Aaron Rodgers

How did the Miami Dolphins get into this horrible position?

Published Sep. 30, 2015 12:33 p.m. ET

foxsports

By Austin John

Miami Dolphins, how did we get here?

As Dolphin fans continue to reel at an uninspiring 1-2 start, and fans begin to grab their pitchforks, let’s take a look back to how we got here.

It is time the entire Miami Dolphins organization take a nice long look in the mirror. The stoic Joe Philbin knew he entered the season on shaky ground — despite the one-year contract extension he signed this offseason.

This setting is all too familiar. Tony Sparano was fired the year after Stephen Ross jetted out to California and ultimately failed to lure Jim Harbaugh to South Beach. Stephen Ross then attempted to save face by inking Sparano to a one-year contract extension. Sparano proceeded to start the make-or-break season by starting 0-7, leading to a mid-season exodus.

Following Sparano’s termination, owner Stephen Ross stated, “Everybody recognizes there’s a great foundation here to build upon,” Ross continued, ”It’s not starting all over again. This isn’t the way the team was when Parcells came and they had to rebuild the entire roster.”

Well, today only four players remain from that 2011 roster and although the situation may appear similar, the teams themselves could not be any more different. Sparano’s teams were consistently blue collar and tough. There was nothing flashy, nothing high-flying, extravagant or complex about the Sparano led Dolphins, but you know what they did consistently have? Respect.

We were all fed-up with those Dolphins. Good enough to be competitive but never good enough to break-through. Consistently mediocre.

Fast-forward to the offseason of 2012, there were three finalist for the Dolphins’ head coaching job: interim head coach Todd Bowles, who had strong support within the locker room after finishing the season 2-1, Mike McCoy, and Green Bay’s offensive coordinator Joe Philbin.

It is well documented that GM Jeff Ireland’s favorite candidate was Mike McCoy, but Ross’ desire to find the next Don Shula (as well as a ringing endorsement from Ross’ friend and former NFL executive Carl Peterson) led Ross to overrule the GM and hire his first coach, Joe Philbin.

Sparano’s Chad Pennington, Chad Henne, and Matt Moore-led offenses of the past would finally be replaced by what the fans demanded: a high-octane, high-scoring attack. No more 7-9 seasons, no more 10-6 scores, no more fist-pumping, and above all no more mediocrity.

The whole Dolphin fan base collaboratively rejoiced. Yes, Cam Cameron was a disaster, but this one, this would be different. Who cares that Philbin did not call the plays during his tenure in Green Bay? We hired the guy credited with developing Aaron Rodgers into the QB messiah that he is today.

The days of mediocrity were finally over… or so we thought.

Now it was clear Philbin wasn’t handed they keys to a new Maserati, but he wasn’t handed the 1-15 Dolphins either. This was a competitive team who just needed competency on offense to become a perennial playoff team.

As Joe Philbin began assembling his staff he brought-on plenty of experience with former NFL head coach Mike Sherman and Mike Zimmer’s protégé Kevin Coyle. Miami continuing building energy that offseason by selecting Mike Sherman’s former QB at Texas A&M eighth overall in the 2012 NFL draft.

The Dolphins seemed like they finally had a plan, the tarnish of mediocrity was beginning to fade.

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