Mike McDaniel Says 5 Dolphins Players Incurred Half of Team's Internal Fines in 2024

Some Miami Dolphins players apparently stood out for the wrong reasons during the 2024 season.

Jeff Howe of The Athletic reported Thursday that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel revealed five players on last year's roster accounted for half of the team's internal fines for violations such as being late.

"So, let's say the Dolphins were intentional about the players they wanted to retain this season—along with the kinds of players they wanted to add to the roster," Howe wrote.

Calling last season a disappointment for the Dolphins would be an understatement.

They were coming off back-to-back playoff appearances and had sky-high expectations as potential contenders in the AFC East. However, they went 8-9, struggled with consistency and saw injuries limit quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to just 11 games.

What's more, star wide receiver Tyreek Hill failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark for the first time since 2019 after he just led the league in receiving yards (1,799) and touchdown catches (13) in 2023.

Hill also made headlines when he told reporters after the season he was out, although he has since apologized.

Perhaps Miami was dealing with distractions from a handful of players last season even as it continued to fine those same five. And perhaps those distractions contributed to the disappointing record.

Expectations are not nearly as high entering the 2025 season, so perhaps the Dolphins can surprise some teams and not dish out as many fines in the process.