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The Top Five Dolphins Stories of the Week

The passing of Don Shula and the release of the 2020 NFL schedule dominated the news for the Miami Dolphins this week
Alain Poupart|
The Top Five Dolphins Stories of the Week
The Top Five Dolphins Stories of the Week

It was a busy week for the Miami Dolphins, and also a sad week, as the passing of Hall of Fame coach Don Shula overshadowed everything else that happened this week, as we revisit the top five stories of the week.

1. Don Shula dies

This dwarfed anything else that happened, such was the large place Don Shula held in Dolphins lore.

He's the man who made South Florida relevant on the professional sports landscape, who made the Miami Dolphins a model franchise for a decade and beyond.

The tributes came from far and wide, as one would expect for the winningest coach in NFL history and the only man to guide a team to a perfect season.

2. The regular season schedule is announced

Yes, everybody already knows what opponents each team will face, but that has never lessened the popularity of the schedule release (though a three-hour prime-time show to discuss it is a bit much).

For the Dolphins, the big revelations included back-to-back games against the New York Jets, an opener at Gillette Stadium, and a three-game home stretch highlighted by a visit from the defending Super Bowl champions.

3. Jersey numbers unveiled

The day when newcomers get their Dolphins numbers doesn't usually generate this kind of interest, but this obviously was not a normal year.

And that's, of course, because of the arrival of Tua Tagovailoa and the intrigue over what number he would wear.

The silliness about the Dolphins un-retiring the number 13 worn by Hall of Famer Dan Marino ended up being just that, complete silliness.

In the end, Tagovailoa ended up with number 1, which had some interesting signifiance for him.

4. Dolphins get busy signing draft picks

Because of the new rules established by the former CBA in 2011, the process of signing draft picks isn't nearly as complicated as it used to be and holdouts almost never happen nowadays.

That said, it still has to get done, and the Dolphins began doing what they need to do this week by signing four of their 11 draft picks.

5. Wilson agrees to pay cut

The headline may say that Wilson agreed to "restructure" his contract, but this was an out-and-out pay cut, though Wilson was facing the prospect of getting released because of his previous salary-cap number.

As it was, Wilson agreed to take less money in the final year of his contract with the Dolphins with the hope — from both his side (from a new contract perspective) and the Dolphins — that he can put together a productive 2020 season.

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Alain Poupart
ALAIN POUPART

Alain Poupart is the publisher/editor of Miami Dolphins On SI and host of the All Dolphins Podcast. Alain has covered the Miami Dolphins on a full-time basis since 1989 for various publications and media outlets, including Dolphin Digest, The Associated Press and the Dolphins team website. In addition to being a credentialed member of the Miami Dolphins press corps, Alain has covered three Super Bowls (for NFL.com, Football News and the Montreal Gazette), the annual NFL draft, the Senior Bowl, and the NFL Scouting Combine. During his almost 40 years in journalism, which began at the now-defunct Miami News, Alain has covered practically every sport at one time or another, from tennis to golf, baseball, basketball and everything in between. The career also included time as a copy editor, including work on several books, such as "Still Perfect," an inside look at the Miami Dolphins' 1972 perfect season. A native of Montreal, Canada, whose first language is French, Alain grew up a huge hockey fan but soon developed a love for all sports, including NFL football. He has lived in South Florida since the 1980s.

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