Dolphins coach Jeff Hafley says opposing teams are learning plays from training camp videos taken by fans

The element of surprise can be a huge factor in any NFL game. A team that comes out with a unique strategy or formation can often win the day simply by confusing its opponent in the moment.

Unfortunately for Miami Dolphins head coach Jeff Hafley, he learned the hard way how difficult it is these days to catch an opponent off-guard. Hafley revealed Thursday that the Philadelphia Eagles were able to defeat his former team — the Green Bay Packers — in Week 1 in 2024 because Philadelphia had video of some of Green Bay's most critical play calls.

How did the Eagles obtain those videos? Fans at training camp, of course.

Hafley said Kevin Patullo — the former Eagles offensive coordinator who joined the Dolphins in the offseason — told Hafley the Eagles learned about the exotic pressures they would face from the Packers in Week 1 last year thanks to training camp clips taken by fans.

The Packers lost that contest 34-29 in São Paulo, Brazil.

Hafley's comment brings up a sticky situation NFL teams need to navigate in an era where technology makes everything more accessible. Teams undoubtedly want to hold opportunities in which fans can attend the occasional training camp practice, but need to hold back certain plays and coverages during those events, potentially resulting in a less exciting on-field product.

His comments also illustrate why so many teams seem to be using joint practices — not preseason games — as ways to prepare for the NFL regular season. Teams are more free to use actual in-game strategy in joint practices, which aren't televised and often come against teams they won't play in the regular season. Teams actually use their starters during joint practices, as opposed to preseason games, which seemingly feature fewer reps by starters each year.

As Hafley concluded at the end of the clip, there's not a ton NFL teams can do about it. Allowing fans to attend training camp is a way for teams to make money and increase excitement for the upcoming season. The only thing an NFL team can do to prevent actual strategy leaking to opposition is to not run those plays when fans are present. It sounds like Hafley will adopt that strategy moving forward.