The Miami Dolphins have a lot of unanswered questions heading into the 2026 season, but it isn’t like they didn’t have a lot of questions heading into 2025, either. For one veteran, the regime change may just be what he needed to turn around his forgotten career.

When the Dolphins signed Willie Gay, Jr. ahead of last year, fans believed they were getting a physically tough-minded linebacker who would make an immediate impact on the Dolphins’ defense. That didn’t happen. It sounds like that could be the case in 2026, however.

Miami Dolphins defensive coach raves about Willie Gay and what he brings to the team

For whatever reason, Gay didn’t fit within the structure of Anthony Weaver’s defensive scheme. He saw only 12% of the defensive snaps and started only two games. Gay had a very good training camp with the Dolphins. He looked every bit the player he was in Kansas City. A steal in free agency, fans said.

The Dolphins rarely used him, which is a shame. As Al Washington points out, the guy is a physical football player.

“Willie Gay’s violence embodies violence. I could watch him on a sled for hours. No matter what he does, he approaches it with enthusiasm.”

The Dolphins want their roster to be violent and physical. It has been decades since Miami was considered a physical team instead of a finesse one.

Fans loved what Gay showed last year in the little amount of time he played. Two sacks, 20 tackles, and solid coverage tape. Yet the Dolphins still didn’t work more into the game plan.

It was almost a forgone conclusion that Gay would not be back in Miami this year. That changed when Mike McDaniel was fired, and Anthony Weaver left. Jon-Eric Sullivan saw the power he could bring. With the youth on the defensive side of the ball, Gay may get a chance to make a bigger impact.

For now, at least, he has caught the attention of his position coach, and that is all you can hope for at this point during the offseason.