The Miami Dolphins on Monday announced their 2026 captains, naming two defensive players and four offensive players as team leaders. Head coach Jeff Hafley had indicated last week that the captains would be named via a team vote, telling reporters, “I think it’s important for everybody who is involved to have a vote in that, certainly starting with the players. I think it’s important that they have a vote in who they believe the captains should be, and I’m excited to see that…But we’ll vote on it and take
a look. I think there’s a couple candidates that really deserve it, so I’m excited to see who our players think they are.”
He then added on Thursday, “The vote has been taken. I don’t have an ideal number. I’ll look at the votes and if they’re spread out and kind of even, we’ll go there. Some years I’ve had to do this there’s been three, some years there’s been six. It’s just, where’s your team at, who are your leaders, who do the guys on the team think the captain should be, how many votes did each guy get, and you make your judgment. But we have not tallied them up yet. We just voted in the meetings right now. So I will announce that on – I talk to you guys Monday, so you’ll know on Monday. The players will know Monday too. So that’s not going to be something that gets out.”
Dolphins 2026 Captains
Now that it is Monday, the results are out. Miami’s 2026 captains are:
Running back De’Von Achane
Center Aaron Brewer
Linebacker Jordyn Brooks
Left tackle Patrick Paul
Defensive tackle Zach Sieler
Quarterback Malik Willis
Young leaders stepping up
Just as the Dolphins are looking to reset the franchise, trusting younger players to develop and perform this season, the captains feature several younger players stepping into leadership roles for the first time.
Achane, Willis, and Paul were named captains for the first time. Willis, in his first year as a starting quarterback, joined the Dolphins this year and has immediately assumed a leadership role. Achane and Paul are only 24 years old as they become captains for the first time. Willis is 27.
The Dolphins coaching staff and front office named Achane, Brewer, and Brooks the building blocks of the team as they took over and started a rebuild of the franchise. All three were signed to contract extensions this summer and they now add leadership roles for the players as well. Brewer and Brooks are both 28 years old.
Brewer and Paul are the anchors on the offensive line. Brewer was a Second-Team All-Pro selection last season and is looking to continue to build, aiming to be First-Team this year. Paul, entering his third year, has established himself as a strong left tackle and has been taking on more leadership responsibilities this offseason and during training camp.
Sieler is the longest-tenured player on Miami’s roster, having joined the team as a waiver claim from the Baltimore Ravens during the 2019 season. He has been selected as a captain the past two seasons and continues that leadership role this year. He is 31 years old.
