The Miami Dolphins don't play the L.A. Rams or the Cleveland Browns this year. They won't face Jared Verse or Myles Garrett. They will face Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers.
Parsons is one of the best linebackers in the NFL. He announced on Wednesday that he will start the year on the PUP list while he continues to rehab his torn ACL from last season. Parsons expects to be back in mid to late October.
The Packers' standout had a message for the newest arrival to the NFC. "The NFC is a whole lot different than the AFC." Dolphins fans may want to take note.
Micah Parsons on the Myles Garrett trade and the current state of the NFC vs. the AFC #Packers
— Cameron Ezeir (@EzeirCameron) June 3, 2026
"The AFC is cool there's a couple sharks... but the NFC is shark-infested." pic.twitter.com/wEyEm1eq4C
Micah Parsons' comments about the NFC are exactly why Miami Dolphins fans should have hope
There is a difference between the NFC and the AFC. They are subtle differences, but they do stand out, as Parsons so colorfully explained.
"The NFC is shark infested. It's different football. It's like playoff football every week."
This is what Jeff Hafley and Jon-Eric Sullivan hope to bring from the NFC North. When teams play tough opponents, they learn to play at that level.
The AFC has tough teams; the Ravens and Steelers stand out. The Bills and Chiefs want to be tough, but they often come off as more finesse, especially on offense.
In the NFC, there is no denying the level of physicality in the NFC North, West, and East. Even the South Division has been known for being tough.
Miami fans would love to see the Dolphins be that kind of team. It's what Sullivan and Hafley have preached since they got here. Looking at their draft class, it appears that is the direction they are taking.
If the Dolphins want to be a team that dictates the violence, they have to get in the right mindset.
Sullivan's entire NFL career as a coordinator was with the Packers until this offseason. He knows only one way to operate, and one type of player to look for, guys that will be physically disruptive
Dolphins fans should be thrilled with what Parsons said. He knows what it's like to play in the NFC, and if they do have an "every week is a playoff game" mentality, then that is exactly what Hafley and Sullivan need to bring to Miami.