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Terron Armstead Gave Dolphins Youngster Eight Words of Encouragement

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Griffin Goodwyn | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 5:03 PM ET

Terron Armstead has maintained a veteran presence along the Miami Dolphins' offensive line over the last three seasons. Despite battling numerous injuries, he has started a majority of the team's regular-season games since being acquired in 2022.

Armstead announced his retirement from professional football in April, meaning there will be a changing of the guard at the left tackle position. His playing days may be over, but that hasn't stopped him from ushering in the next crop of players competing for a starting job at the position, including Patrick Paul.

"He can't leave here alone, but he swung by and it was like he never left," Paul told reporters on Tuesday. "[He's] just coaching me up on the little details that he sees in my game."

Paul further shared how Armstead has guided him during his second offseason as a professional football player.

"Just telling me that I'm built for it, I'm ready for it, and just being someone that I can look to for advice and being someone I know who supports me all the time," Paul said.

Paul made an immediate impact on the Dolphins' offensive line rotation during his rookie season, appearing in all 17 of the team's regular season contests. Over the course of the entire season, Paul played 338 snaps on offense and 70 on special teams, according to Pro Football Focus. Although he had a relatively high volume of snaps, most of which came from three starts, Paul was not very effective, as he received a 44.9 overall offensive grade from PFF.

Paul said that, while some of his skills are a work in progress, he does not feel much pressure following in Armstead's footsteps.

"Coming in last year, I had T-Stead in front of me. I knew that, coming in, that I was going to be the guy to go next and learn from him and have him as my mentor. This year's just different, coming in and trying to grow into that role and be the guy for this team," Paul said. "I've always been ready for the moment, and that's why I play football – to play at the highest level and be the best at my job. So, I'm ready."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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