Dolphins Notebook: Hall Nominees, Duck, Minkah, and More

The multi-process to determine the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026 has begun, and the first step involved nine former Miami Dolphins players.

The Hall of Fame has announced the list of 162 players nominated for the Class of 2026 in the Seniors category, which involved those whose career ended no later than the 2000 season.

The nine former Dolphins players nominated this week were QB Earl Morrall, RB Mercury Morris, WR Mark Clayton, WR Mark Duper, TE Keith Jackson, OL Bob Kuechenberg, DE Bill Stanfill, and safeties Dick Anderson and Jake Scott.

The Seniors Screening Committee, an entity created in 2025 to add additional input around the overall selection process, will reduce the list to 50 players (plus ties, if any, for the 50th spot) over the next few weeks. The separate Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee then will make additional reductions in several increments. In late fall, the Seniors Blue-Ribbon Committee will select three Seniors as Finalists for possible election with the Class of 2026.

The Hall of Fame likely will be announcing the modern-day finalists before the end of the month.

STICKING UP FOR STORM

One big question around the first touchdown given up by the Dolphins defense during the 33-8 loss at Indianapolis was whether it was cornerback Storm Duck or safety Ifeatu Melifonwu who ultimately was responsible for wide receiver Michael Pittman.

Duck was closest to Pittman at the start of his route, but then let him go thinking Melifonwu was going to provide help, but that help didn't come nearly soon enough and Pittman was left wide open for the touchdown.

Melifonwu stayed toward the middle of the field with an eye on tight end Tyler Warren, who was being trailed by a linebacker.

Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver provided some clarity Thursday on the responsibilities on that play.

“It’s unfortunate," Weaver said. "From a call standpoint, we were essentially in Tampa. We were in Tampa 2. Storm probably had too good of a re-route, so then our safety only saw that as one vertical and didn’t split the difference between the two. So we tried to get hands on those guys. He kind of stumbled out there and then it ended up as a second vertical with a safety not seeing it as such, so too good of a job by Storm on the disruption.”

Duck, of course, would leave the game later with an ankle injury that almost certainly will keep him out of the Week 2 game against the New England Patriots.

SPECIAL TEAMS SERVICE

It certainly was interesting in the Dolphins opener to watch the opening kickoff and see starting safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, one of the most important players on defense, making the tackle.

As it turned out, Fitzpatrick was one of the eight starters on defense who saw action on special teams, the only exceptions being Jordyn Brooks, Bradley Chubb and Jack Jones.

"That’s probably the greatest thing about our team right now, we’ve got veteran football players that are defensive starters that are also wanting to play on special teams – Matthew Judon, Minkah Fitzpatrick, who had a great tackle on kickoff," special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman said. "We’ve got Zach Sieler who’s on some things for us too. Just excited about those guys that they bought in and want to help us try to win some football games.”

COORDINATORS TALK NEW ENGLAND

The comments that stood out from the weekly media session with the three main Dolphins coordinators — Frank Smith, Anthony Weaver and Craig Aukerman:

OC Frank Smith on whether there is anything different about the New England defensive scheme compared to last year or even the Belichick era or it’s the Patriots defense, it’s the same approach?: “I think you can see what Mike (Vrabel) took philosophically from his time in New England, what he believes in as far as how he wants to play defense. You could see with Dean Pees kind of being there, you can see the kind of collection of different parts of where they believe kind of how they want to play defense. I wouldn’t say it’s just, hey, it’s this or that. It’s they have core beliefs that they believe in that they were doing in Tennessee that you can see. There’s parallels but yet they still have their stuff they did in New England so I think it’s kind of a blend, but ultimately it makes sense because of Mike’s time that he was there.”

DC Anthony Weaver on QB Drake Maye and the Patriots passing offense?: “I think it’s evolving. You can tell he’s still adjusting probably to Josh McDaniels and what he’s trying to do. The kid has all the ability in the world, all the arm strength. He has skill players and he’s just going to gain confidence through reps which I think really for our defense we’re trying to do the same thing. A bunch of new guys that just haven’t played a lot of live football together so we’re all learning each other. We’re all learning what we need to hear on the field. I’m learning what they do best and how to use them and then how they’re going to react in those situations. So there’s a growth and maturation I think going on with him and with us.”

ST coordinator Craig Aukerman on Brenden Schooler, who blocked a Dolphins field goal in 2023 and then he blocked a punt last year: “Obviously a really good special teams football player for them. I liked him coming out of Texas. He’s done a really good job there at New England, not just on blocking field goals but blocking punts. He’s really good on punt return, whether he goes out and vices the gunner, he’ll come and work his way inside, go and try and block some punts. He’s a five, they’ll move him all over on kickoff. Exceptional gunner, he’s done a real good job throughout his career, and we’ve got to do a great job on him. Whether we’re going to single block or double team him, we’ve got to know where he’s at at all times. In that particular play that you’re talking about where he was like 10 yards off, he ended up having really good timing issue that he ended working his way over there and blocking a kick. We’ve got to be alert for that at any point in time. We actually ended up practicing it yesterday to let our kicker know that he’s done it in the past against us in 2023. He did it last year, too. Now he didn’t get the jump that he was expecting last year, but those are the things we’ve got to be aware of. When it’s your best player on special teams, our ears and eyes, we’ve got to perk up and see where he’s at at all times.”

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