Jul 23, 2025; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins guard Austin Jackson (73) speaks to reporters during training camp at Baptist Health Training Complex. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Important Lesson the Dolphins Learned from the Stanley Cup Champions

Originally posted on Miami Dolphins on SI
By Scott Salomon | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito and forward Matthew Tkachuk stopped by the Miami Dolphins practice facility over the summer and brought the Stanley Cup with them. The two addressed the Dolphins' squad about what it takes to win a championship.

They both said it takes good team chemistry and having a close locker room to rise to the top and win a championship.

The message was not lost on Dolphins general manager Chris Grier. Grier is hoping the Dolphins chemistry is better this season than it was in 2024 when they failed to make the playoffs for the first time in the Mike McDaniel era.

“Bill and Matthew Tkachuk came over and talked about how the uniqueness and closeness of a locker room is so important," Grier said. "So hearing that again just kind of reiterated everything that we’ve been talking to the players about, about spending time together."

TEN-DAY ROAD TRIP BROUGHT TEAM TOGETHER

The Dolphins were building chemistry when they took to the road for 10 days this preseason as they conducted joint practices and played preseason games against the Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions. The team spent all that time together.

Grier said they became closer and it brought the team together. They were building unity, which will make them stronger later in the season.

"You’ve heard players talk about the 10-day road trip, how they weren’t fired up and then after, they’re like, ‘It was the greatest thing that ever happened. We truly loved it and had a really good time in getting closer,’ " Grier said. "So that’s what I’m excited about, that these guys are all going to play for each other and try to win football games. It’s not about individuals, it’s about winning as a team.”

JACKSON LIKES WHAT HE SEES EVERY DAY AT PRACTICE

Offensive tackle Austin Jackson has been injured and missed the games against Chicago and Detroit. He believes the work put in locally every day brings the team together.

Chemistry is built through doing things right and not just doing the bare minimum to get through a drill. He likes what he sees every day in the building.

“Well, first things first, I think it starts here at work. I think every day we come in here with the right mentality, competing, not going through the motions," Jackson said. "I think we do a great job as a team competing and challenging each other and doing it daily, not just one day, but consistently. That’s the biggest thing for us, if we come in here and do the hard stuff now consistently, we’ll be really happy with what we can do.”

BROOKS BELIEVES THIS DOLPHINS TEAM HAS GREAT CHEMISTRY

Linebacker Jordyn Brooks said this Dolphins team is the closest team he has ever been on. He said the bonds between the players are strong and everything the team does is intentional and for a reason.

“Y’all see those basketball goals in here? That’s part of the chemistry. We’re just kind of doing everything we can just to get that tight knit and all the teams I’ve been on even the four years I was in Seattle and my second year here, this has been the closest," said Brooks, a former Seattle Seahawks first-round pick who's headed into his sixth NFL season. "I think it’s because it’s been intentional but also natural. It hasn’t been, ‘Hey, you go hang out with him today, you go hangout with him.’ It’s just been a natural bond of guys wanting to win and building that chemistry so it can show up on the field.”

GRIER SAID GUYS ARE DOING THE EXTRA WORK TO BUILD CHEMISTRY

Grier echoed Brooks' statements and said guys are working harder and doing more than just going through the motions.

“With the culture, like I said, when you bring in so many new players that have been stars that played other places and you kind of work through it, you have your expectations, but you’re winning. But you look at it and you’re like, hey, I don’t know if we’re winning the right way. You know what I mean? That’s kind of what it was," Grier said. "We had a lot of good guys in that locker room, as you know, some of the guys that are leaders were here before as well. They were held accountable, but at times guys, it didn’t matter to them.

"Moving on from those people with the right guys here and focusing on that, because when you have a year like we did last year, we had gone to the playoffs the two previous years, and at some point you say, OK. All right, enough is enough," Grier said. "We just missed the playoffs by a game last year, that’s not good enough. The whole goal was to win a lot more games than we did last year, so this is our time now in terms of doing everything to move forward.”