Read the full transcript from DL Zach Sieler's media availability on July 28, 2026.

How does practice under Jeff Hafley compare to previous regimes you've played under?

Zach Sieler: This practice was a really fun first opening practice to camp. Obviously, we had a lot of new players here, a lot of new faces. It's a great energy coming from the players, and guys want to just put their best foot forward and go out there and fly around. It was really fun seeing that. Obviously, it wasn't perfect. The first practice never is. But guys are committed and they want to grow each and every day. So it's been really exciting to get out there today with them and can't wait for the rest of the camp.

What are some of your early impressions of Jeff Hafley's defense?

Zach Sieler: Obviously we're early in the install. We did a lot of OTA stuff. I really enjoy the two-way communication between coaches and players and the why behind things. And hey, I see this because of this, so we can all be thinking and talking the same language. So I'm very excited for that and to keep moving forward.

I saw pretty much the entire team getting extra work after practice. Who is kind of behind that charge?

Zach Sieler: What's awesome about that obviously it's not required, it's not mandatory. Each group has leaders in every group that just want to make sure that their position group is the best for the team, for themselves. The selfish, the jealousy, the 'me, me, me' stuff, it's just to be a better player for the team and it's all for the team. And to see guys go out there, to want to hone in their craft for themselves as much as each other, it's just incredible. When you're fighting for your brothers and fighting for the men next to you, and you really stress that communication, that bond is it's impressive. So just seeing how it goes, and honestly, we want to make sure that these guys hold on through all camp. It's really easy to be like that on the first day.

You've been under Mike, you've been under Flo. What's unique about how Haf runs practice?

Zach Sieler: Kind of hit it earlier, but like it's a nice, it's a two-way but it's a very clear this is how I want it. It's we're going to do this the right way every day, and if it's not, we're gonna respectfully say it. You're going to have to grow and learn as a player, and if you can't take that, you can't play here.

You mentioned the like the "me, me, me" mentality. With a lot of one-year deals, a lot of people playing for their NFL futures, I feel like that can easily set in. Just what's your message to the team to get them to have that collective buy in?

Zach Sieler: I think the best part of it, and it's what we've tried to relay across the board, I know (Austin) Clark and I have always said it in the d-line room and I mean we all did, everyone did that. Doesn't matter on a one-year, three-year, whatever. The way I've always looked at it, no matter my deals, no matter the contracts, was every play could be your last and every year could be your last. So the better I do, the better the team does. The better we do, the better it is for all of us. That's the buy-in that these guys, you can see they have and that's been really exciting.

There's always all this talk about rookies learning from vets. What about what the vets learn from rookies?

Zach Sieler: What I love is, being now obviously a little later in my career, the energy the young guys bring. Where they might not know everything, but they're going to give their all every play. And I tell them like, look, if you don't know, just be physical and fly around and we'll correct it after the fact. To have that energy out there, to see these guys flying around, it makes you fly around. Not that you're not gonna or whatever, but just having that energy, that passion out there is really fun. It's been really exciting to see these guys grow and try to find themselves as a player in the NFL and as a Miami Dolphin.

Is there even more energy because there's 13 rookies out there? I'm sure like you haven't had that many out there, but is there even more because of the sheer amount?

Zach Sieler: The energy's always there, especially day one. It's hard to get a heartbeat on the whole team in one day, but the guys, they just want to be there. There's no pride. No one's mad about whatever, they take corrections. I tell the rookies, hey, if you see me doing something, tell me. There's no – it's all equal accountability. That's what we're trying to work and stress from day one, and we got to ride this out all throughout camp and then the season.

Zach, you talked about being further along in your career and I was looking. That's a nice way of putting it. I was wondering, looking around all these new faces and everything, what's it like for you knowing, I mean, how many of these guys were even around when you first arrived?

Zach Sieler: When I first got here? You might have to look that up, I don't know. I mean, I've been in that spot where you showed up – when I first got here, I didn't know who I was celebrating with on the field. I was here for a day and a half, and to have that passion with each other, that's the stress that we're trying to stress right now, where you want to play for each other. So to build those bonds and build those connections by doing things not only on the field, but off the field together, it makes you a tighter team. Are you going to work out harder by yourself or when you have someone next to you competing and pushing you? You're always going to work out harder when you have someone with you. So to have guys out there with you, they're competing and pushing you, whether it be for your job or the job next to you, you're going to play harder. When you look at it like that point of view and lens, I think you're gonna get the best from everybody.

What reaction do you get out of – do you even pay attention when you see that nobody's giving this team a chance to do anything?

Zach Sieler: I'll be honest, I haven't. I don't pay attention to that stuff, I never have. You guys all know I'm kind of an underdog story my whole life, my whole career. So I really don't, the outside noise and all that stuff – there hasn't been a single snap of football played yet this year. So to do that, it's all off of last season's whatever. We've all seen guys and teams make massive jumps in a matter of a year. I'm very excited for this team and where we're going to go, and I think guys have the passion, the love and the 'know how' to want to be the best, every day.

Speaking of massive jump, potentially, where do you think that could occur with Kenneth Grant if it were to happen for him in year two?

Zach Sieler: KG, Zeek (Biggers), Jordan (Phillips), all the rookies that were here last year in my room, I mean everywhere, but obviously in my room I'm with the most. Those guys, they've gone above and beyond all offseason in and outside the building to make sure they're in the best shape, the best potential position for this season so we can hit the ground running. To build those bonds and build that connection to rush as one, to play the run as one and to understand how we all see the game in one light has been awesome, and I'm really excited to see them make that jump.

What has that balance been like for having a year with playing all those guys, but now having to learn a new scheme. How have you guys kind of balanced that familiarity, but also having a new layer on top of it?

Zach Sieler: They have one year in the league, and they've had to learn one new scheme, so this is just another year for them. They've never played a year back-to-back with the same scheme, so I think that might be a good thing where hey look, we've just got to learn it all up. And what Hafley, Sean (Duggan), all these guys are doing is they're doing a great job of explaining the scheme, how they see the scheme, how they see us attacking and wanting to learn. These guys are all smart guys where they're fully absorbing and trying to understand the defense as one, and then we also try to learn it as each other and how we see it all as one. So it's been really fun and really exciting.

Obviously a pick six sparks the entire defense, but when it's Willie Gay Jr., does it give you a little more juice than anybody else?

Zach Sieler: It's everybody man. Willie's energy is incredible. He's one of those guys that when he's out there, it's just this massive energy that's out there that just makes everyone just want to fly around. And it's always fun seeing Willie make plays like that.

I know you guys didn't have pads on today, but what did you see from Kadyn Proctor out there?

Zach Sieler: He's a big body. He's got good feet. I'm excited to see him keep growing through camp. Him, Jonah, right there next to Brewer and see Brewer lead that o-line group like he has, has been really exciting. I'm excited to see how they keep continuing to grow.

When you did self-scouting after last season, what did you see out of your play? The high points?

Zach Sieler: I want to start fast. That's my goal this year, period. As a team, as a unit, as myself. Then we come out running and start fast and get the season going.

We saw Zeek Biggers out on the edge. Just what do you think of that move and how do you think he can help set the edge?

Zach Sieler: Zeek did it last year. I did it in my previous year. I think it's a great thing, we always say the more you can do. That's a big thing, and Zeek's done an amazing job. He's out there, he's at nose, he's at three tech. So to jump all around the field out there is exciting. It's cool seeing him grow.