‘Miami different:’ rookie guard Jonah Savaiinaea builds Dolphins’ trust
After Friday’s Miami Dolphins training camp practice, Jonah Savaiinaea, the No. 37 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, sported a white T-shirt, embroidered with “Miami different” around the collar.
“Me as a rookie coming in here, we’re trying to build something — a culture here, a family oriented environment, and the closer we are, the more connected we are, the better we play,” he said, explaining the outfit choice. “Knowing we have each other’s trust on that field.”
Building those relationships has been crucial for the rookie this offseason as he adjusts to the NFL — and that, Savaiinaea said, starts off the field.
Playing next to second-year Patrick Paul on the line has been crucial for Savaiinaea’s adjustment. The two worked closely together throughout the break, building chemistry on and off the field. That offseason training, skipping a summer 2025 vacation, has also helped the rookie adjust to the heat, Savaiinaea said, his shorts dripping in sweat under the South Florida sun.
“Throughout the offseason, me and him were here in this building every single day working,” Paul said. “So naturally, when you spend that much time together, you’re gelled like one.”
The two will have a hefty assignment on the left side of the O-line, filling in the gap left behind by All-Pro Terron Armstead. The Dolphins traded up in the second round to select Savaiinaea — his size and footwork a crucial component to hopefully stabilizing the offensive line. Savaiinaea has also worked to build a strong relationship with the starting QB, calling Tagovailoa his “older bro.”
In the offseason, the two spent time at Tagovailoa’s house in Miami, getting to know one another and collaborating on their shared passion outside of football: music. The QB on the guitar and his guard on the keys. For Savaiinaea, there’s more overlap between the two disciplines than meets the eye.
“You’ve got to multitask with piano, you’ve got to tune in to those keys. All those [harmonies] you’re pressing, they all sync into one,” he explained. “That relates to the O-line, we [have] got to be in unison as one, making one sound.”
And so far, he has been able to do just that — on the second day of training camp, the rookie was able to move defensive tackle Zach Sieler off the ball, no easy feat versus a 6-foot-6, 300-pound veteran. In terms of his fundamentals, Savaiinaea said he has focused on speed and angles of play, minimizing lateral movement as he makes the transition, what he deemed “slow progress,” to the left side.
“He has all the talent in the world,” Sieler said of Savaiinaea. “His frame is great. He has good feet. I’m excited to see him grow as a player. It’s been awesome to work with him. It’s the old adage, iron sharpens iron.”
And Sieler’s not the only veteran who Savaiinaea has made a lasting impression on. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he can tell a lot about a young player such as Savaiinaea based on how the vets respond to them.
“You can tell that the veterans believe in him,” he said before Friday’s practice. “You have to earn that in a real way.”
Now with his four-year, $11.3 million contract out of the way, he can focus on what matters most — the Dolphins on and off the field.
“You [have] guys here that want to win, that have been here [longer] than myself. So I’m not only playing for myself and my family, but also for the guys next to me, that [have] been here and that want the Super Bowl here. So that’s my mentality.”
This story was originally published July 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM.