Getty Jevon Holland reacts to a play in a Miami Dolphins game.
Miami Dolphins safety Jevon Holland didn’t make any kind of public statement after the departure of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, but may have made his feelings known in a cryptic social media post.
The team announced on January 24 that Fangio was released from his contract and would pursue other opportunities, just weeks after the end of a season where they turned in one of the league’s top defenses.
Amid reports that Fangio had a fractured relationship with the team’s players, Holland took to social media afterward to share a short video that appeared to say goodbye in his own unique way.
Dolphins Safety Jevon Holland Sends a Message
As Sun-Sentinel reporter David Furones noted on X, Holland took to social media not long after the Dolphins announced Fangio’s departure in what appeared to be a backhanded goodbye.
“Interesting Dolphins safety Jevon Holland posts a video kicking rocks moments after the Vic Fangio news breaks,” Furones wrote, making reference to the “kick rocks” statement that is akin to telling someone to hit the road.
Holland was not the only member of the Dolphins defense to make a cryptic statement after Fangio’s departure. Defensive back Cam Smith also took to X to share a message with no words, just an emoji of an unlocked lock.
The posts turned heads, with many fans speculating there was some kind of rift between Fangio and his players that may have contributed to his departure.
As Pro Football Talk’s Adam H. Beasley noted, Smith may have had a personal gripe with his defensive coordinator as he saw a very limited role this season.
“The 2023 second-round pick landed in Fangio’s doghouse during his rookie training camp and never got out,” Beasley wrote. Even when the Dolphins were running out of bodies at the cornerback position, Smith couldn’t sniff the field. Fangio elected to play undrafted rookie Ethan Bonner over Smith when Eli Apple got hurt in the Dolphins’ Wild Card Round loss to the Chiefs.”
Dolphins Issue Statement on Vic Fangio Firing
Omar Kelly of SI.com’s All Dolphins reported that there were some internal tensions that led to the split with Fangio, with some players for the team to make a change.
“According to team sources, Fangio’s performance was a major topic of discussion in coach Mike McDaniel’s exit interviews, and there were a number of the team’s top performers who either wanted Fangio to change his ways or be replaced, and flat-out told McDaniel this,” Kelly wrote.
Kelly noted several issues, including the treatment of Smith as he landed in Fangio’s doghouse.
McDaniel still released a statement thanking Fangio for his work this year and saying the search for a new defensive coordinator would begin immediately.
“I want to thank Vic for his contributions in 2023. When we assessed the season, it became apparent that this was the best path forward for all parties involved,” McDaniel said in the statement. “Now, we turn our focus to 2024 and beyond with urgency as we identify the best candidate to lead our defense moving forward. We remain steadfastly committed to the development of our players and to building a winning team with sustained success.”