The Stories Behind 'Menace Mode,' 'Dulcich The Leche' and Other Cool Dolphins Nicknames

One of the great traditions of football is the use of nicknames.

Every NFL roster has them. Some are intimidating. Some are funny. Some make absolutely no sense until you hear the story behind them.

The Miami Dolphins happen to have a locker room full of gems, including a solid batch of monikers that come with some of the rookies in this year's draft class.

As someone who spends far too much time thinking about the funny side of Dolphins football — mostly because it hides the pain — I figured it was time to point out and appreciate some of the best nicknames currently getting tossed around the building.

Greg Dulcich: "The Leche"

Miami Dolphins fans got a crash course in Greg Dulcich last season. It wasn't so much his impact on the field (26 catches for 335 yards and one touchdown) after being promoted from the practice squad on October 22. It was more a blend of his style of play, seemingly controlled chaos, mixed with flashes of his luxurious hair flapping in the wind when he appeared on our television screens.

A man with that sort of aesthetics deserves a memorable nickname, and Dulcich has just that — "The Leche."

Greg "The Leche" Dulcich? As in Dulce De Leche? In Miami?

Ten out of ten. No notes.

Jacob Rodriguez: "Coastal Cowboy"

We're cheating here, because Jacob Rodriguez most commonly goes by "J-Rod," but now that he's in Miami, some have begun referring to the former Texas Tech gunslinger as the "Coastal Cowboy."

When given the option, we'll ride with "Coastal Cowboy," a nickname suited for a '90s-era poster you'd find in a teenager's room featuring Rodriguez wearing a cowboy hat while surfing.

Kyle Louis: "The Shark"

Normally, "The Shark" wouldn't crack the top tier of football nicknames. But this is the Miami Dolphins we're talking about, and there is hidden context that makes this one shine.

While playing college ball at Pittsburgh, Louis famously threw a fin on his head after big plays, just like Dolphins fans have been doing since the Ricky Williams era. A guy named The Shark making plays for the Dolphins feels less like a nickname and more like destiny.

The football gods cooked with this one.

Kadyn Proctor: "Krispy"

The largest humans on football teams almost always get food-related nicknames, and Dolphins first-round pick Kadyn Proctor's "Krispy" fits the bill. Proctor’s nickname stems from his self-described addiction to the hot deliciousness that is Krispy Kreme doughnuts. It originally started as an inside joke, but caught on so much that, while at Alabama, offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb named a goal-line package after him.

It took forever for Dunkin' Donuts to sponsor former Miami Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson. We have to imagine that someone in the Krispy Kreme marketing department is paying much closer attention to the Dolphins' newest cornerstone. If not, consider this your wake-up call.

Caleb Douglas: "PayDay"

Newest speedster third-round wideout Caleb Douglas is chasing the payday every young NFL player dreams about. A second-day draft selection pays better than a normal job out of college ever would, but everyone knows the real pay day comes in an NFL player's second contract.

Douglas's nickname being "PayDay" is all fun and games until the Dolphins actually have to pay him money that the man he is essentially replacing, Jaylen Waddle, was set to make in Miami. But if that day comes, it will be a sign that things went incredibly well, and the nickname for foretelling.

Kevin Coleman Jr.: "Just Different"

This one feels marketable. Dolphins rookie wideout Kevin Coleman Jr. goes by "Just Different," which sounds less like a nickname and more like a slogan Nike would end his eventually black-and-white commercial with.

If Coleman starts making highlight plays on Sundays, this thing could take off quickly.

Frankly, the nickname is already halfway to having its own apparel line. He's got a lot of work to do before we start talking about team roles, let alone custom sweatpants.

DJ Campbell: "Menace Mode"

Every offensive line needs at least one guy whose nickname sounds like a final boss in a video game. DJ Campbell's "Menace Mode" absolutely qualifies.

Campbell is a bit of a wild card when it comes to his role on the team. He will either be a solid backup or the rabid "smaller" lineman amid a skyscraper rest of the offensive line the Fins are building.

Everyone can't just be tall. Every team needs a crazy guy on their side. 'Menace Mode' sounds just like the sort of guy who evens things out.

Terrace Marshall Jr.: "Moo Moo"

Dolphins fans may not be all that familiar with free agent wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr., but if the man they call "Moo Moo" gets going, you know he will be a fan favorite to support.

As the legend has it, the man they call "Moo" dates back to his time growing up in the rural community of Haughton, Louisiana, which is rich in farmland and cattle, leading friends and family to give him a nickname inspired by the cows raised throughout the area, and the name stuck with Marshall while starring at LSU.

Here's to many big first-down catches that are followed by Mooooooo chants.

Zach Sieler: "Sack Sieler"

Zach "The Sack" Sieler? Cmon', man. This is peak dad joke territory.

And we love it.

It's simple. It's obvious. It's impossible not to appreciate.

The best part is that Sieler is a father himself, which somehow makes the nickname even more fitting.

The transformation is complete. Elite-level Dad joke activated.

Chop Robinson: Formerly "Pork Chop"

Here's where things get interesting. Most Dolphins fans know him as Chop Robinson. What many don't realize is that his real name is Demeioun Robinson and his mother originally called him "Pork Chop" because he weighed a staggering 14 pounds at birth.

Fourteen pounds.

At that size, I feel like "Pork" deserved top billing and "Chop" should have been the secondary nickname, but that's a family matter, and I don't want any problems with a mom who can give birth to a toddler.

Either way, it's an all-time origin story. And if people call you by your nickname as if it's your real first name, it's a great one.

Patrick Paul: "Mt. Patrick"

When you're enormous, mountain-based nicknames are almost unavoidable. Patrick Paul's "Mt. Patrick" works because it sounds exactly like what you'd call a giant offensive lineman who blocks out the sun during practice.

Simple. Effective. Geological. Possibility located in Japan. Maybe volcanic activity is involved. You simply respect the size and implied danger of such a beast.

Chris Johnson: "Mighty Mouse"

Mighty Mouse is one of those timeless sports nicknames that never gets old. There were likely guys in the 1940s who went by Mighty Mouse, as it grew in popularity thanks to a cartoon by the same name.

"Mighty Mouse" normally goes to a small guy who does strong things, and Johnson earned it exactly because of that — his smaller stature and explosive playmaking ability dating back to his youth football days.

If we're being honest in the Trust Tree, we feel like we can, and will, do better if Johnson becomes an All-Pro.

De'Von Achane: "A-Train" and "Himmothy"

Achane gets bonus points because he essentially has two nicknames. "A-Train" makes perfect sense because: 1) It sounds like his last name looks, and 2) watching him accelerate through a defense looks a lot like a train leaving the station.

"Himmothy," meanwhile, is modern football slang. If somebody calls you Himmothy, it means you're that guy.

You. Are. Him.

And judging by Achane's first three NFL seasons, Dolphins fans would probably agree.

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