Once heralded as the NFL's next offensive mastermind, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is already seeing people call for his job two weeks into the 2025 season.
The quirky yet innovative coach quickly endeared himself to fans and the NFL when he came to Miami. McDaniel built up quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's confidence, helping the Alabama product develop into a capable passer that led the NFL in passing yards in 2023. He also brought both fresh ideas and personality to a team that had felt defeated under former coach Brian Flores's tough leadership.
The same tactics that brought McDaniel success initially in Miami seem to be playing a part in his downfall. McDaniel successfully helped Tagovailoa improve, but his quarterback's limitations have held the Dolphins back. His offense ranked No. 1 in the league just two years ago, but it appears the league has caught on to many of their tricks. And the more positive, bullish energy that McDaniel brought after Flores's departure allowed some players to get away with not living up to the team's standards.
Mike Silver of The Athletic detailed that, "While successfully changing the Dolphins’ culture and improving the workplace environment, McDaniel, league sources say, was at times overly lenient with star players such as wide receiver Tyreek Hill and cornerback Jalen Ramsey, forgiving poor practice efforts and other behavior perceived by teammates and assistant coaches as selfish."
Silver noted that McDaniel has made efforts to correct this, but the Dolphins are 0–2 and certainly haven't played like a disciplined team. McDaniel was frustrated with the team's communication after their latest loss, which doesn't ease any concerns.
In Week 1, the Colts absolutely dominated the game, taking a 33–8 victory as their offense did whatever they wanted to Miami's defense. The Dolphins played better and came closer to a win in Week 2, but moral victories will not amount for much. Both the offense ranks bottom-10 in the league in scoring and yards per game, and the defense is second-last in scoring.
McDaniel's hot seat is only growing warmer, and he might not have much time left to turn it around.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as New Report Highlights Key Issue With Dolphins' Culture Under Mike McDaniel.