Asante Samuel Jr.’s potential move to the Dolphins could be off after his Super Bowl-winning dad blasted Miami coach Mike McDaniel.
Back in May, the Miami Herald reported that the Dolphins had called to inquire about cornerback Samuel Jr. in free agency, and the team has even more of a need at the position now after trading away Jalen Ramsey.
But in discussing that move on his podcast, former Patriots, Eagles and Falcons star Samuel Sr. ripped the Dolphins – and potentially scuppered his son’s chances of signing there.
‘The Dolphins had no reason to trade Jalen Ramsey other than they’re sensitive, there’s no leadership in the Dolphins organization,’ Samuel said recently ‘Say What Needs To Be Said’, via the New York Post.
‘Mike McDaniel is a pushover. Chris Grier, the general manager, he has no backbone. These guys over here, the Miami Dolphins, they are running this team like a little league team. No one can stand up to the players. They are terrified of their own players and they have no control over their players.’
The Dolphins’ trade of Ramsey to the Steelers was seemingly an attempt to gain back that sort of control, as the defensive back was accused afterwards of some less-than-stellar conduct with the team.
Asante Samuel Jr. is looking to sign with a new team, and has been linked with the Dolphins
But his father, former NFL star Asante Sr., recently called Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel a ‘pushover’
McDaniel has led Miami to a 28-23 record though there have been questions about the team’s culture
The Sun-Sentinel wrote that Ramsey displayed ‘disruptive’ behavior which had begun to ‘hurt the culture’ of the franchise.
Specifically, the outlet claimed that that Ramsey and receiver Tyreek Hill were ‘constantly late for practices or meetings.’
Hill remains on the team’s roster after declaring ‘I’m out’ following the last game of the regular season, though he continues to be linked with a trade out of South Beach.
As part of Ramsey’s trade to the Steelers, the Dolphins also sent Jonnu Smith to Pittsburgh in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick and a pick swap.
More specifically, the Dolphins will send a 2027 seventh-rounder to Pittsburgh in exchange for a fifth-rounder that year.
Samuel Jr. has established himself as a starting-caliber cornerback since being drafted by the Chargers in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
He’s started 47 games (of 50 total), though he played just four games last season due to injury.
A new report claimed that Jalen Ramsey displayed ‘disruptive’ behavior while in Miami
He reportedly underwent neck injury in April.
McDaniel has been a polarizing figure since taking over for the Dolphins in 2022.
The player-friendly coach has seen his team produce some explosive offense performances with Tua Tagovailoa healthy, though he’s 0-2 in the playoffs and saw his team miss the postseason last year.
He has a 28-23 record in Miami.
