S Jordan Poyer Claims The Miami Dolphins Would ‘Fold’ Under Pressure

A day after veteran safety Jordan Poyer elicited national headlines for saying that during his seven-year stint with the Buffalo Bills, he felt that the Dolphins would “fold” under pressure, Miami head coach Mike McDaniel seemed to take no offense to the statement.

“Poyer is here because of the player he is and the leader he is, and I think he recognizes the leadership opportunity that he has here,” McDaniel said. “I’m very open and upfront and aggressive with, to me, when I see realities. Realities are the past does not predict the future.

“But for Jordan Poyer to talk to his teammates, whether that’s directly and saying the same thing that he’s told all of them in the media, I think it’s important to understand where things come from. To understand that when you don’t win football games down the stretch, when you don’t win playoff games, when you don’t win Super Bowls, those things will be said.

“The challenge is understanding what it is and actually doing something about it today. So to me, it doesn’t surprise me. I think we’re in a business where it’s very cut and dry there. You’re either finding reasons for success or reason for failure, and there’s nothing in between. I talk about all that because it’s really not a big deal.”

Poyer, 33, a four-year captain for the Bills, signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins this offseason for a reported $2 million ($500,000 guaranteed). He indeed owned bragging rights over the Dolphins as the Bills won 13 out of 15 games against Miami while he had the bison on his helmet.

In 2022, the Bills handed the Dolphins a heartbreaking 34-31 Wild Card playoff loss. Last season, the Bills clinched the AFC East title when they dealt Miami a regular season-ending 21-17 loss that forced the Dolphins to play the Wild Card game in frigid Kansas City against the eventual Super Bowl champion Chiefs. That dismal 26-7 loss extended Miami’s streak of not winning a playoff game to 24 years.

Although Poyer has yet to clarify his comments, he was possibly attempting to motivate his new teammates when he delivered his controversial answer during his media session on Tuesday, the first day that veterans reported.

“I think just sharing the experience playing against this team over the past few years, you get a sense of, you know, if you get on top of this team, they might fold,’” Poyer said, responding to a question about sharing his wisdom over a 12-year career with his new teammates.

“There are some teams that are — this is just being honest, so what is that that happens in those moments where we get hit in the mouth? It’s like, ‘Hey, we’re good, let’s bounce back. It’s a 60-minute game. It’s a long game. I’ve been in games I’ve been up 24 points and end up losing. I’ve been in games we were down 21 points and won, so it’s continuing to just play the game.”

The Bills have won four consecutive AFC East titles and have gone 12-2 in December and January over the past two seasons. Conversely, the Dolphins have gone 4-10 in December and January under McDaniel, including 1-7 on the road.

“I told the guys I played with before that I don’t care if you give up the first down; I don’t care if you give up a touchdown; it’s the next play,” said Poyer, who has 24 career interceptions (none last season), four seasons of 100 or more tackles, and made the Pro Bowl in 2022.

“You have to keep playing. It’s a long game. That’s been instilled in me over the 12 years that I’ve played. There will be some ups and downs, so you got to handle adversity or handle what’s thrown at you. Usually, the teams that can handle those moments within a game, within a season, those are usually the teams you see in the playoffs at the end of the season.”

Poyer, who has battled various injuries, said he feels the healthiest he has been in a few years and is excited to play for a former bitter rival.

“It’s just life,” said Poyer, who played for the Browns before the Bills and was there in 2014 when McDaniel was the receivers coach. “I always have a saying. It is what it is. It ain’t what it ain’t. It feels amazing to be down here. I’ve been a fan from the other side of this team ever since I’ve been in Buffalo. Seeing this team grow on and off the field, knowing some of the players here, knowing [McDaniel], it’s just a really cool opportunity for me to come here and be the best version of myself and help this team in football games.”

“I don’t really have a reaction to it,” said seven-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jalen Ramsey when asked about Poyer’s comments. “I only played him one time when I was on the Dolphins and he was on another team, so it doesn’t really do anything for me or move me in any way. Also, last year’s team is different than last year’s team in a lot of different ways, including not having him on the team. …

“This is Day One, so we’ve got to build our identity. We’ve got to go through a lot of things during this camp, a lot of growing pains, hopefully some adversity, maybe even a couple of fights and good things like that to bring us closer, so we’ll see where it leads us.”