AP

With the Dolphins spending piles and piles of money this offseason and getting off to a lackluster 1-2 start, there are plenty of people wondering about the leadership of coach Joe Philbin.

But one former Dolphin’s not sure it’s his job to do what’s needed, or whether he’s able to.

According to Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald, former Dolphins cornerback Patrick Surtain said during a Q and A at a Touchdown Club event that players had to step up and take on the leadership role the way Zach Thomas and Jason Taylor did on the teams he played for.

At the same time, he said the current Dolphins team was a reflection of Philbin.

“They’re taking on the personality of the head coach right now,” Surtain said. “Something has to change. It has to come from a player in the locker room.”

Asked if Philbin was the right coach for the Dolphins, he replied: ““I don’t know if there is a message. What’s the message? He’s not that vocal guy like a Jim Harbaugh or a guy like that. . . .

“Jimmy [Johnson] had us on pins and needles. You had to perform or you were out the door.”

The Dolphins knew Philbin wasn’t that kind of coach when they hired him, and his sense of balance seemed the appropriate move after the bluster of Tony Sparano. Now that the Dolphins are underperforming, the pendulum is swinging the other way, and people want to see a guy yell and scream.

That’s unlikely with Philbin, who has kept a measured demeanor throughout his time there. But if losses pile up, opinions like Surtain’s won’t be unusual.