

It was Day 9 of the training camp, and the Dolphins were back on the field, in front of season-ticket holders. But when Jaelan Phillips gingerly walked off the field on Saturday, halfway through the practice, there was a justified cause for alarm. They remember the linebacker’s premature exits from the 2023 season (Achilles tendon) and 2024 season (right knee ACL). Not to forget, it all adds to the pressure on HC Mike McDaniel, whose team has not had a smooth off-season. Austin Jackson and Alec Ingold are facing time on the sidelines. And though Phillips has provided an update, history can come back to haunt him and the D-Line.
Sunday saw the linebacker gingerly exit the gridiron during the 11-on-11 drills. While on the sidelines, he had his helmet in his hand as he was busy deciding whether he could jog. In the end, he decided against it and walked away to talk to a team trainer before disappearing into the team facility. At the Baptist Health Training Complex, a trainer stretched out Phillips’ leg first before moving to his knee. And while the player was seen walking with a small limp, he shared a positive update on the matter.
“I just got leg whipped, ya’all. Chill out. Just a bruise,” wrote the linebacker. Though his words echoed positivity, the team will be on pins. The one positive? It is in his left leg and is not a serious concern. It is essential that the player stays healthy, considering the team aims to build its strength around Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Chop Robinson this season. Phillip’s update can be seen as a positive update for the team. Meanwhile, there is another player who has come back from his injury.
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On Saturday, center Aaron Brewer finally returned to practice after missing the team’s first eight training camp sessions. He did most of the team’s 11-on-11 work. His absence had created uncertainty along the offensive line, making his return a welcome sight for coaches evaluating depth and continuity up front.
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However, the most fascinating aspect of practice was watching Tua Tagovailoa embrace his role as the team’s vocal leader. Last week, the quarterback made waves by publicly calling out Tyreek Hill’s behavior from the end of last season, when he said he wanted out of South Florida. Tagovailoa didn’t mince words about Hill needing to rebuild relationships with teammates after essentially quitting on the team when things got tough.

USA Today via Reuters
Nov 24, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel talks with linebacker Jaelan Phillips (15) after an apparent injury during the second half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
In response, Hill accepted his mistake on Friday. “I think Tua’s comments were needed. He’s obviously the leader of our team, he sets the standard,” Hill said. “I’m just trying to be the best teammate, best version of myself for this team I can be every day. Showing up to meetings, coming out here every day, busting my tail at practice.”
Instead of pushing back against criticism, he embraced the feedback. But he isn’t the only player with a change in mentality. QB Tagovailoa, too, has experienced a shift. He focuses on specific technical elements in practice, acknowledging that some days he falls short of his private goals despite posting clean numbers.
“I’m not really basing it off of what the result is or isn’t for myself in this training camp. I have about two or three things max that I have for myself that I’m focusing on for each practice that I do out there. I can tell you two of the three things I did not do really well today. So that’s what I’m saying. It’s not result-oriented, because I know for myself what I wanted to get done, and I wasn’t able to get that done today,” he said on Wednesday.
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What a fake headline.. makes seem like he got hurt..fake click bate
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When Tua Tagovailoa’s struggle with perfectionism paid off
Nobody saw it coming when the Miami Dolphins‘ usually reserved quarterback finally erupted last season. The team was getting embarrassed by Jacksonville. They were trailing 7-17 at halftime. That’s when Tua Tagovailoa shed his quiet persona and demanded accountability from his teammates in the locker room. He pushed the veterans to play at a higher level.
The transformation was immediate and dramatic. Miami stormed back to beat Jacksonville 20-17, racking up 400 total yards in the process. That halftime speech marked a pivotal moment in Tua Tagovailoa’s evolution as the franchise quarterback they’d always hoped he could become. HC Mike McDaniel has watched his quarterback grow methodically each season since arriving in Miami. Now entering his fourth year under McDaniel, Tagovailoa hopes for better results.
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USA Today via Reuters
FILE PHOTO: Jul 24, 2024; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws the football during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
“Each and every time he’s on the field, he’s finding a way to get better just by how he attacks it, regardless of the result on the field,” McDaniel said in May. “Touchdown or pick, he’s utilizing that rep, and that’s what I’m asking of him this offseason.” The team hopes that all this hard work results in a better 2025 season. What do you think?
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Is Tua Tagovailoa finally the leader Miami needs, or is it just another false dawn?