Achane earned the extension with a Pro Bowl season in 2025 and arguably the best of his three NFL seasons, totaling 1,838 yards from scrimmage and 12 TDs — quite the feat for a Dolphins offense that had the seventh fewest yards gained last season. In three seasons, Achane has averaged nearly 100 scrimmage yards per game and has 35 touchdowns in 44 career games as one of the best dual-threat backs in the game.
Achane’s new deal puts him third among all NFL quarterbacks at $16 million per season. He admitted, however, that he wasn’t sure that would happen with the new administration, given that they didn’t know each other.
“You get a new everything,” Achane said. “Since I first got here, (there) weren’t any of these people here. So, it’s like, I don’t know what to expect. I just came off a Pro Bowl year, but I didn’t do it with these people here.”
Now Achane is more familiar with Hafley, Sullivan and all the new Dolphins faces on a roster full of them, and admits he’s still learning names with some of them. Achane is also adjusting to a defensive-minded coach in Hafley versus playing for offensive line coach Mike McDaniel his first three seasons.
“There is definitely a transition,” Achane said. “It’s different but at the same time we’ll all get used to it. We’re all grown men. We can adapt to different situations.
“Mike was always with us; he was always with the offense. Haf, he’s a defensive coach, so that’s the way he is. Right now, during OTAs, he’s going to be on offense a little bit, but probably during the season, you won’t see him with the offense as much as Mike was. It’s a little different that way.”
And with so many star players gone, like Tua Tagovailoa, Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Achane figures to be part of a new leadership group on offense that includes offensive linemen Aaron Brewer and Austin Jackson in addition to Willis. Achane said he hasn’t had much time to bond with Willis, but he likes what he’s seen from Miami’s new starting lineup.
“Just talking in the locker room, on the field, he seems like a good guy,” Achane said. “He’s somebody that’s going to be good to hang out with, talk football, things like that. You can tell he’s coming. He’s learning the plays really fast.”