Editor’s note: This is Part 9 of 10 in Joe Schad’s Miami Dolphins summer series Q&A
MIAMI GARDENS ― The Miami Dolphins have not won a playoff game since December of 2000.
But in September they’ll begin a new era.
General manager Jon-Eric Sullivan, coach Jeff Hafley and quarterback Malik Willis all come to South Florida from Green Bay.
Miami hopes to build around running back De’Von Achane, center Aaron Brewer, linebacker Jordyn Brooks and a handful of youngsters like Kadyn Proctor, Kenneth Grant, Chris Johnson, Patrick Paul and Jacob Rodriguez.
Miami Dolphins Q&A series: 10 questions shaping 2026 answered by Joe Schad.
Part 9 of 10: Miami Dolphins’ 2026 Q&A with Joe Schad
The Question: What identity should the 2026 Dolphins aim to establish?
The answer: The Dolphins need to become hard to play against.
The Dolphins need to show relentless effort under first-year coach Jeff Hafley.
The Dolphins need to play better against good teams. And in cold conditions. And on the road.
The Dolphins must be tougher and more physical in 2026.
Hafley wants Miami to establish the run and stop the run.
The Dolphins have zero playoffs wins from 2001-2025 so they might as well try something different.
“When we build a standard and it starts to become real, the players will start to hold themselves accountable, but that’s going to start with me,” Hafley said at his introductory press conference. “The final thing that I’m going to talk to them about every single day is toughness. That’s physically, that’s mentally, that’s everything that we do. It’s a toughness that thrives on competition. It’s a toughness that reflects the people and the spirit of the city of Miami.”
The perception of Miami under coach Mike McDaniel was that the team identity was built on speed ― not physicality and toughness.
Miami Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley: We will be physical, tough
The best teams have speed at wide receiver and cornerback, yes, but also an ability to be physical on both sides of the ball ― even when the opponent knows what’s coming.
It is clear that at least some returning players feel things had gotten too lax under former coach Mike McDaniel.
Once a player-led culture is established, it’s hard for any leader to pull in the reigns and become more of a disciplinarian. That was not McDaniel’s forte, for all his strengths.
As you would expect, players are talking about how Hafley is setting a standard, holding players accountable and setting expectations.
“He’s a great coach,” defensive tackle Jordan Phillips said of Hafley. “Hard-working coach. He demands that from us and that’s going to be the standard for who we are. Just a hard-working team.”
Coaching legend Jimmy Johnson met with Hafley in the spring.
“Jeff has the right ‘demanding’ approach,” Johnson posted on social media.
This Dolphins team will not be evaluated on wins and losses. Whether Miami finishes 3-14 or 6-11, what matters most is that the team plays with great effort, strain and relentlessness.
No matter the score.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe’s free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins Q&A: 10 Questions That Will Define 2026, Part 9 of 10
Reporting by Joe Schad, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Joe Schad, Palm Beach Post | USA TODAY Network
