After Miami Dolphins running back Daniel Thomas endured a scolding by his coach, Joe Philbin, on last week's episode of "Hard Knocks," he admitted the televised dressing down put him on high alert.
Thomas told The Miami Herald the incident "was embarrassing because I never got in trouble before. Everybody saw it. People started texting me. I told my mom, 'If you see me on 'Hard Knocks,' don't be surprised.' You don't want to give them a reason to get rid of you."
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Thomas was late for a team flight and a subsequent weightlifting session, prompting Philbin to summon the second-year player to his office, a sparse room bathing in HBO surveillance equipment.
"I'm getting queasy about you," Philbin told Thomas. "You have to take responsibility for your own career. I don't want to have to talk to you again."
Thomas told the newspaper he was delayed for the flight because road construction forced him down an alternate route and he got lost (normal people problems).
After "Hard Knocks" aired, Thomas arrived an hour early to Friday's practice and Philbin appears to have put the matter behind him.
"Some guys need a reminder," Philbin said. "You owe it to them to sit with them face to face and tell them instead of (saying), 'Thomas was late, that no-good son-of-a-gun,' and whining to his position coach. You should address it with the player and see if it changes. Hopefully, it will."
Especially with the entire nation -- camped out on couches -- holding Thomas to it.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
