Why Did Grimes Choose Miami Over Free Agency?
By Brian Miller
Nov 17, 2013; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins cornerback Brent Grimes (21) intercepts a pass during the first quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Sun Life Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
The contract that Brent Grimes is good but it’s not great. 32 million dollars over four years with 16 guaranteed in the first two. Low base salaries that help the Dolphins. An opportunity for Miami to get out of the deal after the 2015 season. It’s a very good contract for Miami’s Dawn Aponte and a contract that isn’t bad by any stretch for Grimes who is coming off a Pro-Bowl season. So while the contract is good, why did Grimes choose Miami over free agency?
On Tuesday night Brent Grimes and his wife Miko stopped by Finsradio.net. You can click the link to listen to the show VIA archive. Grimes was asked a lot of questions that night but he made it clear that while he expected the team to far better than 8-8 he sees a lot of upside and potential. He sees a team that can win and only needs to get more consistent. There is no way to know if Grimes would have made more on the open market but according to his wife who was also on that show, there was never a question Brent was going to be a Miami Dolphin.
"I knew two months ago, Miko said when asked about the process. We bought a house. We vacation here. I love Miami!"
Miko didn’t hold much back and she rarely does. I asked her what the difference between Miami and Atlanta was and she graciously accepted the question without hesitation. “My husband felt like he was wanted in Miami.” Miko went on to say how former GM Jeff Ireland spent many phone calls making sure she and their family were set up upon their arrival to South Florida. She felt that Ireland went beyond his job but at no time ever made her or Brent feel unwelcome or unneeded. That was the difference between the two teams. In Atlanta she said they were great but that she never got the feeling that Brent was that important to the team. In Miami they felt that from the start and they felt that this entire off-season. As Miko put it, they wanted them to be here and they wanted to stay.
We didn’t ask Brent about Jonathan Martin or the locker room as he seemed to defer questions about other players playing time and futures to the teams coaches. Brent did make it clear that he loves Miami and that he thinks other players shouldn’t buy into the “dysfunction” that the team has been labeled with. When asked about leadership he simply said that he does whatever he has to. If another player wants him to help them that’s what he will do and he will do it without hesitation. It’s the kind of player and man he is.
Fortunately for the Dolphins, Grimes is a very well respected NFL player and having him so adamantly high on the Miami organization will help quell some of the fallout from a nightmare season of off-field issues. Grimes hasn’t lost faith but in fact sees this team easily getting better quickly. That’s good news for Miami. Grimes is a football player and there is no worry of him slacking off now that he has a new contract. Frankly he couldn’t if he wanted to, Miko wouldn’t let him.
It was wonderful having both on the show and I encourage you to check it out. Brent and Miko came on around the 9:00 mark while Deon Dyer who also joined us came on at 8:30.