Tag: Jason Taylor

Who have the Dolphins used the franchise tag on before?

Here are all nine players the Dolphins have tagged in the past.

The 2024 NFL season is still months away, but the first step in getting there begins on Tuesday, as the window for franchising a player officially opens.

The NFL introduced the franchise and transition tags back in 1993 in their collective bargaining agreement. They allowed teams to retain players on one-year deals who were expected to hit the free-agent market when the league year opened.

This year, the Dolphins have a few candidates, including defensive lineman Christian Wilkins.

What does history tell us about what Miami could do? Let’s take a look at the nine players that the Dolphins have used one of the tags on since 1993.

Here are the Top 10 college football recruiters ahead of the 2024 season

With National Signing Day finished for the 2024 cycle, here are the top college football recruiters who have made a name for themselves.

With the conclusion of National Signing Day last week, the 2024 recruiting cycle is complete, as every program is focused on spring football and building their respective 2025 cycle heading into the summer.

Looking deeper into the vast and complicated recruiting world, it seems that, on the surface, head coaches receive more credit for landing top prospects than the staff that surround them, but that can’t be further from the truth.

For example, former Texas A&M HC Jimbo Fisher’s elite 2022 recruiting class, especially concerning the defensive prospects, was primarily due to the work of assistant coaches Elijah Robinson and the late Terry Price, while Robinson has now transitioned to Syracuse as the program’s new defensive coordinator.

For new Aggies head coach Mike Elko, several new staff members, including Holmon Wiggins (WR coach), Ishmael Aristide (CB coach), and Trooper Taylor (RB coach), have helped secure A&M’s 16th-ranked 2024 cycle, culminating with the signing of long time commit, 5-star athlete Terry Bussey.

Looking at the entire college football coaching landscape to nail down the best recruiters in 2024, 247Sports ranked the Top 10 assistant coaches who deserve such credit.

Throwback Thursday: Remembering former Dolphins RB Ricky Williams’ legendary 2002 season

Looking back at the season that was a recently-broken record.

In the Miami Dolphins Week 15 victory over the New York Jets, franchise history was made, as running back Raheem Mostert set a new franchise record for rushing touchdowns in a single season with his 17th.

When celebrating broken records, it’s always a great opportunity to look back and reflect on the individuals who made them so honorable. This was a record that had been held for 20 years by the legendary Ricky Williams, who set the mark during the 2002 season.

Williams was a college standout at the University of Texas. To this day, he holds the program’s single-season rushing record with 2,124 yards (1998), earning him the Heisman Trophy. He also won two Doak Walker awards in 1997 and 1998. His jersey number (No. 34) is retired by the Texas Longhorns football program.

Williams was selected fifth overall by the New Orleans Saints in the 1999 NFL draft, as the Saints traded their entire package of draft picks and two picks the following year to move up and take the running back.

Expectations for Williams were very high, and he delivered. In three seasons with the Saints, Williams totaled 3,129 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns.

However, after a disappointing losing season in 2001, New Orleans decided to move on from Williams even though the running back was coming off his best statistical season.

Williams was traded from the Saints to the Dolphins the following offseason with Miami sending two first-round picks to acquire the young superstar.

The Dolphins were coming off an 11-5 season that ended in a disappointing 20-3 wild-card loss to the Baltimore Ravens. They already had a star-studded defense with the likes of defensive end Jason Taylor, linebacker Zach Thomas and cornerback Patrick Surtain.

With a fresh start for Williams, he took his game to another level. He rushed for over 100 yards in his first three games, scoring touchdowns in each contest.

Williams started in all 16 games for the Dolphins in 2002, totaling a league-leading 1,853 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on an outstanding 115.8 yards per game, all of which were franchise records. He also proved himself respectable in the passing game, catching 47 passes for 363 yards and a score, making his all-purpose touchdown total 17 in 16 games.

The Dolphins unfortunately missed the playoffs in 2002 despite a strong start. After starting 5-1, they finished 9-7 as the offensive passing attack simply wasn’t good enough for the offense to put up points consistently. It was a frustrating finish to a team featuring elite talent on both sides of the football. Williams, Taylor, Thomas, and Surtain were all named First-team All-Pros.

Williams was an obvious choice for All-Pro with his production in 2002. He’s the last Dolphins running back to achieve First-team All-Pro honors. Hopefully, the season Mostert is having will break that trend.

While Williams’ single-season touchdown record might now be broken, his 2002 season should still be considered the best of any running back in team history. His 1,853 yards on 115.8 yards per game are still franchise records by wide margins.

No other Dolphin has rushed for more than 1,300 yards in a season, while Williams has done it twice. He’s also the only Dolphins running back to average over 100 rushing yards per contest in a season. Ronnie Brown came the closest in 2007 with 86 yards per game.

Willams set the bar for any running back who wears the aqua and orange. Passing the torch to other great running backs like Mostert is an invaluable honor when considering the legendary career Williams had with the Dolphins and everywhere else he played.

Rams select Oklahoma State S Jason Taylor II with 234th overall pick in 2023 NFL draft

The Rams finally took a safety in the draft, selecting Jason Taylor II out of Oklahoma State at No. 234 overall

With their penultimate pick in the 2023 NFL draft, the Los Angeles Rams selected Oklahoma State safety Jason Taylor II at No. 234 overall.

Taylor played four years for the Cowboys, playing a total of 39 games. He was a starter for two of those seasons and his best performance was undoubtedly in 2022 when he had 3.5 tackles for a loss and six interceptions with seven total passes defensed.

In 2021, he returned one of his two interceptions for a touchdown and had 2.5 sacks to go along with 6.5 tackles for a loss. He’s a safety who can do a little bit of everything, from covering the slot to playing deep or in the box.

The Rams have just one more pick left at No. 259, which is the final selection in the draft.

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WATCH: Former Dolphin Jason Taylor learns a haka at ‘Luau with Tua’

He has the energy for it.

On Monday, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa held his annual “Luau with Tua” event at the Hard Rock Seminole benefitting the Tua Foundation, Jason Taylor Foundation and Special Olympics Florida.

Last year, this same event brought us head coach Mike McDaniel learning to play the drums, but this year, the best part may have been Dolphins legend, and current Miami Hurricanes coach, Jason Taylor learning how to perform a haka.

While Taylor looked a little unsure of himself at first, he got into it and brought the energy for the end.

It’s really great to see Tagovailoa’s efforts being embraced by the community, including legends like the Hall of Fame linebacker.

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3 safeties to watch for Chiefs at 2023 NFL Scouting Combine

Here are three safety prospects the #Chiefs should be keeping an eye on as on-field drills and testing continue on Friday.

The 2023 NFL Scouting Combine continues with the latest group of prospects hitting the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for on-field drills and workouts. You can watch the cornerbacks, safeties and special teamers workout from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET on NFL Network.

The Kansas City Chiefs added a number of young contributors to the team via the draft just a season ago. Several of those players posted impressive performances at the combine. The team will look to follow up its standout 2022 draft class by adding even more instant-impact players in 2023.

Keep an eye on the following three safeties working out on Friday. A head-turning performance could put any number of the players squarely on the radar for Brett Veach and company.

Legendary Dolphin Jason Taylor named Miami Hurricanes DE coach

He originally joined their staff last year as an analyst.

The Miami Dolphins of the 1990s and 2000s have plenty of players turned coaches throughout football in the present day.

Sam Madison is a cornerbacks coach for the Dolphins. Patrick Surtain left the Dolphins this offseason to become the defensive backs coach at Florida State.

Now, Hall of Fame defensive end Jason Taylor is taking his next leap in his collegiate coaching journey, as he’s been hired as the defensive ends coach for the Miami Hurricanes, according to the Miami Herald’s Susan Miller Degnan.

Taylor originally joined head coach Mario Cristobal’s staff as a defensive analyst in 2022 after spending five seasons with St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Future NFL players will be getting hands-on coaching from one of the best that the game has ever seen, and that can only mean good things for the state of football going forward.

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Dolphins legend Jason Taylor shares early impressions of Mike McDaniel

The Hall of Famer is appreciative of the new man in charge.

It’s hard to find many players that have fully embraced Miami more than Jason Taylor has in his life since being drafted in the third round of the 1997 draft.

He spent 13 of his 15 seasons in the NFL as a member of the Miami Dolphins and had spent the last two as part of the team’s radio broadcasts. So, he knows a thing or two about the organization.

Earlier this week, Taylor joined CBS’ Jim Berry to talk about the upcoming season, and with a new coach in Miami, the Hall of Famer was asked about his impressions of Mike McDaniel.

“I love that he’s himself,” Taylor said. “He’s not trying to be somebody else, and people say, ‘Well, he’s so different. His philosophy, his approach, the way he handles himself is so different than what you the NFL coach do.’ But that’s what players love. They love that authenticity. A genuine guy that’s just willing to be himself. He can be self-deprecating, can laugh at himself. He doesn’t take himself too seriously, but they all know and respect that he’s the boss. He’s the head football coach. A very, very smart guy, really a cool guy to be around. I’ve only been around him a couple times, but I’ve enjoyed it.

“I know, talking to the players, they have really enjoyed the, I don’t want to say breath of fresh air because the previous coach was a good guy in a lot of ways too, but it’s just different. Maybe this team needs different, and now, it’s everyone’s all in. It’s ten toes down and trying to get ready for the season.”

Everybody has really embraced the energy that McDaniel has brought to the team, from current players to the legends that are hanging out in the area. Time will tell if it will transfer to the field, but it’s good to know that most of the guys have his back.

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Jaelan Phillips’ interview shows again that ‘The Fish Tank’ has become a must-listen for Dolphins fans

Jaelan Phillips joined the show on Tuesday to discuss his path to the NFL and his time with the organization.

Fans of the Miami Dolphins have had a very enjoyable offseason, with a slew of transactions that have sent shock waves across the NFL.  Not only has Miami given fans hope for a bright 2022 season and beyond, but there are also aspects of Dolphins football that nobody can take away – the history and the hope.

Luckily, and almost as if it’s a spoiling of riches, there’s a show on the Miami Dolphins Podcast Network called The Fish Tank. The dynamic duo of two-time Dolphins team MVP O.J. McDuffie and former media department and public relations guru Seth Levit have reeled in former Dolphins Hall of Famers and provide fans with access to it all. From stories referencing the inaugural season of 1966, through Don Shula’s arrival and eventual Perfect Season, the Dan Marino years and everything up until the present time, the podcast is a must-listen.

“The Tank” hit the podcast waves in July 2018, and immediately, there were inside stories from players like Channing Crowder, Oronde Gadsden, Nat Moore, Terry Kirby and Zach Thomas to kick things off.

Levit and McDuffie’s rapport and timing, mixed with their friendships and familiarity with the guests, lead to hidden treasures of golden anecdotes from the Dolphins fandom coupled with straight hilarity. Just tune in to any episode that Crowder appears on.

Whether it’s former players or even behind the scenes guys like a decades-long head of security or a sports public relations legend immortalized in the board game Trivial Pursuit, each and every episode of “The Fish Tank” comes with equal parts laughter, information and, most importantly, life lessons.

Episodes that go a bit deeper than the field, such as Davone Bess, Dwight Hollier and Irving Fryar, to name a few, help in tremendous ways. More often than not, there seems to be a humanistic side that comes out of the players when in “the Tank,” and inspiration is the common denominator.

While it’s always great to hear “tales from the deep” of this franchise steeped in tradition, moments and memories, current Miami players are now joining the guys.

Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa dove in recently, and, on Tuesday morning, second-year pass-rusher, Jaelan Phillips’ episode was released for Dolphins fans’ viewing pleasure.

Phillips, Miami’s first-round pick from 2021 had an outstanding rookie campaign for the Dolphins. As he jokingly chats with the hosts about his first year, he’s happy to no longer have that “rookie” tag to his name, but, for some reason, there may be three 2022 games until it’s officially lifted.

There are numerous inspirational aspects to Phillips’ appearance on the show, which he details. The path to the NFL wasn’t a smooth and easy road, and a left turn in life other than a right turn may have just taken Phillips out of football altogether.

What “The Fish Tank” does so well is connecting the fan base to the team in ways like never before, especially prior to social media. McDuffie, who was the NFL’s 1998 receptions leader, proudly wears the hat of lead Dolphins fan. The life-long Dolphin has become a friend to so many fans across the great base, and Levit continues to do amazing work, integrating football and community.

The latter runs the Jason Taylor Foundation, which specializes in philanthropy and educational resources for young people in South Florida, in addition to his work with the organization.

McDuffie and Levit have more current Dolphins on the docket for interviews, and with legends such as Taylor, Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris and Dwight Stephenson already taking the dip, all of “The Fish Tank” faithful are waiting for the big fish – Dan Marino.

At the moment, there’s no confirmation on No. 13 joining his former favorite target and one of his favorite PR men, yet there’s a strong assumption that, like all else in McDuffie’s and Levit’s careers, it’s a good bet they’ll deliver.

“The Fish Tank” is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google. The Phillips episode is a great place to start.

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Fiesta Bowl: Fourth-Quarter Analysis

That’s all, folks.

It’s natural that there will be some growing pains as Marcus Freeman settles into his new role as Notre Dame head coach. Some of them will happen on the field, and some will happen off of it. The Fiesta Bowl was one of those on-field occurrences as the Irish gave up 30 unanswered points while falling, 37-35, to Oklahoma State. The Irish’s major bowl drought will live for another year after they blew the biggest lead in program history.

The fourth quarter began with one of the craziest sequences you’ll see in football. With the Irish (11-2) driving, Logan Diggs literally had the ball ripped from him by Kolby Harvell-Peel, giving the Cowboys (12-2) good field position. The ensuing drive went well for the Pokes until the last possible moment. Brennan Presley was about to score a touchdown on a run when Drew White forced a fumble, which was recovered by Ramon Henderson in the end zone for a touchback.

Jack Coan, who set a Fiesta Bowl record with 509 passing yards, nearly gave the Irish lead back on a long throw to Lorenzo Styles, but Styles couldn’t complete the catch. That was as good as it got for the offense on that drive, and Jay Bramblett had to come out for another punt. The Cowboys reached the red zone on the drive that followed, but a face-mask penalty knocked them out of there. The Irish were able to prevent the Pokes from getting back there, but Tanner Brown kicked a 41-yard field goal to get something out of the trip downfield.

The Irish’s offense went with an all-pass attack on the next drive, and that worked for a while as it got the ball to the Cowboys’ 24-yard line. However, the next two plays were disastrous for Coan. First, he was sacked by Brock Martin for the second time in the game. Then, he threw an interception to Malcolm Rodriguez, snuffing out the Irish’s best chance to score the entire second half.

The drive that followed was all about eating the clock and getting any number of points to erase any doubt about the game’s outcome. As he had since late in the first half, Spencer Sanders did a fantastic job managing his offense, completing long passes and even calling his own number when needed to. It was that last item that erased all of that progress because he fumbled the ball at the Irish’s 11, and White recovered it.

Blessed with a break, it was up to the Irish to make something happen. What happened was nothing because after a 4-yard completion to Chris Tyree to advance the ball to the 15, Coan threw three straight incomplete passes. The Cowboys took over in the red zone but didn’t do anything fancy. They just ran the ball and forced the Irish to use all of their timeouts, paving the way for a 25-yard field goal from Brown.

With 2:16 left, the Irish absolutely needed a score to still have a chance at the win. Coan completed a couple of first-down passes, and Diggs even gave the pass-heavy offense a bonus with a 14-yard run. The Irish got further help from a defensive holding call, and Coan capped the drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Austin. Only 71 seconds had gone off the clock, so this game hadn’t quite been decided yet.

The Irish needed to recover an onside kick, but Jason Taylor got his hands on it before the ball even traveled the necessary 10 yards. All the Cowboys had to do was kneel a couple of times, and they did just that before celebrating the biggest comeback in program history. That definitely is not something the Irish wanted to be on the receiving end of, but that’s how it goes in football. Onto 2022.