Heading into the 2026 season, the Miami Dolphins have entered a major reset under general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan and head coach Jeff Hafley. They reshaped the roster by moving on from costly veterans such as Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill, and Jaylen Waddle.
And the Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin likes the direction of the rebuild, but he believes Miami needed to address more than its roster. On his “The White House” podcast, the Cowboys legend explained that Hill’s presence played a major role in the sweeping changes.
Michael Irvin Feels Tyreek Hill Effect Triggered The Dolphins’ Rebuild Going Into New Season
According to Irvin, there was more behind the Dolphins’ reset than simply changing personnel.
“I do like the way Miami’s going about this rebuild,” Irvin said.
His co-host then pointed out that Miami also lost plenty of talent during the sudden overhaul. However, Irvin agreed while making it clear that the Dolphins also wanted to remove what he described as “rigmarole.”
For him, the changes involved cleaning up the culture as much as rebuilding the roster.
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“Let me tell you what else you lost that went on in Miami,” he said. “A lot of rigmarole, everything went on. Tyreek Hill was running the whole organization; he was running everything. So, you know, they wanted to clean all that up…”
Irvin puts Hill at the center of Miami’s previous power structure. Hill joined the team in March 2022, when he was at the peak of his powers. In 4 seasons, he had 340 catches for 4,733 yards and scored 28 total touchdowns in 54 games.
Now, going into 2026, Irvin feels the Dolphins want their coaches and front office to regain control.
“They want to get it back to the main thing because I think the guy, the players, were running that organization in Miami, just like the players were running the organization in Denver when Coach Peyton got in,” Irvin added. “You know what I’m saying? So they want to get that back.”
There’s more to Miami’s rebuild than what you see on the roster. Michael Irvin explains why he likes the direction the Dolphins are heading.
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— The White House Pod (@dawhitehousepod) August 22, 2026
This offseason, Miami has put its trust in a younger core under Jeff Hafley, and that shift puts even more focus on Malik Willis. The quarterback is expected to guide the offense in 2026 while the Dolphins build around him.
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Meanwhile, De’Von Achane remains one of Miami’s biggest weapons. Achane ranked sixth in PFN’s RB Impact Metric last season with an 83.6 impact score, giving the offense a proven playmaker to lean on.
Beyond Achane, center Aaron Brewer and wide receiver Malik Washington should take on larger roles during the transition.
With fewer big names on the roster, the Dolphins can develop their young players without the same level of pressure.
For now, the Buffalo Bills remain among the AFC East’s biggest favorites. The New England Patriots have also created plenty of optimism after their offseason moves, and Julian Edelman picked them to win the division. That leaves the Dolphins in an intriguing spot.
Instead of facing constant demands for a deep playoff run, Miami can concentrate on building Hafley’s system and developing its revamped roster. That approach could give the Dolphins room to grow while their younger core adjusts to a very different era.
