The Miami Dolphins have made a few notable changes to the lineup this season, giving younger players some more prominent roles over veteran players. And it sounds like head coach Mike McDaniel isn’t going to apologize for that.
Running back De’Von Achane seems to have overtaken veteran Raheem Mostert as the team’s primary running back in recent weeks and linebacker David Long was released after starting six of the first eight games of the season.
It’s a notable pattern, and Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was asked if he was trying to send a message to the players with those moves.
McDaniel had a pretty clear and brutal message to his players.
“No, I think it’s been the same pattern each and every season in terms of one thing that I’m very upfront with with players, the second they get in the building, the second that we start talking about projected lineups or positions within a position group, I think it’s important that people understand you’re entitled to nothing in this world,” McDaniel said according to Pro Football Talk.
McDaniel made it clear that he simply intends to play the best players.
“Playing time is solved by players on the field, and the best players have to play, and that’s my job to follow through with that,” McDaniel said.
The Dolphins got off to a slow start to the season due in large part to the concussion of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Miami still has an outside chance to make the playoffs, and it sounds like McDaniel wants to make sure his team is prepared to make a run at it.
We’ll have to see how they perform down the stretch.
