After first two Miami Dolphins training camp practices, players self-disciplined with conditioning sprints. Is it part of a culture change?
MIAMI GARDENS — After the first two training camp practices of the season, Miami Dolphins players ran on-field conditioning sprints.
It's just the latest example of Miami's 2025 focus on discipline.
"That's a way to for players to reemphasize the importance of doing the little things the right way," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said before the third practice. "And it's something that, you know, when you're looking at ways to improve your team, like right at the beginning of the controllables are the yards lost and you didn't do a play. Pre-snap penalties, those type of things."
There were too many penalties in the second Dolphins training camp practice. McDaniel has had officials at the first two practices, which is earlier than usual.
There were, in particular, too many pre-snap penalties.
Miami Dolphins training camp: players run post-practice sprints
McDaniel indicated he has empowered players to hold each other accountable by calling for the post-practice runs.
While post-practice running has occurred in McDaniel's tenure, this is early and often, and appears to be making a statement.
"The leaders of the locker room, they were put in charge of being the police after practice for all the things that the officials noted that were illegal," McDaniel said.
Are there other changes McDaniel can point to?
"Each and every year you're looking yourself in the mirror," he said. "Every year that I have experience with certain guys in the locker room, in the core of our locker room, I learn them and how to best impact them. So there is a lot. I couldn't list how many things we've changed, but I think that's kind of the way I hold myself and the rest of the coaching staff and the organization responsible, is that you are not just doing something to do it, or because you did it before, ever. That's not good enough."
Miami Dolphins' Mike McDaniel: We must look in mirror
Key words this Dolphins offseason — after a miss of the playoffs in 2024 — have included culture, focus, presence, punctuality and accountability.
"We're always assessing everything," McDaniel said. "There's a good amount that has changed. There's a good amount that stayed the same. You're evolving to people, and when the people buy in, you know you're headed in the right direction."
After the first practice of training camp, offensive tackle Austin Jackson was asked about the post-practice sprints.
“It’s something we as the players decided," Jackson said. "If we have pre-snap penalties, we’re going to punish ourselves for that. Things that are in our controllables – that’s what we call that. Pre-snap penalties, we can control that, so if you make the mistake in practice, we’re going to self-correct ourselves with a little disciplinary action.”
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at [email protected] and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins players punishing themselves with post-practice conditioning
Category: Football
