Despite limited playing time, new Dolphins safety Ashtyn Davis has made the most of his opportunities, snagging eight interceptions in just 22 starts over five seasons with the New York Jets.
Meeting with the Miami media for the first time this past week, Davis was asked what fuels his playmaking ability. Looking back on his position switch at California, the 2020 third-round pick credited former Dolphins assistant coach Gerald Alexander with shaping his ball-hawking instincts.
“‘G.A.’ was monumental in my development,” Davis said of their three seasons together at California. “I switched from corner to safety around the time that he got there, and the guy would meet with me every single day early in the morning and just got me right.”
Davis earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a junior, his first season at safety. He snagged four interceptions in 13 games, a jump from just one in 24 games at corner, while also tallying 56 tackles and five passes defended.
Advertisement
He carried that momentum into his senior season with the Golden Bears, landing on the second-team All-Pac-12 roster after career highs in tackles (57), forced fumbles (2), and fumble recoveries (2) in 2019.
“I had an amazing college coach that emphasized getting the football and made that a priority,” Davis said of Alexander. “Whether it’s a run or pass play, I’m just trying to get that football.”
Alexander’s playing career began as a 2007 second-round pick of the Detroit Lions. He spent five seasons in the league, playing two games with the Dolphins in 2011. He started his coaching journey as a student assistant at Arkansas State in 2013 and spent three seasons at California (2017-19). He returned to Miami in 2020 for two seasons as defensive backs coach under Brian Flores.
The Dolphins will be happy to no longer be facing Davis, who recorded four of his eight interceptions for the Jets against Miami. That included his one two-interception game, which came in the 2024 season finale at MetLife Stadium.
“That game was an interesting one,” Davis said. “It was the end of the year, and we knew our playoff hopes were obviously gone so we just went out there and had fun. I think on the second interception I pitched it to D.J. (Reed) and we’d been doing that in practice, they were not happy about it, but we just said we were going to go out there and have fun and we had a blast, and I think it showed. The whole defense was playing loose, and I think, I don’t know – that was definitely up there. That was probably my favorite game that I’ve played in in the league.”
Advertisement
The Dolphins added Davis and Ifeatu Melifonwu early in free agency after Jevon Holland agreed to a three-year deal with the New York Giants. Elijah Campbell also re-signed and Patrick McMorris, a sixth-round pick last season, remains in the mix. With 10 picks in the 2025 draft, Miami’s safety room is far from settled.
When asked if he’d help the younger players — specifically McMorris, who was also drafted out of Cal and whose brother was a college teammate — Davis said he plans to follow in Alexander’s footsteps as a mentor.
“I feel like that’s my role as a teammate, is to help other people, especially young guys figure it out in the league,” Davis said. “Your career here a lot of times is very short, so I think you want to maximize that, so I’m here to help guys.”
Semi-truck fire leads to heavy traffic on I-95 in Miami-Dade A semi-truck fire led to heavy traffic on I-95 in Miami-Dade on Friday morning.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
— A semi-truck fire shut down all southbound lanes of Interstate 95 early Friday morning in southeast Miami-Dade, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers and fire crews responded to the scene near Northwest 79th Street, where the truck was found engulfed in flames. Fire rescue units performed foam operations to extinguish the fire, and city crews also responded.
All regular southbound lanes of I-95 were closed as emergency crews worked the scene. Traffic was being diverted into the express lanes, allowing vehicles to move past the area, though congestion was reported.
Advertisement
Drivers heading southbound through the Little River area were advised to seek alternate routes, including U.S. 1 or U.S. 441, while crews continued operations.
No injuries were immediately reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
🏠 News From Your Neighborhood
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
Ryan Mackey
Ryan Mackey is a Digital Journalist at WPLG. He was born on Long Island, New York, and has lived in Sunrise, Florida since 1994.
Advertisement
Annaliese Garcia
Annaliese Garcia joined Local 10 News in January 2020. Born and raised in Miami, she graduated from the University of Miami, where she studied broadcast journalism. She began her career at Univision. Before arriving at Local 10, she was with NBC2 (WBBH-TV) covering Southwest Florida. She’s glad to be back in Miami!
MIAMI — They’re increasingly common on city streets across Miami, weaving through traffic and keeping pace with cars. E-bikes have become a popular and convenient way to get around, but the lithium-ion batteries that power them are now drawing increased scrutiny from fire officials concerned about safety.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue responds to dozens of incidents each month involving lithium-ion batteries.
“We average responding to 40 to 50 investigations a month,” said Capt. Gerard Forrester of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue.
As e-bike use continues to grow, Forrester said the batteries can quickly become dangerous, even when the bikes are not in motion and are simply charging.
Advertisement
Cellphone video captured firefighters battling an intense backyard fire that tore through a wooden shed in northeast Miami-Dade. Officials said the blaze illustrates how quickly lithium-ion battery fires can escalate.
“Sheds are not air-conditioned, and they get a couple hundred degrees and direct sunlight in Miami,” Forrester said.
Fire officials warn that storing or charging e-bikes near combustible materials can worsen the damage if a battery overheats.
“If you do have to leave it outside, don’t put it against the wall or any possible material near it, like paper or any kind of garbage that may, if it goes into thermal runaway, aid in the extension of the fire,” Forrester said.
A department demonstration shows how lithium batteries can overheat, particularly when exposed to direct sunlight.
Advertisement
“Direct sunlight is not the ideal thing,” Forrester said, adding that charging should be done carefully. “If you’re going to charge something, preferably it would be outside your garage.”
Earlier this month, fast-moving flames ripped through a duplex in the Brownsville neighborhood of northwest Miami-Dade. Investigators said an e-bike left charging inside the home is now at the center of the investigation.
“People are losing everything, and it’s devastating for our community,” Forrester said.
Fire officials emphasized that lithium-ion battery fires are especially difficult to extinguish.
“A lithium battery vehicle or electric vehicle — you dunk it in water, it’s still going to burn,” Forrester said.
Advertisement
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue continues urging residents to take precautions when storing and charging e-bikes to reduce the risk of fire.
🏠 News From Your Neighborhood
Copyright 2025 by WPLG Local10.com – All rights reserved.
