Chris Perkins: Step by Step guide to fixing Fins Culture

[zullo1]

We don’t really have anyone with that mindset in the coaching department, Weaver is a positive guy that coaches like McDaniel so we dont have the authoritarian type like Flores or Fangio in the defensive room.

Darren Rizzi would’ve been huge for McDaniel…wonder if there’s an unknown in our coaching ranks like Dan Campbell

Agreed. Flores commanded respect, but he obviously had a terribly negative impact on Tua. Now if they would have kept Flores as the HC and brought in McD as the Quarterbacks Coach, that could have had better outcomes. McD has shown that he just isn't HC material. I said it before and I'll say it again, he belongs in the UFL.

 

[TrinidadDolfan]

No doubt that Coach will read this over morning coffee.

Question is, is he self aware enough to consider that the article is true and absolute?

Self awareness is a hell of a thing.

For the record, I agree on all points made in the article

 

[Finsup1981]

Agreed. Flores commanded respect, but he obviously had a terribly negative impact on Tua. Now if they would have kept Flores as the HC and brought in McD as the Quarterbacks Coach, that could have had better outcomes. McD has shown that he just isn't HC material. I said it before and I'll say it again, he belongs in the UFL.

There’s no way Tua has a shred of the success hes had since McDaniel took over if it was with Flores as the head coach and McD as the QB coach because Flores didn’t believe in him. You don’t play like that for a coach who doesn’t believe in you.

Let’s also not forget Flores wanted to trade the farm for Watson. Say what you will about McDaniel, but give me McD and Tua over Flores and Watson any day of the week.

 

[Mello Yello]

Agree with you that most of these things are in the process of being addressed but we have yet to see the payoff. The main concern I have is McDaniels practice habits, I haven’t seen the necessary changes I thought we’d see and that he would realize we need.

If this is such a big deal why aren't fans analyzing the "practice habits" of the best teams and doing a comparison so we can really have a discussion about what steps need to be taken?

Until we can definitely say what Miami isn't doing compared with the best...we're just talking.




The practices seem to work fine for a lot of the players. My guess is that the culture doesn't exist to force some of the lesser players to put their best foot forward and to keep the less-loyal guys in line.

That culture has a lot to do with simply winning.

 

[Finsup1981]

If this is such a big deal why aren't fans analyzing the "practice habits" of the best teams and doing a comparison so we can really have a discussion about what steps need to be taken?

Until we can definitely say what Miami isn't doing compared with the best...we're just talking.

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If 3 years of doing 6/10 OTA sessions lead to no playoff wins I would hope he would change things just for that reason alone, not even looking at what the other teams are doing. I want our team to maximize what we can and control the controllables as he loves to say.

 

[zullo1]

There’s no way Tua has a shred of the success hes had since McDaniel took over if it was with Flores as the head coach and McD as the QB coach because Flores didn’t believe in him. You don’t play like that for a coach who doesn’t believe in you.

Let’s also not forget Flores wanted to trade the farm for Watson. Say what you will about McDaniel, but give me McD and Tua over Flores and Watson any day of the week.

McD would have been the buffer, that's the point. McD's one responsibility would have been developing Tua while Flores focused elsewhere.

 

[IMAWriter]

What disappoints me about this article is how much it reads like someone at the national level whose last glimpse of Miami was the KC Playoff game at the end of the '23 season.

Nothing is wrong with the take per se, but the paradigm is 1.5 years out of date and I think most of us understand that change(s) started happening as early as the '24 offseason when the window of '22 - '23 was officially over.

Here at the end of the '25 offseason there's been an entire shift which should continue through '26 and '27.

- You stopped trading away draft picks and stood firm in '24 and '25 drafting developmental BPA picks.
- You added more coaches to the offensive ranks.
- You hired a new DC and have successfully kept him in place for a 2nd year.
- You successfully replaced the Center you lost to career-ending injury.
- You drafted, groomed and are set to insert your new LT who even has some starting experience from '24.
- You've acquired and are set to insert your new LG/RG.
- You've drafted WR & RB talent through the last 2 Drafts to help replace 1st generation starters.
- You signed a QB for '24-'26 because he seemed like the best option over that 3-yr window and you're working thru that.
- You drafted multiple (R1) players along your D-front.
- You brought in new LBs who've been okay.
- You've begun what will eventually turn into a complete rebuild of the secondary.



Talking about the need to do things is fine, but 1.5 years into the evolutionary process, I think the focus should be on the new information we have about where Ross, Grier, McDaniel and Weaver are taking things. We've seen a lot over the last 1.5 years and this is a very new team as a result!

There's plenty to discuss. I don't think legacy media (or Chris Perkins) really want to get into it. Instead, these type of people / outlets lean on the same old tired cliche talking points we heard at the end of '23...McDaniel is too soft, Tua is a stat queen, there's too much DC/scheme turnover, etc.

That national / legacy media guys just get stuck arguing about where things used to be. They don't cover the small things, thus they don't really cover the team at all. They won't have anything to say until long after all these moves have solidified and it's already plain to see what worked and didn't.

They. Are. Reactionary.

Well, we will see. The the Dolphins go into Indy and once again allow Anthony Richardson free purchase of huge chunks of rushing yards, we will have at least a hint of how this team was prepared. If they deliver some hits in Richardson that at least discourages further attempts, especially late in the game, that would be progress.
BTW, in no way has Brewer approached the effectiveness of Previous center Connor Williams. IMO.

 

[NCFINFAN13]

I agree with Perkins on most of the article. Flores being the exception. With that said, "The nice guys are all over there, in seventh place" [Nice guys finish last]" - Leo Durocher.

 

[Finsup1981]

Well, we will see. The the Dolphins go into Indy and once again allow Anthony Richardson free purchase of huge chunks of rushing yards, we will have at least a hint of how this team was prepared. If they deliver some hits in Richardson that at least discourages further attempts, especially late in the game, that would be progress.
BTW, in no way has Brewer approached the effectiveness of Previous center Connor Williams. IMO.

Brewer also had Eich and Jones as his guards all year…Williams had Eich sometimes but he also had Hunt etc, so that has to be factored in to their performance. Let’s judge Brewer after he gets a chance to play next to Savaiinaea and Daniels.

 

[Golphindolphin]

Agree with you that most of these things are in the process of being addressed but we have yet to see the payoff. The main concern I have is McDaniels practice habits, I haven’t seen the necessary changes I thought we’d see and that he would realize we need.

Maybe we should reserve judgement on what is and what isn't changing at practice for a bit. After all, the upcoming minicamp is the first time this offseason that the players can even wear helmets to practice. I get it, we're all anxious to see progress, but it's really tough to gauge this early, even moreso with the local media contingent (our eyes and ears) giggling, sniffing each other's farts and planning their next podcast collab while trying to watch practice. It's tough to be a multi-media star when you're not even really that good at your day job.

 

[Finsup1981]

Maybe we should reserve judgement on what is and what isn't changing at practice for a bit. After all, the upcoming minicamp is the first time this offseason that the players can even wear helmets to practice. I get it, we're all anxious to see progress, but it's really tough to gauge this early, even moreso with the local media contingent (our eyes and ears) giggling, sniffing each other's farts and planning their next podcast collab while trying to watch practice. It's tough to be a multi-media star when you're not even really that good at your day job.

I’m willing to wait and see, but the first chance he had he didn’t pass with the OTAs, which granted isn’t as important as training camp and practice but I’m waiting to see if these guys are staying late, the intensity of the practices, and if he’s giving out vet rest days like candy again.

 

[Etuoo33]

We need guy's like Bryan Cox who challenged the whole Barfalo sideline, Don McNeal, Jake Scott, and Kuchenberg who played with broken bones. Manny Fernandez who caught the Gator they put in Shula's shower. Timbo Bowens who told Denver's OL if they cut block any of our guys it would be their @$$es. Guy's who would fight at the drop of a hat and do the dropping, anytime. Then you need to drive them to all want, and work for the ring. As far as the 6/10 OTA's, you only get 10 hours. It might be better to have 6 one and 1/2 hour ones than 10 one hour ones.

 

[circumstances]

so "well run" teams that get "frustrated and angry" that they didn't advance in the playoffs don't try to retain their best players and re-sign them if they can?

if the dolphins lose in the playoffs and then sign players to new contracts, it somehow means we value stats and rankings over winning in the playoffs?

wtf perk? you on crack?

 

[Finsup1981]

We need guy's like Bryan Cox who challenged the whole Barfalo sideline, Don McNeal, Jake Scott, and Kuchenberg who played with broken bones. Manny Fernandez who caught the Gator they put in Shula's shower. Timbo Bowens who told Denver's OL if they cut block any of our guys it would be their @$$es. Guy's who would fight at the drop of a hat and do the dropping, anytime. Then you need to drive them to all want, and work for the ring. As far as the 6/10 OTA's, you only get 10 hours. It might be better to have 6 one and 1/2 hour ones than 10 one hour ones.

Exactly, guys that don’t give an inch…sometimes though, those guys are assholes and it seems we avoid them and draft the nice guys. Same reason we would’ve passed on Parsons if we didn’t trade up from 12 and why we drafted Wilkins over Simmons etc

Gotta take some risks on talent like that.

 

[Golphindolphin]

I’m willing to wait and see, but the first chance he had he didn’t pass with the OTAs, which granted isn’t as important as training camp and practice but I’m waiting to see if these guys are staying late, the intensity of the practices, and if he’s giving out vet rest days like candy again.

What exactly didn't he "pass"? The players were even taking it upon themselves to go out and put in extra time practicing on their own after the OTA was concluded, installing what they were taught, when coaches are not allowed to be out there per the rules of the CBA. Multiple players mentioned it as being a change from years past. Not ball-busting here, I'm just confused at what you are specifically saying McDaniel did or did not do that you wanted to hear about him doing.