After one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory some Miami Dolphins fans have lost sight of where the franchise is, where it’s going, and what it means to be a fan. Despite narrowly missing out on the playoffs with a 10-6 record many Dolphins fans it seems, have found little joy in this season.
It all started, at least in this context, back in April when the Dolphins selected Tua Tagovailoa with the 5th pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Some fans wanted Herbert so bad it seems, that they would actually root against the new Dolphins QB being successful.
It’s OK to wonder if Herbert would’ve been the better pick. It’s a question many have asked over this season, and it’s a topic that will likely be debated over the next decade or more. There’s nothing wrong with that.
But don’t pretend you know the answer.
Dolphins fans aren’t in the room
Despite what we think, whether you call yourself an analyst, pundit, evaluator, fan, commentator, or draft guru we are not in the room every day with the players. We don’t see practice, we don’t know the gameplan.
We may want to criticise the play calling having decided the Chan Gailey isn’t doing what Coach Flores wants him to do. But does that make sense? After 10 games of the same offensive display do you really think Coach isn’t on board with that? Really?
Tua was dinking and dunking his way to a solid rookie NFL season. Was it spectacular? No. Was it good enough? Very nearly. Did we see against Buffalo why Ryan Fitzpatrick was brought in when it was gun-slinger time? Absolutely.
None of this says Tua won’t be great. Excuses can be made for him, and you can find those all over social media. Or you can completely the other way and say he’s a bust. Both camps are wrong, and you shouldn’t pay those camps any mind.
Watch the coaches. The ones in the fight every day, and watch what they do. While Dolphins fans are clearly very knowledgable we need to accept we don’t know everything. Accept that Coach knows more than you and enjoy the ride a bit more.
Dolphins fans need to trust the process
It’s still a question of trusting the process. There will be many over the coming months that will put out there absolute must have player for the draft. Will we get them all? Of course not.
It’s ok to have a difference of opinion, but Dolphins fans need to understand their opinion isn’t always right. And it doesn’t need to be. If we stop pretending our opinions are facts we can evaluate players, systems, coaches, and our knowledge of the game better. That humility instead of a desperate need to be right with mean we can enjoy the game more.
If you were one of those Dolphins fans happy to see Tua lose on Sunday I feel sorry for you. If it was more important for you to think you are correct than for the Miami Dolphins to win and make the playoffs then you have truly lost your path and perspective when it comes to this team.
In year two of a major rebuild the Miami Dolphins went 10-6 and remarkably missed the playoffs by a hair. There was ever an easier time to trust the process and the coaches.
A little perspective. This staff have ripped up a roster and still gone 15-17 over the last two seasons. In the two years prior to that when the team weren’t rebuilding we went 13-19. So trust the guys who are in the room with the players every day.
So enjoy the ride Dolphins fans, and accept there will be some ups and downs. No one, even us are always right. And that’s ok. Fins up.
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