Players are beginning to step up as leaders of the 2014 Dolphins

Written by Matthew Cannata | Twitter: @PhinManiacs
Every team in every sport and every business needs some type of leader or a few people who make up a group of leaders. For the Miami Dolphins, who the media has perceived as a team that has struggled with leadership, players are stepping up and others in the locker room are learning who the leaders are for the 2014 season.

"We've got a bunch of them," center Mike Pouncey told the Sun-Sentinel. "On defense you've got [tackle] Randy Starks, [end] Cameron Wake, [linebacker] Dannell Ellerbe, [linebacker] Koa Misi, [cornerback] Brent Grimes and [cornerback] Cortland Finnegan, especially Finnegan. I haven't seen a guy like that come in a while.

"On offense, me, [quarterback] Ryan Tannehill, [left tackle] Branden Albert, [wide receiver] Brian Hartline, and [wide receiver] Mike Wallace have kind of stepped up this year in that role."

Head Coach Joe Philbin believes that leadership can be taught, developed and fostered on a daily basis.

"I think it's concrete," coach Joe Philbin said, "but I think it can be taught and developed, and worked on a daily basis. … To be a great leader, I think you have to work at it and it's not just, 'Yeah I'm a great leader, and I always was, and I always will be. I think it takes time, it takes effort."

However, some like Brian Hartline and Charles Clay say there are different ways to look at leadership.

"It's subjective," Hartline said. "People define leadership in their own way. There's general principles you can take to heart with it, but I think overall everyone defines leadership in a different way. Just like if you were to sit in the auditorium and ask that to the team, they'd all have their own perspective on what a leader is."

"That was one of the things this offseason," tight end Charles Clay said, "we had a lot of leadership meetings and things like that, and that's one of the things we harped on is that a younger guy can help a vet, just as a vet can help a young guy."

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