MIAMI GARDENS — Pop-A-Shot is the biggest attraction in the Miami Dolphins’ locker room.

The arcade-style basketball game, which features mini-basketballs being shot through mini-baskets the way you’d see in a bar or restaurant, is, above all else, a bonding experience, according to players.

Yes, Pop-A-Shot often attracts attention, and it occasionally becomes a lively event, but the Dolphins refuse to view the game as anything other than a positive.

“I think it’s great camaraderie when guys are hanging out after meetings, after everything else, staying together,’ said defensive tackle Zach Sieler, a team captain. “I think it’s a good thing.”

The 2025 Dolphins stand in contrast to the 2022 Dolphins, who twice  removed the pingpong table from their locker room, the first time after suffering back-to-back early-season losses, and the second time after a late-season five-game losing streak. The 2022 Dolphins thought pingpong became a distraction.

The 2025 Dolphins also stand in contrast to the 2025 Baltimore Ravens (1-5), the Dolphins’ opponent next Thursday who are riding a four-game losing streak. Earlier this week, the Ravens removed a pingpong table and other games from their locker room.

But the 2025 Dolphins (1-6), who are riding a three-game losing streak, aren’t blaming arcade games for their poor start.

“We’ve got to fix those mistakes,” running back De’Von Achane said in reference to the Dolphins’ four turnovers and 103 penalty yards in last week’s 31-6 loss at Cleveland.

“We can’t have turnovers, self-inflected wounds and stuff like that. No matter who we play, we can’t win football games like that.”

The focus on fixing self-inflicted damage reinforces the idea that the Dolphins aren’t blaming the pop-a-shot game for their poor record.

“It’s not like everybody in the locker room is doing it all day,” center and team captain Aaron Brewer said.

Of course, it should be pointed out that the 2022 Dolphins, who finished the regular season 9-8 before losing at Buffalo in the wild-card playoff game, were 3-7 with the pingpong table and 6-2 without it.

But whatever.

The point is that these moribund Dolphins seem rooted in a reality as they enter Sunday’s game at Atlanta. They understand change must start with their attention to detail, not superstitions or basketball scapegoats.

“At the end of the day, we’ve all got to execute,” wide receiver Jaylen Waddle said.

Back in 2022, the Dolphins went back and forth with two pingpong tables.

The first time the pingpong table was removed in 2022 was after back-to-back losses dropped them to 3-2, taking much of the excitement from their 3-0 start.

The Dolphins lost their next game, but then went on a five-game winning streak. After going 5-1 without the pingpong table, they decided a new pingpong table could return.

They went 0-5 before the table left again. 

Then they won against Dallas in the finale to secure a playoff berth before losing at Buffalo in the wild-card playoff game, going 1-1 in the pingpong table’s final iteration.

By the way, the Dolphins’ love of Pop-A-Shot isn’t nearly as much as their love of pingpong. In 2022, there was a teamwide pingpong tournament with standings posted on a wall. Kicker Jason Sanders considered himself the favorite when the tournament abruptly ended.

“I was definitely going to make it to the semis or finals,” he said at the time. “There’s only two guys in this locker room that give a good game, and that’s Gink (linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel) and Raheem (running back Raheem Mostert).”

There’s been nothing approaching that type of fervor or zeal with Pop-A-Shot. 

And for what it’s worth, the Dolphins seem focused and serious this week. And everyone, especially coaches, seemed a bit more normal and relaxed, as opposed to last week when everyone seemed tense and edgy. Safety Ashtyn Davis said he didn’t notice a big change in coach Mike McDaniel this week.

“I think there’s always been a sense of urgency, but I think the message has always been the same,” Davis said. “Obviously, we didn’t play well enough to win a football game on Sunday, and we’ve got to clean some things up, especially the penalties on defense. I think that’s what we’re focused on.”