A Coquitlam football player has successfully defended his team all the way to the playoffs.
Jevon Holland set new personal bests in just his second season with the NFL's Miami Dolphins, who survived a final week scare last Sunday (Jan. 8) to reach the postseason for the first time since 2016.
The 22-year-old safety, a back-field defensive position, recorded the fourth-most tackles on his aqua squad with 96 in the 2022-23 campaign.
That's 39 per cent more — and the complete reciprocal — than the 69 he posted in his rookie year, which included 77 solo tackles and 16 assisted takedowns.
"Snowman," as he's called, started in all 17 games, and added two more interceptions to his name, matching his first year stat to get to four all time, including one in the very first week against the New England Patriots.
Holland's performance all season long helped Miami hang on to a 9-8 final record, despite losing five of their last six games.
The Dolphins' 11-6 win over the New York Jets, and the Buffalo Bills' 35-23 victory over New England, ultimately punched their ticket to the playoffs.
Holland recorded a team-high five solo tackles in that all-important contest, which clinched the seventh seed and the final American Football Conference (AFC) wild card spot.
He's also been a big social media presence for Miami, from strolling into stadiums with stylish outfits to getting his teammates to try and pronounce his hometown's name.
But all of that means nothing now to the former 36th overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft out of the University of Oregon.
The NFL playoffs are one and done, and Holland's Dolphins are set to face a familiar opponent — the Buffalo Bills — going 1-1 this year against the AFC East divisional rival.
Holland even recorded his first career forced fumble and added 1.5 sacks against Josh Allen, considered to be one of the top quarterbacks and MVP favourites.
However, that was a home game that saw Miami win a close-knit contest by a score of 21-19.
Sunday's (Jan. 15) playoff tilt will be played at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., where the Bills edged the Dolphins by a field goal, 32-29, on Dec. 17.
Miami has not made it past the wild-card round since 2000, nor the AFC conference championship game since 1992.
Holland will look to erase history when the Dolphins and Bills kick off at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Sunday.
If Miami wins, they'll meet the number one-seeded Kansas City Chiefs in the second round the following weekend, Jan. 21-22.
About Holland
Holland is the son of former CFLer Robert Holland, who played seven seasons with Edmonton, Saskatchewan and the BC Lions, where he continued to do some coaching after he retired in 1997.
Jevon spent eight years in Coquitlam. He also played soccer with North Coquitlam United.
His family moved to Oakland where Jevon became a star at Bishop O'Dowd High School, rising to the 13th ranked safety in America in his senior year.
He joined Oregon in 2017, amassing 72 solo tackles, nine interceptions and 19 pass deflections in his two seasons.
- with a file from Mario Bartel, Tri-City News
