The Miami Dolphins are facing a lot of high expectations heading into the 2024 NFL season, and running back Raheem Mostert is well aware of it.
He spoke after Tuesday’s Dolphins OTA practice and talked about how the upcoming season could very well be a make-or-break year for the franchise.
“I feel like this is just one of those make-or-break years,” Mostert said after practice.
He went on to express his desire to go after the Super Bowl this season and, ideally, win a championship.
“You know, me personally, I feel like I want to win a championship,” he added. “I want to go after one, and I want to get past the first round because these past two years have been B.S. in my own view. But it’s all about breaking that cycle and going deep into the playoffs and entering the championship round and then on to the big dance.”
Mostert is far from the first professional football player to express his desire to win a championship. With that in mind, it is starting to feel like the Dolphins are entering a potential window to seriously compete for a Super Bowl.
The offense is returning the vast majority of its big contributors from last season. Mostert is among them. The other key names that fans will be pinning their hopes on include quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Exciting offseason addition Odell Beckham Jr. is also expected to be a contributor. He’s a one-time Super Bowl champ and knows what it takes to win at the highest level.
The defense is similarly stacked. Pass rushers Bradley Chubb and Jaelan Phillips figure to be big parts of the defensive scheme once they return from their respective injuries, and rookie Chop Robinson will likely contribute as well. And if opposing quarterbacks didn’t have enough to worry about with those players wreaking havoc, the defensive backfield in Miami is also sure to be a strong point of the defense.
Star corner Jalen Ramsey leads that unit, and safeties Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer will surely look to take advantage of offensive miscues and pick off passes all season long.
Last season, the Dolphins lost some key divisional matchups and ultimately had to enter the playoffs as a wild-card team. That sent them to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in the first round.
The Dolphins fell to the Chiefs, 26-7.
This season, Miami will surely look to win more of those crucial games to ensure that they can play one or more playoff games in front of a home crowd in South Florida.
That should increase their chances of making good on Mostert’s lofty goals for the upcoming campaign.
