National Football League

Joe Philbin is right man for a tough job in the eyes of Dolphins owner

Published Dec. 22, 2014 3:34 p.m. ET

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DAVIE, Fla. -- A turbulent season filled with plenty of ups and downs will come to a close next Sunday, and the Miami Dolphins have again missed out on their goal of making the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

In typical Dolphins fashion, they were officially eliminated from a postseason berth with a Pittsburgh Steelers victory while they fought tooth and nail during an action-packed fourth quarter at home against the Minnesota Vikings. The wild finish netted a feel-good 37-35 victory, and a chance to at least finish the season with a winning record when they face the New York Jets on Sunday is a small consolation prize.

But more important to their future was the announcement after the game from owner Stephen Ross that head coach Joe Philbin would indeed be retained for next season and finish out his original four-year deal.

Though the team has a 23-24 record with zero playoff appearances since he took over in 2012, Philbin has earned the trust from not just Ross but also from the players who have supported him through the many tough times the team has endured.

"I believe this, I believed this for 30 years, that players deserve a coach that believes in them," Philbin said Monday. "That belief I think allows players to hopefully reach their potential. It's important for a head coach of a NFL football team that the owner believes in him, what he is doing and the program he is instilling.

"It's very important. If you don't have that type of belief and faith from the owner, it's not going to work. I know if players don't believe in their coaches and coaches don't believe in their players, you have no chance. It's important."

Ross believes the team is headed in the right direction and is a few pieces away from contending for a playoff berth next year. Instead of choosing to tear it down and rebuild again, he is choosing to be patient and is giving Philbin another opportunity to build on what's worked this season.

Along with first-year general manager Dennis Hickey, Philbin must refine a roster that had talent but suffered too many late-game collapses that cost them potential victories against the likes of the Green Bay Packers and Denver Broncos.

Nevertheless, Philbin was a calm and steadying force through injuries, suspensions, tough losses and questions about the inconsistency of his starting quarterback. It's part of the reason why the players and his coaching staff were feeling positive after the news broke he would be returning to lead them next season.

"I was thrilled for coach," defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle said. "I think coach Philbin has been building something special here. Obviously we wish it would have translated into some more wins here sooner than it has, but there is no doubt in my mind he has built a great foundation as has the entire staff here together. I think the future is bright, and I think the organization will see that as we move forward. I'm thrilled for Coach and for the staff."

Despite the disappointment of missing the playoffs, this season has seen plenty of positives.

The offense under first-year coordinator Bill Lazor is making progress, and Ryan Tannehill has had a career season even while dealing with learning a new scheme and playing behind what was essentially a new offensive line. For one more season at least, the fate of the Dolphins will be intertwined with the job performances of both Philbin and Tannehill.

The biggest challenge will be to finally capitalize on what has been building during the Philbin era and to produce tangible results. Perhaps what Ross saw in Philbin when he hired him is what continues to give him the confidence that his head coach is still the right man for the job.

The goal to make the playoffs remains the same, and Philbin accepts the pressure that comes with it with a positive attitude and a professional manner preparing for each and every game regardless of importance.

"To me, it all starts with the way we approach things, we approach one game at a time," Philbin said. "We approach this as a privilege to put the uniform on and put the whistle on as a coach to represent this organization. The goal is to win, every single time you step onto that field. You do things the right way and give great effort while you're out there. That's the only way I know how to go about preparing a team to play in the National Football League, so that's exactly what we're going to do."

You can follow Surya Fernandez on Twitter @SuryaHeatNBA or email him at SuryaFoxSports@gmail.com.

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