MIAMI GARDENS — Every now and then, I bow to the mind of Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. Wednesday, the first day media was allowed in the locker room, was one of those days.
I’m always fascinated by the Dolphins’ locker room seating arrangement. It’s unique. McDaniel puts thought into it.
“I have a great time with it just because it’s nuanced,” McDaniel said.
Most NFL locker rooms seat defensive linemen with defensive linemen, wide receivers with wide receivers, and so on. Consequently, players never get to know their other teammates, especially those on the other side of the ball. McDaniel does it differently. He mixes everyone according to who he thinks would be interesting combinations. He encourages players who normally wouldn’t socialize with each other to bond.
In 2023, for example, fullback Alec Ingold, who grew up in Green Bay, was seated next to cornerback Xavien Howard and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, a pair of Houston natives who gave him an education on music as well as growing up in their city.
McDaniel referenced a time a player got into a “competitive argument” with someone on the other side of the ball.
“In April,” McDaniel said, “they’re locker mates.”
I asked Dolphins veteran outside linebacker Bradley Chubb why he thinks his locker is next to veteran right guard James Daniels. Across from them are third-year running back De’Von Achane and rookie left guard Jonah Savaiinaea, and, down from them a few lockers, veteran right guard Larry Borom.
“To be honest, I’ve been wondering the same thing, bro,” Chubb said. “I really don’t know. But you get to grow closer with guys that you don’t usually talk to.
“Me and James have been cool. I get to sit across from Achane. Jonah’s coming along; I get a chance to mess with him and be cool with him. I’m still trying to get Larry to be my friend. But it’s been going smooth.”
Borom, who was seated at his locker watching something on a tablet screen, looked up and smiled.
The entire locker room is the work of Mike McDaniel, the master mixologist.
Defensive tackle Zach Sieler, who was seated next to veteran cornerback Jalen Ramsey last year, is now seated next to rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr.
Veteran outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips is seated next to rookie defensive tackle Jordan Phillips. The combinations are intriguing.
This is one of the reasons that I like McDaniel.
He sees the violent, ruthless, high-dollar, high-pressure, short-lived, bottom-line NFL as a collection of fascinating human beings.
I’ve written about this every year of the McDaniel era.
Outgoing wide receiver Tyreek Hill is seated between punter Jake Bailey and outside linebacker Quinton Bell.
“Tyreek’s not a guy that I usually interact with a lot,” Bell said.
Affable offensive tackle Patrick Paul is seated next to wide receiver Malik Washington.
“I’m just chopping it up with anybody,” Paul said. “Whoever I can mess with, I’m gonna go and mess with them a little bit.”
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is seated in the most highly visible, highly trafficked area of the locker room, a four-locker space located near the shower.
Safety Jevon Holland, who could be, well, gruff, hated that spot last season.
Next to Tagovailoa is linebacker Jordyn Brooks, wide receiver Jaylen Waddle and outside linebacker Chop Robinson.
“I don’t know why I’m seated right here,” said Brooks, one of the most intense players on the team.
Across from them is right tackle Austin Jackson, rookie defensive tackle Kenneth Grant and fullback Alec Ingold. Offensive tackle Kion Smith is a few seats down.
“But there’s a lot of defensive guys over here,” Smith said looking down his row. “I think me and AJ are the only offensive guys. And Ingold.”
Jackson shared Smith’s opinion.
“I’m always by a defensive tackle,” Jackson said.
Jackson, such as everyone else, doesn’t know why he has his neighbors, especially Grant, the first-round pick. But he has an idea.
“I think I’m next to KG just to help him out, anything he needs,” Jackson said. “I’ve been here five, going on six years, so try to be in his ear. If you need anything, just let me know. I got you. I’ve been around here. And that’s probably why.”
The Dolphins often have an interesting locker room in both sights and personalities. If you take a quick glance around this year you’ll find a pop-a-shot game, a basketball hoop, a card table and other assorted ways to have fun, compete with others and entertain yourself.
The end game for McDaniel with the locker room seating — the personalities, the socialization, the mixing and mingling — is winning.
“All those things, I think, are geared towards building a team that’s invested in each other,” he said, “so that the little things are done appropriately or the difficult things are done appropriately when it matters most.”
