Most NFL head coaches spend August talking down workloads and hyping committee backfields. The training camp stories are about guys who put on 10 pounds of muscle or are in the best shape of their lives. The coachspeak is always there, and fantasy football managers can't help but roll their eyes with every headline.
However, one first-year NFL coach did the opposite this week. He went live on a national sports talk show and promised to run his best player into the ground, quite literally, and fantasy football managers should be thrilled.
Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley appeared on the Rich Eisen Show and laid out a plan for De'Von Achane that sounds built for fantasy lineups. He said the running back got a warning that morning. "I just gave Achane a heads-up this morning and told him he better be in good shape. Because I told him there might be some games where I might have to pick him up and carry him back into the locker room because he's going to be so tired."
Then Hafley went further, adding that he doesn't want Achane asking for a breather by tapping on his helmet. "And I told him, I don't ever want to see one of these head taps all year. And he looked me right in the eye and said, 'You'll never get that head tap from me.' I said, 'Don't worry, buddy. After you touch the ball 40, 45 times, I might have to pick you up, and I'll carry you back in the locker room.'"
Hafley, who's definitely just having fun in the moment and not talking about a serious strategy, also praised the 24-year-old back as a leader and a smart player. "I love the guy. I mean, you want to talk about a guy with some juice and a guy with personality starting to come out. A guy who's starting to become a leader." He added, "He's one of the smarter players."
#show
However, one first-year NFL coach did the opposite this week. He went live on a national sports talk show and promised to run his best player into the ground, quite literally, and fantasy football managers should be thrilled.
Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley appeared on the Rich Eisen Show and laid out a plan for De'Von Achane that sounds built for fantasy lineups. He said the running back got a warning that morning. "I just gave Achane a heads-up this morning and told him he better be in good shape. Because I told him there might be some games where I might have to pick him up and carry him back into the locker room because he's going to be so tired."
Then Hafley went further, adding that he doesn't want Achane asking for a breather by tapping on his helmet. "And I told him, I don't ever want to see one of these head taps all year. And he looked me right in the eye and said, 'You'll never get that head tap from me.' I said, 'Don't worry, buddy. After you touch the ball 40, 45 times, I might have to pick you up, and I'll carry you back in the locker room.'"
Hafley, who's definitely just having fun in the moment and not talking about a serious strategy, also praised the 24-year-old back as a leader and a smart player. "I love the guy. I mean, you want to talk about a guy with some juice and a guy with personality starting to come out. A guy who's starting to become a leader." He added, "He's one of the smarter players."
#show
3 months ago
