Kelly: Don’t sell us, show us that Dolphins are serious about change | Opinion
I’m numb.
Not hopeful. Not open-minded, or even skeptical.
Just numb, or better yet, desensitized.
Without hiring John Harbaugh [the New York Giants got him], convincing Mike Tomlin to not retire [he’s battling burnout], or pursuing Sean McDermott [there are better jobs for him to choose from], there was very little the Miami Dolphins could do to effectively sell the hope this franchise consistently peddles this time around.
Maybe you will buy it, but I’ve heard it all, and seen it all the past two decades, and did so up close and personal.
This franchise needs a colonic, a complete cleanse, a purge that will hopefully shed the Dolphins franchise of its dysfunctional ways, which have been on display for Steve Ross’ entire tenure as owner, if not before.
That’s why I respect Miami’s decision-makers for beginning that process with the tag team partnership of Jon-Eric Sullivan and Jeff Hafley, who both come from one of the healthiest franchises [Green Bay] in the NFL.
We can’t get different results without doing different things, and building Green Bay South is a solid start if we actually follow through, and Sullivan and Hafley are good at their job (which we have no idea about).
But this isn’t a franchise going from one Hall of Fame quarterback (Brett Favre) to another (Aaron Rodgers).
The Dolphins don’t have a franchise quarterback at the present moment.
Hopefully Sullivan and Hafley have a plan.
My problem is that I have heard Dolphins executives and coaches share their master plans before, and then subsequently watched them veer off that course because of struggles, adversity, injuries, drama, public pressure more times than I can count on one hand.
They all promise to build a team in the trenches [then whiff on drafting offensive linemen].
Free agency isn’t how to build a sustainable winner, the draft is…. until you need to save your job because of challenges caused by injuries, struggling units, bad drafts or business decisions.
There will be competition at every spot, which is usually a lie because too often the high-priced free agent, or the early draftee skips to the front of the line, and usually gets a fourth, fifth, sixth change to prove himself (cough, cough Jonah Savaiinaea).
The only thing I’ve never heard from someone in the Dolphins’ many circles of trust these past two decades is that a quarterback needs to compete for his role, job, and status.
I’m certain that’s the new tune Sullivan and Hafley will play Thursday when they are officially announced as Miami’s new circle of trust, right up until they sign Green Bay backup quarterback Malik Willis, and promise him the starting role.
This is how it always goes for the Dolphins franchise, which explains why I’m numb.
Like most Dolphins fans who have followed this franchise since Dan Marino’s retirement, we’ve seen this rebuild done every possible way with little success to show for it considering Miami’s riding the NFL’s longest streak of not winning a playoff game, which extends to a 25th season this year.
My jadedness doesn’t mean Sullivan didn’t deserve this opportunity.
He was the most qualified of the inexperienced general manager candidates Miami spoke to about the vacancy created when Chris Grier was fired on Halloween.
And any general manager deserves the right to select his own head coach, and quarterback, which Sullivan was able to do on the coaching front, and will eventually get to when it comes to the quarterback.
Until we see what Sullivan and Hafley’s staff looks like — particularly the offensive coordinator, playcaller — and see if this circle of trust can properly evaluate talent, and develop it, we’re just guessing.
And even then there are no guarantees things will be consistent.
It’s basically a wait and see situation for the next two, three or four seasons, until the foundation of this team is rebuilt, a new quarterback gets picked, and a healthy culture is created.
I would love to tell Dolphins fans to be patient, and optimistic, but this franchise’s recent struggles, and failed rebuilds (there have been multiple) probably used up all of our patience, and optimism.
You’re probably just as numb as I am, and justified to be so.
At this point, all we can hope is that this bromance, this union of general manager, head coach and eventually quarterback, creates a synergy that will change this franchise’s trajectory.
But there we go, trying to sell hope again, which is seemingly the Dolphins’ best, if not only export.
