Mike Tomlin Says Dolphins Have Established a ‘Personality’

The Miami Dolphins have won four games in a row and five out of their last six. Ahead of their matchup against the Steelers, Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin said the Dolphins have “really anchored down and established a personality.”

His comments were referring to the Dolphins’ running attack led by De’Von Achane, but Tomlin made a point of emphasis by saying that they were still dangerous even when he went down. 

The 2025 Miami Dolphins Personality

Mike Tomlin’s comments are likely no surprise to anyone who has seen the Miami Dolphins play football recently. Gone are the days of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle gaining explosive plays seemingly every drive. The Dolphins have adapted and turned into a physical running team. They have now run for more than 160 yards in each of their last four games.

Tomlin also added that the vertical threat is still there for the Dolphins, as he called wide receiver Jaylen Waddle a “dangerous guy.” However, that has not necessarily been the case for Miami recently. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has not thrown for more than 200 yards in each of their wins during this winning streak and Waddle has yet to eclipse 100 receiving yards since Week 5.

While this style of football may not be as entertaining as their explosive offense in 2023, it does seem like it’s a winning formula. Against the Jets, Miami was able to jump out to a quick 21-0 lead, and despite never finding a rhythm in their pass game and losing their top running back to an injury, they still finished the game in comfortable fashion. As Tomlin mentioned, Jaylen Wright stepped up and finished with over 100 rushing yards for the first time in his career.

Fortunately for Miami, it seems as though the injury to Achane wasn’t severe, and he’ll be available for the Dolphins on Monday Night. The running back is currently in the middle of a breakout season. He’s currently third in rushing yards in the NFL and first in yards per attempt. Achane’s season already ranks as the sixth-best rushing season by a Dolphins running back ever, and he’s still got four games to add on.

Miami Dolphins Upcoming Schedule

While the past month of the season has been positive for the Dolphins, their quality of competition should be noted. Their last three opponents have a combined record of 9-30 on the year. Now, it gets tougher for the Dolphins. 

In this final stretch of the season, they are set to face the current AFC North, AFC East and NFC South leaders. The only team under .500 they get to play is the Bengals, who have looked much improved since the return of starting quarterback Joe Burrow.  That game has recently been flexed out of its Sunday Night Football slot. That will likely come as a disappointment to Dolphins fans, as the team had already announced plans for wearing their fan favorite throwback uniform in the Prime Time slot.

It is likely too late for the Dolphins to sneak into the playoffs, even if they run the table and finish 10-7. But, if they do,it will likely be due to their personality shift and their ability to beat quality opponents.

Jose Esquer Jose Esquer is a Mexican-American sportswriter and communications student based in San Diego, CA. His work spans football, basketball, baseball, and soccer. He has written for platforms like RotoWire and DolphinsTalk. You can find him on Twitter/X @JoeE316, usually talking Dolphins, world football, or both. More about Jose Esquer