The Miami Dolphins, once a franchise known for their fullback getting an unsportsmanlike penalty for running over a defender. Yes, that was Larry Csonka. In the 1980s, Miami had the Killer-B's, the "Bruise Brothers," and in the 90s had Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas.
Since then, the Dolphins have carried the weight of another stigma. They are soft. They can't win in cold weather, they can't win in December, and they scare absolutely no one. Miami somehow became a finesse team without the finesse. Jeff Hafley needs to change that. Peter Schraeger asked him how.
😤 Jeff Hafley on how he plans to get rid of the Dolphins 'soft' label:
— The List - Dolphins Podcast (@TheListFinsPod) January 27, 2026
"It starts April 6th when these players get here. I will do everything in my power to make sure nobody ever says that again."#PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/zf0fTUW8SK
Jeff Hafley is well aware of the "soft" label associated with the Miami Dolphins and vows to fix it
Hafley called the word soft, the "exact opposite" of what he wants. His vision for the Dolphins is a tough, physical, and disciplined team. A team that brings back the earlier years when Miami was far more attacking than passive.
"When we play a team, I want them to know they were in a battle, and it hurt. There is one thing to talk about, it's another to do it. That's why it starts April 6th when players get here, and I will do everything in my power to make sure nobody ever says that again. "Jeff Hafley
Miami fans have heard the talk before. Brian Flores was the toughest head coach Miami has had since Nick Saban, maybe Tony Sparano, but the players didn't buy into what he was preaching. The Dolphins chose the players over the coach.
Luckily, the Dolphins are no longer relying on Chris Grier to fill the roster. If they were, Dolphins fans wouldn't buy into a single thing Hafley is talking about. Jon-Eric Sullivan is the man tasked with building the team for his hand-picked head coach, and he falls off the same Packers' tree.
Hafley and Sullivan share the same vision through the same lens. That may ultimately be the reason this works. The Dolphins are soft, and they have been for more than a decade. Some players don't want to hear, but even Jordyn Brooks acknowledged it two seasons ago.
The coaches and the GM can talk about turning it all around as much as they want, but that "soft" label won't change until the Dolphins change. Maybe Hafley can bring that to South Florida.