Dolphins Minicamp: Day One
The Miami Dolphins have officially kicked off their 2025 training camp, bringing renewed energy and high expectations to South Florida. Players and coaches arrived today with a clear focus on wiping away last season's disappointment, now entering this year with several new faces. With minicamp beginning today, the NFL world gets its first glimpse at which players are holding out due to contract or team disputes, while also watching rookies attempt to make a name for themselves. If you haven’t seen anything yet while scrolling your social media feed, here are some of the best stories from the first day.
Tua’s strong day
Tua Tagovailoa has faced scrutiny from the media throughout this NFL offseason after missing multiple games last year due to injury. On his first day of camp, Tagovailoa was delivering dimes, with one of the top highlights being a 40-yard touchdown. He worked the front side with a shoulder roll and pump fake, pulling an underneath defender out of the window before laying a perfect throw to Jaylen Waddle, who caught it in stride and showcased his lightning speed. Waddle and Tagovailoa were in sync all day, connecting on multiple flashy plays reminiscent of their past chemistry.
Tagovailoa ended his day answering questions from the media. When asked about staying focused this season, the 27-year-old quarterback emphasized the importance of staying on the field. “Like I said before in the past, nothing changes. Knowing when to give up on plays—I would say my longevity on the field is more important than one play.” The Dolphins have had to rely on backup quarterbacks over the past few seasons due to Tua’s injury history, having missed 14 games in his NFL career. He wrapped up his media availability with a strong statement: “There is a culture shift. I feel it just as much as everyone that’s been here since I got into the league… I really do feel in my heart this is a change of scenery.” It’ll be interesting to see how the rest of the offseason unfolds, especially with looming drama surrounding Tyreek Hill and other key players.
An interesting podium outing for Mike McDaniel
Head coach Mike McDaniel had an eventful afternoon fielding questions from the media. For starters, he was met with several inquiries about the Jalen Ramsey situation, to which he bluntly responded, “I don’t give a s**t what I feel.” As expected, that quote was quickly taken out of context and circulated online, adding even more drama to an already tense trade situation. McDaniel answered several more questions, including one about Tua’s health: “I—like everyone else—really want him to be healthy… you have a franchise QB, you want him to play, not hang out with me on the sidelines.” This season will be critical for McDaniel and his coaching staff, who may be on the hot seat if the Dolphins fall short again.
Who missed camp?
Opening day of minicamp is always a time when the media closely monitors who is, and isn’t, on the field. The Dolphins had two players absent due to ongoing contract disputes: Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. Both are expected to be on the move in the coming weeks, so their absence came as no surprise. One of the biggest surprises, however, was the presence of wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who participated in individual drills and caught passes despite swirling off-field issues. In other news, defensive end Zach Sieler returned to camp and is expected to participate in some capacity after being absent from OTAs. With the first day in the books, Miami looks to build off an efficient start as the season begins to ramp up.
