Miami Dolphins continue to show high level of excitement in camp

The Miami Dolphins are showing something that hasn’t been around the training center in a very long time. A real excitement that continues to grow.

Tyreek Hill takes the field with the same exuberance he plays with on Sundays. Christian Wilkins seems to be in mid-season form when it comes to his jovial nature. When the fans are in the stands, the electricity ramps up the energy on the field. The players are ready but there is work to be done.

This year’s camp feels different. It feels less work and more like a bunch of guys getting together to play at the local school for a pick-up game. Make no mistake, it’s work and they are busting their rear ends but they seem to actually be having more fun than we have seen in decades.

Is this the new Miami Dolphins? Over the years I have regularly stated that players tend to emulate the style of their head coaches. A disciplinarian will teach tough and players tend to play more rigidly and without emotion.

Coaches that have no business being coaches, lose their teams early in the process and it shows by the sometimes lazy play on the field. This season, the players are practicing with energy that closely resembles the press conferences of Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel is expecting his offense to be more consistent and has made it clear that he expects and demands consistency and execution. So far, through a week of camp, he is getting some of that on the practice field.

Tua Tagovailoa was average the first couple of days but then had a great day last week that included a 65-yard would-be TD to Tyreek Hill. Today, he made several throws to Jaylen Waddle, Hill, and rookie Eric Ezukanma who is having a good camp thus far.

Overall, there is a lot of excitement from the fans but more importantly, the players are looser and far less stiff than they were the last few years under Brian Flores. Will that translate to the 2022 season? That is what we need to have answered but we are getting closer.