proprietor Steve Ross, however not within the public discussion board.
All these personnel questions will likely be resolved in a way everybody will see in coming months. The tradition repair is more durable to see, although. Most groups discuss what nice management and onerous employees they’ve, and the Dolphins have been no completely different proper as much as the primary day after the season.
The underside line is that they have been comfortable. And it began proper on the high. Grier and McDaniel get one other season to right some elementary issues from the backup quarterback place to gamers displaying up on time.
After Gase’s groups have been perpetual tardy, Brian Flores took over and that drawback disappeared. That’s what the pressure of persona on the high can do. It’s time for McDaniel to get that outcome.
Final 12 months, McDaniel mentioned he set conferences to start out on the twenty fourth minute to suggest 24 years with out a playoff win. They’ll begin at an excellent twenty fifth minute now. Being on time is a primary step on the street again.
