The Miami Dolphins have been catching strays left and right this week since layers have emerged speaking on the team’s culture problem. It started with a good natured remark from Bradley Chubb, who spoke earnestly on the team’s mentality last season. He said last year they were ‘lying’, but ensured that this season it was going to be different. Well former Dolphin and current Philadelphia Eagle, Kendall Lamm, has come forward shading the Dolphins in an ESPN interview conducted this week.
“I understand why the Eagles reached two Super Bowls in three years: players are never late, never toxic, and after every practice, the room spends 15 minutes sharing personal struggles to stay mentally sharp – something I never got with the Dolphins,” Lamm said.
“Late” and “Toxic” are about the two worst words you could use to describe a locker room. If Dolphins fans take one thing away from this it is that, first of all, there was clearly a culture problem. But secondly, acknowledging it is the first step to fixing it. So at the end of the day, all of this public degradation might work out in their favor.
Is Miami’s Culture Change Real or Just Chatter
This brings you back to the old mantra, a real tough guy doesn’t have to tell you he’s tough. But in Miami’s case, speaking it into existence might be the only option. A team based out of the biggest party city in the country will never be short of distractions, and head coach Mike McDaniel is doing his best to keep the main thing the main thing.
“The football program has to focus on football,” McDaniel said. “For that to happen, there’s a lot of things that can’t dominate people’s time, which is like first and foremost, being on time, being accountable to each other, and to the rules… Feeling very open as a team that, ‘Hey, it’s OK to call someone out when they deserve to be called out’… .And for those people to [know], it’s okay to be called out as long as you change your [expletive] behavior.”
Star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa got into the mix discussing what has to change for the Dolphins to return back to NFL glory.
“I’ve been here for five years going on six. Are you not tired of what we’ve done these past five years?” Tagovailoa said. “What do we have to change? What do we have to do to correct the navigation, [going] where we want to go?”
“You create that standard in the locker room. The guys follow and you’ve got to uphold it.””
What Went Wrong in 2024
Miami’s fall from grace last season was shocking. After back to back playoff appearances, the team finished 8-9. Of course much of this can be accounted to their quarterback’s health concerns. But regardless, that kind of outcome is unacceptable in the NFL. The Miami Herald’s Omar Kelly provides his insight on last season’s short comings.
“Last year the celebrations were sparse. The team was clearly divided,” Kelly writes. “The commitment at times wavered. A player [Tyreek Hill] quit on the team at the end of the season. The bottom line is the buy-in wasn’t made, and it showed. Put Tagovailoa’s early injuries, and the offensive line struggles to the side and that 2024 team felt like a collection of individuals. The 2024 Dolphins were more associates than friends. Co-workers more than teammates, and players and coaches believe it showed on and off the field.”
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