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Dolphins’ McDaniel excited to bring in former rival Jordan Poyer from Bills: ‘It’s the classic can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em’

David Furones, South Florida Sun-Sentinel
·5 min read

ORLANDO — Outside of a few positions, NFL careers are generally short for players. But there’s a connection between veteran safety Jordan Poyer and his new team that goes back a decade.

During Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel’s one season with the Cleveland Browns, in 2014 as wide receivers coach, Poyer was in his first full season with the Browns. A seventh-round pick of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2013, he was waived in his rookie season and picked up by Cleveland in October.

The offseason that followed, not only did McDaniel show up as an assistant coach on the offensive side, new Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver showed up as defensive line coach. That one season 10 years ago which linked McDaniel and his replacement for Vic Fangio at defensive coordinator now has a third degree, with Poyer joining Miami in free agency two weeks ago. At 32 (33 next month), he now has a Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection to his credit.

McDaniel, who went to the Atlanta Falcons for an offensive assistant title the following year, made mention of that season in common when asked about the addition of Poyer at Monday’s media session for AFC coaches at the annual NFL meeting.

But more recent memories of Poyer involve the Buffalo Bills winning the past four rivalry meetings against McDaniel’s Dolphins, including a 2022 playoff elimination and last season’s regular-season finale. That loss bumped Miami down from atop the AFC East to a wild-card team.

In seven seasons with Buffalo, Poyer’s Bills went 13-2 against the Dolphins.

“Oh, it’s the classic ‘can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,’ ” McDaniel quipped about bringing in the 2021 All-Pro and 2022 Pro Bowl pick.

But there’s more to the move than picking up a player that may possess secrets from a rival or goes back 10 years with a pair of top coaches. Poyer has spent years already living in South Florida and brings a veteran voice to accompany budding safety Jevon Holland before he enters his fourth NFL season.

“One of the most exciting things about his addition is he has an attachment to the city of Miami,” McDaniel said, “wants to see goals that we have as a team accomplished, and to hear him have conversations with Jevon Holland and just exuberance about both players taking their game to another level, that gets you excited.

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“I think that’s really good news for the Miami Dolphins’ organization because, at the end of the day, you want guys who are fully invested, that are excited and energetic toward the goal and come into the building every day and work. I know that’s what he is going to do, and I know players on the team are excited to have him.”

That energy from Poyer was evident when he spoke to South Florida reporters last week in an online conference call.

“Super thankful to be able to come in with an open mind, an open heart to teach, learn, play and continue to play at a high level, which I know I can,” Poyer said. “I love being out here in the warm weather, seeing the palm trees.”

Poyer leaving Buffalo breaks up a longstanding safety tandem the Bills had, of him and Micah Hyde together since 2017. Poyer was released ahead of free agency as a means to free up salary-cap space in Buffalo before the Dolphins got him for a tad under $2 million for 2024.

Sticking with the AFC East, McDaniel also addressed longtime New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick’s retirement when he spoke Monday.

“It’s bizarre for me,” McDaniel said. “I think I was in high school the last time he wasn’t a coach in the AFC East. So from a competitive standpoint, you want to go against the best. I have no doubt that the New England Patriots are retooling in their own fashion to be their best selves.

“But in terms of an individual to go against, there’s not anybody more difficult from a defensive standpoint to try to forecast what they’re going to do in that next game. There’s not anybody better at facilitating technique and fundamentals across the board. So to say that I’m somber and have been mourning the loss of Bill Belichick in the AFC East would be a flat-out lie, and I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Global marketing rights

The NFL announced Monday that the Dolphins were granted marketing rights to three new countries: Argentina, Colombia and Mexico.

Miami already had marketing rights in Brazil, Spain and the United Kingdom. The franchise becomes one of two teams to hold six global marketing agreements. With four being Spanish-speaking countries, that’s more than any other team.

“The Miami Dolphins are committed to becoming the NFL team of the Spanish-speaking world and growing the game of football internationally,” Tom Garfinkel, vice chairman, president and chief executive officer of the Miami Dolphins and Hard Rock Stadium, said in a statement.

“With more than 2.7 million Miami residents of LATAM origin and more than 66 percent of Miami-Dade County being Spanish-speaking, Miami is a clear gateway city to Latin America and there is no team better positioned to grow the game in LATAM and Spain than the Dolphins.”