"No wonder they played like a high school team": Fans react to Miami Dolphins players being gifted their high school jerseys

Miami Dolphins linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. uniquely spread holiday cheers this year, gifting his teammates replicas of their high school football jerseys. The thoughtful gesture, shared on Instagram through a video by Walker Jr. and the Dolphins, captured smiles and heartfelt reactions from the team.

The gesture didn’t go unnoticed, drawing praise from both teammates and fans alike. Cornerback Kader Kohou described the jerseys as “probably one of the best gifts I’ve gotten in a while,” while running back De’Von Achane marveled at Walker’s efforts, saying:

“For him to even think of that and I know he had to go through a lot to get everybody’s school, their jersey number; so just him being that thoughtful, it was pretty big.”

However, not all fan reactions were glowing. Some humorously tied the nostalgic gesture to the team’s on-field struggles with comments like:

“No wonder they played like a high school team.”

“With the way we're playing this year, they need to go back to high school.”

Credit: Instagram/@sportscenternext and @espnnfl

Here is how other fans expressed their reactions:

"Struggling if I should Bench Hill for Williams/JSN," a fan quipped.

"Gotta rock them to the next game !" a fan remarked.

Credit: Instagram/@sportscenternext and @espnnfl

"Cause they playing like a high school team," another said.

"awwww perfect for when Josh Allen beats them like the high school team they are," another fan commented.

Credit: Instagram/@sportscenternext and @espnnfl

Players excitedly unwrapped their jerseys, with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa donning his Saint Louis Crusaders jersey on the spot. Fellow teammates Calais Campbell and Malik Washington shared similar enthusiasm.

Miami Dolphins' playoff hopes fade after costly loss to Texans

The Miami Dolphins’ playoff aspirations are hanging by a thread following a crushing 12-20 loss to the Houston Texans. Quarterback Tagovailoa’s performance played a significant role in the defeat, as he turned the ball over four times, including three interceptions and a lost fumble.

Tagovailoa threw for 196 yards and one touchdown but was sacked three times. With under two minutes remaining, the veteran quarterback had an opportunity to orchestrate a game-tying drive. However, his third interception of the day on the first play of the drive sealed Miami’s fate.

The Dolphins’ offense struggled throughout, managing only 52 rushing yards and 224 total yards. Their turnovers directly accounted for 10 of Houston’s points. Meanwhile, Miami’s defense delivered a solid performance, holding the Texans to just 181 total yards.

The Miami loss pegged them down with 6-8, making the deficit 2.5 games from the LA Chargers, which would place them 8-5, and the Denver Broncos for the last two vacant AFC Wild Card spots.