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Jordan Poyer confirms suspicion regarding issue with 2024 Dolphins with a candid admission on national television

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Craig Smith | Last updated May 15, 2025 12:26 PM ET

The Miami Dolphins had some tough choices to make in the 2024 offseason. Up against the cap they had a number of holes to fill, and that included finding a starting safety on a budget to go beside Jevon Holland. It appears they found that when they got a sweetheart one-year deal with former Buffalo safety Jordan Poyer.

Poyer had given Miami plenty of headaches for years on the other side of the ball, so it appeared as though it could be a good fit. That very much turned out to not be the case, as Poyer struggled through a forgettable season and wasn't brought back thereafter.

Poyer went on Good Morning Football on Wednesday morning, and he had made a short but very telling comment about the difference in culture going from Buffalo to Miami.

Jordan Poyer on his sole season with the Miami Dolphins: “Last year was an extremely tough year on so many levels. Our team wasn’t very good, I didn’t play as well as I wanted to play… transitioning from Buffalo to Miami, cultures to being different.” (@gmfb) #PhinsUp pic.twitter.com/Xp06LEpF49
— FinsXtra (@FinsXtra) May 14, 2025

"I'm in a place right now where I played 12 years. I'm extremely thankful and blessed to have played the game for such a long time. Last year was an extremely tough year on so many levels. Our team wasn't very good. I didn't play as well as I wanted to play. It was just a really tough year, obviously. Transitioning from Buffalo to Miami, cultures being different, systems being different. It just didn't work out the way that anybody had hoped, but at the same time, I'm thankful for it all, thankful for all the moments and all the friendships. Would I like to play again? Absolutely." - Jordan Poyer on Good Morning Football

The Dolphins' "culture" is something that's taken some shots in recent years. Former and current players have called the team "soft", a label that's been tough to dispute with the lack of toughness the team has shown on the field against more physical teams in the league.

Former Eagles QB Ron Jaworski, in defending ex-Dolphins and current Eagles Super Bowl champion DC Vic Fangio, Dolphins players didn't want to work hard enough for Fangio with an implication that some preferred the Miami night life. Of course, that's one Eagle defending their current defensive coordinator, so that's to be taken perhaps with a small grain of salt.

That being said, taken altogether, it doesn't seem like the culture really has been great in Miami. Tyreek Hill's outburst in the finale against the Jets was met with crickets. Where's the leadership there? Jordyn Brooks mentions the team is soft after getting pancaked by the Packers. That's just not something you see very often from NFL teams.

The Dolphins have to find a tougher backbone in 2025 if they're going to succeed. They have to get more physical. They need leaders to step up and help mold a solid foundation to build off of.

Because right now, looking at everything that can be seen publicly, Poyer's comments really aren't that surprising. Not one bit.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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