Tag Archive for: Miami

Dolphins’ Ryan Fitzpatrick on Tua: “Loved Watching Him”

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Dolphins’ quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux met with the South Florida media earlier today.

(Note: all quotes are paraphrased. Official quotes will be out later today.)

The two players spoke on multiple topics, but the biggest takeaway from this was that the future is bright in Miami.

First, Godchaux met with the media. And between trying to ride 40 miles on his bike and endless zoom meetings, he’s excited for the 2020 Dolphins.

Here’s what he had to say when asked his thoughts on what the Dolphins did this offseason.

Obviously, all the fans wanted a quarterback. That’s big drafting Tua. He had a great career at Alabama….Miami added depth and continued to get stronger, younger… Coach Flo is going to be consistent and expect great things out of you.

He then spoke on what is most important in football.

Lastly, GODchaux discussed what he believes is the process to building a winning franchise.

Everybody wants to win, but everyone has to take the steps to win. New England didn’t win overnight. It takes time to build the process. It’s always a process. I think it’s our time. Why not the Miami Dolphins? I think we kicked it off with a good draft…Sky is the limit

Focus then shifted to Dolphins’ QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. And the first thing everyone noticed was his epic facial hair, which has not been groomed since barbershops closed down.

Fitzpatrick’s main talking points were obviously rookie QB Tua Tagovailoa and the addition of offensive coordinator Chan Gailey this offseason.

When asked his thoughts on the Dolphins drafting a QB in round one:

It was expected. Tua happened to be the guy in that spot. They obviously really like him. I plan to be myself. To be an open book…but i’m also going to express my opinions and thoughts. I’m excited for him to be here. I loved watching him play in college.

He wrapped things up with his thoughts on Chan Gailey.

The Dolphins have a lot of new faces on both sides of the football. And players and coaches look forward to getting back into the facilities.

One thing however, is clear, and that is on paper; the Dolphins look much improved.

And for two of Miami’s veteran leaders, the sky is the limit.

 

Miami Hurricanes

The South Florida Ravens Continue To Put In Work In Our Backyard

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As the south Florida native, Antonio Brown, continues to try and make his way on a roster, he is working out here in South Florida. Today on Wednesday, April 1st, he worked out with the Ravens stars Lamar Jackson and Hollywood Brown.

Lamar grew up in Pompano Beach and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, Antonio’s cousin, grew up in Hollywood Florida. Alabama’s star receiver, Jerry Jeudy, was also working out with them who grew up in Deerfield beach Florida.

The Ravens also have guys like Calais Campbell and Gus Edwards who each played for the Miami Hurricanes. Baltimore’s star running back Mark Ingram also spends a lot of time in the offseason in South Florida.

With all of these South Florida ties, are the Ravens trying to add Antonio Brown or move up to draft Jerry Jeudy? Time can only tell if the South Florida Ravens will make it happen. The Miami Dolphins may not be on top, but South Florida players are.

CORONAVIRUS Sports Tracker: Frequent Updates

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The widespread coronavirus outbreak has impacted professional and collegiate sports across the nation.

Most recent at the top….

Hey, finally some good news!

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THE MASTERS is now postponed. Could mark first time in history that the tournament is not played in April.


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THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP is now cancelled, along with every PGA event till the first week of April.

…..

Charles Barkley is among the latest to self-quarantine.

 

The Heat are working on something to help arena workers. More details to come.

 

Some NBA teams are doing the right thing.

 

Dwyane Wade doesn’t understand what the local school officials here are doing.

 

The XFL has caved. So much for the rebirth… for now.

 

It’s now infecting international soccer.

 

NBA will be suspended for 30 days.

Essentially that means the regular season is over.

 

Goodbye March Madness.

 

More details on the NBA coming soon.

 

Dan Gilbert is ahead of Micky Arison on something.

One league seems intent on outlasting all the others.

The entire ACC has postponed spring practice for all teams, which may also put the Hurricanes spring game in jeopardy.

 

Fans of the Marlins will have to wait a few extra weeks…

The American Airlines Arena has canceled all major events for the rest of March.

 

There will also be no NFL Spring meeting in Palm Beach for the time being.

 

 

The National Hockey League has suspended their season as well.

 

 

 

The Florida Atlantic University basketball season is over….

NFL now headed for a shutdown. Hard to see how free agency proceeds as scheduled…

So much for that InterMiami home debut.

Yes, it is already affecting prep for the NFL draft.

We are now waiting on the NHL.

A second NBA star has been diagnosed.

 

After it was learned Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the virus, the NBA has suspended the season indefinitely.

 

The NCAA had already announced that all men’s and women’s basketball tournaments would be held without fans.

 

Locally, besides the Miami Heat other sporting events are being cancelled or postponed including the upcoming Miami Open.

 

Super Bowl party and event schedule

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Check out Super Bowl Experience on South Beach

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With the 49ers and Chiefs squaring off in Miami for Super Bowl LIV, Miami will be abuzz for the next two weeks. While tickets to the game itself are approaching all-time highs, the most affordable way to get into the spirit in 2020 may be Super Bowl Experience, which kicks off on January 25th and runs through February 1st. Spread across 500,000 square feet at the Miami Convention center, it’s a must visit for fans of all ages. Kids under 12 years old are free for the first time in the history of the Super Bowl Experience. For local Miami fans, prices are cheaper and crowds will be thinner during the first two days.

Last year, 140,000 people participated in the Super Bowl Experience. For the 2020 edition, the league is expecting 100,000 – 150,000 people per day for the nine day duration.  Tickets remain available from Ticketmaster, and you don’t need to worry about the time slots when purchasing.  Those are only enforced if the event is at capacity which isn’t likely.  As an example, can buy for the 11am slot, but still go at 2pm.

Where Does 2020 Super Bowl Experience Take Place

This year’s Super Bowl Experience will be at the Miami Beach Convention Center, which is located in the heart of Miami Beach. The Miami Beach Convention Center is easily accessible from the three major causeways: I-395 (McArthur Causeway), I-195 (Julia Tuttle Causeway) and Venetian Causeway. For more detailed directions and parking options, you can visit the site directly.

Where To Buy Super Bowl Experience Tickets

Fans can purchase tickets for a set date, and the NFL is offering free entry to active military on Wednesday, January 29, as well as kids 12 and under every day. There’s also the opportunity to upgrade tickets. Tickets are available directly from Ticketmaster, the League’s official partner, and it’s important not to shop on the secondary market, where prices can be listed above face value, even though tickets remain available on Ticketmaster.

Tickets range from $20 to $40 based on the day you choose to attend.

SBXTRA access costs $60, and includes priority access to the autograph stage, Vince Lombardi Trophy (pictured below), interactive games and the NFL PLAY 60 Clinic, as well as early entry to the venue. Priority access is similar to a theme-park “FastPass.” and helps navigate the experience as quickly and easily as possible.

The multi-day pass costs $50 allows you to visit as much as you want to enjoy your favorite parts of the event again.

As mentioned above, you don’t need to worry about the time slots when purchasing.  As an example, if you’re checking out and see the below options, and want to go at 11am, you’re fine to buy the 4pm pass and show up at 11am.

 

 

All Super Bowl Experience tickets are time stamped for entry, but according to the NFL, a ticket will be honored on the day for which it was purchased regardless of the time stamp.

What Is The Super Bowl Experience:

The Super Bowl Experience is essentially an NFL theme park where you can get autographs from close to 40 Dolphins and NFL greats, including Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Irv Smith, Jerry Rice, Russell Wilson others (see full autograph schedule by day below).

Fans can participate in football clinics and interactive games, and Instagram-worthy opportunities like a close-up with you and the Vince Lombardi Trophy and a display with all 53 Super Bowl rings. There’s also access to the Bridgestone Fan Gallery, which a row of radio broadcasters and podcasters where you stargaze NFL players and VIP guests.

Below is the full list of activities available throughout the week.

Bridgestone Two Minute Drill: Test your Quarterback Mastery by quickly passing the ball down the field and into three targets before the clock runs out. Score when it matters most!

Castrol® Titanium Training Camp: Stop by Training Camp to race through a series of obstacles and train like the pros. Get ready to show us your titanium skills!

EA Sports Madden NFL 20 Crucial Catch QB Scramble: Take the snap and run through read-and-react obstacles before throwing a pass to a larger than life target!

FedEx Air Challenge: How do your quarterback skills stack up against this year’s FedEx Air NFL Player of the Year nominees? Find out by testing your passing accuracy on specially designed targets.

FedEx Ground Challenge: Prove you have the rushing skills of the FedEx Ground NFL Player of the Year nominees by catching a punt and weaving through traffic down the field to the end zone. After you score, make sure to get a reusable FedEx tote bag

Lowe’s Field Goal Kick:  Test your ability to kick a field goal through NFL uprights.

Crucial Catch Hail Mary: Test your long-distance accuracy by throwing a deep pass over defenders into a drop-in net. 3 Cone Drill NFL ONEPASS Test your ability to change directions by maneuvering 3 cones at various yardage.

40-Yard Dash: Race down the field against your opponents and NFL players on a giant 40-yard long LED wall! Broad Jump NFL ONEPASS Test your lower-body explosion, balance and strength at the broad jump!

Obstacle Course: Navigate the obstacle course and train like an NFL Player!

Vertical Jump: Take your position at the vertical jump, and find out what the differential between your reach and the flag you hit is, just like at the NFL Scouting Combine!

Below is an image from the Punt, Pass, Kick area for Play60 from the 2018 game in Minnesota to give you a sense:

Here’s a look at the Super Bowl Experience schedule and prices for each day.

When Does The Super Bowl Experience in Miami Take Place:

Below is the full list of dates and hours, as well as full list of autographs signings and times for each.

Saturday, January 25

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $20

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM – 1PM – Dexter Lawrence
  • 1PM – 3PM – Irv Smith
  • 1PM – 3PM – Dionte Johnson
  • 3PM – 5PM – Preston Williams
  • 5PM – 7PM – Bilal Powell

Sunday, January 26

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $20 

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM-1PM – Johnathan Cyprien
  • 4:45 PM – 6PM – Matt Bosher
  • 3PM – 5PM – Lavonte David

Monday, January, 27

  • Hours: Closed

Tuesday, January 28

  • Hours: Closed

Wednesday, January 29

  • Hours: 3 p.m.-8 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $20

Autograph Signings:

  • 6PM – 7PM – Derwin James
  • 7PM – 8PM – Devon Godchaux

Thursday, January 30

  • Hours: 3 p.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $40

Autograph Signings:

  • 3PM – 5PM – Robby Anderson
  • 4PM – 5PM – Dan Marino
  • 5PM – 6PM – Quincy Enunwa
  • 6PM – 7PM – Juju Smith-Schuster
  • 7PM – 9PM – Marcus Williams
  • 7PM – 9PM Trae Waynes

Friday, January 31

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $40 

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM – 1PM – Jonathan Ogden
  • 1PM – 3PM – Leonard Williams
  • 1PM – 3PM – Dontari Poe
  • 3PM – 5PM – Justin Simmons
  • 3PM – 5PM – Alex Ogletree
  • 5PM – 7PM – Kenny Golladay
  • 5PM – 7PM – Eric Erbon
  • 6PM – 8PM – Brian Burns
  • 7PM – 9PM Terry McLaurin

Saturday, February 1

  • Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
  • Primary market ticket price: $40

Autograph Signings:

  • 11AM – 1PM – Devin Hester
  • 11AM – 1PM Dante Fowler
  • 7PM – 9PM – James Bradberry
  • 7PM – 9PM – Chris Ivory

Winslow, Butler Practice for Miami Heat, Will Travel

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For all their success this year, the Miami Heat have yet to accomplish one important goal . . . fielding a healthy roster.  The Heat came into the season missing their newly signed superstar, Jimmy Butler, due to the birth of his first child.  And there were the self-inflicted setbacks, most notably from high-paid reserves Dion Waiters and James Johnson.

But most concerning has been the rash of injuries that has plagued the Heat’s back court rotation of Justise Winslow and Goran Dragic.  The injuries to both of Miami’s point guards has led to an increased burden on Butler and a “playoff-style” rotation of 8 or 9 players that has seemingly shown in weary legs at the end of road games and back to back scenarios.  Even with Dragic’s recent return and stellar play, the shortened rotation has still been in place thanks to the uneven play of forwards Kelly Olynyk and Chris Silva.

Reinforcements, however, look to be on the way with a breakout game from Johnson Sunday night against the Blazers.  Johnson’s size, playmaking ability and defense were on display for the first time in months as he finally received the nod from Coach Erik Spoelstra with Butler taking the night off.  “We stay ready around here,” replied Johnson when asked how he was able to shake off the rust of weeks on the bench to impact the game in such a fashion.

And it would seem that the return of Winslow may be on the horizon as he was upgraded to questionable on Sunday night, even though he didn’t play.  Monday Winslow was seen swimming with dolphins and teammate Bam Adebayo and Tuesday Spoelstra told media that he practiced with the team and was travelling to Indiana for Wednesday’s game against the Pacers, a positive sign.

Butler practiced with the team as well, which is a good signal that he will be available as well on Wednesday night.  So a fully healthy Heat squad is finally a real possibility in the coming days which should be a welcome sign to Spoelstra and his staff, as well as present new rotation challenges.  But after weeks of riding an 8-man rotation, those are great challenges to have.

Some fans question the tanking objective. (Tony Capobianco for Five Reasons Sports)

Dolphins land premier QB in latest Tankathon Mock Draft

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Despite winning two straight games, the Miami Dolphins are still able to acquire LSU QB Joe Burrow in Tankathon’s latest 3- Round Mock Draft.

After starting the season 0-7, the Dolphins have won two straight games.

No, they weren’t the most prestigious of victories. After all, one came against the lowly Jets and former HC Adam Gase. And on Sunday, the Dolphins defeated a banged up Colts team, led by Brian Hoyer. They may not have been pretty, but the Dolphins continue their upward trajectory. And as 3 Yards Per Carry’s CKparrot pointed out on twitter, they could very well be playing their best football in December.

Worst of all, Miami’s latest victory comes a day after GM Chris Grier, Stephen Ross, and two college scouts attended the LSU/Alabama shootout.  And whether or not you believe that Tua Tagovailoa is the apple of their eye (he is), Joe Burrow was equally as impressive. But no matter which quarterback the Dolphins covet, they will need to do one of two things.

A) Stop winning football games.

B) Trade a boatload of assets to move up and get their QB.

C) Settle on another 2020 QB

D) Other

In the latest Tankathon 3-round mock draft, there’s still hope that the Dolphins land a premier QB. Unfortunately, it’s not the QB a majority of fans covet.

First Round

With the 4th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select — Joe Burrow, QB, LSU

Burrow has been absolutely outstanding this season, completing 236/299 for 3,198 yards 33 touchdowns and 4 interceptions this season.  In fact, some draft pundits believe he may be a better fit in Cincinnati.  After all, he’s a local product that fits Zac Taylor’s system.  Regardless of whether or not he or Tua Tagovailoa is selected #1 overall, if the top-5 were to end up the way it currently stands, the Dolphins could land a premier signal caller in this year’s draft.

At the back end of the first-round, Miami selects WR Laviska Shenault, the dynamic WR from Colorado.  Ironically enough, Shenault is a life-long fan of the Dolphins and would be a good fit in O’Shea’s offense.  With their last pick in round one, Miami selects Alabama defensive lineman Raekwon Davis.  His size and versatility would be yet another welcomed addition in Flores’ defense.

Second Round

At the top of round two, the Dolphins upgrade the running back position with one of the most explosive backs in all of football, D’Andre Swift.  No one can argue how dismal Miami’s run game has been this season, especially with Kalen Ballage touting the rock for a pedestrian 2.1 yards per carry. Hopefully, when Mark Walton serves his four-game suspension he can help ease the coaching staff’s pain. Nevertheless, Miami will almost certainly be drafting a running back in April’s draft.

Later in round two, the Dolphins select pass-rusher Kenny Willekes from Michigan State. Willekes has 55 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 2019 and would be a difference maker at a position of need.

Third Round

Back in 2018, a lot of Dolphins fans (and Stephen Ross) wanted the team to draft one of the most dynamic QBs in all of football. Unfortunately, Miami passed on Lamar Jackson for Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was later traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. But make no mistake about it, Chris Grier has learned from his past mistakes and in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he finally gets Lamar Jackson. That’s right, with the 69th-overall pick, Miami selects physical defensive back Lamar Jackson out of Nebraska.

 

This will change many more times between now and April 23, 2020. With that said, how do you feel with Tankathon’s latest mock draft?

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, and is okay (I guess) with #BlowForBurrow

The Dolphins' free agent signings fit into coach Brian Flores' scheme. (Tony Capobianco for Five Reasons Sports)

Dolphins’ HC Brian Flores is safe, for now

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Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald is reporting the Dolphins HC Brian Flores is safe through 2020.

It is no secret that the 2019 Miami Dolphins are in the middle of one of the worst teams in the history of the NFL. And after the roster was stripped of an elite left-tackle and a disgruntled defensive back, it was obvious that there wasn’t much success on the horizon. Truth is, whether you believe in #Tankovailoa or you want to see Miami win a game or two, there’s not going to be many wins in 2019. The same might be true in 2020, but it’s all part of the process.

Nevertheless, there’s still a crowd of people that believe Brian Flores is at fault. And no matter how depleted the cards are he’s been dealt some think he’s the one to blame and should be re-evaluated at season’s end.

That’s not going to happen.

According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, the Dolphins have no intentions of moving on from head coach Brian Flores at the end of the 2019 season. In fact, his source goes on to say that he will not lose his job ‘under any circumstances’

 

This is good news for a franchise that in recent years, has cast aside one head coach after another, like a piece of recycled paper.  Flores and the Dolphins never really stood a chance in 2019 and given the current circumstances, can’t do much to right the ship this season.
But if it takes one historically bad year to land the franchise quarterback they have long hoped for since Dan Marino’s retirement, than so be it.  It won’t be in 2019, but things are going to finally look up for the Dolphins.  And head coach Brian Flores will be a part of that.

Tankathon’s Latest 3-Round Mock Draft

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Let’s take a look at Tankathon’s latest 3-round Mock draft and where they have the Dolphins drafting in the 2020 NFL Draft.

As you may know by now, the Miami Dolphins hosted the winless Washington Redskins on Sunday, in what many deemed the ‘Tank for Tua’ Bowl.  And aside from being the battle between two winless franchises, the game was quite interesting to say the least. There were three questions that would be answered on Sunday.

  1. How would the Dolphins look after having two weeks to prepare?
  2. Could Washington play with a new-found passion, after firing Jay Gruden earlier in the week?
  3. Which team would want Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa more?

Truth is, no matter what the fanbase long yearns for, the players and coaches have no interest in ‘tanking’. And as you saw on Sunday, Brian Flores and his coaching staff tried every little bit of Magic they had to defeat Washington, but unfortunately with the game on the line and a 2-point conversion to seal the deal, the Dolphins did what many had hoped. TANKED.

So, with Miami losing to Washington, surely, they would have the inside track at Tua?  Wrong.  Because just like the Dolphins, the Cincinnati Bengals also lost their respective matchup vs division rivals the Baltimore Ravens.

Which left ONE very important game to be determined.  Sunday Night’s matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers.  After all, there was no way Gerald Hodges and the Steeler’s defense could beat the one feared Los Angeles Chargers in LA, right?  Wrong again!

According to Tankathon.com, the Miami Dolphins have two picks in the top-10 and five in the top-66. This will most likely change between now and season’s end, but for now, Miami’s historically bad season would come up just short of Tagovailoa.

So, without further ado, here is Tankathon’s latest 2020 mock draft.

Tankathon Mock Draft 10/15

 

With the 2nd pick in the 2020 NFL draft, the Dolphins select elite pass-rusher Chase Young.  Miami desperately needs a pass-rusher and Young is the best player in the entire class- quite the consolation prize if the Dolphins do miss out on Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa.

With the 8th-overall pick, Miami drafts Justin Herbert, although this pick could be Jake Fromm or Joe Burrow if Miami’s scouting department believes they are the QB to change the franchise around.  Regardless of where Miami picks, the Dolphins will use a first-round pick on a QB.

With the 25th-overall pick, the Dolphins select a defensive back to start opposite of Xavien Howard.  Last week, this was LSU’s Kristian Fulton.  This week, however, it’s Florida Gators’ CB C.J Henderson.

At pick No.33,  the Dolphins’ offense gets an explosive weapon in Clemson RB Travis Etienne.  Truth is, Etienne is one of the best RBs in all of football and in a contract year for Kenyan Drake, makes a ton of sense with their first second-round selection.

With the 60th-overall pick Miami adds much needed depth on the offensive line in Oklahoma C Creed Humphrey.  The Dolphins’ offensive line is a turnstile and Humphrey would be a day-one starter.

Lastly, Miami uses the 66th-overall pick on Texas WR Collin Johnson.  Johnson would be a welcomed addition a WR corps that has DeVante Parker and Preston Williams, and not much more after that.  He would be a nice fit schematically in Chad O’Shea’s offense.

This will change many more times between now and April 23, 2020.  With that said, how do you feel with Tankathon’s latest mock draft?

 

Josh Houtz (@houtz) is a die-hard fan of the Miami Dolphins, despite what Jerome Baker thinks.

Dolphins bench Josh Rosen in favor of FitzMagic

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For most of the 2019 season, the Miami Dolphins have failed to do much of anything in the second half.  In fact, heading into Week 6’s matchup vs the Washington Redskins, the Dolphins have been outscored 80-0.  And although the infamous t-word continues to surround Miami’s 2019 season, the coaching staff will continue to do whatever it takes to remain competitive.

Even if that means turning to 36-year old QB, Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The man known as #Fitzmagic came into the game deep into the third quarter and lit a fire under Miami’s anemic offense.  The Dolphins drove downfield to bring the game within two-points late in the fourth quarter.  Fortunately for those fans that continue to root for Miami to tank in favor of Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa, the Dolphins were unable to convert the two-point conversion, as the team fell to 0-5 on the season.

Fitzpatrick played well enough to at least earn some consideration as the Dolphins’ starting QB next week vs the Buffalo Bills.  After all, he completed 12/18 for 136-yards and 1 touchdown.

This comes a few days after HC Brian Flores announced Rosen would be the team’s starting QB moving forward.

Here’s what Flores had to say on the Dolphins’ QB situation late last week.

“It’s settled. I like where Josh (Rosen) is. I think he’s improving on a week-to-week basis. I think he’s a young, talented player, and I think he needs to get in there and develop and get reps and just improve. I think if we could – when he’s scrambling and if he can throw the ball away, that would be an improvement. It’s something we’ve talked about a lot and hopefully if I say it to you guys, maybe he’ll listen, but that’s something – amongst a lot of other things. Just decision-making, accuracy and making good decisions. I like where Josh (Rosen) is and hopefully he just continues to improve today, tomorrow and over the course of the season.”

It will be interesting to see where the Dolphins go moving forward. But for now, the fans fully embrace the ‘Tank For Tua’.

UPDATE: 4:35