The Miami Dolphins are trying to reset their identity in a big way this offseason, and the changes start at the top.
After a year that saw general manager Chris Grier fired at the end of October and Mike McDaniel relieved of his head coaching duties once the season ended, Miami turned to a familiar kind of partnership. The team hired GM Jon-Eric Sullivan and HC Jeff Hafley, both of whom worked together in Green Bay, as the Dolphins look to follow the Packers’ model.
That shift has come with major roster turnover, too. The releases of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill headline a group of changes that signal just how far Miami is willing to go to reshape itself.
Under McDaniel, the Dolphins were viewed as a soft football team. The criticism was simple: they struggled in cold weather and got pushed around by more physical opponents. Sullivan and Hafley are aiming to change that image by building a team that plays tougher and more physically.
There’s also optimism around the defense, where linebacker Jordyn Brooks was voted as one of the best linebackers in football. What stands out most, though, is the comparison attached to him.
Elsewhere around the Dolphins’ offseason, one of the biggest questions is how quickly the team’s top draft picks from recent years can produce at a level that matches their draft status in 2026.
A rookie is also offering an early look at the new tone in Miami, saying, ’There’s nothing that’s hidden from anybody’ - a comment that speaks to the culture Jeff Hafley is trying to establish.
And on the defensive side, Brooks has continued to draw recognition, with ESPN ranking Miami’s defensive leader at No. 7 among NFL linebackers.
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