Exactly one month ago, the Miami Dolphins lost their fifth game in six tries since starting out the season 3-0. It appeared their season was all but over, but a stretch of improved play and mediocrity across the AFC has breathed new life into the fish. Miami is 7-6 and very much alive in the playoff hunt. The Baltimore Ravens, also 7-6, currently hold the sixth and final spot in the AFC because they beat Miami head-to-head. Miami is seventh, ahead of the 6-7 San Diego Chargers and New York Jets.
After his team’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 11, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross supported head coach Joe Philbin by mentioning his name several times. He did not mention general manager Jeff Ireland’s name once. Despite that, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reported on Monday that Ireland has been told his job is safe.
The man Dolphins fans see as the most likely casualty from the NFL scandal and poor performances earlier this season, Ireland, also is getting a new life.
According to an NFL source, he has received assurances from Ross that his job is safe.
And based on what we are seeing lately, that would be the right way for Ross to proceed.
Ireland has been mentioned at the center of the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin saga, with one report claiming Martin told the GM about the harassment and Ireland told Martin to punch Incognito in the face. The entire team’s perceived handling of the Incognito-Martin situation has been unfortunate, and Ireland is no exception. He has also been described as a “jerk” and a horrible GM by at least one former player.
As Salguero noted, a number of Ireland’s personnel moves have been panning out (Daniel Thomas, Brent Grimes, Charles Clay and Nolan Carroll, to name a few). Still, this is the same Ireland who is loathed by many Dolphins fans and once asked Dez Bryant is his mother was a prostitute. If Miami missed the postseason, his job should not be safe.
H/T Shutdown Corner
