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Jeff Hafley is not interested in making practice look pretty. As the Miami Dolphins prepare for a joint session with the New York Giants, the first-year head coach is sticking with the same philosophy he has pushed throughout training camp. That means more bodies, more contact, and fewer drills built solely for passing-game highlights. The message is simple. Hafley wants the Dolphins to learn how to play football, and not how to win practice clips, in August. 20, 2026, that approach will show up again when the Dolphins and Giants share the field. Jeff Hafley And The Miami Dolphins Choose Real Football Hafley has eliminated 7-on-7 work from the Dolphins’ joint practice with the Giants, continuing a training-camp philosophy that has already separated Miami from many NFL teams. Instead of isolating quarterbacks, receivers, and defensive backs, Hafley wants the entire operation involved. “We want to play real football.” Jeff Hafley. Staunchly anti-7-on-7 passing drills. Even in joint practices. Prefers “real football” to get his #Dolphins team ready. https://t.co/IMN3JvwiX5 — Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 20, 2026 That decision is hardly random. Hafley has always emphasized the formation of habits during 7-on-7 that might not carry over to games. As there is no rush, the quarterback will not feel any kind of pressure. Similarly, the defensive backs lose out on their timing that comes naturally to them when there is a rush involved and the play is complete. This was pointed out earlier on July 30, 2026, when the South Florida Sun Sentinel cited an interview with Hafley, where he had mentioned that he did not like 7-on-7. Hafley preferred 11-on-11 even when the Dolphins were not donning their protective gear. This is because football is a game that has all 11 players on the pitch. That philosophy has also found support inside the locker room. Running back De’Von Achane has praised the emphasis on 11-on-11 because it allows Miami to run the football and gives the offensive line a genuine role. Center Aaron Brewer has similarly viewed the format as closer to the real thing. There is another layer to Hafley’s approach, too. He wants the Dolphins to compete without turning every joint practice into a scheme-heavy battle. His goal is to test individual technique, fundamentals, and toughness against another roster rather than spend the afternoon trying to outsmart the Giants. That should make Thursday especially interesting. The Dolphins are coming off a 20-7 preseason loss to the Washington Commanders, while Hafley is still shaping a new identity after the franchise moved on from Mike McDaniel. The Giants’ practice offers another test; however, Hafley appears less interested in the scoreboard than in discovering what his players can handle. For the Dolphins, that means the hard way is becoming the normal way, and Hafley clearly believes that is exactly how his team needs to prepare. Related reading: Jacksonville Jaguars: Offensive Line Gets Massive Boost Ahead of Week 1 ‘We Tore Them Up’ — Chargers WR Brenen Thompson Sounds Off After Dominant Joint Practice vs. 49ers Tua Tagovailoa Leans on Nick Saban’s Advice After Painful Dolphins Exit Lands Him With Falcons