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The Miami Dolphins waived Sam Brenner four times during the 2015 season, twice in the month of November alone. Every time the Dolphins brought Brenner back as a member of the practice squad, up until the last time when the team waived Brenner on November 17, only to have the Denver Broncos put in a waiver claim to snatch the reserve center away from Miami.
Three months later, Brenner is a Super Bowl champion.
Brenner was not active for the championship game against the Panthers, but he was still a member of the team's 53-man roster. And, he will pick up a Super Bowl ring.
From the 53rd member of the Dolphins' roster to Super Bowl champion with the Denver Broncos.
Good for Brenner.
Brenner joined the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of Utah in 2013. He spent the first part of his rookie season on the practice squad for Miami, though he was brought up to the active roster late in the year, and actually recorded four starts along with three other appearances. In 2014, Brenner nearly the entire season on the practice squad, making no appearances during the season. He appeared in three games at the start of the 2015 season for Miami, but then commenced to being the man the team cut any time they made a roster move, re-signing him to the practice squad. With Denver, Brenner provided offensive line depth, but did not make an appearance.
"It's tough," Pro Bowl center Mike Pouncey told the Palm Beach Post's Andrew Abramson at the time, speaking of the repeated roster moves involving Brenner. "It's just how the league works sometimes. I don't feel like it's fair all the time because he's definitely a guy deserving of a spot on this football team.
"We really enjoy having him inside of our offensive line room," Pouncey continued. "He's been a valuable piece to our offensive line unit for the past few years. It sucks, man, especially when you're friends with a guy. To see guys get done that way, it's tough. I know he understands it and so do we."
Brenner was waived by the Dolphins when they signed linebacker James-Michael Johnson. The Broncos waived guard Shelley Smith when they claimed Brenner, with the Dolphins signing Smith a month later.