Miami Dolphins' Zach Sieler May Live in an RV but He's Making Big Plays at Defensive End
For Miami Dolphins defensive end Zach Sieler, he could potentially cut down on his gameday commute to Hard Rock Stadium and simply pull up to it the night before. That’s because Sieler, signed late last season by the Dolphins, has been living in a recreational vehicle.
Move over Jerome Bettis, who was known throughout the NFL as “The Bus.” The league now has Sieler, “The RV,” who is a potential headache for the New York Jets this Sunday.
Sieler is one of several Dolphins defensive players who has stepped up the past couple of weeks. They aren't big names but they are making big plays.
“I actually stay in an RV during the season. I’ve done this for two years now. I have a fifth wheel I stay in during the season,” Sieler told Miami reporters on Thursday.
“I actually had roots, and I do have roots in Sebring, which is about two hours from here. I know I’ve been asked about the ranch. That’s kind of my home base, I guess you could say. I have family in Michigan and I love going back to see them; but in season, I stay in an RV. For me, that works, I love it. It’s simple, it’s easy, I can get up and go postseason and just do whatever I need to do, wherever I’m training, I can park it and train there.”
Sieler is coming off a Week 5 win at the San Francisco 49ers in a game where he had two tackles and a sack. He has 10 tackles and 1.5 sacks on the year.
The Dolphins feature a good, solid defense that has been headlined this year by linebacker Jerome Baker, who is having a Pro Bowl caliber season. There is also defensive tackle Raekwon Davis, a second round pick in April’s NFL Draft who appears on the cusp of a bigger role with Miami this week.
“Raekwon is very – he’s got a lot of talent. He’s big. He’s strong. He’s athletic but he’s young,” Dolphins head coach Brian Flores said.
“He’s a young player still learning how to play in this league against a lot of good players, and he’s still trying to find his way and find his niche – his role – within the scheme. I think as a staff, we’re trying to put him in good positions or in the best positions, to do what he does well. He’s big, he’s athletic and he’s tough and he cares.”
The impressive thing about Miami’s defense this year is the contributions being gotten from the lesser name players such as Sieler, who was signed off waivers last December. For the Jets, this balanced defense is a concern given their offensive line (four sacks allowed in Week 5) and the fact that they’ve had trouble moving the ball all season (second-worst in total offense in the NFL).
The contributions from players like Sieler and an emerging role for the rookie Davis show a balanced and deep defense that has shown signs of progressively improving through the season’s first five games.
But seriously, Sieler lives in a trailer?
“I love it. No. I usually try to keep that a little lower. Some people learn or whatever, and usually everyone is great,” Sieler said.
“When you think about it, guys that are in our campground, usually they are vacationing. So everyone is happy, everyone always waves, it’s not the typical people living their daily lives. Usually they’re on vacation. It is kind of weird getting a new neighbor three or four times a week.”
