The Miami Dolphins were shut out on the AFC Pro Bowl roster, the AP All-Pro teams, and most recently the All-AFC team selected by the Professional Football Writers of America.
That’s what can happen for team that misses the playoffs for the first time in three seasons and became somewhat forgotten after a miserable 2-6 start.
But the Dolphins were in playoff contention until the final Sunday of the regular season and they did go 6-3 in their final nine games, so it’s not like they didn’t do anything.
And now it’s time to recognize the players most responsible for getting to eight wins, as we offer our list of the top 10 Dolphins players for the 2024 season.
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We clearly have to go with Sieler as the top choice considering he was voted team MVP by the South Florida and got my vote there. From this vantage point, Sieler was the most consistent performer on the team all season and it may not be a coincidence that the two games where the defense failed the offense down the stretch — against the Arizona Cardinals and the Buffalo Bills — were the two games that Sieler missed because of his freaky eye injury.
Yep, we’re going to defensive lineman and defensive lineman for our top two. Campbell didn’t have Sieler’s sack numbers but he was almost as effective in the pass rush in terms of pressures and also was a force against the run.
We don’t usually put kickers that high on this kind of list, but Sanders was nothing short of brilliant this season, particularly in the second half of the season. He also came through in the clutch and from long distance, and only Pittsburgh’s Chris Boswell having an even more remarkable year kept him from earning Pro Bowl and/or All-Pro honors.
Achane became the absolute focal point of the offense in 2024 and delivered pretty consistently in the passing game, with some moments in the run game even if he wasn’t able to come close to his absurd per-carry average of his rookie year.
The Dolphins got their best linebacker play in several years thanks to Brooks, who was a smash in his first season after arriving as a free agent signing. He’s another one who played his best football in the second half of the season.
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The Dolphins finally got major production out of the tight end position thanks to Smith, who became a force for the passing game after a slow start. In the end, he gave the Dolphins exactly what everyone hoped he would.
This might not have been a season quite up to the very high standards Ramsey has set in terms of coverage, but it’s his overall contributions for the defense that must be evaluated here. Ramsey made an impact in run support and with his blitzing.
Tagovailoa produced a passer rating over 100 for a third consecutive season and led the NFL in completion percentage, though the offense became a dink-and-dunk attack with very shots down the field. It still worked for most of the second half of the season because of how efficient Tagovailoa, particularly on third down, before a late-season slide and then the hip injury. Tua missing six games couldn’t get him much higher than this on the list.
It was another season battling injuries for Armstead, but he wound up with his highest game total in his three seasons in Miami. And, as always, he usually was pretty good when he was in the lineup.
The last spot was a tough choice, but we’re going here with Kohou, who also easily would get the nod for most improved player. After a very unimpressive 2023 season, Kohou was very good this season either in the slot or outside when Kendall Fuller was out with injuries. His passer rating when targeted was an impressive 79.3, per Pro Football Reference, after it was an unsightly 131.0 last season. Let’s also remember that Kohou, with help from Campbell, helped clinch the Week 16 victory against the 49ers with an interception.
MIAMI – Fans, celebrities and media flocked to Nu Stadium on Saturday to experience opening night at Inter Miami CF’s brand new, soccer-specific venue.
The Herons were up for the occasion, throwing an epic housewarming party capped by a 2-2 comeback draw against Austin FC.
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Club legends Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez provided the goals that paced Miami to a dramatic start to life in their new home.
“Today, it’s clear that for the last 20 to 25 minutes, we took a lot of risks,” head coach Javier Mascherano told reporters post-match.
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“But we’re at home. We’re MLS [Cup] champions, and we have to show it.”
Electric atmosphere
The Herons went all out to make Nu Stadium’s opening match one to remember, christening their state-of-the-art Downtown Miami digs with fireworks and rousing pre-game speeches from co-owners Jorge Mas and David Beckham.
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Famed Miami resident and four-time Grammy Award winner Marc Anthony then belted out a stirring rendition of the national anthem, setting the stage for 90-plus minutes of non-stop chanting, cheering, and drumming from the sellout crowd of 26,700.
“It was beautiful. A sold-out crowd of people who made the effort to come and see us. And honestly, they cheered us from beginning to end,” said defender Maxi Falcón.
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“For them to welcome us like that, with today’s spectacle, it was beautiful for us.”
That electric atmosphere helped the Herons recover quickly from Guilherme Biro’s sixth-minute opener for Austin, with Messi responding four minutes later to score Miami’s first-ever goal at their new home with a precise header.
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A similar scenario played out in the second half, with fans spurring the Herons on as Suárez came off the bench to cancel out Jayden Nelson’s go-ahead strike by rifling home from close range in the 82nd minute.
Nu Stadium briefly erupted in pandemonium after Suárez appeared to score a last-gasp winner, only for the goal to be called off.
“On the field, you could definitely feel the atmosphere – especially when you score a goal to tie it up late,” said goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair.
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“We pushed for the winner as well, and we felt that the crowd was really with us and pushing and kind of suffocating them.”
World-class venue
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While Saturday’s draw wasn’t the result they wanted, Inter Miami can take pride in boasting one of the best sporting venues in the world, according to MLS Commissioner Don Garber.
“They’ve done the unthinkable. The stadium is spectacular, it’s breathtaking,” Garber said. “Jose and Jorge [Mas] spoke to me this morning and they said, ‘I wish I could be with you when you walk in because it will take your breath away.’ And it did. It’s absolutely spectacular.”
“It feels to me like a building that can rival any sports facility anywhere in the world. Not just soccer stadiums, but any sports building. I’m very proud of them.”
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For Mas, the venue that anchors the broader Miami Freedom Park project could launch the club to transformative heights.
“Today we’re home,” Mas told the crowd during his pre-game speech. “I think this is a personification of what’s possible. I think it’s an amazing stadium, an amazing environment.
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“And, listen, our goal is to lift trophies and win championships, and I think this will be a proper home to do that with and for our fans.”
Made in Miami
Saturday’s match carried extra meaning for Miami beyond the outcome.
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After six years playing 30 miles to the north in Fort Lauderdale, the Herons are now officially setting roots in Miami proper.
“[For the] fans to be able to have a permanent home where they know they’ll be here,” said St. Clair. “So I think for us, you just want to be able to reward the fans and give them wins and show them the effort. And be willing to do everything for the badge and for the club.”
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Beckham, who helped plant the seeds of Inter Miami over a decade ago, was especially proud.
“To see this stadium come to life after years and years of trying to get this stadium up and running in Miami is something very special,” said the England and LA Galaxy legend. “I came to America and the MLS 20 years ago and I made a lot of promises. And 13 years ago, I made a lot of promises again, announcing that I was coming to Miami.
“And today is just a dream come true for us.”
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In with the Nu
With Nu Stadium’s first match in the books, Inter Miami are looking to build on the legacy they’ve already created with MLS Cup 2025, 2024 Supporters’ Shield and Leagues Cup 2023 titles.
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“I think the favorite part is still to come,” said Mas. “Everything to now has been frankly extremely stressful, the last few months. But I think the culmination of lifting an MLS Cup, us together here in December, would be a great shining cap off to an amazing year.”
Miami’s players, meanwhile, are more focused on the short-term.
“We’re a little bitter about not taking all three points because we know we’re a strong team,” said Falcón.
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“…. We showed it last year, especially towards the end of the season. We have to get back to that, get our heads together and prepare well for our next game.”
A driver was detained in Northwest Miami-Dade on Saturday after being accused of striking a deputy’s vehicle during a fatal crash investigation, authorities said
According to the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, at around 11:55 p.m. on Friday, a vehicle crashed into a tree on Northwest 135th Street and 57th Avenue, where it caught on fire.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived at the scene, extinguished the flames, and the driver was pronounced dead.
Their identity was not released.
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During the investigation, deputies blocked the intersection when a vehicle went through the intersection and struck a cruiser.
MDSO said the cruiser sustained damage, and the deputy had minor injuries and was treated at the scene.
The driver was then detained.
No arrests have been made as the investigation remains active.
