If Vic Fangio needs a reference for his next job, he better not count on Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland.
Just minutes after the Dolphins announced they had parted ways with Fangio after just one season, Holland posted the following Instagram story:
Jevon Hollands Instagram story of him kicking rocks minutes after dolphins part ways with Vic pic.twitter.com/njcJh1pSRD
— Dan Jablonski (@dan_jablonski) January 24, 2024
Yes, that’s Holland kicking rocks.
And in case you don’t get the reference, “kick rocks” is a saying that means “get the heck out.”
A Disconnect Between Vic Fangio and Miami Dolphins Players?
Now, it’s possible that Holland’s video had nothing to do with Fangio’s departure.
But it sure doesn’t seem likely.
Holland wasn’t alone in his not-so-veiled social media messages Wednesday.
Fellow Dolphins defensive back Cam Smith’s wordless post on X also spoke volumes:
🔓
— Cammmm ひ (@yjbcam) January 24, 2024
Translation: Unlocked.
Like Holland, Smith seems to be saying a lot by saying little.
Fangio isn’t for everyone. He’s a gruff, old-school coach who said his favorite part of the day was listening to “70s on 7” during his drive home from Dolphins HQ.
Our sense is that he, at times, didn’t relate to some of his players.
He certainly made some coaching decisions that ruffled feathers.
If anyone would have a grievance, it’s Smith.
The 2023 second-round pick landed in Fangio’s doghouse during his rookie training camp and never got out.
MORE: The Miami Dolphins Should Probably Trade Their First-Round Pick (Again)
Even when the Dolphins were running out of bodies at the cornerback position, Smith couldn’t sniff the field.
Fangio elected to play undrafted rookie Ethan Bonner over Smith when Eli Apple got hurt in the Dolphins’ Wild Card Round loss to the Chiefs.
Credit Smith for taking the high road the day after the season.
He didn’t go public with his frustrations.
“[The message was] just kind of making sure that I stayed the course,” Smith said last week. “In the end, I feel like it was kind of a good thing for me just making sure that I stayed down and kind of learned from everybody that was around me.
“I had some of the best vets in the world in front of me. So just kind of learning from them, picking their brain every day. It was just kind of best for me. But at the same time, I was frustrated; I was not feeling the whole situation at first, but in the end, I feel like it worked out great for me.”
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