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Attitude adjustment time.
http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/sp...181846146.html
The reason Ajayi was traded has to do with team culture and locker room chemistry and player buy-in.
And the Dolphins weren’t liking what Ajayi was doing on those fronts. Yes, he was missing holes and assignments on occasions, too. He was among the players coach Adam Gase was referencing when he said players don’t take work home with them.
“At the end of the day, guys have got to actually take this stuff home and study it,” Gase said a few days ago. “They’re not going to just learn it all in meetings. We’ve got to find guys that will actually put forth effort to actually remember this stuff and really, it starts with our best players.”
Yes, like Ajayi. And Landry.
But Ajayi was a curious case because he had a period before the season-opener last season during which the Dolphins were really frustrated with him. It’s the reason he was left home when the team flew to Seattle for the 2016 season opener.
Ajayi seemingly addressed his attitude after that. And he reaped the benefits. He earned the starting job and became the team’s most effective offensive weapon. That continued through the offseason.
But in the last four weeks or so, the Dolphins saw pre-Seattle Jay Ajayi again.
He complained bitterly about not getting the football. He stormed out of the locker room -- get this, after wins -- because he hadn’t gotten what he deemed to be enough carries. And, oh yes, he didn’t exactly light it up on the field.
And here’s the thing: All this was done undercover. Ajayi complained to his position coach. And he carried around an attitude around other teammates. But he never took his concerns to the only voice that matters and that’s Gase.
And the Dolphins weren’t liking what Ajayi was doing on those fronts. Yes, he was missing holes and assignments on occasions, too. He was among the players coach Adam Gase was referencing when he said players don’t take work home with them.
“At the end of the day, guys have got to actually take this stuff home and study it,” Gase said a few days ago. “They’re not going to just learn it all in meetings. We’ve got to find guys that will actually put forth effort to actually remember this stuff and really, it starts with our best players.”
Yes, like Ajayi. And Landry.
But Ajayi was a curious case because he had a period before the season-opener last season during which the Dolphins were really frustrated with him. It’s the reason he was left home when the team flew to Seattle for the 2016 season opener.
Ajayi seemingly addressed his attitude after that. And he reaped the benefits. He earned the starting job and became the team’s most effective offensive weapon. That continued through the offseason.
But in the last four weeks or so, the Dolphins saw pre-Seattle Jay Ajayi again.
He complained bitterly about not getting the football. He stormed out of the locker room -- get this, after wins -- because he hadn’t gotten what he deemed to be enough carries. And, oh yes, he didn’t exactly light it up on the field.
And here’s the thing: All this was done undercover. Ajayi complained to his position coach. And he carried around an attitude around other teammates. But he never took his concerns to the only voice that matters and that’s Gase.