By now, there is little doubt what the Miami Dolphins' plan going forward is. When team owner Stephen Ross opted to hire Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley, there was some messaging from the organization, but at the end of the day, that's all lip service. Heck, Jerry Jones has made the Cowboys the most valuable organization in sports by majoring in talking a big game and doing little to back up the words.
As the offseason commenced, action proceeded. The Dolphins slowly stripped away just about every memorable piece of the team. In fact, the 2023 outfit that won 11 games — Chris Grier's single greatest achievement as Dolphins general manager — returns only three players for the 2026 season (De'Von Achane, Zach Sieler, and Austin Jackson). That is a more than 90% roster turnover in just three years.
This isn't to critique Sullivan. Evidently, something needed to change after back-to-back losing seasons. Naturally, though, when a team moves on from a list of players including Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Darren Waller, Alec Ingold, Bradley Chubb, Rasul Douglas, and Minkah Fitzpatrick — 18 Pro Bowls between them — in the span of a month, people start to wonder about the team's intentions. Specifically, if they're trying to win. Jon-Eric Sullivan heard, and he responded.
"I have incredible faith in Jeff Hafley’s ability to lead,” Sullivan said, courtesy of PFT Live. “I know that he and his staff will have this team ready to play and we’re going to show up and compete. Where it goes, it goes. We’ll build this thing out for the future, but we’re here to win now as well. Make no mistake about it."
Jon-Eric Sullivan claims the Miami Dolphins are here to win now and in the future
Alright, Sully. I see now you have a pretty good poker face, as well. All jokes aside, the notion that any football coach or player "tanks," as in throws games or performs poorly on purpose, is plain asinine. It would be career suicide. When they tally up the win-loss record for Jeff Hafley at the end of the season, there won't be an asterisk attached that says "Well, we were trying to lose this year, trust me."
What's more, the absolute parade of players who've been brought in this offseason has no reason whatsoever to help the team secure high draft picks that could replace them in 2027. The truth of the matter is that from quarterback Malik Willis, to wide receivers Jalen Tolbert and Tutu Atwell, to EDGE rushers Josh Uche and David Ojabo, up to cornerbacks Alex Austin and Marco Wilson, these are competitive dawgs fighting for their livelihood.
Miami represented the perfect destination for players who fit a very specific category. Hungry and in need of an opportunity. Sullivan noted it as something he was looking for, telling Mike Florio and Chris Simms that the vast majority of their signings are on one-year contracts, an inherent motivator to put your best on tape. There's no security with a one-year contract. The team can cut bait at any time.
The 2026 Miami Dolphins are the Bando Boys. Players who've been abandoned, discarded, and cast off by their respective franchises are coming to the city with wounds to heal and something to prove. While the public might do what their previous teams did and write them off, don't be surprised to see more than a few guys take this opportunity and run with it.
If the culture Jeff Hafley is trying to build really takes shape, we'll all remember the 2026 squad that started it all.