Following a defense-led 20-3 victory over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel handed out game balls and passed the metaphoric mic over to linebacker Jordyn Brooks.
“You talk about believing man; keep [expletive] believing,” Brooks told his teammates in a video posted by the Dolphins on social media. “I never stop believing, bro, because I know who we got in this room.”
The Jordyn Brooks signing looks better and better by the day. Talk about a LEADER, I’m ready to strap up Sunday 😤 pic.twitter.com/KNED4vyQ97
— Bobby Shouse (@B_Shousejr) December 30, 2024
Since joining the Dolphins earlier this year, Brooks has been outstanding in the middle for Miami in 2024. His 137 tackles are the most by a Dolphins player in a single season since Zach Thomas recorded 165 in 2006. Brooks had nine, eight solo, on Sunday in Cleveland.
All season, Brooks has been a wrecking ball. He has 83 solo tackles, 11 for loss, three sacks, and six quarterback hits, as well as a pair of fumble recoveries. In coverage, he’s recorded five passes defended.
Brooks is looking to be a fixture in Miami and stands out as an obvious captain candidate for 2025. He has started all 16 games for the Dolphins this season and played a career-best 98 percent of the seasonal snaps.
After four seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, Brooks has turned into a bona fide leader in the Miami locker room.
“If it’s one [expletive] percent of a chance of us making it, then that’s what the [expletive] we play for!” Brooks told his teammates Sunday.
The Dolphins are heading into a Week 18 win-and-need-help scenario, to sneak into the playoffs. Miami must beat the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium at 4:25, while eyes will also be on the Kansas City and Denver game, simultaneously. Miami needs a Chiefs win on the road against the Broncos, in a game where Kansas City will be playing the backups.
While it’s a tall order to expect the backup Chiefs to beat the Broncos, Miami holds a 28 percent chance of making it in. That’s more than enough for Brooks and co. to keep on believing.
