As the Miami Dolphins prepare to face the New York Jets, several players and coaches are confronting key adjustments across the roster, highlighted by dramatic improvements in efficiency, injury updates, and subtle shifts in team leadership.
Running back Ollie Gordon II has experienced a sharp upward trajectory in his second professional season. After finishing his rookie campaign with one of the NFL’s lowest per-carry averages at 2.8 yards, Gordon has raised that mark to 5.0 yards per carry on 47 attempts this year. Only five players with at least 40 carries have averaged more yards per rush, while his 3.38 yards after contact rank among the top nine running backs with similar workloads. Gordon attributes the turnaround not to receiving a steady rhythm, but to a heightened practice standard implemented by new running backs coach Ladell Betts. According to Gordon, finishing runs has become a non-negotiable daily expectation. Team observers note that a new coaching staff under Jeff Hafley has successfully instilled an immediate sense of urgency that players felt was missing during the final year of the previous regime.
In the receiving corps, Chris Bell offered candid self-assessment regarding his slow start. Having returned to football just a week before the season following a torn ACL sustained at Louisville last November, Bell has accumulated five catches for 92 yards across five games and three starts, though he has zero receptions over his last two outings. Bell admitted that rebuilding his confidence is his primary obstacle, noting that once his confidence returns, he believes he will be unstoppable. Reviewing game tape, Bell also observed that he occasionally runs with a slight limp despite feeling no discomfort. He expressed enthusiasm about reuniting on the field with teammate Caleb Douglas, who is set to return Sunday after missing three games with an ankle injury.
Injury designations ahead of the Jets matchup present a mixed outlook for Miami. Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. is listed as questionable due to an illness but stated Friday that he feels better and expects to play. Safety Kyle Louis is also questionable with a knee injury, requiring the Dolphins to activate him from injured reserve within the next 19 days to retain his eligibility for the season. Meanwhile, defensive end Rob Beal is listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury, and cornerback Reese Taylor has been ruled out with a quadriceps injury. The Jets listed running back Breece Hall as questionable due to a quadriceps issue.
Special teams saw a familiar face return this week when kicker Zane Gonzalez joined the practice squad following the release of Riley Patterson. Gonzalez previously competed against Patterson in the preseason before being waived with an injury settlement on August 19. Gonzalez noted that preliminary discussions at the time left the door open for a potential return. After winning a five-kicker audition on Tuesday, Gonzalez brings veteran credentials, including connecting on 7 of 9 attempts from 50 yards or more last season for the Atlanta Falcons.
On the defensive side, rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez has drawn praise for his approach despite anchoring his position with 57 tackles early in the year. Run defense coach Joe Barry remarked that Rodriguez’s rigorous preparation and professional maturity are exceptionally rare for a first-year player. Rodriguez stated that he remains focused on technical refinements, specifically improving his hand and body placement to better shed blocks.
Off the field, the team’s ownership structure underwent a minor adjustment. NFL owners approved the purchase of a 2.1% stake in the franchise by Chilean billionaire businessman Jean Eric Salata. Salata acquired 2% from majority owner Stephen Ross and bought out singer and actor Marc Anthony’s 0.1% minority interest. Anthony’s departure leaves singer Fergie and tennis icons Serena and Venus Williams as the remaining celebrity minority owners alongside other institutional and individual stakeholders.
