Sieler Dishes on Contract, Past, Present, and Future

Miami Dolphins 2024 Team MVP Zach Sieler officially signed his contract extension Monday morning that now has him under contract through the 2029 season.

Sieler spoke to reporters shortly after he made it official, accompanied by his wife Hannah and young son Stetson, and reflected on his journey — and an Arnold Schwarzenegger quote that kept him inspired.

As a former Division II standout with Ferris State, going from seventh round draft choice to a $67.75 million extension is nearly impossible.

Nearly.

"I think, obviously there's lots of journeys people can get to get to certain spots," he said. " ... And then I talk to people and their kids and everything. Honestly, in college, Arnold Schwarzenegger, I heard a quote, he always said, 'break the rules,' not the laws, but break the rules. And there's rules put on people throughout their lives, or you can do this, or you can't do that. And I think that was big for me early on where it's like hey, just this kid from nowhere. No one ever went anywhere from my town for football or sports or really anything, and I was kind of the first one even going to a D2 [school] and that was kind of like a big step so I think just over the years just kind of I didn't really resonate with me until about two years, three years after I heard that and going to the league.

"I think that was such a big moment for me, when it kind of like hit me. And it's what I want [my son] to see. It's what I want kids to know and see. When I talk to them at different schools and areas where it's like, 'Hey look, just because you're from somewhere that no one knows the name on or where you're on a map doesn't mean that you can't make it.' And by all means, this isn't the end."

Inspiration from Coach

Sieler spoke of his time living in a trailer while attempting to make the NFL, and how a simple mantra from an inspirational video shown to him earlier this week by head coach Mike McDaniel stuck with him.

"It said, 'Be the man today you'd be afraid to be in the past'," he said.

Sieler said that it would have "scared the living daylights" out of him if he had the role he has now back then. Now, he says he feels more equipped than ever to lead the team to an "amazing season."

A Birthday Investment

Defensive line coach Austin Clark has been integral to Sieler's journey. It might be fitting that Sieler signed the contract Sunday -- which happened to be the coach's birthday.

"I was here for three weeks before he got here. He got in my first full season here," Sieler said. "And him coming from a college and breaking things down to almost a rudimentary level for me actually helped me a ton, because we actually [had] the COVID year where you didn't have a lot of tape to correct or go over so he was able to break down how offenses view the defense and how they can attack defenses and what schemes you can get and where you can get that and me enjoying those intricacies and being able to use those advantages to my or use those tools to
my advantage was huge. And I think that really escalated my game early on to where I could
build to become who I am today and how I can play today with those freedoms.

"There's no coach like him."

The Blueprint

The Dolphins added a pack of rookies on the defensive line, notably led by first-round pick Kenneth Grant. Sieler said that he and the rookies watched tape from Sieler in 2019 and 2020, along with practice and OTA clips from the latter year.

He said the point was to show them his journey as inspiration.

"Double knee-braced, hardly moving out there, to my eyes," he said. "I want to have a story can just motivate anybody. And I'm not done. And I think there's a lot left to accomplish for myself in this league and with the Miami Dolphins. I hope that I can be approachable and I know that anyone on the team, my room or any other room, can talk to me and ask me anything they need with football. On or off the field, in life."

Emphasis on Culture

Sielder said that he and McDaniel are in lock step with their focus on "attacking" every day with deliberate technique and fundamentals.

While it is an obvious focus for any team, it may just be more all the more vital for one that is revamping key aspects, like trench play, through youth.

"To take that into game days on Sundays, and you don't go out there and forget what got you there," he said. "You can get rattled, you can do whatever, it's to be able to lock in and hone in on that and get back to those moments. So, it's creating those game-like situations at practice, creating the stress, the offense and the defense, the O-line, D-line, specifically. That's where I'm at."

In Memoriam to the R.V.

Sieler said that he did get rid of his famous RV.

"We lived in it for two years. We bought it used, it was eight years old when we bought it," he said. "So it had its time. It was time to go. I kept it, I fixed it, I had to seal some leaks, redo the AC unit one time. But we kept it running as long as we could."

With a three-year extension worth up to $67.8 million, including $44 million in guarantees, Sieler is a long way from van life. He said he and his family will have another RV soon. Perhaps one with an improved AC unit?

Long Live the Dungeon

Sieler attributed part of his success to "the Dungeon," a workout facility at Ferris State. He said the tough moments in an environment with little spotlight, put him where he is today.

"We were just in there going at it," he said. "And I think that mentality of, like, you're almost behind closed doors just working, working on your craft, working on what it's going to take to get better, physically or mentally, that's one thing I've been focusing on probably the last two years now is just mental health. What it takes to become a solid player, and man, on and off the field. That impacts just as much as your physical abilities."

The Farm

While Sieler won't be spending the new money on a new truck (he said he's happy with his 2022 Ford F-250), he said he purchased farm property out in Missouri and getting a tractor would be "great to have." He will be using it for a noble cause.

"We're actually using that for [Sieler Safe Haven Foundation]," he said. "We put someone on full-time staff this year, this summer actually — 10-year [agriculture] teacher from Missouri. It's really to show kids what it's like outdoors that don't get that opportunity. To get them outside, enjoying earth and animals, trees, plant life, and just seeing what it is and not just seeing it in a textbook."

Sieler said he is trying to give that experience to kids in Missouri, where Hannah is from, Michigan, and Florida.

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