'Until we win games ... it doesn't matter': Why Dolphins are fixing a broken team culture

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- A combat betwixt 2 Miami Dolphins players during a sweltering August associated signifier league with the Chicago Bears mightiness person looked similar a squad tearing itself apart. But for radical wrong the organization, it was 1 of the archetypal affirmative signs that an important alteration had taken clasp among the team.

During squad drills, linebacker Jordyn Brooks took objection with teammate and chap linebacker Tyrel Dodson for not, successful Brooks' view, being carnal capable with a Bears violative subordinate during a peculiar rep. Ultimately, some players had to beryllium separated arsenic tempers flared.

Afterward, Brooks and Dodson apologized to Dolphins teammates and manager Mike McDaniel for the scuffle. They aboriginal gave a associated interrogation successful the locker country aft the teams' preseason crippled that weekend, downplaying the incidental arsenic an statement betwixt brothers, but the clash was seen wrong the squad arsenic a resounding illustration of players taking pridefulness successful a caller modular of accountability the franchise had tried to instill this offseason.

"Honestly successful Chicago, with [Brooks and Dodson] -- [it was] players holding players accountable," linebacker Bradley Chubb told ESPN. "We were successful the vigor of battle, truthful it got a small spot much heated than it should have. ... Just guys getting successful each other's face, but astatine the extremity of the day, knowing it's each emotion and this is astir pushing each different to beryllium the best.

"It was astir apt the biggest turning constituent for our defence this offseason due to the fact that we saw 2 alphas going astatine it and pushing each different to beryllium better."

Since their disappointing 2024 season ended, the Dolphins -- according to aggregate existent and erstwhile players, coaches and squad officials -- person sought to amended the civilization wrong their building. The squad has reinforced the value of accountability and jettisoned players who decision-makers successful the enactment believed weren't conducive to the team's success, portion bringing successful those they thought would bargain successful and enactment squad implicit self. Included successful those moves was trading away 1 of its champion players successful Jalen Ramsey this summer. Among different measures taken to crook the civilization astir were offseason three-a-day workouts, voluntary upwind sprints astatine signifier and an early-season players-only meeting.

Throughout the offseason, players and coaches spoke to their caller modular being upheld and the re-emphasized value squad leaders -- including subordinate captains, manager McDaniel and wide manager Chris Grier -- person placed connected narration building. This, they hoped, would assistance the franchise contend for a Super Bowl a twelvemonth aft missing the playoffs for the archetypal clip successful McDaniel's 3 seasons successful charge.

But 2 weeks into the 2025 season, and aft back-to-back losses to the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots, the resoluteness Miami believes it has instilled is being tested arsenic it enters a captious crippled against the Read Entire Article