DAVIE, Fla. — In Buffalo, Terrell Owens was met at the airport by cheerleaders upon arriving this week, did a few VH-1 shoots around town and even received a mayoral key to the city.

In Oakland, Jeff Garcia went on a media rampage upon signing, saying he’ll try to replace JaMarcus Russell as starting quarterback because the decision isn’t “about ego or protecting investment dollars.”
In city after city, from Washington holding a mega-news conference for Albert Haynesworth to the Jets doing the same for Bart Scott, the philosophies are different than the quiet one that played out inside the Dolphins complex Tuesday as Employee No. 99 made his first semi-public appearance.
“Switch,” a coach yelled.
Jason Taylor pulled down his helmet and jogged on the artificial turf with the second-team defense, just as expected. That was the full fanfare. And he lined up on the left side at outside linebacker, not on the right side where he was a six-time Dolphins Pro Bowl player.
Again: He’s fine with that. He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t.
“This is home,” he said. “It’s where my heart is.”
But in many ways, this isn’t so much a return home after a wayward year for Taylor as a return all the way to 1997 when he was a little-known, third-round pick from Akron.
“I’ve got to work,” he said.
Work, hunger, drive, ambition — that isn’t the concern in bringing back Taylor, not if you watched him play for a decade. In fact, there are many ingredients to suggest this will work out just fine.
You’ve got a guy happy to return home. You’ve got him humbled and hungry after the worst season of his career (29 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two surgeries). You’ll even have him playing in a downsized role, mostly as a pass-rusher, that will play to his strengths.
“We like to get guys that have a little something to prove, a little chip on their shoulder,” coach Tony Sparano said.
Plus, as a mentor, these coaches might be surprised. Quentin Moses said he learned more in his half season watching and working with Taylor than the rest of his football days combined.
But here’s what gives the Dolphins pause, what makes Sparano use tell-tale phrases of Taylor being “thrown in the mix” and “having him compete”: He’s 35 next kickoff.
For as fun a story this could be, the concern is how players age quickly in the NFL. Taylor is fighting documented history, and not just Dolphins history, as two years ago, he and parallel talent Joey Porter struggled to find roles that worked for each.
Look at football history as well. How many sack specialists have big years after turning 35? Take New York Giant Michael Strahan, at 35, had an injury-riddled three sacks. In his final year, at 36, Strahan had what was deemed a great season with nine sacks in helping the Giants to a Super Bowl title.
Lawrence Taylor, who defined Bill Parcells’ Giants Super Bowl teams? Done at 34, when he had six sacks. Andre Tippett, who was the pass rusher for Parcells in his first year coaching New England? Done at 33, when he had 8.5 sacks.
So the real question the Dolphins need to answer next season is whether Taylor’s today is better than, say, Cameron Wake’s tomorrow. Wake is the two-time Canadian Football League defensive Player of the Year. He had 39 sacks over the last two years. He was working behind Taylor on the third Dolphins unit.
No one knows how Wake’s play in Canada translates into this season with the Dolphins. Just as no one knows how Taylor will play at 35. The only certainty is he missed South Florida after a year in Washington.
“It feels like five years, to be honest,” he said.
He was asked when he decided he wanted to return.
“I don’t want to slight the Redskins in any way,” Taylor said. “There were a few guys I was close to on the team up there that knew where I was throughout the whole process from the minute I got on the plane to go to D.C. last year. I’ll leave it at that.”
After Tuesday’s practice, Taylor had one role back: He was the back-up long snapper on punts.
“I did that for nine years here,” he said.
He laughed. “I’ve got to work on it.”
At a time other teams throw parties for newcomers, the Dolphins simply send Taylor out to work with the second team. That’s the philosophy in place now. And it’s a good one.
If noise is to be made, it’ll be on the field where Taylor has made plenty in years past.