Dolphins are getting production from their young players, an encouraging sign for the future

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mike McDaniel stood in the locker room after the Miami Dolphins' 20-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and began calling out the names of the game's most impactful players.

“I'm going to start with a couple of players deserving of game balls,” McDaniel said. “Rookies no more.”

McDaniel then rattled off several members of the Dolphins’ rookie class who played key roles in the victory.

With Miami already eliminated from playoff contention, the final games of the season have provided extended opportunities for young players. On Sunday, the Dolphins got meaningful contributions from their rookies — an encouraging sign as the franchise looks toward the future.

“I think we’ve been heavily reliant upon the rookie class,” McDaniel said. "It was very calculated, the types of people that we brought in for the reasons of needing to be able to be professional football players at the NFL level. It is not always an easy task for someone coming straight out of (college). You go out of your college play, you go into training for the draft and then you go from training for the draft right into NFL football.

“I think our group today exhibited one of the reasons why we felt good about the entire class right after the draft.”

Quinn Ewers, a rookie seventh-round pick, threw two touchdowns with no interceptions in his second career start and again appeared to show calmness and sound decision-making.

Ewers' first touchdown was a 63-yard toss to fellow rookie Theo Wease Jr., an undrafted free agent who signed with Miami earlier this year.

“I think we’ve done pretty well,” Ewers said of Miami's rookie class. “The way that we all came in together and built a relationship, being in the hotel together, hanging out outside of football — that chemistry only helps us. It’s been fun to watch the growth of these rookies on the team, including myself.”

Ewers also has showed unusual poise and leadership for a young player, his teammates noted. The 22-year-old challenged the team last week to remain motivated during the final games of the season despite not being in the postseason hunt.

“You’re inherently a leader when you’re a quarterback, so to me, he’s passionate about football,” McDaniel said. “Don’t let the Texas twang in his speech fool you. This dude is very, very, very smart, very on it, and he’s very comfortable when he’s playing the position. You can see that.”

All eight of Miami’s 2025 draft picks played on Sunday, in addition to three undrafted rookies. Ewers, defensive tackles Kenneth Grant and Jordan Phillips and offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea started.

Rookie cornerback Jason Marshall Jr., a fifth-round pick, recorded his first career interception in the second quarter, picking off Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield on an underthrown downfield pass and returning it 24 yards. Marshall also recorded five tackles, a tackle for loss, two pass breakups and three special teams tackles.

Zeek Biggers, another seventh-round pick, blocked kicker Chase McLaughlin’s 55-yard field goal attempt late in the second quarter, marking the first time a Miami rookie blocked a field goal since Vincent Taylor at Baltimore on Oct. 26, 2017.

“I think it was a great game to see a lot of guys step up and make some plays,” veteran defensive tackle Zach Sieler said. "Obviously we all know, we’re not going to sugarcoat it, we’re not making playoffs, but to see guys go out there no matter the conditions and just play their best ball and show no quit ... It’s been exciting to see these young boys grow up and look forward to keep playing and keep growing up.”

Establishing the run game was a point of emphasis for the Dolphins to take some pressure off Ewers and set up the play action. That worked on Sunday, with Miami recording 145 yards rushing. De'Von Achane had 18 carries for 83 yards, and Jaylen Wright added 56 yards on five carries.

Third-down efficiency. The Dolphins moved the ball well enough, but they went 4 for 12 on third down. They're 6 for 22 on third downs over the past two games.

TE Greg Dulcich. He has been increasingly important in the passing game since being elevated to the active roster from the practice squad in October. Dulcich caught five passes for a season-high 58 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass.

WR Jaylen Waddle. He did not record a catch for the first time this season and played only 14 snaps. Waddle was limited by a rib injury suffered in the second quarter.

S Minkah Fitzpatrick missed his second straight game with a calf injury. ... LB Chop Robinson is in the concussion protocol.

10 — The numbers of games this season in which Achane has recorded 100-plus scrimmage yards — he had 112 on Sunday — which is tied for second most in a single season in franchise history.

The Dolphins visit New England in next week's regular-season finale.

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Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zeek Biggers, front right, and cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (33) tackle Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, second from left, during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Zeek Biggers (93) blocks a field goal-attempt by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

Miami Dolphins wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. (81) celebrates with running back Jaylen Wright (5) after scoring a touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel speaks during a news conference after an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers (14) looks to pass against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — The head of Iran's Central Bank resigned Monday as the biggest protests since 2022 erupted in Tehran and other cities after the country’s currency plummeted to a new record low against the U.S. dollar.

The resignation of Mohammad Reza Farzin was reported by state TV, as traders and shopkeepers rallied in Saadi Street in downtown Tehran as well as in the Shush neighborhood near Tehran's main Grand Bazaar. Merchants at the market played a crucial role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted the monarchy and brought Islamists to power.

The official IRNA news agency confirmed the protests. Witnesses reported similar rallies in other major cities including Isfahan in central Iran, Shiraz in the south and Mashhad in the northeast. In some places in Tehran, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

Monday's protests were the biggest since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. She was arrested by the country’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.

Witnesses told The Associated Press that traders shut their shops and asked others to do the same. The semiofficial ILNA news agency said many businesses stopped trading even though some kept their shops open.

On Sunday, protests were limited to two major mobile market in downtown Tehran, where the demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans.

Iran's rial on Sunday plunged to 1.42 million to the dollar. On Monday, it traded at 1.38 million rials to the dollar.

Reports about Farzin's possible resignation had been circulating over the past week. When he took office in 2022, the rial was trading at around 430,000 to the dollar.

The rapid depreciation is compounding inflationary pressure, pushing up prices of food and other daily necessities and further straining household budgets, a trend that could worsen by a gasoline price change introduced in recent days.

According to the state statistics center, inflation rate in December rose to 42.2% from the same period last year, and is 1.8% higher than in November. Foodstuff prices rose 72% and health and medical items were up 50% from December last year, according to the statistics center. Many critics see the rate a sign of an approaching hyperinflation.

Reports in official Iranian media that the government plans to increase taxes in the Iranian new year that begins March 21 have caused more concern.

Iran’s currency was trading at 32,000 rials to the dollar at the time of the 2015 nuclear accord that lifted international sanctions in exchange for tight controls on Iran’s nuclear program. That deal unraveled after U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from it in 2018. There is also uncertainty over the risk of renewed conflict following June’s 12-day war involving Iran and Israel. Many Iranians also fear the possibility of a broader confrontation that could draw in the United States, adding to market anxiety.

In September, the United Nations reimposed nuclear-related sanctions on Iran through what diplomats described as the “snapback” mechanism. Those measures once again froze Iranian assets abroad, halted arms transactions with Tehran and imposed penalties tied to Iran’s ballistic missile program.

Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)

Protesters march in downtown Tehran, Iran, Monday, Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP)

FILE — A currency exchange bureau worker counts U.S. dollars at Ferdowsi square, Tehran's go-to venue for foreign currency exchange, in downtown Tehran, Iran, April 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi, File)