Former Patriots Playoff Hero Signs with Miami Dolphins
Former New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams running back Sony Michel has signed with the Miami Dolphins.
Michel was drafted by the Patriots with the 31st overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. As a rookie, he found his footing in the offense towards the middle of the season, ultimately finishing with 931 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns on 209 attempts.
However, Michel's time in New England is best remembered for his heroics in the team's Super Bowl run in 2018. Michel rushed for 336 yards and 6 touchdowns in just three games and played a crucial role in the offensive gameplan against the porous front sevens of the Los Angeles Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Los Angeles Rams. Michel's ability to run in a man-blocking-heavy scheme behind fullback James Devlin made him a central component in the Patriots Dynasty's final Super Bowl victory campaign.
After rushing for 4.5 yards per carry in 2018, Michel saw a significant decrease in efficiency in 2019, rushing for just 3.7 yards per carry with 247 rush attempts, 912 yards, and 7 touchdowns.
With New England drafting running back Damien Harris in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Michel saw his involvement in the offense decrease. After a tumultuous beginning to the 2020 season, Michel once again began producing at a level similar to his 2018 season, rushing for 4.1 yards per carry.
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Michel was traded to the Rams after the 2020 season where he won his second Super Bowl championship as the second option running back.
With the Dolphins, Michel will join a crowded backfield including Raheem Mostert, Chase Edmonds, and Myles Gaskin. Nonetheless, given Michel's recently efficient production, it's likely that Patriots fans will be seeing a lot of a familiar face again twice next season.
