One day after one of the biggest upset wins in team history, the Miami Dolphins woke up to some sobering news, as cornerback Xavien Howard was arrested overnight on domestic battery charges.

Howard, drafted in the second round of the 2016 draft and considered one of the bright young stars of a rebuilding project in Miami was recently signed to a 5 year, $76.5 million extension.

According to the Davie police report, Howard got into a verbal argument with his fiancé over recent purchases, and things became physical when Howard grabbed her arm and pushed her back against a mirrored glass wall, and she then fell to the floor. She suffered scratches and redness on her right wrist and forearm, while Howard complained of soreness to his recently surgically repaired knee.

Howard has played in just five games this season and has been on the injured reserve list for most of the year. He recently underwent knee surgery and has been on crutches for several weeks.

The NFL will likely look into the charges, as recent incidents have put pressure on the league to respond to domestic issues, usually doling out suspensions once the incidents make their way through the justice system. Arrests for domestic violence fall under the NFL conduct policy, so Howard will be subject to league discipline to start 2020 season regardless of whether he is convicted or not.

The team has not yet issued a statement.

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

If there’s one thing that Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores doesn’t want to hear, it’s that an NFL team isn’t playing to win. He bristles at the thought that players and coaches aren’t putting forth every effort in practice and on the field with winning as the end result.

And as the 2019 season winds to a close for a 3-11 Dolphins team that is heading for a top-5 pick in the NFL draft, questions came up in a recent press conference about the team evaluating players with an eye on the future.

In particular, some fans would like to know why quarterback Josh Rosen continues to ride the bench when it’s fairly clear that the team knows exactly what they have in starter Ryan Fitzpatrick, but may not have a good snapshot of Rosen, who was obtained via a trade from the Arizona Cardinals in April. Rosen has started 16 NFL games, three with Miami, is still only 22 years of age, and with a strong QB class in the upcoming draft, many are wondering if the Dolphins have seen enough in Rosen to delay taking a franchise QB in next April’s NFL draft.

Flores put that one to bed pretty quick.

“I understand the question with Josh and (Ryan Fitzpatrick)” Flores said. “I think Josh has done a lot of good things in practice. He really has. He’s throwing the ball well, he’s making good decisions, he’s throwing with more accuracy. At the end of the day, Fitz has also played well, and he has a rapport with the team. Not that Josh doesn’t - Josh does as well and he’s building from that standpoint.”

Not exactly a ringing endorsement, in this writer’s opinion.

In 6 appearances with the Dolphins and three starts, Rosen’s stat line doesn’t look very good. One touchdown, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 52.0 will get NFL quarterbacks benched, and that’s exactly what happened as Flores decided to go with Fitzpatrick for the rest of the season, something he reiterated this week.

“Josh Rosen is a very talented player,” said Flores. “I think we all know that. I think he’s making a lot of improvement like I’ve been saying for the last few weeks. We’ll see where it goes. But right now, for this team, and this week, we’re going to play Fitz. We just feel like going with Fitz is the best thing for us to try to win the game on Sunday.”

Going with what he feels is in the best interest of the team is a philosophy that Flores has touted since the day he entered the building in Davie. He knows that there will always be people that question his decisions, but he is adamant that each decision he makes is done with a purpose.

“I think it’s easy for people to sit and say ‘you should do this or that,’” says Flores. “I don’t think those same people will stand in front of that group and say ‘this is in the best interest of the team for us to win this week.’ That’s no knock on Josh. Maybe you think that’s in the best interest, but you’re not in front of this team every day. You’re not in the trenches. Those are decisions I have to make, and we as a coaching staff, we go through this diligently, and we come out of it with that decision. And we feel like that’s the best thing to do.”

Flores says the coaching staff is always evaluating where players are making progress, where they are coming up short, and trying to help them along the way.

“We’re always trying to win,” he said. “But part of winning is obviously playing well, practicing well, preparation, and all of those things are being evaluated. That’s for every player, every coach. Everything we do is being evaluated. Each guy has to go out there and play well individually and play well as a group - offense, defense, special teams - whatever your role is. If you do that, then things normally take care of themselves.

“From meetings to walkthroughs to all of the preparation, as a coaching staff we’re with them on a daily basis, and I think we have a good feel for what that is. For Josh and the steps he’s got to take, I think he’s taken those steps. I think in due time, he’ll get his opportunity.”

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

One of the most prestigious awards in the NFL is the Walter Payton Man of the Year award, designated each year to a player who has shown exceptional character and work both on and off the football field.

The award was first established in 1970, then renamed in 1999 in honor of the great Walter Payton, revered by the nickname "Sweetness," and known as much for his phenomenal rushing on the gridiron as for his humanitarian ways away from it. Each of the 32 teams nominate a player they feel best exemplifies those traits, and the NFL announces the winner on the eve of the Super Bowl.

"Every day, in cities and towns across America, NFL players give of themselves to make our communities better," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in a press release. "The 32 nominees for this year's award are the best of the best, and truly embody the spirit of Walter and his legacy of leaving the world better than he found it."

The Miami Dolphins had had three players win the award, Dwight Stephenson in 1985, Dan Marino in 1998, and most recently Jason Taylor in 2007.

This year, the Miami Dolphins nominee for the award is defensive tackle Davon Godchaux.

Godchaux is known for his extensive involvement in Miami’s community outreach initiatives during the 2019 calendar year, including his Chaux Down Foundation, where Godchaux has been heavily involved in community work through events in South Florida and back in his hometown of Plaquemine, Louisiana.

“Just seeing kids come from different backgrounds, it’s kind of like the same background I came from, single-parent household,” Godchaux said. “Just giving back to those kids, Thanksgiving dinner, kids who aren’t fortunate, who can’t afford it, things like that. That’s kind of big to me. That’s kind of dear to my heart. Growing up, I never had anybody do it for me. I always told myself when I make it, when I get some change in my pocket I will always want to go back and do it for those kids. At the end of the day, anytime I can get out, have some free time, away from stuff that I do, whether that’s film study, getting my body right, I always like to give back to the community.”

On the field, he continues to rank among the NFL leaders for tackles not only among interior linemen but for all defensive linemen. He has 60 on the season, which is tied for fourth in the league among D-linemen. He also has 1.5 sacks.

“At the end of the day,” Godchaux says, “it’s all about doing the right thing, on and off the field.”

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

Coaching may be one of the hardest occupations in the world. A coach doesn’t just draw up X’s and O’s.

They teach. They inspire. They motivate. And sometimes, they fight for their players.

Many times, those characteristics are shown on the field of play and on the sidelines. Players know when their head coach is behind them. They know when they have the full faith and support of their leader.

“It means a lot to us for our head guy to put it all on the line and go out there and vouch for us when he feels like something was right or wrong or however he portrayed it to be,” says Isaiah Ford, who had a breakout game for the Dolphins on Sunday. “It just means a lot for us and that’s how we reflect on Sundays is we go out there and we put it all on the line for him as well.”

One of the leaders on defense also noticed the emotion and fiery passion Coach Flores displayed on Sunday.

“You like to see that in your coach,” said LB Raekwon McMillan, who contributed four total tackles in Sunday’s loss. “That’s the head of our organization coaching-wise. He’s passionate about everything he does. He’s passionate about his team, he’s passionate about his players, he’s passionate about everybody in this building. So when you see that in your head coach, it just pours out into the rest of the organization. We feel how he feels the same way, and we’re passionate about winning. We just want to keep it rolling for him.”

​The last part of that quote is what resonates with players, and it becomes a trickle-down effect that touches the rest of the franchise, from the owner to the equipment manager. When players want to “keep it rolling” for their head coach, you know that a franchise is on the right track.

“It means a lot because they care,” said DB Steven Parker. “We know that they care. They put in a countless number of hours; but to actually feel what we felt and really be right there by our sides, that was a blessing. That was cool.”

This team may be devoid of talent and top-tier names, but one thing they have is a head coach that believes in them, cares for them, and will run through a brick wall for them. After Sunday’s passionate show of emotion, there may be no doubt that Flores will, quite literally, run through any brick wall for his team and his players.

This story was written by Ozzie Delgado. Follow him on Twitter: @ozziedelgadojr

,hen you’re a 7th round pick, your chance to shine in the NFL may never come. When it does come, you have to be ready to step into your role as if you’ve been doing it your whole career.

And when you’re Isaiah Ford, whose rookie season was ruined by a knee injury before it even started, you have to work hard to keep the attention of the coaches and staff, so you can hang onto a roster spot in hopes of someday getting your chance to step on the field and shine.

Ford has done just that, impressing two Miami Dolphins coaching staffs enough that he’s hung on to the fringe of the roster through three seasons, and finally got a chance to show what he can do when two wide receivers went down to injuries Sunday against the New York Jets.

Head coach Brian Flores says he constantly tells players to accept the role they have and stay focused.

“Early on, we tell them, ‘look, it’s going to be a small role and your role will grow," He said. "The opportunities you get will be the ones you create for yourself.’”

Ford has seen spot duty in the past two seasons, bouncing from the active roster to the practice squad after twice being cut. Before Sunday, he’d appeared in five games, with two catches to his name. He tripled that with six catches for 92 yards on Sunday, and impressed Flores.

“I thought Isaiah - he stepped in,” said Flores. “Played every position from a receiver standpoint, got some (defensive) guys lined up, made some big catches and made a nice run after catch there in the third quarter. I thought he really played solid overall. Young guys stepping in, getting an opportunity, stepping up, making plays - that’s always good, and hopefully we can build on that.”

​With three games left to the season, and wide receivers Albert Wilson and DeVante Parker expected back in the lineup, Ford may not see the opportunities that he got on Sunday for a while, but he appreciates finally having a chance to show what he can do, and hopefully earn an increased role in a crowded wide receiver room. In addition to Wilson and Parker, Jakeem Grant and Preston Williams, both on IR with injuries, will likely return next year as well, which could push Ford back to the edge of the roster.

Or maybe he showed enough to solidify a more stable spot on the roster. Ford certainly hopes that’s the case.

“Any time you get the opportunity, you want to make the most of it,” Ford says. “I think that I’ve prided myself on preparing and studying and practicing as if I was the starter, so when that time came that I would be prepared. So I think (my performance) was a reflection of that.”

Work hard. Do your job. Be ready. Yep, sounds like a Brian Flores kind of player, doesn’t it?

And in true starter fashion, Ford takes a team-first stance when asked if his performance reflected a moral victory for him personally.

“There’s no moral victory. We lost the game, got the corrections from it. Now it’s time to move on.”

​This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

Sunday was frustrating for many Miami Dolphins fans, players, and coaches. But one player in particular felt the most frustration postgame.

When asked by reporters about his thoughts on the overturned DPI call on a 3rd and long play, Nik Needham did not mince words.

“Honestly, it’s just trash," Needham said. "Like, we had a chance to win the game, and so, that’s it…”

It’s not the fact there was evidence of defensive pass interference on the play. Replay does show Needham wrapping his arm around the receiver's shoulder pads. It was the manner in which the penalty was called.

The Jets were faced with 3rd and long, nowhere close to field goal range, no timeouts. In other words, almost no chance of getting into position to win the game. However, in odd fashion, the game clock stopped, and the referees seemed to take a lot of time to get the ball back to the line of scrimmage, and wait for a signal to restart the clock for the Jets to run their inevitable 4th and long Hail Mary.

Keep in mind, the game was played in New York. Guess where the replay officiating crew is headquartered? Just saying. But I digress.

After what seemed like an eternity, the officials stop the clock and review the play for defensive pass interference. To the complete dismay and shock of Coach Brian Flores and the rest of the Dolphins, the call was overturned. Not only did this give the Jets extra yardage, but more importantly, a brand new set of downs to help Sam Darnold get the Jets into field goal range to kick the winning field goal.

Needham added that officials “didn’t call anything all game until the last play,” and many will note the inconsistency of NFL vice president of officiating Al Riveron, citing “clear and obvious” evidence of interference on this play when so many other replay reviews have allowed similar no-calls to stand.

However, Coach Flores understands that wins and losses aren’t based on just one play.

“Yeah, it was a tough game, hard-fought by our team." Flores said. "I’m proud of the way our guys played. They played hard. We had some guys go down, we had guys step in and make plays. We just didn’t make enough plays to win.”

Officiating has been under scrutiny since the beginning of the season. The Dolphins have not been the only team that have been hurt due to overturned calls, or in some cases, lack of overturned calls that maybe should have been.

In the end, Miami falls to 3-10 on the season. But it was a game that may go down as one with an asterisk for many Dolphins fans, especially against the rival New York Jets. This game may be a hard pill to swallow, but the Dolphins have two winnable games against Cincinnati and the Giants to look forward to. Both teams have losing records, and essentially, fighting for the #1 overall pick in April’s draft.

“Like Coach Flo said after the game, it’s a lot of other stuff,” Needham said. “We can’t just blame two plays or blame one person or blame one other guy. We could’ve all had a great game and not even have the game close like that.”

This story was written by Ozzie Delgado. Follow him on Twitter: @ozziedelgadojr

The Miami Dolphins have had their share of troubles this season, but kicking isn’t one of them. Kicker Jason Sanders set a new team record for the most field goals in a game on Sunday.

The sophomore kicker, drafted in the 7th round of last year’s NFL draft, lined up for eight field goal tries against the New England Patriots, making seven of them to break a 20 year old team record for field goals in a game. Olindo Mare kicked six field goals for the Dolphins on October 17, 1999, coincidentally on the same field as Sanders’ feat (feet?).

“I think I’m confident with how I’m hitting it." Sanders said last Thursday. "I try to avoid all of the numbers and take it one week at a time. Quite honestly, I don’t even know what my percentage is right now and I don’t really want to know. I want to go out each week and treat it like a new week and build off the kicks that I’ve had like going into Sunday, building off that 51-yarder I had in this last week and use that confidence to get you through this week.”

Coming just one week after scoring the winning touchdown reception on a trick play against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sanders may very well be in line for player of the year for the Dolphins, as the one constant the team has been able to count on week in and week out.

"(We had) a lot of field goals. I think we moved the ball well today, but didn’t execute when we got down in the red area." said QB Ryan Fitzpatrick. "I think he did a great job all day. Seven is a pretty remarkable number of field goals in a game. Every time we really needed it, he kept hitting them, especially that last one. That was a great kick.”

To put Sanders’ day in perspective, he was just the third kicker in NFL history to attempt eight field goals in a game, and the eighth in NFL history to connect on seven field goals in one game. It’s a team record that is sure to stick for many years to come.

Another cool coincidence: Sanders wears lucky jersey number seven.

This story was written by Eldon Jenson. Follow him on Twitter: @EJFootball

This article could honestly also be titled: Why we should stop worrying about "The Next Dan Marino."

It’s April 23, 2020. Miami Dolphins are on the clock. Roger Goodell is walking over to the podium, card in hand. The envelope is opened.

“With the (fill in the blank) pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins select…”
 
And every die hard Dolphins fan collectively takes a deep breath, holds it…holds it…a little longer…
 
The next few words that come next from Roger Goodell’s mouth may be the most overrated and magnified few words you will hear for our fanbase. From the start of training camp, we have been hoping, praying, hanging everything on drafting the next Dan Marino. Is it Tua Tagovailoa (God I hope so)? Is it Justin Herbert (God I hope not)? Is it Jake Fromm? Is it Jordan Love?
 
So let me pose this question for you all…
 
What if the player that the Commissioner names comes in the form of a non-QB? Will there be mutiny in South Florida? Will there be fans calling for the heads of Stephen Ross and Chris Grier? I don’t know the answer to that, but what I will tell you is that our front office (Grier in particular) knows a thing or two about this beautiful game we call football.

So does Brian Flores. You know, the former scout for several years before he got into coaching.
 
They know the staff. They know the players. They know the schemes. They have the vision of what this team will look like in 2-3 years when we are competing for an AFC Championship. Brian Flores is more than a coach. He is a leader of men. He is a developer. He is, at his core, a teacher. Flores doesn’t need the best QB in the draft (whatever that means, completely relative) in order to win and create a culture of mental toughness and discipline.
 
Yes, the QB is the most important position in any sport. They are the drivers, the motivators, the leaders of the locker room and the huddle. Players gravitate towards their QB when they need inspiration and leadership. They look for that grit, that toughness, that cold-blooded mentality, that “get it done by any means necessary” attitude.
 
By no means whatsoever am I saying that we should not draft a QB in this upcoming draft. On the contrary, I love the approach the Dolphins took back when they drafted Rick Norton with the 2nd pick overall in 1966, and then came right back and drafted Bob Griese with the 4th overall pick in 1967!

Keep picking until you find your man! I actually love Khalil Tate from the University of Arizona. Tons of experience, huge arm, very mobile out of the pocket, and accurate when given time. Needs to clean up some things, but I will take a flier on him all day long in Round 5 or 6, even if we get a QB in round 1, and develop him for 2-3 years.
 
However, I am a huge believer in not settling for anything in life, and that includes the QB that you believe can turn the future of your franchise around for the next decade. Miami believed Rick Norton was the guy. Then they believed Bob Griese was the guy. The common denominator is that they believed one of those guys were elite, and can turn around a franchise. I’m of the belief that Tua is that guy. He’s smart, high character, great leader of men, perfect footwork, elite eye manipulation to sway defenses, good arm, very mobile, the list goes on and on. To me, Tua is the perfect combo of Drew Brees and Russell Wilson. If I was Chris Grier, I am not settling for anything less. It’s Tua or bust.
 
This draft is just the beginning. Why, you say? Well, to start, we have the luxury of three 1st round picks. THREE! Guess what? If Tua is not there when we pick, I continue to build. Trade back for someone that is desperate for a QB like Herbert. (Man, does that guy have “bust” written all over him. JaMarcus Russell type of bust). Pick up their 1st round pick this year, 1st next year, and throw in a 2nd or 3rd rounder this year to boot. Build the OL, DL, and secondary. Pick up an elite starting running back (J.K. Dobbins please?). Continue to develop our existing players. This WR class is so deep, we can pick up a WR2 or slot guy in round 4 or round 5.
 
Oh, and by the way, we also have over $120M+ in cap space, so that helps. Bring in players like Matt Judon, Brandon Scherff, and Byron Jones. Veterans like that, especially in the trenches, will do amazing things for the confidence and development of our young guys like Dieter, Wilkins, Taco, and those we draft this year.
 
Last point, and arguably the most important to this article, as to why this draft is not as significant as people may think: the presence, mental toughness, discipline, knowledge, work ethic, and competitiveness Brian Flores and our new staff bring to the table is something that cannot be measured. It is something that is invaluable to the future of our franchise and our fanbase.

Flores, only 3/4 of the way into his 1st season as head coach, is already in the same tier as Mike Tomlin in my book. After “The Gase Experience,” I cannot tell you how much of a breath of fresh air it is to see a coach that not only knows what he is doing, but has the command of an entire group of men. Not only did he implement his culture change within three months into the season, he also has the buy-in from everyone else in the building, specifically Grier, the scouting staff, and Steve Ross.

Remember that time in training camp when reporters said there was trouble in the locker room, and that players were basically going to riot for trading all the top players we had? Old news. Remember when “analysts” on ESPN said we were being immoral for tanking? Yeah, eat crow. Flores turned all of that around. Flores turned this franchise into a respectable one that will be a staple in the NFL for a long, long time. Similar to that team up in the northeast, where Flores came from? Yeah, would be nice to take over that title when the head ball coach retires in 2-3 years. No one better or more capable to do it than Head Coach Brian Flores.
 
So why is this draft insignificant? Why should we stop worrying about who our next Dan Marino is? It’s simple: Brian Flores, Chris Grier, unlimited cap space, and the unwavering support from our owner, Stephen Michael Ross.

The combo of all of that has me nothing short of bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for the next decade. With Flores at the helm for the next decade (quite possibly more), it has never been a better time to be a Miami Dolfan (with the exception of that ’72 year.

That was a pretty good year, from what I hear).

This story was written by Ozzie Delgado. Follow him on Twitter: @ozziedelgadojr