During Sunday’s practice, Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill kicked running back Kalen Ballage out of his huddle and criticized the rookie after he missed a block on a would-be sack.

After Monday’s practice, Tannehill told reporters why he kicked Ballage out of the huddle.

“You don’t want to be an iron fist all the time, at least I don’t,” Tannehill said. “I like to pick my spots like you said and have a reason for everything that I do. I believe in Kalen. I know the talent that he has. He has every tool that we need him to have – he’s big, he’s strong, he’s fast, he catches the ball well, he can pass protect. I told Kalen after the fact, I just want him to have more urgency. We want him to help us, I know he can help us; but we have to know what we’re doing when we’re on the field, especially in pass protection. I think he’s picked it up. I think he’s doing a good job of pressing forward and he’s going to help us this year.”

Ballage missed a block on defensive end Charles Harris on a passing play as he opted to run a route instead of looking to see if Harris was rushing Tannehill. If that had happened in a game, Tannehill, who had missed the last 20 months due to a couple of ACL injuries, would have been blown up in the backfield.

Tannehill, who is usually even keel, surprised many with his fiery tirade. Earlier in the week, both Dolphins head coach Adam Gase and offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains said Tannehill did the right thing by kicking Ballage out of the huddle.

“Ownership. We keep telling these guys, Coach Gase can only tell them so many times,” Loggains said. “Eventually it’s their responsibility to control this stuff. We can only say it so many times. It means more if all of a sudden you bust a protection and the quarterback throws you out. There’s no one you want to disappoint (less) than your teammates and when you walk in the huddle and walk in the locker room, those guys have to trust you. So the level of accountability, that’s where Ryan took a step.”

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