Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb Sprint as back and forth.
The Rushers Edge Miami Dolphins Edge were generally – the offensive and defensive starters are currently mixing at the moment – but the two runners about 20 meters on the ground before turning around and jogging slowly at the starting line to start again. If it is likely that the coaches use the brief rest as a tactical to alleviate Phillips and Chubb back from the injuries that cost both important songs of the 2024 season, they refuse to take a game.
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“Bradley was really critical for me, everyone in the room and the defense to stand at a very high level,” Phillips said on Friday. “Today, we have taken a little less rehearsals and therefore to compensate for this, we will sprint on the sidelines.”
The movement seems to be rooted in this New culture of responsibility led by players This has been strongly discussed since the end without ceremony of the 2024 season. And although fans and experts are not quick to reject this as a speech, there were real concrete examples of change during the first days of the training camp.
“We are working as a team to establish this standard for ourselves, for this team,” said Chubb on Tuesday. “What we want it looks like every day. During the offseason, we had guys each other, making sure that we stand in this norm during the offseason. It was sent with certainty. The message is strong and clear, and everyone moves accordingly.”
This occurs after a 2024 season which initially started with great hopes before the injuries begin to accumulate. Discipline questions – or more specifically, their absence – turned into the team after an 8-9 finish, the first sub500 season of the career of coach Mike McDaniel. The players even complained that the teammates presented themselves late at the meetings.
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“I know that a lot of people don’t want to be here [for] optional [practices]But at the end of the day, if we want to arrive where we want to go, this is where the foundations will have to be laid, “said Chubb in early January.” In life, you have to sacrifice for what you really want. It is not: “You must be here every day, every day”. But let’s start to establish these team relationships and set our goals for what we want in the future. »»
Much of the off -season conversation then became whether these changes could be made or not. McDaniel, however, underlined a cloakroom led by players, which means that it would be to team leaders like the defensive platform Zach Sieler to establish the standard.
“I think that one of our goals this summer, or this spring, was to be more communicative, not to let things be built under the sheets,” said Sieler on Thursday. “Do not throw things up to the side, put things on the table. No breadcrumbs, do not let things accumulate on a big battery. In this case, talk to it.”
This is where punishment like post-pratic sprints have emerged. The new rule is actually quite simple: make a mistake and you will have to pay it.
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“This is something that we, the players, decided,” said Austin Jackson on Wednesday. “If we have prenap penalties, we will punish ourselves for this. Things that are in our controllables – this is how we call it. Pre-SNAP penalties, we can control this, so if you make the error in practice, we will self-organize with a small disciplinary measure. ”
The dolphins Classified in the top 10 Regarding the penalties per match in 2024. This must change for the team to succeed this season.
“It is a way for players to highlight the importance of doing little things in the right way,” said coach Mike McDaniel about post-pratic sprints. “This is something that when you are looking for ways to improve your team, at first, controllables are controllables.”
Sprints of intermediate practices of Phillips and CHUBB can be considered as an extension of this new identity. Yes, they come out of important and end of season injury, however, the two also understand their Respective importance for this teamAbove all, given the unproven talent for the two limited corner half positions. This defense, for better or for worse, needs an elite game from the edge – and they intend to help establish this standard.
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“Our thing is to find an advantage wherever we can, whether it is additional rehearsals in the weight room, additional rehabilitation, an additional prehab,” said Phillips, adding later that “we call ourselves big dogs for a reason. We must be the engine for this defense, for this team. So we cannot have days off, we cannot have when we arrive here.”
