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Tua’s father wants son drafted by Dolphins

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As the coverage for Super Bowl week continues, we are hearing from many of the game’s top players. Tua Tagovailoa is someone that has been on the mind of Miami Dolphins fans. With the fifth pick, the Dolphins believe that the Alabama prospect could be the quarterback they’ve been searching for. And according to Andy Slater, Tua’s dad feels the same.

The organization has been looking for a quarterback since Dan Marino. Although there have been several signal-callers that have filled in, none of them have been a franchise quarterback. There is a belief that the Dolphins will do whatever it takes to get the college football star.

In the meantime, it seems like Tua Tagovailoa is taking it all in stride. In speaking to the media on Thursday, the quarterback notes the comparisons to Marino honored him. Nevertheless, he recognizes that he has things to accomplish. If anything, that speaks to his humility and desire to be great. He even shouted out to Marino, saying that “It means the world” that Marino thinks he could be a star.

He also opened up to Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today about his hip injury. The quarterback’s hip is getting better, but he doesn’t have a timeline on when he will be back. A CAT scan and MRI will take place a week from Monday. At that point, it will have been 12 weeks since he suffered a devastating injury.  The injury itself is something that may affect his draft stock

Medicals are something to watch for Miami Dolphins

The Tua-Miami Dolphins connection seems to be stronger than ever. As he prepares for the NFL Draft, one has to wonder if any further developments will come out. The medical piece, in regards to how healed he is from his injury, is something to watch for. This is crucial for him as he looks to solidify his stock as a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. It’s something that the Dolphins and the rest of the league will be paying attention to. For now, it seems like he is just enjoying the process of being a coveted NFL prospect.

Damien Williams’ journey goes full circle in preparation for Super Bowl

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Things often come full circle in life. Just ask running back Damien Williams. Who’s again where he started his career, calling Miami home for the next week as he prepares to play in the Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers. However, he’s not wearing a Miami Dolphins jersey. Instead, he is donning Kansas City Chiefs colors. His trip from Kansas City to Miami takes around five hours and 35 minutes by plane. Just as the 1,469.7-mile journey seems lengthy, so to has been Williams’ path to get here.

He began his college football career at Arizona Western College. After a few seasons there, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma, a breeding ground for running backs. Here, he encountered his first bump in the road. After a 2012 season saw him rush for 946 yards and 11 touchdowns in 13 games, he followed that up with an impressive 2013 season. Rushing the rock hundred 14 times for 553 yards and seven touchdowns, he put up those numbers in nine games.

Those numbers were indeed not indicative of a setback.

Miami Dolphins save Damien Williams

The setback came in 2013. where he was dismissed from Oklahoma for violating team rules. Head coach Bob Stoops never gave a reason for his dismissal. Thus, his next step was going to the NFL Draft. Surely someone who put up the type of numbers he had, in albeit a brief college career, would be able to find a team rather easily, right?

Not exactly. Williams went undrafted in the 2014 NFL Draft. Luckily for him, the Miami Dolphins came calling. It would be a four-year partnership between the Miami Dolphins and Williams. He didn’t put up eye-popping numbers, but you could tell the talent was there. His best season for Miami came in 2017. He played 11 games, starting four of them. Rushing 46 times for 181 yards, he also proved to be a  bit of a receiving threat. He would also catch 20 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown.

The 2017 season saw him get tendered by Miami for $1.797 million. After Jay Ajayi was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, Williams was named a starter ahead of Kenyan Drake. He showed glimpses of potential, but injuries set him back a bit. A dislocated shoulder in Week 12 gave the starting job to Drake. Drake blossomed as the starter, and that was effectively the end of Williams’s career with the Dolphins.

Since signing with Kansas City in the 2018 offseason, he has paid his dues. From playing behind Kareem Hunt to getting the starting opportunity last season, he has undoubtedly been biding his time. He ended up having a solid 2018 season, rushing the ball 50 times for 256 yards and four touchdowns, the four TDs were a career-high at the time.

Now, he finds himself back in Miami, set to play in the Super Bowl. In what was a running back-by-committee approach this year for Kansas City, he has adjusted to different roles numerous times throughout the season.

Check out Super Bowl Experience on South Beach

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With the 49ers and Chiefs squaring off in Miami for Super Bowl LIV, Miami will be abuzz for the next two weeks. While tickets to the game itself are approaching all-time highs, the most affordable way to get into the spirit in 2020 may be Super Bowl Experience, which kicks off on January 25th and runs through February 1st. Spread across 500,000 square feet at the Miami Convention center, it’s a must visit for fans of all ages. Kids under 12 years old are free for the first time in the history of the Super Bowl Experience. For local Miami fans, prices are cheaper and crowds will be thinner during the first two days.

Last year, 140,000 people participated in the Super Bowl Experience. For the 2020 edition, the league is expecting 100,000 – 150,000 people per day for the nine day duration.  Tickets remain available from Ticketmaster, and you don’t need to worry about the time slots when purchasing.  Those are only enforced if the event is at capacity which isn’t likely.  As an example, can buy for the 11am slot, but still go at 2pm.

Where Does 2020 Super Bowl Experience Take Place

This year’s Super Bowl Experience will be at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which is located in the heart of Miami Beach. The Miami Beach Convention Center is easily accessible from the three major causeways: I-395 (McArthur Causeway), I-195 (Julia Tuttle Causeway) and Venetian Causeway. For more detailed directions and parking options, you can visit the site directly.

Where To Buy Super Bowl Experience Tickets

Fans can purchase tickets for a set date, and the NFL is offering free entry to active military on Wednesday, January 29, as well as kids 12 and under every day. There’s also the opportunity to upgrade tickets. Tickets are available directly from Ticketmaster, the League’s official partner, and it’s important not to shop on the secondary market, where prices can be listed above face value, even though tickets remain available on Ticketmaster.

Tickets range from $20 to $40 based on the day you choose to attend.

SBXTRA access costs $60, and includes priority access to the autograph stage, Vince Lombardi Trophy (pictured below), interactive games and the NFL PLAY 60 Clinic, as well as early entry to the venue. Priority access is similar to a theme-park “FastPass.” and helps navigate the experience as quickly and easily as possible.

The multi-day pass costs $50 allows you to visit as much as you want to enjoy your favorite parts of the event again.

As mentioned above, you don’t need to worry about the time slots when purchasing.  As an example, if you’re checking out and see the below options, and want to go at 11am, you’re fine to buy the 4pm pass and show up at 11am.

 

 

All Super Bowl Experience tickets are time stamped for entry, but according to the NFL, a ticket will be honored on the day for which it was purchased regardless of the time stamp.

What Is The Super Bowl Experience:

The Super Bowl Experience is essentially an NFL theme park where you can get autographs from close to 40 Dolphins and NFL greats, including Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Irv Smith, Jerry Rice, Russell Wilson others (see full autograph schedule by day below).

Fans can participate in football clinics and interactive games, and Instagram-worthy opportunities like a close-up with you and the Vince Lombardi Trophy and a display with all 53 Super Bowl rings. There’s also access to the Bridgestone Fan Gallery, which a row of radio broadcasters and podcasters where you stargaze NFL players and VIP guests.

Below is the full list of activities available throughout the week.

Bridgestone Two Minute Drill: Test your Quarterback Mastery by quickly passing the ball down the field and into three targets before the clock runs out. Score when it matters most!

Castrol® Titanium Training Camp: Stop by Training Camp to race through a series of obstacles and train like the pros. Get ready to show us your titanium skills!

EA Sports Madden NFL 20 Crucial Catch QB Scramble: Take the snap and run through read-and-react obstacles before throwing a pass to a larger than life target!

FedEx Air Challenge: How do your quarterback skills stack up against this year’s FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year nominees? Find out by testing your passing accuracy on specially designed targets.

FedEx Ground Challenge: Prove you have the rushing skills of the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year nominees by catching a punt and weaving through traffic down the field to the end zone. After you score, make sure to get a reusable FedEx tote bag

Lowe’s Field Goal Kick:  Test your ability to kick a field goal through NFL uprights.

Crucial Catch Hail Mary: Test your long-distance accuracy by throwing a deep pass over defenders into a drop-in net. 3 Cone Drill NFL ONEPASS Test your ability to change directions by maneuvering 3 cones at various yardage.

40-Yard Dash: Race down the field against your opponents and NFL players on a giant 40-yard long LED wall! Broad Jump NFL ONEPASS Test your lower-body explosion, balance and strength at the broad jump!

Obstacle Course: Navigate the obstacle course and train like an NFL Player!

Vertical Jump: Take your position at the vertical jump, and find out what the differential between your reach and the flag you hit is, just like at the NFL Scouting Combine!

Below is an image from the Punt, Pass, Kick area for Play60 from the 2018 game in Minnesota to give you a sense:

Here’s a look at the Super Bowl Experience schedule and prices for each day.

When Does The Super Bowl Experience in Miami Take Place:

Below is the full list of dates and hours, as well as full list of autographs signings and times for each.

Saturday, January 25

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $20

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM – 1PM – Dexter Lawrence
  • 1PM – 3PM – Irv Smith
  • 1PM – 3PM – Dionte Johnson
  • 3PM – 5PM – Preston Williams
  • 5PM – 7PM – Bilal Powell

Sunday, January 26

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $20 

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM-1PM – Johnathan Cyprien
  • 4:45 PM – 6PM – Matt Bosher
  • 3PM – 5PM – Lavonte David

Monday, January, 27

  • Hours: Closed

Tuesday, January 28

  • Hours: Closed

Wednesday, January 29

  • Hours: 3 p.m.-8 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $20

Autograph Signings:

  • 6PM – 7PM – Derwin James
  • 7PM – 8PM – Devon Godchaux

Thursday, January 30

  • Hours: 3 p.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $40

Autograph Signings:

  • 3PM – 5PM – Robby Anderson
  • 4PM – 5PM – Dan Marino
  • 5PM – 6PM – Quincy Enunwa
  • 6PM – 7PM – Juju Smith-Schuster
  • 7PM – 9PM – Marcus Williams
  • 7PM – 9PM Trae Waynes

Friday, January 31

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $40 

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM – 1PM – Jonathan Ogden
  • 1PM – 3PM – Leonard Williams
  • 1PM – 3PM – Dontari Poe
  • 3PM – 5PM – Justin Simmons
  • 3PM – 5PM – Alex Ogletree
  • 5PM – 7PM – Kenny Golladay
  • 5PM – 7PM – Eric Erbon
  • 6PM – 8PM – Brian Burns
  • 7PM – 9PM Terry McLaurin

Saturday, February 1

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $40

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM – 1PM – Devin Hester
  • 11AM – 1PM Dante Fowler
  • 7PM – 9PM – James Bradberry
  • 7PM – 9PM – Chris Ivory

Miami Dolphins: Several coaching staff changes made Sunday

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The Miami Dolphins made changes to the coaching staff on Sunday

The Miami Dolphins are going to have some new coaches next year. Robby Brown will be named to the quarterbacks coach position per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. For those unfamiliar, he worked with Chan Gailey in New York while both were with the Jets.

Brown has an extensive football background. He was most recently a member of the West Virginia coaching staff. While there, he was the special assistant to the head coach. He was also the senior analyst for the offense. He was hired in March 2019. According to his West Virginia biography, one of his jobs was to help out with the game planning for the coaching staff.

Miami Dolphins make other changes to coaching staff

Another major move occurring on Sunday was the loss of Patrick Graham to the New York Giants. He was in his first year as the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins. Miami gave up 494 points on the year, most in the National Football League.

The defense gave up 397.8 yards per game which was third -most in the league. Giving up six yards per pass, that was also third -most in the league. However, Miami spent most of the year reshuffling and retooling the defense. Statistics certainly do not tell the whole story.

Josh Boyer was promoted to the position of defensive coordinator as a result. Last year was his first season with the Miami Dolphins. He served the roles of defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Miami ranked 12th in the National Football League with 13 interceptions on the year. They were tied with four other teams in that category.

it will be interesting to see how Boyer and Brown ease into their new roles. There has been a lot of turnover on the part of the coaching staff so far this offseason. Brian Flores wants to make sure he has everything right heading into 2020.

Ryan Tannehill One Game from Super Bowl (in Miami!)

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How to feel about this?

There’s never been a seven-year itch quite like what was caused by Ryan Tannehill’s tenure as Miami Dolphins quarterback, the itch to see something new. He was good here, but never great, and just as he started to get closer — playing at a higher level during a 8-5 start to the 2016 season under Adam Gase — he got hurt, missed a season, returned and got hurt again. So even the durability argument, the one that was always in his favor, was lost.

Remember?

That was the shoulder, after the knee.

Most agreed that it was time to move on.

Even those who didn’t think Tannehill was terrible.

 

But now, what to make of Tannehill moving on to the AFC Championship in his first season as a Tennessee Titan, with the Dolphins paying most of his salary?

 

How to handle the possibility of Tannehill going on the road for a third time, now against either Kansas City or the Laremy Tunsil/Kenny Stills Houston Texans, and playing in Steve Ross’s stadium for Super Bowl LIV? And how much does it matter that Tannehill has thrown for about half as many yards in the Titans’ two playoff wins as teammate Derrick Henry has rushed for? (Check Luis Sung’s excellent column on Henry’s free agency and the Dolphins here).

Here are some of the top Tanny takes from Twitter:

 

A meme got put to good use:

There was Tua talk, of course, especially with the Alabama QB in Miami for the weekend:

 

And this from Jeff Darlington, who knows Tannehill as well as any national reporter, probably sums it up best:

Zach Thomas header

Miami Dolphins: Zach Thomas named Hall of Fame finalist

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The Miami Dolphins legend is one step closer to the pinnacle of football.

A Miami Dolphins legend is one step closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Linebacker Zach Thomas was announced as a finalist for the 2020 class on Thursday.  Thomas was named a semifinalist in November.

Zach Thomas had a tremendous career with the Miami Dolphins. He recorded 1,633 tackles with the Dolphins in a 12-year career. He started in 182 out of the 184 games he played in. His best year came in 2006. Recording 165 tackles, he also registered three sacks. Playing in all 16 games that year, he was truly a workhorse.

Thomas made the Associated Press All-Pro First Team six times. He made the Second Team once in 2001 as an inside linebacker.

The Texas Tech standout joins a class that includes Steve Hutchinson, Alan Faneca, Torry Holt, Troy Polamalu, Richard Seymour, and Reggie Wayne.

It’s time for the Miami Dolphins great to be in Canton

I have to say this, it’s about time. He truly was a tremendous linebacker for the Miami Dolphins. He was truly consistent year in and year out. Thomas never took place off, and was a tremendous part of the Miami defense. Thomas recorded six seasons of at least 150 tackles in a row. Not only that, he started in every single game five times in his career. With how ferociously he played the game, that is also remarkable.

Not only that, he played both the inside and middle linebacker positions. He was truly somebody defenses had to watch out for, and he was someone they had to gameplan against. Thomas was one of my favorite linebackers to watch growing up, and it’s great to see him get this nod. Hopefully, he will be able to get his call to the Hall. He is going up against a stacked class. I will just say this: Getting the opportunity to watch a potential acceptance speech in Canton would be pretty sweet.

 

Running Back, not QB, may be Bigger Need for Dolphins

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December 29th marked the end of the 2019 season for the Miami Dolphins.

Welcome to the offseason.

Each day it seems a new rumor or theory rises to the surface. How will the Dolphins rebuild the roster?

Fans, and owner Stephen Ross, agree that the Dolphins are in need of a franchise quarterback.

While it is undeniable that a franchise quarterback is needed in order to create a franchise worthy of competing for a Super Bowl, is finding a quarterback the top priority?

It seemed that the Dolphins were starting three or four new players each and every week. Some continuity within the roster proved Miami wasn’t as awful as some thought.

The Dolphins defeated two division winners in December (Philadelphia and New England) and saying that Ryan Fitzpatrick was the best quarterback in the AFC East may not be too farfetched.

 

Fitzpatrick completed 62 percent of his passes for 20 touchdowns, 13 interceptions and 3,529 yards. He had more passing touchdowns than Sam Darnold and tied Josh Allen, but threw for roughly 500 more yards.

Tom Brady threw for four more touchdowns and roughly 500 more yards, but started two more games than Fitzpatrick. It is important to keep in mind that the point here isn’t to say that Fitzpatrick is better than one of the best quarterbacks of all time.

However, bringing Fitzpatrick back would likely be a better option for the Dolphins than forcing a top-pick on a player Chris Grier and Miami’s front office is not sold on.

There is one stat from Fitzpatrick that must change headed into next season.

The Dolphins need to address the running back room

Fitzpatrick’s 243 yards on the ground was the most by any player by the Miami Dolphins in 2019.

The Dolphins started the season with Kalen Ballage, Kenyan Drake and Mark Walton as the team’s top backs. The room quickly crumbled.

Drake was traded after reports came out that he didn’t want to re-sign with the team.

Walton had a few strong games, but will likely never be on a football field again after some legal issues.

Ballage finished the season with three touchdowns with a steady 1.8 yards per attempt on 74 attempts on the year before suffering a season-ending injury.

Patrick Laird, Myles Gaskin and Samaje Perine were alright in limited time, but the Dolphins have the salary cap space and draft capital to give the position a major facelift.

Eight of the top 11 rushing teams earned a spot in the NFL playoffs. Despite the modern day “pass happy” NFL, there is still plenty of reasons to establish the run.

Fans want to a quarterback and who could blame them?  What would help a young signal caller more than an established running game? For that, it should be reasonable to want the Dolphins to pick one or maybe even two running backs in the first five rounds of the NFL draft.

If the Dolphins don’t want to “waste” the picks in the backfield, there are already some interesting rumors around the free agent class of backs.

After Gordon there are a still a few other names to keep an eye on.

The Dolphins have plenty of work to do this offseason. It is clear that the team needs to find the quarterback of the future, but running it back with Fitzpatrick wouldn’t be the worst outcome for the franchise.

The Dolphins cannot afford to average a league-worse 72 yards per game on the ground in 2020.

Miami Dolphins NFL 100 Presence Profound

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The Miami Dolphins organization has left their footprint on the NFL 100 All-Time Team.

Over the course of the NFL’s 100 years in existence, the Miami Dolphins have fielded legendary teams and players.

Those legends take us back to a time when Miami stood at the NFL pinnacle.

The Miami Dolphins were born in 1966 and for a while seemed comical and lovable in their ineptitude.

Until one man changed the course of an entire franchise for the next three decades.

Shula Builds Winner in his Image

As present day observers of the Miami Dolphins will attest, the formula for success starts at the top.

The NFL’s all-time winningest coach (347), Shula’s rise to prominence was steady yet many challenges befell him along the way.

Don Shula joined the Dolphins in 1970 after a successful, if unfulfilled six year tenure with the Baltimore Colts.

He finished with a stellar 71-23-4 record in the regular season, but his legacy there was defined by missed opportunities.

The Colts went just 2-3 in the postseason under Shula, including upset losses in the 1964 NFL Championship and the famous 1969 Super Bowl against Joe Namath and the New York Jets.

It looked like the failures of years past would continue to haunt Shula, he lost in 1970 to Oakland in the Divisional round.

The following year Shula would guide the 1971 team to their first Super Bowl where they would fall to Dallas.

Despite that defeat, Shula and the Miami Dolphins were on the brink of history.

One team annually reminds the world that they were the first, and to this day, only undefeated Super Bowl champions.

The 1972 Dolphins were the culmination of Shula’s steady ascension to greatness.

A team so complete and unwavering in their identity, that destiny did not have a chance.

Seventeen teams tried to defeat them, with each finding a different path to failure.

Shula put all the components together for sustained success.

Combining a powerful running game with timely execution through the air, Miami bulldozed their way to perfection.

Those teams were built from the inside-out, with Hall of Fame talent on the offensive line and across the defense.

Miami would win their second (and most recent) Super Bowl the following year against Minnesota and were a consistent winner the entire decade.

The Dolphins would win at least 10 games in all but one season throughout the 1970’s, yet the slow shift to the passing attack league-wide was hastening.

Shula would embrace the new offensive climate as time went on, and his next chapter would be forever linked with Miami’s second player on this list.

Dan Marino

The standard by which every Dolphins quarterback is measured.

 

Marino not only set the bar for a franchise, he elevated the statistical requirements needed to be considered an elite modern NFL quarterback.

When Marino retired he owned most, if not all, significant records at the position.

Completions (4967)

Attempts (8358)

Passing yards (61,361)

Touchdowns (420)

More importantly, he won.

A lot.

Marino still ranks fifth all time in wins with 147, and led the Dolphins to the postseason 10 times in his career.

After an MVP campaign in 1984 which ended with a loss to San Francisco in the Super Bowl, nothing seemed impossible for the Dolphins.

Along with Coach Shula, Marino gave the organization a second era of consistent excellence and stability which has yet to be captured again.

He never made it to the Super Bowl after 1984, but his legacy is without doubt when you set foot in Hard Rock Stadium.

His number 13 is one of only three to be retired for the Miami Dolphins, along with Bob Griese (12) and Larry Czonka (39).

For two decades the Miami Dolphins have tried to find his heir apparent as a true franchise quarterback.

Until that happens, if it ever does, Marino’s accomplishments remain the pinnacle for this organization.

Marino was inducted into the Dolphins Honor Roll in 2000 and enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.

Dwight Stephenson

The Miami Dolphins have had legendary offensive lineman such as Jim Langer and Larry Little, both NFL Hall of Famers.

Langer was the first great center to wear a Dolphins uniform, a true ironman he played 128 consecutive games. He worked his way up from a role player to a perennial All-Pro with incredible determination and work ethic.

Little redefined the guard position with his athleticism on pulls and grace in pass protection. Or he could simply power over an opponent on a sweep, then glide fast enough to escort Czonka, Kiick, or Morris to the house. Little was also a superb mentor to younger players and would later become a coach in the college ranks.

Stephenson epitomized both of them when he took hold of the starting center job in 1981, his second season. Defined by an unwavering drive, Stephenson never took a play off. He was an All-American at Alabama but was primarily a special teamer early on until an injury to starting center Mark Dennard in 1981 opened the door.

 

Despite a career cut short by injuries, Stephenson was regarded as the best center of his time. Marino’s battery mate, his consistency was a catalyst in the Dolphins offensive line allowing the fewest sacks in the NFL for six straight seasons. Stephenson is one of only four centers to make the NFL 100 list. He was added to the Dolphins Honor Roll in 1994 and selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998.

Paul Warfield

Part of the 1972 undefeated team, Warfield was one of the first true NFL deep threats at wide receiver.

Warfield retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in receiving touchdowns (85) and led the league in receiving scores on two occasions.

In an age where the air attack was still finding prominence, Warfield found the end zone at least 10 times in four different seasons.

 

Warfield would spend five seasons in Miami after playing his first six for the Cleveland Browns. He would make seven consecutive Pro Bowls (when it meant something), including all five of his years in Miami.

For his career Warfield caught 427 passes for 8,565 yards along with 85 touchdowns.

Warfield rejoined the Browns for his final three seasons and retired after the 1977 season. He would be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Dolphins Honor Roll in 1990.

Junior Seau

Seau played three seasons in Miami from 2003-2005 where he appeared in 30 games, registering five sacks. Most of Seau’s career was spent in San Diego where he was an eight time All-Pro and led the Chargers to their only Super Bowl appearance. He would be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame posthumously in 2015.

 

 

Miami Dolphins: Ryan Fitzpatrick has record-setting day in win

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The Miami Dolphins quarterback had a big day on Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins defeated the Cincinnati Bengals by a 38-35 score in what took five quarters of football to play. One of the major reasons Miami won on Sunday was the play of Ryan Fitzpatrick.

He has the nickname  Fitzmagic for a reason, and he showed why on Sunday. He went 31-of-52 on the day, throwing for 419 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception.

Fitzpatrick steps up right from the get-go

Fitzpatrick started his successful day early on. His pass to Christian Wilkins set the tone early, no matter how it looked. At the five minute mark in the first quarter, he threw a strike to Devante Parker for a seven-yard touchdown. That gave Miami a 14-0 lead.

Fitzpatrick would be silent until near the end of the second quarter. With 2:20 left in the quarter, he threw a pass to Mike Gesicki. Fitzpatrick and the tight end would find a connection twice in this game. A touchdown at the 8:24 mark in the third quarter would give Miami a 28-6 lead. Admittedly, that lead felt extremely safe at the time.

As the Bengals came roaring back, I wondered if Fitzpatrick would be able to keep up his level of play. He managed to do so, hanging in there and moving the ball downfield. The offensive line was a big part of that. Fitzpatrick was only sacked twice for a combined loss of 13 yards on the afternoon. It was great to see that unit be able to give him time in the pocket in order to get the job done.

Fitzpatrick put together a vintage performance

Sunday’s game was Ryan Fitzpatrick at his best. Just on the first drive alone, he got several wide receivers involved. Patrick Laird, Allen Hurns, Albert Wilson, and Christian Wilkins all recorded receptions to begin the game.

The reception by Wilkins was interesting to say the least. For those who didn’t see it, Fitzpatrick passed to Wilkins at the one-yard line where Wilkins was tackled. Wilkins fumbled the ball, got up and raced into the end zone to recover the ball for a touchdown. It wasn’t pretty, but it got the job done.

Any way you slice it, Fitzpatrick was able to get everyone involved on Sunday. This was a great game offensively for him. Whether you are pro-tank or anti-tank, there is no doubt that he makes this offense better. It will be interesting to see what he does against New England next Sunday. That defense will certainly present a formidable challenge.

Dolphins displaying true ‘next man up’ mentality

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One of the key philosophies of the New England Patriots for the past decade has been their ability to take backup players and make them play like starters. Whoever takes the place of the injured player has to provide the same level of play. Teams in the NFL look for that “next man up” mentality year in and year out. Only some actually manage to find it. However, it seems that the 2019 Miami Dolphins are on their way to putting it all together in that regard.

Observe what Miami has endured this season in the injury department. Even after trading a vast majority of their best players, those who remain on the team still are not contributing due to circumstances beyond their control. They are now all on season-ending injured reserve.

  • CB Xavien Howard – Knee
  • WR Jakeem Grant – Ankle
  • WR Preston Williams – ACL
  • SS Reshad Jones – Chest/Ankle
  • FS Bobby McCain – Shoulder

And the list goes on and on from there. As a result, the Dolphins are being forced to call on players who normally wouldn’t even make an NFL roster to take their place. Yet they make it work. They compete week in and week out in spite of their withering roster.

Unfortunately, it got even harder for Miami on Sunday. Both DeVante Parker and Albert Wilson, two of the Dolphins remaining wide receivers, left the Jets game with possible concussions. That left only Allen Hurns, newcomer Mack Hollins, and the returning Isaiah Ford as their wide receivers for the game. Parker is having a career year, so losing him especially hurt.

“It definitely made it a little bit difficult.” Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick said after the game. “We had guys out there hobbled and giving everything they had. I was proud to be in the huddle with those guys. I know there’s a lot of stuff people won’t see or don’t really care to write about, but there were some guys that really gutted it out today. It was tough sledding in the second half from communications and lining up for us just because of some of the injuries we had.”

But again, while it was tough, it wasn’t impossible. Isaiah Ford responded by playing the best game of his career. The young receiver out of Virginia Tech caught six passes for 92 yards against New York. Obviously, he’s unhappy with the loss. But he’s glad he got a chance to show what he’s capable of.

“I’ve had confidence in myself the entire time that I can play at this level.” Ford said. “I know I can go on the field and help our team win.”

Undoubtedly, it’s good to see players like Ford stepping up. But who could predict the Dolphins would even be in this situation by this point?

“Just when you thought this season couldn’t get any crazier.” Fitzpatrick said. “Isaiah has been on the active (roster) and off, on the practice squad and up and down. He’s worked so hard. He’s a guy we have so much faith in as quarterbacks because whenever anybody has a question, sometimes when coaches have questions, we’ll go back to Isaiah and say, ‘What is this signal? What is this route?’ and he knows everything. I was happy to see him get out there and get an opportunity to catch some balls and really take advantage of it and make the most out of it today.”

In spite of that, Brian Flores admitted that it isn’t easy to compensate for the loss of top players like that.

“It complicates things a lot.” He said. “Obviously, when you go into a game with a specific game plan with guys in mind. When you lose one player at any position, you have a backup for that. When you lose two, that’s when it’s tough … Again, Isaiah Ford stepped in and played well. Mack Hollins who we just got a couple days ago, he stepped in and gave us some good snaps, drew a pass interference penalty. And then our tight end group, they really stepped up for us. So, I thought as a collective group, given the adversity of losing two guys, I thought we battled through it.”

Once again, coaching deserves credit for adapting and helping players shine in bad circumstances. Flores will have a lot of roster turnover come next season, with talent coming from free agency and the draft. But here and now, he has to work with what he has. What he has is not good. However, that’s what “next man up” is all about. The Dolphins are taking players who have far less talent, and bringing it to the wire every game. That alone is a sign of things to come.

Luis Sung has covered the Miami Dolphins for numerous outlets such as Dolphins Wire for six years. Follow him on Twitter: @LuisDSung