Dan Campbell: Dolphins had a player who practiced every day reeking of alcohol

[Bronx]

Lions coach Dan Campbell offered a vivid example of how much the NFL is willing to tolerate from a player if he helps his team win.

Campbell described a time during his tenure with the Dolphins when the team had a player who routinely showed up to practice after drinking, but he said the Dolphins accepted it because of the player’s production.

“I remember I had a guy in Miami, god he loved ball,” Campbell said, via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “He was a dynamic football player, but he came in every day just reeking of alcohol. He was probably on a bender for who knows how long, but god he loved football. He showed up, he didn’t have any M.A.’s [missed assignments], he hustled non-stop, and it’s like, you know what? You’ll find a way to make that guy work. Not saying we want those guys, but he loved ball, and he had success. And he’s still playing today, by the way.”

Campbell did not identify the player. Campbell was with the Dolphins from 2010 to 2015, spending most of that time as tight ends coach and ending his tenure in Miami as interim head coach.

 

[Anthony Jet]

Same as everything else in life, the more you produce the more they’ll let go by the way side. 

[Bungaman]

If he's still playing, there or anywhere, that should narrow down the list quite a bit.

[Nixhead]

To each his own! Some functioning alcoholics are very productive but then you have the unproductive ones in the gov't. Sounds  like it could be a D tackle or O lineman.

[Nixhead]

Ndamukong Suh is the player - got to be.

[Tranquilo]

Tim Riggins?

[faba]

What goes on out of public view I am sure there are lots more stories like this

[Beerfish]

Maybe the guy just used crown royal after shave?

[docdhc]

The guy was probably  Campbell himself 

[Copernicus]

Weird that he would open his mouth about this for gossip sake being the position that he holds currently

. 

[Rhg1084]

So why didn’t they try to get the guy some help instead of having him show up everyday drunk?

[Barry McCockinner]

2 minutes ago, Rhg1084 said:

So why didn’t they try to get the guy some help instead of having him show up everyday drunk?

He works for the Dolphins. Showing up drunk every day does help.

[section314]

3 hours ago, Tranquilo said:

Tim Riggins?

Ironically, today is Taylor Kitsch's birthday , 41. One of the greatest tv series ever.  " Clear eyes........

[section314]

I was thinking it was Steve Ross.

[BigRy56]

Miami is just an outright disgusting organization. Move them to London

[Larz]

Well the 80s it was coke and hookers that the stars got away with indulging in 

progress ?

[Warfish]

Funny, I didn't know John Riggins played for Miami.

[TuscanyTile2]

12 minutes ago, BigRy56 said:

Miami is just an outright disgusting organization. Move them to London

There are probably many teams that have players like this.  Notice that Dan Campbell only mentioned it when he left the organization?  No team is going to volunteer this info.  And probably most people don't want to volunteer it when other teams have players like this because they can then reveal something about your team.

[TuscanyTile2]

24 minutes ago, Rhg1084 said:

So why didn’t they try to get the guy some help instead of having him show up everyday drunk?

Being an NFL player has to be such a brutal job that they probably let them do whatever they need to in order to recover.

Could you imagine getting hit that hard each week and having to play again in 4-8 days?  Plus they have to practice during the week as well.  These guys are absolute beasts.

[peekskill68]

15 minutes ago, BigRy56 said:

Miami is just an outright disgusting organization. Move them to London

Our greatest player (#12) and that other "classy" NY team's greatest player (#56) routinely played at high levels coming off benders.  Don't think any of us as fans should be judgmental about what gets tolerated in the NFL... 

 

[oatmeal]

lmfao 
 

JetNation detectives, we need to find out who this legend is ??

[RutgersJetFan]

I’ve never understood how you can work side by side with someone, develop caring relationships with them, and just completely let their well-being go by the wayside in the name of productivity. What an awful story.

[varjet]

In the 1980s the Jets drafted another safety high.  He used to come into my friend’s deli to buy a six pack before practice.  He ended up having a very disappointing NFL career…..

So who is going to go through the Miami rosters from then and speculate who they are talking about.  The average NFL career is 3.3 years.  Who is still playing from 2015 or earlier who looks like they drink like that?

[elvispookie]

Definitely Zach Wilson.

[JetPotato]

So? 

[Long Island Leprechaun]

4 hours ago, Nixhead said:

To each his own! Some functioning alcoholics are very productive but then you have the unproductive ones in the gov't. Sounds  like it could be a D tackle or O lineman.

Yeah, because the federal government is one of hardest places to pull that off. But Wall Street? Daily event.

[rangerous]

was it marino?  oh that's right, marino was retired by then.

[Warfish]

44 minutes ago, RutgersJetFan said:

I’ve never understood how you can work side by side with someone, develop caring relationships with them, and just completely let their well-being go by the wayside in the name of productivity. What an awful story.

We have fans, right now today, who would very happily sign Henry Ruggs III for the Jets.

The story isn't awful.

People are (mostly) awful.

 

[Joe Willie White Shoes]

19 minutes ago, Warfish said:

We have fans, right now today, who would very happily sign Henry Ruggs III for the Jets.

The story isn't awful.

People are (mostly) awful.

 

And the same fans want Becton gone.....

[Bronx]

1 hour ago, JetPotato said:

So? 

So this...

Alcohol-Related Emergencies and Deaths in the United States

An estimated 95,000 people (approximately 68,000 men and 27,000 women) die from alcohol-related causes annually, making alcohol the third-leading preventable cause of death in the United States.

[JustInFudge]

2 hours ago, Rhg1084 said:

So why didn’t they try to get the guy some help instead of having him show up everyday drunk?

Was this the same team where the OL coach was doing lines and talking on video?

[ZachEY]

5 hours ago, Nixhead said:

Ndamukong Suh is the player - got to be.

doubt it.

[slimjasi]

49 minutes ago, Warfish said:

We have fans, right now today, who would very happily sign Henry Ruggs III for the Jets.

The story isn't awful.

People are (mostly) awful.

 

I have the opposite take. 
 

I think people are mostly good, but the bad apples get a lot of attention and ruin it for everyone else. 
 

I also think people tend to be much better on their own then in groups 

[Bronx]

Campbell coached TEs with the Dolphins from 2010-2015. Below is a list of TEs that played on or around his tenure:

Tight end: Anthony Fasano (2010-2012, 2017)

The Dolphins have had several tight ends over the decade who could claim a stake to this position. Charles Clay (2011-2014) is probably the name that will get argued the most to replace Fasano, with Dion Sims (2013-2016),  Jermon Mastrud (2010-2012), Michael Egnew (2012—2013),  Will Yeatman (2011-2013), Mickey Shuler (2010), and Jake Stoneburner (2014-2015) all starting games. 

[Hal N of Provo]

 

2015 roster