MIAMI GARDENS — Perhaps there’s a new day dawning in Dolphinsland.
Dynamic Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who started last season being detained by police outside Hard Rock Stadium hours before the opener against Jacksonville and ended last season with his infamous “I’m out” declaration after the finale against the New York Jets, wasn’t voted one of the team’s six captains by his teammates.
That’s a good thing. Tyreek shouldn’t have been voted a team captain.
I’ve written about Tyreek’s behavior numerous times. I’ve written that someone must talk to Tyreek.
This vote shows that perhaps there’s finally less tolerance for foolishness on this team and more of a focus on being a professional.
I think things are leaning in that direction, but let’s explore that topic further.
The 2025 Miami Dolphins team captains are quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, linebacker Jordyn Brooks, defensive tackle Zach Sieler, center Aaron Brewer, fullback Alec Ingold and edge rusher Bradley Chubb.
Hill, voted a captain by his teammates the previous three years with the team, was essentially dethroned. There’s recent precedent. Ex-safety Jevon Holland, who joined the New York Giants during free agency, was voted a team captain in 2022 and 2023, but not in 2024.
Coach Mike McDaniel said players were “unified” in their this year’s vote “and the focus on those six guys were very clear.”
“I think that’s what it speaks to me the most (about),” McDaniel said, “is a football team that knows who they want to be led by.”
Does the captain vote mean players are sick of Tyreek’s occasional off-field knucklehead tendencies? Does it mean (culture) change winds are blowing through the team and, possibly, through the organization?
Either is possible.
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First, let’s look at the asterisk and the possible asterisk in the captain voting.
The Dolphins reduced the number of team captains to six this year for the first time in the McDaniel era. Previously, they’ve had seven or eight captains. That’s the first asterisk.
Also, McDaniel said there was such a big gap between the sixth-leading vote-getter and the seventh-leading vote-getter he decided to limit the number of captains to six. So, Tyreek could have been No. 7 on the list. That could be a second asterisk.
But set those aside.
I like the statement that this year’s player vote makes. The players should be applauded for their judgement.
I’m a Tyreek Hill fan. I’ve made that clear from Day One. Tyreek is a baller. Tyreek is a game-changer. Tyreek is a future Hall of Famer. Tyreek is better at his job than anyone in the organization, and I’m including owner Steve Ross, general manager Chris Grier, Tua and McDaniel in that statement.
But Tyreek has knucklehead tendencies.
Go beyond last season’s antics.
There’s been an incident at a local marina with a boat captain. There was an incident with a social media influencer. There’s been a couple of times police have been called to his residence.
In March, at the NFL owners meetings, McDaniel said he’d be “pumped” if Hill was voted a team captain. I don’t think he meant it, but what else was he going to say?
McDaniel, after all, was asked more questions about Tyreek at that event than about Tua.
Tyreek, who trolled fans on social media last season, sucks a lot of oxygen out of the room.
Other captains said it’s not a big deal that Tyreek wasn’t voted a captain.
“I don’t think it really matters,” Brooks said. “It was good to see him at practice today scoring TDs and stuff.”
Chubb said it’s merely circumstance.
“It’s just how the tables turned this year,” he said.
Brewer said Tyreek will still be considered a team leader.
“Tyreek, he still brings that energy,” Brewer said. “He’s still a leader on his team, whether he was voted or not. And he’s still going to be the same person. Tyreek is going to push guys, drive guys, and people are going to follow behind him.”
To be clear, I think players still like and respect Tyreek. The guy has a magnetic personality. He’s fun.
And I think it would be a good thing if Tyreek reached 2,000 yards receiving this year. I think it could happen in the normal flow of the offense, and if it happened I think the Dolphins would certainly make the playoffs, and possibly, finally, win a playoff game. Tyreek getting 2,000 yards would mean the Dolphins’ best player is playing his best football.
But Dolphins players not voting Tyreek a team captain means this team might finally be on its way to making substantive changes, changes that could lead to a better outcome for the season.
