Jacob Rodriguez kept making plays in Week 4, and the Miami Dolphins needed every one of them.
Even in a 15-10 loss to the Vikings, the rookie linebacker was all over the field and again looked like one of the few players on the roster steadily rising from week to week. Miami came up short, but Rodriguez was a bright spot in a game that showed both progress and the same self-inflicted issues that have dogged this team all season.
Rodriguez piled up nine solo tackles and 18 total takedowns against Minnesota, the biggest single-game tackle total by any player so far this year. That kind of volume is why his name keeps coming up in Defensive Rookie of the Year chatter, and after Week 4, it’s only going to get louder. He now leads the league with 46 total tackles.
There were other individual standouts, too. Zach Sieler got Miami on the board in the sack column immediately, breaking through for a takedown of Kyler Murray on the game’s first play.
He added another later and finished as the Dolphins’ sack leader on a day when Miami produced four in all. Sieler also chipped in three tackles, all of them solo.
Ollie Gordon gave the offense a jolt out of the backfield. With nine carries, he turned in 100 yards for the first triple-digit game of his career.
He wasn’t a factor as a receiver, catching two targets for no gain, but he did help in protection for Malik Willis. With Achane out, Gordon gave Miami some needed physicality when the ball was in his hands.
The flip side was just as clear.
Jason Marshall had a rough afternoon that started on special teams, where he tried to grab a muffed punt in the end zone instead of falling on it. Miami escaped without being burned, but the choice was a dangerous one. Marshall then missed a block on another punt, opening the door for a Vikings gunner to get a free shot at the returner, and later he blew a key assignment that helped Minnesota convert a long third down.
Austin Jackson also had a tough assignment and didn’t handle it well enough. He gave up at least one sack, and his run blocking never really held up against a quality edge unit.
The tape may tell a slightly different story, but the eye test on Sunday wasn’t kind. Jackson has struggled all season, and this game did nothing to change that.
Special teams remained a headache for Miami from the opening whistle. The Dolphins allowed a 47-yard kickoff return to start the game, gave up another long return later, muffed two punts, and never managed to flip the field in their favor. For a team still trying to find its footing, those mistakes piled up fast.
In Other News...
Malik Willis Just Became The Dolphins' Biggest Question
The Dolphins are 0-4 after the loss to Minnesota, and the early season has only sharpened the questions around a roster that has shown some developmental progress even as the results keep sliding the wrong way. For a team trying to find traction, the quarterback conversation has quickly moved to the center of everything, with every week bringing a little more scrutiny to how the offense is being steered.
Malik Willis, signed this offseason as a free agent, is now at the heart of the discussion about where Miami goes next. The evaluation is no longer just about short-term steadiness or flashes in isolated moments - it is turning into a much bigger debate over whether he can be the franchise quarterback moving forward, and the next stretch will carry plenty of weight for how that answer takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
Tyreek Hills Next Move Could Hit Dolphins Fans Hard
Tyreek Hills recovery has become one of the more closely watched NFL storylines for Dolphins fans, and the calendar now points toward a possible November return. The veteran receiver is working back from the serious knee injury he suffered while playing for Miami, a setback that ended his season and changed the outlook around his future. He was released by the Dolphins in February 2026 while still rehabbing, leaving his next step tied entirely to how he progresses physically.
Kansas City is already being mentioned as a landing spot once Hill is healthy, which gives the situation an especially familiar twist for both the player and the teams involved. Sources say the Chiefs have strong interest in a reunion, and several current players are reportedly on board with the idea, adding another layer to a comeback that could reshape the late-season market. For Miami, it is a reminder that Hills next move may not just be about football health, but about where one of the leagues most recognizable playmakers chooses to finish his return. [Read more 🡒]
Dolphins May Have A New Lead Back While Achane Is Out
Ollie Gordon IIs role changed before Miamis game against the Vikings, when he was moved to backup running back, but the rookie still wound up making the kind of case the Dolphins needed to see with DeVon Achane sidelined. Gordon delivered his first career 100-yard rushing game, added a touchdown and ran with the kind of power that stood out on a night when Miamis ground game needed a lift.
Jaylen Wright got the start in Week 4, but the Dolphins did not get much traction there, and the overall rushing attack has been under strain with key players missing. Gordons emergence gives Miami a more physical option in the backfield while Achane is out, and it at least gives the staff something useful to sort through as it looks for the right answer on the ground. [Read more 🡒]