Reality, like injuries, ‘hit hard' as Miami Dolphins wonder if season was a success after playoff exit

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — It didn’t matter that the game ended mere minutes prior. Or that the season ended with it.

“Reality hits fast and hits hard,” fullback Alec Ingold said following the Dolphins’ 26-7 wild-card loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday night.

Even as players showered, dressed and prepared for the flight back to South Florida, the realization hit that setting records is nice, but winning in the playoffs is what really counts, especially for an organization that hasn’t enjoyed such success in 23 years.

“Me personally? It sucks,” guard Rob Hunt said. “You know, I’ve been here, it’s my fourth year and I’ve grown. I definitely wanted to help get that playoff win that we haven’t gotten in a couple of years — I mean, 20-something years.”

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Defensive tackle Zach Sieler said he measures success in the playoffs, but since the team qualified for the postseason two consecutive years, it qualifies as a “great year.” But, Sieler added, players must “keep growing” off the experience of 2023.

“More playoff experience and hopefully next year we can finish it out,” Sieler said.

Receiver Jaylen Waddle was less forgiving, saying “with our roster,” anything short of a few playoff wins can’t be considered a success.

What no one will know is how the team might have fared if most of its roster remained intact. Instead there was a string of injuries to starters, hitting hard at the skill positions, offensive line, linebacker and secondary at various times.

“Champions are able to overcome the circumstances of the season,” Ingold said. "And that was our challenge this year. That was our piece of adversity and we couldn’t overcome it.”

Running back Raheem Mostert, who, like Waddle, returned after a two-game injury layoff, agreed that injuries caught up with the team.

“Definitely caught up, especially going on a run late in the season, which is mind-boggling," Mostert said. "It kind of sucks.”

One factor that players agreed did not affect the outcome was the weather. At minus 4 degrees, this was the fourth-coldest game in NFL history and the coldest in Dolphins history. Sieler laughed as he admitted “it was cold,” but no one was blaming the weather.

“You can't give any excuses because of how cold it was because the other team, they had to deal with the same cold, same temperature,” Mostert said.

Just outside the visitors’ locker room at Arrowhead Stadium, a fan tried to needle the Dolphins by yelling a crack about enjoying their vacation in Cancun. Mostert apparently heard it.

“If you lose, you know, dudes want to talk about going to Cancun,” he said. “I ain’t planning on no damn Cancun trip. I’m more so trying to get back right so I can be more available for next year.”

For some in the locker room, there won’t be a next year. At least not in aqua and orange. Sieler, who just signed an extension, knows his future is in Miami but he couldn’t help but reflect on those who lined up alongside him whose futures are uncertain.

“It’s tough,” Sieler said. “A lot of things go through my head right now. It’s not how we want the season to end. I think one of the hardest things for me right now is I spent probably the last four years with Christian (Wilkins), Raekwon (Davis), (Emmanuel) Ogbah and all that being up in the air has just really kind of hit me right now. I love those guys. We’re all grown up so much together as a unit and friends on and off the field. So it's pretty emotional.”

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Barring a deal, guard Rob Hunt would become a free agent.

“I love the city,” Hunt said. “I love the team. It’s a team that took a chance on me out of Louisiana-Lafayette. I’m grateful for my four years here, man. I’m grateful for that opportunity.”

Months ago, there were times when nobody could stop the Dolphins. They scored 70 points in one afternoon behind Tua Tagovailoa, Waddle and Tyreek Hill. The defense steadily improved to rank among the top five in the league.

And then, everything changed.

“We set records together,” Ingold said. “We're going down in history books together statistically. But at the end of the day, we didn't win at the end of the season. So it's tough. You’ve got to learn your lessons. I just feel for all the guys that put so much time in. You know, the league turns over real fast. There's going to be a third of this room that's not going to be here next year.”

Dolphins reporter Hal Habib can be reached at  hhabib@pbpost.com. Follow him on social media @gunnerhal.

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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Reality, injuries ‘hit hard' as Dolphins weigh if season was a success