MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — In the case of the blowtorch DeShon Elliott took to the Miami Dolphins and, by extension Mike McDaniel, on Marlon Humphrey’s podcast this week, two things can be true.
1. The Dolphins were not sufficiently tough during a 2023 season that went sideways.
2. Elliott isn’t exactly a neutral observer.
DeShon Elliott Calls Miami Dolphins ‘Soft’
The Dolphins gave Elliott, a hard-hitting safety currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers, a one-year audition for not much more than the league minimum. He was a liability in coverage, and then decided their defense was better without him than with him.
Elliott certainly brings an attitude to the defensive backfield. But he also tended to get roasted in then-coordinator Vic Fangio’s defense.
In 2023, DeShon Elliott allowed five touchdown passes, 18.6 yards per completion, and missed nine tackles while a member of the Dolphins.
Now, it’s fair to wonder if he was used appropriately in Miami. Certainly, he’s been better in Pittsburgh, but the Steelers have been smart enough not to ask him to cover outside the box (aDOT against is just 3.8).
But it’s also fair to say he was part of the problem and not the solution.
So with that context, here’s a recap of what Elliott said on the Punch Line with Marlon Humphrey ahead of the Steelers’ Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens:
“I haven’t been able to play against Baltimore the way I wanted to, because last year I played against a team that was soft as f—,” Elliott said.
“Oh my god, I can’t put that on there, that was pretty soft. There were some guys that were tough, but for the majority of the team, there was not mentally tough individuals. To be on a team with a full team of mentally tough guys to go against another mentally tough team, AFC North ball, it’s going to be fun.”
Mike McDaniel responds to DeShon Elliott’s comments pic.twitter.com/F7IYohnnIb
— Adam Beasley (@AdamHBeasley) November 13, 2024
As a reminder, the Dolphins still had a chance at the 1 seed when they went to Baltimore and got annihilated by the Ravens 56-19.
Does Mike McDaniel Deserve Blame?
And certainly, Elliott’s remarks aren’t in a vacuum. Tyreek Hill and Jordan Poyer have, in the last 12 months, made comments about a lack of toughness regarding the 2023 team.
That’s of course a reflection on the head coach. Here’s what Mike McDaniel said when asked about it Wednesday:
“I am supremely only concerned with the 2024 Dolphins. Every team’s ability to be mentally tough in the NFL season is definitely tried. And I think, case in point, some of the stuff that we’ve been going through, and our team played a tough-fought game the last three weeks and ended up finding a way to win this past week.
“And I think that’s not the easiest thing to do and just worried about this year’s team. And, yeah, it’s cool. You said on [a] podcast? Cool podcast.”
One other point about Elliott’s appearance on Punch Line:
He suggested the team essentially quit after blowing a late two-touchdown lead against the Titans in Week 14.
“We were a really good team, and then the injury bug hit us, we played the Titans,” Elliott said. “When we played Tennessee and lost to Tennessee, you can tell the heart and soul for that team disappeared.
“Guys started going out more. Guys started going to the strip club throughout the week. Guys started showing up to meetings late. You guys just tell the Miami culture is a reason why Miami will never be good. Miami will never be a good football team. The will never be good because of the Miami culture. They have great players.”
Last post got deleted so I’m reposting here.
Deshon Elliott talks about how the team gave up after Titans game last year and how the current culture will never allow Miami to be a tough football team.
Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/G66hyVXGR2
— Ghost of Adam Gase (@GhostOfAdamGase) November 13, 2024
Our question: Isn’t that more of an indictment on the players than the coaches? These are grown men. They’re not responsible for their own actions?
Certainly, McDaniel is trusting of his locker room — perhaps to a fault. And our sense is he’s taken a firmer hand in that regard in 2024.
“I’m always attempting to evolve based upon the needs of the team and what things work and what things don’t,” McDaniel said. “If I took like a still overlay of, you know, maybe the beginning this season, or the beginning last season or the year before, it’s probably different, because I’m always adjusting to the needs of the team.
“And when, when guys respond a certain way, in a positive fashion, the expected results, when guys respond to various different tactics, I look at it as kind of part of my job to just not always be X. There has been an evolution, how we go about business. But I would expect that each and every year, because the people change, but my job doesn’t.”