Miami Dolphins: Matt Moore remains valuable asset
By Sean Denison
It’s understood that when the quarterback of your beloved team struggles, the backup quarterback is one of the most popular guys in town. This remained true in the 2011 season when Matt Moore came trotting on the field for the Miami Dolphins in relief of the dumpster fire in which was Chad Henne. In that season, Dolphins fans saw glimpses of what Matt Moore had to offer: a more mobile, enthusiastic, and care-free gunslinger that was more appreciated both in the huddle and in the locker room than Henne was—or ever was, for that matter.
Although he single-handedly cost the Dolphins the chance to nab Andrew Luck that upcoming draft, Moore still produced wins, excitement, and remains a liked guy in South Florida to this day. In truth, although Moore was named the teams MVP while relieving Henne that year, he still didn’t “earn” a starting position at quarterback that upcoming season. In fact, the Dolphins had their own plans and drafted Ryan Tannehill eight overall in that years draft.
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The truth is, if Moore wasn’t so historically bad in practice, the Dolphins may have awarded him the starting job, and maybe, just maybe would have passed on Tannehill. We may then have never gotten a chance to see number 17 come to fruition as the Dolphins “franchise quarterback.”And we can’t forget, just as recently as last season when Ryan Tannehill was struggling, there were rumors that Matt Moore would get another shot at playing—and considering Tannehill’s play at that point in the season, many fans were enthusiastic about the idea.
Now, while Moore may be an afterthought in Miami—especially given the fact that Tannehill had his best season of his career last year and just signed a hefty contract in which almost guarantees his starting position on the Dolphins for the foreseeable future—there’s a reason the Dolphins didn’t drop the hatchet on Moore this offseason.
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The Dolphins, including myself, believe that a backup quarterback can be extremely valuable in today’s NFL. Given that injuries can come at the most inopportune times, it’s always nice to have an arsenal of weapons in your possession that can do an adequate job when your top gun explodes in your hand during a life and death situation.
Although Dolphins fans may cringe at the idea of their “golden boy” quarterback going down due to injury, they know they have the luxury of having a proven starting-caliber signal caller to come in unnerved, fearless, and undaunted by the task at hand—putting his team on his shoulders and willing to do whatever is necessary to chalk up a win. Moore has always been a gritty, fun player to watch. He reminds you of a young kid playing on the playground with his buddies, pointing out his receivers while he slings passes all over the place. There’s just something about the guy that makes him easy to like; maybe it’s his carefree attitude?
This may very well be Moore’s last season here in Miami, but chances are he’ll retire in South Florida given the idea that he’s well liked in the community, has a solid tan, and seems to fit into the South Florida lifestyle. Truthfully, it would be nice to see Moore get another opportunity to start in the NFL, but the reality is his days are numbered.
Although Moore may not have had a hall of fame type of career, a pro bowl season, or even a playoff start under his belt, at least he’s a well-regarded guy. And that still goes a long way.