Joe Philbin has wrapped up the 2014 season with the players

After months of working every day and spending long hours in the building, the finality of the NFL season can be abrupt. For the Miami Dolphins, that day came today and the players have left the building until offseason workouts begin in a few months. The day began with exit interviews where every player met with their position coaches, coordinator and of course, Joe Philbin. Then, they wrapped it up with a team meeting where Philbin addressed the team.

“I told them that the reason we are here is we are here to make a difference on and off the field. I told Mr. (Stephen) Ross when I interviewed for the job that we were going to get better week-to-week and year-to-year. Going 8-8 again, obviously I failed my obligation of responsibility I made to Mr. Ross. I didn’t do well enough coaching this football team to get them better. I started with that. Then I said we are all in this thing together. It’s certainly not about Joe Philbin. It’s not the Joe Philbin show here. It’s about the Miami Dolphins winning championships and playing up to our potential. We have to find ways to improve and do that quickly. That was really the message, the main message.”

Philbin, who met with the media after the team meeting, said that he truly believes the team is headed in the right direction, even though it doesn’t feel like it right now.

“I think we were a better football team this year. It doesn’t feel that way this minute. It doesn’t feel like last night when I was at home and couldn’t fall asleep (that) at one point in the fourth quarter we had a chance to tie the game. It really didn’t feel that way at 2 a.m. when you can’t sleep. I do think we were better until yesterday. Every game counts. Every rep counts. Every run counts. Every pass. I don’t think we had lost to a team with a losing record, obviously that’s not the case anymore, but I thought that was a positive thing that things were headed in the right direction. We have to finish the season better.”

From here, Philbin will now meet with his coaching staff and then start thinking about the future of his coordinators and assistant coaches. No one knows what will happen but offensive coordinator Bill Lazor is expected to be back. As far as defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle and special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi, their jobs are on shaky ground right now and could be out of work by the end of the week.

This story was written by Matthew Cannata. Follow him on Twitter: @PhinManiacs