Tuesday marked the end of the 2025 NFL Owners Meetings in Palm Beach.
Held from March 30-April 1, the event culminated with a host of rule changes and revelations.
Without further delay, let’s jump right in.
RULE CHANGES
▪ Discussions around a potential ban of the “tush push” will be tabled until May.
▪ The dynamic kickoff model was made permanent. Touchbacks were also moved up to the 35-yard line in an effort to promote more returns.
▪ Both teams will now receive a possession in the 10-minute overtime period during the regular season – that is, unless time expires before one side gets the ball.
▪ The NFL banned several celebrations including the “nose swipe,” citing an uptick in “violent gestures” and “sexual taunting,” per Troy Vincent, the NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations.
“Look, we gotta be responsible adults,” Vincent said. “We’re not trying to take away the spontaneous moments. But the shooting and the killing and the sexual acts — you’re a professional. You did that in high school and peewee ball.”
MIKE MCDANIEL’S JOB STABILITY
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross did not give McDaniel a specific win mandate for what will surely be a critical season for the franchise. “No,” McDaniel said when asked if Ross had emphasized a certain number of wins in order for him to keep his job. “That would be a very unique conversation.” Much of the Dolphins fanbase believes that McDaniel will be on the hot seat to start the 2025 season. McDaniel, however, appears to have embraced that pressure, explaining that “if you’re not feeling the heat on the seat, you have the wrong urgency.” He then offered up an early contender for McDanielism of the year.
“Nick Sirianni,” McDaniel said Tuesday, “I want to be on that hot seat he was on last year.”
TUA TAGOVAILOA’S INJURY HISTORY
Tagovailoa missed the six games in 2024 with a concussion and hip injury. With the quarterback’s availability being an issue as of late following an injury-free 2023, there was some concern that the hip issue might linger into 2025. That could not be further from the case, according to McDaniel. “It was important that his body healed,” McDaniel said, calling the hip ailment a “soft tissue” injury. “That time was really necessary for what was a challenging injury to heal up.” McDaniel also emphasized that Tagovailoa now better understands “the ramifications of his lack of availability,” especially considering that most of his injuries in 2024 have been the result of “a variable that he can control.” “I have all the confidence based upon my observations that he’s going to control those controllables because he felt it all,” McDaniel said.
STARTING CORNERBACK OPTIONS
If the 2025 NFL season started today, the starting cornerback opposite of Jalen Ramsey would be either Cam Smith or Storm Duck. That would certainly be an issue considering neither recorded an interception and both posted below average grades at their respective positions, according Pro Football Focus. Although McDaniel emphasized “a couple different avenues” to add to the cornerback room, he explained that there will be a competition regardless of who will be signed. “We’re creating a unique environment where competition is inherent so that you don’t think ‘Oh I am the starter because I’m anointed,’” McDaniel said Tuesday. “I think competition is a driving force in motivated athletes becoming elite athletes their trade.”
DOLPHINS PLAYERS’ LATENESS
A storyline emerged towards the end of the 2024 season surrounding some Dolphins players’ penchant for lateness. As for how McDaniel plans to address that issue in 2025, he appeared to indicate that change – i.e. getting rid of the guys who were late – will be helpful in the new season. “The good news is that it’s a breath of fresh air for a lot of the core of our football team,” McDaniel said. “We have the right makeup in a lot of people that we’re going to do football in a way where we’re non-negotiably are chasing to be different, to be exceptional, to win playoff games, to win a championship.”
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article303245471.html#storylink=cpy
