Time heals all wounds, they say. Forgive Miami Dolphins fans if they ask you to speak for yourself. This story begins in the early months of 2022. See, the Miami Dolphins were on the heels of a season that started at 1–7, followed by a miraculous seven-game win streak that saw the team sitting at 8–7 with two weeks to go, clinging to life-support playoff hopes. A bludgeoning at the hands of the Tennessee Titans — with Ryan Tannehill as their quarterback, no less — put an end to the playoff run that theoretically could've saved head coach Brian Flores' job.
Alas, Flores was fired, and the regime that owner Stephen Ross has since cleared out was brought in to replace him. There is one curious footnote lost to the history books, however. Just before deciding to hire Mike McDaniel and commit more time to beleaguered signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa, Ross did what all billionaires do. He canvassed his connections, spoke to a few people he may theoretically not be allowed to mingle with, and dreamed up a scheme that would position the Dolphins for instant contention.
The plan, as fate would have it, involved importing former New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton to South Florida (he had just stepped down in January) for the same role. It also entailed pairing Payton with the very man who caused Dolphins fans so much strife over the previous two decades, future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady.
While opinions may differ on how things would've turned out, there was one small problem. Neither of these gentlemen, nor their shared agent, was permitted to speak with the Dolphins' ownership about anything about employment. It was when Flores caught wind of the scheme that he opted to file a lawsuit against the team, a notable development that placed a gigantic microscope on the Dolphins' organization.
The Miami Dolphins' punishment for tampering is rearing its head in 2026, five years after the infraction
Over the course of the investigation, it was confirmed that Miami had run afoul of the rules. Although tampering is a rampant non-issue year after year and the very word is featured by the NFL in their supposed "legal tampering period," the hammer was brought down on Miami. Among the penalties was a $1.5 million fine for Ross, the loss of the Dolphins' 2023 first-round pick and 2024 third-round pick, as well as a suspension for the aforementioned billionaire.
Fans naturally couldn't care less about punishments that don't affect the on-field product. The forfeiture of draft picks is what stings, and the May 1 deadline for 2023 first-round picks to have their fifth-year team options exercised served as a harsh reminder. When you peruse the list of picks and their status, only 31 are listed. That's because pick No. 21, originally slated for the Dolphins, was the one the NFL ultimately took away.
How would Dolphins fans have felt if the team was embarking on their newest rebuild with wide receivers Zay Flowers or Jordan Addison as their No. 1? Presumably, a lot better than they do right now with Malik Washington leading the pack. Heck, even Anton Harrison and Nolan Smith would've been major upgrades on this roster. Alas, they'll have to settle for the ghost of Ray Finkle instead.
History has not been kind to the Dolphins in recent years, though there seems to be a notable shift at the team's Davie headquarters. The professionalism and seriousness espoused by new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and his hand-picked head coach, Jeff Hafley, seem to be the change the Dolphins needed. While football at its core is a game and should be fun for the players playing it, it's also a business.
It's beyond time for the Dolphins to get serious about being a contending franchise, and by all appearances, they are doing just that.
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