Which Dolphins have that Jimmy Butler Dawg in them?
MIAMI GARDENS — Esteemed NBA and NFL broadcaster Kevin Harlan compared Jimmy Butler to Xavien Howard and Jalen Ramsey for his defensive prowess on Wednesday night.
Butler is fearless. Relentless. Clutch.
He is, in fact, "Himmy" Butler.
As GQ declared in a headline during these NBA playoffs, "Jimmy Butler Has a Whole Kennel Of Dawg In Him."
As outlined, Heat star Jimmy Butler snatches your soul.
"With Butler, it's a whole pack of hyenas, each one feasting on a different part of the opponent's carcasses," Matthew Roberson wrote.
Which got us to thinking: Who is the Dolphins' Jimmy Butler?
Which Dolphins have that 'Dawg' in them?
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Well, for sure, a certain level of competitiveness is required of any athlete to make it to the highest level of professional football.
But sometimes guys just stand out.
In the locker room. On the practice field. On the sideline. In interviews.
Which Dolphins have that Jimmy Butler Dawg in them?
As Miami's quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa is thrust into the position of leadership. And he largely chooses to lead by example. For better or worse, he does not possess the brashness or edge of a Jimmy Butler.
We should recognize the persistent effort that many of the top Dolphins deliver.
There is certainly a good measure of Dawg in players like Jaelan Phillips, Terron Armstead, Zach Sieler, Jeff Wilson and Raheem Mostert.
Miami hopes the linebacker duo of Jerome Baker and David Long and pass rushers Bradley Chubb and Emmanuel Ogbah will deliver a pack of dawgs mentality to Vic Fangio's defense.
We think they can.
But I can declare, with confidence, that Miami's lead Dawgs are: Tyreek Hill, Jalen Ramsey, Xavien Howard, Jaylen Waddle, Christian Wilkins and Jevon Holland.
These players are not vanilla.
These players are not followers.
These players do not see egg shells.
No, Hill, Ramsey, Howard, Waddle, Wilkins and Holland are confident and bold and sometimes loud and always noticed. They have a fighers' DNA.
Think Manny Pacquiao in his prime.
Think Conor McGregor at his best.
These are the guys who believe they are great and see no need to apologize for it.
These are the guys who believe their speed and power and instincts and savvy put them at a distinct advantage on Sunday (and sometimes Friday, apparently.)
Sometimes, like Butler, they can get a little chippy. On the field, for sure, and perhaps off it at times, too.
Hill, Ramsey, Howard, Waddle, Wilkins and Holland are capable of making waves with comments, including about the opponent. But they are also all deadly serious about their jobs. And about winning.
To drill down on the question posed earlier: Which Dolphin most has the 'Jimmy Butler Dawg' in him?
Tyreek Hill is the answer. He's Miami's Jimmy Butler.
It's Tyreek Hill.
He's not only the most acclaimed, fastest and best player on the team.
(Just ask him.)
"I've always been that dude," Hill said last season.
He is.
The Dolphins suddenly have a locker room packed with Alpha Dogs. Or Dawgs, whichever you prefer.
There are dudes who are high-octane, unflinching and unrelenting.
Just like Jimmy Butler.
And nobody meets that description more than Tyreek Hill.
Joe Schad is a journalist covering the Miami Dolphins and the NFL at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at.jschad@pbpost.com and follow him on Instagram and Twitter @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Jimmy Butler is fearless, dynamic and clutch. Which Miami Dolphins may possess those traits?
