The Miami Dolphins are facing the prospect of just two more games yet this season — with no hope of the playoffs, this will be the final call for making plays and trying to convince the organization that a long-term role is in the cards for many of these players. And as things currently stand, there will be no exhibition football for the Dolphins in early 2020, either — the results are in and the Miami Dolphins are currently unrepresented on the preliminary 2020 Pro Bowl rosters.
The Dolphins are one of two teams with zero players represented, the other is the 3-11 New York Giants.
Dolphins fans will undoubtedly feel some kind of way upon seeing that two of the players that Miami traded away at the beginning of this season, Texans OT Laremy Tunsil and Steelers FS Minkah Fitzpatrick, are in fact on the Pro Bowl roster in the AFC. Each is receiving their first career Pro Bowl honors in their first year away from Miami.
But context is required here. Before fans bemoan the decision to trade both players away, remember that Miami initially didn’t plan to trade either one of them. The Texans pursued Tunsil for weeks on end, gradually increasing their trade offers to Miami until Grier decided, for the good of the organization’s long-term future, to make the deal. And while Tunsil has played well this season, he also has double digit false starts.
They are roasting Laremy Tunsil on the game broadcast pic.twitter.com/KbVswrDScD
— BetOnline.ag (@betonline_ag) December 15, 2019
As far as Fitzpatrick, the player in question ultimately made up his own mind that he did not want to be here. Whether it comes back to his usage or whether Fitzpatrick’s frustrations were rooted more so in the status of the Dolphins’ organization and the forecast for 2019, it doesn’t really matter. Miami made efforts from a coaching front with Brian Flores, a management front with Chris Grier and an ownership front with Stephen Ross to meet with Fitzpatrick and smooth things over.
Fitzpatrick still wanted out. And for Miami to cut their losses after one year and get a 1st-round pick that will be somewhere around the 20th pick in the draft for a player who had mentally checked out isn’t something Miami should really be hammered for. The negativity of not buying in to Coach Flores’ vision for a team wasn’t worth keeping and working around.
So no, the Dolphins didn’t have any Pro Bowlers announced yesterday and two of their former standouts have gotten the call. So be it.