Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley wants his players and coaches to focus on what is in front of them, not what is being discussed on social media platforms.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins have heard plenty of noise already this offseason.
Whether it's criticism on social media, predictions about the AFC East, or constant debate surrounding the roster, outside opinions have followed the team throughout training camp.
First-year head coach Jeff Hafley isn't interested in any of that.
"This is a place where I want people to feel comfortable that what they can say is going to stay in the building and that's really important to me, just like pictures in our locker room or pictures in our space. I think it's a very private space," Hafley said after Friday's practice at the Baptist Health Training Complex.
So much has changed within the building, including a new general manager, head coach, quarterback, and key offensive and defensive players. With those changes have come a lot of outside noise in terms of expectations for the Miami organization.
Expectations can be a dangerous thing in the NFL, especially when it comes to attempting to predict which team may have a successful season.
With the outside noise and sheer negativity that can exist on social media, Hafley spoke about the number of players that he has had to deal with that were impacted in a significant way due to social media attacks.
"When I have one-on-one meetings with guys, I mean, going back to college, there's so many guys that would come in my office and I'd be like, 'What's going on, man? What's wrong?' And it's social media. Guys are destroying them. Guys are beating them up," Hafley said.
"The whole world's telling them they can't play, and that's when you really have to pick guys up and you try to tell guys to stay off of it and not listen," Hafley added.
Hafley emphasized that confidence is built through preparation, practice and trust within the locker room rather than opinions from people outside the organization.
Coach Hafley's players perform at their best when they focus on teammates and coaches instead of reacting to every comment posted online.
Training camp has featured fierce competition across several position groups as veterans and newcomers compete for roster spots.
Hafley said those battles should be decided by performance on the practice field and in preseason games, not by public perception or outside expectations.
The Dolphins are set to host a stadium practice Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium at 10 a.m. ET, with Hafley noting, “We’ll see,” when asked whether the Dolphins will tackle during the practice.
While expectations remain low entering the season, Hafley hopes his players embrace the challenge by concentrating on daily improvement instead of headlines.
Hafley believes consistent effort, attention to detail and strong relationships inside the building will ultimately determine Miami’s success, not what is written behind a screen and keyboard.
