New England Patriots fans still may be disappointed about losing Kyle Van Noy in free agency. And hearing that it was an easy decision to head to the Miami Dolphins probably won’t help.
But according to Van Noy, that’s exactly what the situation was.
The ex-Patriot linebacker agreed to a four-year, $51 million contract with the Dolphins on March 16. He shed some light on his decision on Jason and Devin McCourty’s “Double Coverage” Podcast on Sunday.
“There was obviously a lot of unknowns (heading into free agency) but I was confident in my play,” Van Noy said. “And then it was Miami all the way. I mean, they came out strong out of the gates. They made it clear they wanted me as a priority, that they wanted me to come in and be a leader.
“And really just came strong and everybody else kind of backed off or didn’t even come in at all. So, that made my decision pretty clear.”
Van Noy, who spent three-and-a-half seasons in New England, made it clear he wanted to be a priority for a team heading into free agency.
Now, Van Noy is looking forward to more than just making plays on the field as he’s excited to step into a new leadership role. With seven NFL seasons under his belt, the 29-year-old is confident he’ll bring additional value to to his new team.
“I’ve been blessed to be around a lot of leaders on and off the field,” Van Noy said. “And I’m excited to go down to a group of young men that are going to be younger than me that hopefully I can lead them in the right direction on and off the field. Just try to be the best professional they can be.”
Of course, reuniting with Dolphins head coach Brian Flores was a big appeal, too. Flores worked with Van Noy for three years as the Patriots linebackers coach (and ultimately the defensive play caller) before taking over the position in Miami.
Now, the two will get the opportunity to work together again.
