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Dolphins coach calls out struggling budding star defender: ‘We know better’

Originally posted on NFL Analysis Network | By Jake Elman | Last updated Oct 24, 2025 1:01 PM ET

Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver didn’t hold back in criticizing second-year pass-rusher Chop Robinson amid the club’s 1-6 start.

Robinson impressed in the back half of his rookie season, tallying six sacks and 13 quarterback hits over Miami’s final 10 games. However, that success hasn’t carried into 2025, as he’s only recorded a sack and two tackles for loss.

“There’s flashes where, ‘Yeah, this is how you want it,’ then there’s times where you’re like, ‘Ah, come on, man. We know better. We’ve got to do better,’” Weaver told reporters.

Weaver went one step further, acknowledging Robinson’s “inconsistencies” when defending the run.

For his part, the 22-year-old Robinson replied that he’s “not really stressing” about the early struggles, nor the fact that his snaps per game have dropped from 33.2 to 24.7.

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“It’s definitely different because during a game, you get a rhythm of the tackle — how he’s setting you,” Robinson said. “Because what you see on tape is kind of different than how they actually set against you.”

Chop Robinson is only one of many struggling Dolphins

Although the expectation was always that Robinson would come off the bench behind Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips, few would have guessed his production would drop off so significantly. Robinson played well enough down the stretch that he finished fifth in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting, yet he’s taken a massive step back.

Pro Football Focus ranks Robinson 108th out of 113 qualified EDGE rushers entering Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. Keep in mind that his strong second half allowed him to finish 39th of 121 as a rookie.

If there’s any consolation for Robinson, at least he’s not alone among Dolphins players suffering through a brutal 2025 campaign. Embattled quarterback Tua Tagovailoa leads the league with 10 interceptions, and concerns are quickly mounting regarding his long-term future in Miami.

Elsewhere, the Dolphins have failed to find a reliable second running back option behind De’Von Achane. If you’re confused about how Mike McDaniel’s club has lost six of seven and essentially has no playoff hopes, consider that they’ve already blown three fourth-quarter leads.

That’s not us being unnecessarily harsh, by the way. NFL Media considers the Dolphins’ playoff chances to be under 1%, and that number would only increase to 2% with a victory on Sunday. The 1-6 Tennessee Titans and the winless New York Jets are the only other clubs with sub-zero playoff odds.

This article first appeared on NFL Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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