A ping-pong table has been removed from the Miami Dolphins locker room in what, depending on who is asked, is either a move to eliminate distractions from the locker room or a move to make way for a new one in its place. The removal of the table was confirmed Wednesday afternoon by head coach Mike McDaniel, but was given a different context on Thursday.
During his Wednesday media availability, McDaniel said that the ping-pong table had been removed at the request of Dolphins team captains, most notably wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who he claimed believed that the locker room game had become a distraction.
"Tyreek and the captains decided that they wanted to take a step forward with all their opponent prep with regard to the team and their preparation with our game plans in general," McDaniel said when discussing the removal of the ping-pong table. "... That, to me, is leadership. To me, leadership is acting, not talking. There's a bunch of different examples from those guys, and that's why they're captains and that's why I rely on them, because it's about solving problems, not complaining about them.
"They, collectively, as a group of players, wanted more time investment during the week on their jobs for Sunday. So instead of just saying it, they did something about it. And that's the whole reason that I really have a lot of love for those guys."
However, Hill stated Thursday that wasn't quite the case. According to David Furones of the Sun Sentinel, Hill stated that the ping-pong table had been removed because it had gotten bent, and he was working on having it replaced with a new, custom-designed Dolphins table to replace it. A ping-pong tournament between the players is also still on.
The ping-pong table was seen as a positive in the Dolphins' locker room after the team sprung out to a 3-0 start. But the situation has changed, and all is now not well. The Dolphins lost 27-15 to the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 4, a game that saw quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffer a serious head injury that sparked a far-reaching controversy on the handling of players who have suffered a concussion. Then, the Dolphins were blown out 40-17 by the New York Jets in a game that saw them go to third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson after Teddy Bridgewater was also knocked out with a concussion.
Given Miami's current circumstances, it'll be all hands on deck for them in Week 6 as they face the Minnesota Vikings with Thompson expected to start.
