General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan did more than just extend a linebacker. His decision to give Jordyn Brooks a new deal is why the Miami Dolphins are going to buy into the changes he and head coach Jeff Hafley want.
Brooks is the loudest leader on the team. He is respected, but more importantly, he is liked. Brooks has become the type of player that other players follow. Not because they have to, but because they want to.
The Dolphins started camp on Tuesday, and immediately Brooks sent a message to his teammates that won't be overlooked or discarded. This is a new form of leadership. It's built on respect and not on names or salaries.
Jordyn Brooks believes the Miami Dolphins can win in 2026, in fact, he expects it
Brooks agreed that the approach this offseason was the right one. He said the respect for Jon-Eric Sullivan is real.
"Jon-Eric coming in, being a man of his word, getting business handled – for me, I'm grateful to have the opportunity to still be here."
Brooks believes that sends the right message to the younger players. Play well, and you will get rewarded. This team isn't managed like the previous regime. That's all well and good, but how does Brooks attack a season full of one-year contracts and inexperience?
"I don't really care if people think that it's a rebuild or they think we're going 0-17 or whatever people have been saying; I look at it as we got a bunch of football players who's hungry, super talented."
Brooks is making it crystal clear that the team has to play together as a team if they are going to win. He is buying into what Hafley and Sullivan are selling. He sees the potential given the player potential around him. He could have left the Dolphins and asked for a trade, but he didn't. He is sticking it out because he sees there is still work to be done.
"In football terms, I think what will make us successful, it's winning our division, owning our division, and getting a playoff berth."
The expectations may be lofty; they may even be impossible to reach this year, but it's clear that the standard is set, and Brooks isn't going to waver from it.
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