All of this talk about whether or not Jason Taylor and Joey Porter should return to Miami next season, I got to thinking. If you were to ask somebody who wasn't a Dolphins fan, who would they tell you is currently the "face of the franchise?"
So what made me think of this? Well I have a feeling that "outsiders" - aka those who are not fans of the team - might view either Porter or Taylor (or both) as the face of this team right now. But while I type this, many Dolphin fans are debating both of their futures with this team.
Ironic, no?
So I thought it might be interesting to talk about some of the current Dolphins who might be considered as the current "face of the franchise" - in no particular order.
Chad Henne - He's young and has started only 13 games - going 7-6 in those 13 starts. But he did lead three fourth quarter comebacks last year and us beginning to game some national notoriety. Even still, he probably isn't the face of this team...yet.
Ronnie Brown - Ronnie has to be considered one of the top candidates for this title. Despite being a former #2 overall pick, Brown was under the radar for some time. But his 2007 season - prior to getting injured - was a breakout season for Brown, leading the league in yards from scrimmage at the time of his injury. He then gained national fame for being the trigger-man of the 'Wildcat' in 2008 - earning his first Pro Bowl appearance. His 'Wildcat" game alone could be considered by many as enough to be the face of the Dolphins right now.
Ricky Williams - If this was 2002 or 2003, Ricky might run away with this honor. He was the most dominant back in the league in 2002 and his combination of size, speed, and strength was unmatched when he was in his prime. Of course, we all know what happened in between then and now. But Ricky has again become a fan favorite as well as one of the league's top #2 running backs. But is that enough to be the current face of the franchise?
Jake Long - It's rare that an offensive lineman could be considered the face of a team. But Jake is a former #1 overall pick and has been voted to the Pro Bowl in his first two seasons - earning a starting spot in this year's event before bailing out with an injury. He's one of the best young left tackles in the game and still has room to improve. But is a LT really known well enough nationally to earn this title?
Jason Taylor - Taylor is a Miami Dolphins legend and is potentially a future Hall of Famer. But he's going to be 36 years old and isn't the same elite player as he once was. With that said, he's still effective in his role and is a leader in the locker room. There aren't too many Dolphins in team history with the kind of national profile JT has. But does his increasing age and diminishing skills hurt his chance to be the face of this franchise?
Joey Porter - He may be the most well-known Dolphin in the eyes of many casual football fans. But that's mostly because of his mouth and his time in Pittsburgh. As a Dolphin, Porter really has had just one good season. However, if you ask a fan of another team to name three Dolphin players, I'd bet the majority include Porter in their list of three.
So which do you think is the current "face of the Miami Dolphins"? Vote and then explain below.