The NFL Scouting Combine kicks off tomorrow as the first groups of players begin reporting. While the main focus of the Combine is on the prospects for May's NFL Draft, the event also provides a chance to speak with executives and coaches from many of the teams.
Starting Thursday and continuing through Saturday, the league provides 15 minute blocks of time for team GMs and head coaches to meet with the media. Some teams provide both men to speak, while others provide one or the other. For the Miami Dolphins, the Combine has typically been the jurisdiction of the General Manager. The team usually splits the year between the coach and the GM, with Joe Philbin speaking for the team throughout the season, while former GM Jeff Ireland would meet with the media starting at the Combine and carrying the team through the draft.
It appears that system will continue now under new GM Dennis Hickey. He is scheduled to speak on Thursday at 2:15pm ET. Meanwhile, Philbin is not on the NFL's schedule.
Philbin not being on the schedule is not surprising, though the team could be missing an opportunity. With the 15 minute time periods, putting Philbin on the schedule could allow the media to ask him questions about the Ted Wells report and the situation with Jonathan Martin and Richie Incognito in a set period of time. He could, from then on, simply say he has said everything he will say about the situation, and is moving on to the 2014 season.
Perhaps the team prefers to have Philbin speak once all the fallout is complete, including any possible firings or suspensions that could be handed down based on the results of the Wells report. Whatever the reason, the team has chosen to stick to their split of the season between the GM and the head coach. At least we should get some Dolphins news on Thursday when Hickey speaks to the media.