MIAMI — Terron Armstead, left tackle of the Miami Dolphins, is retiring from the NFL after a dozen NFL seasons, including five that ended at the Pro Bowl.
It’s tough to argue that a player who made the Pro Bowl in two of his three seasons in Miami was under-appreciated, but argue I will.
Too often the mention of his name drew a knee-jerk reaction from a segment of fans whining about how Armstead was frequently injured, as if the wounds were self-inflicted. While there’s no way to measure how widespread that feeling was, there can be no mistaking how misguided it was.
Armstead, 33, started all but two games for Miami last season despite barely stepping foot on the practice field. Think about that. Barely ever practicing. Not because he didn’t want to — he absolutely did — but because trainers and coaches wouldn’t let him. He was already playing at a high level. Whatever refining that may have been needed in his game had to take a back seat to letting his body heal for six days.
It was deep into Armstead’s first season in Miami that it became clear the type of player the Dolphins had signed. They were preparing for a wild-card trip to Buffalo while uncertain if Armstead could go because he’d been dealing with four injuries, any one of which may have disqualified most players.
“I want nothing more than to be out there with my guys in Buffalo on Sunday,” Armstead said. “It is not anything I wouldn’t check off to do that. So if I’m able to be functional — for me, it’s not a pain thing, I can deal with any type of pain — it’s the function of the muscle and things around it. If it’ll hold up and I can go, I’m going.”
Predictably, No. 72 played that day.
Terron Armstead's leadership will be missed
To not pause right there and address the bigger picture of the man the Dolphins are losing would be an injustice.
If you follow the Dolphins, you’ve heard how Armstead was the leader, the glue, of Miami’s offensive line. How he mentored second-round draft pick Patrick Paul, all the while knowing Paul was hired to replace him. You may also recall Armstead could be found giving tips to first-round pick and edge rusher Chop Robinson, all ...
