The Miami Dolphins have drawn significant attention heading into the season — whether it’s because of Tyreek Hill, the team itself, or various off-field developments. Over the past couple of years, the culture surrounding the franchise has felt almost non-existent given the direction things have been heading.
“Except this isn’t a one-year issue with Miami. Set aside the iffy football decisions, like Grier’s inability to field a stable offensive line or properly manage high-profile salaries over the course of a nine-year tenure featuring exactly zero playoff victories. Just from a culture perspective, Miami has been the NFL equivalent of an accident — a controversy, a feud, a drama — waiting to happen,” CBS Sports’ Cody Benjamin wrote.
Amid all this, head coach Mike McDaniel has found himself on the hot seat — a position that feels somewhat undeserved, especially considering the roster isn’t as strong as it was just a season ago.
“All of those now put a tremendous amount of pressure on McDaniel, who is coming off his first under .500 season with the Dolphins, who were also on the outside looking in on the playoffs. We already listed McDaniel as a head coach with one of the hottest seats in the NFL entering 2025, and the road to save his job just got even more difficult,” CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan wrote.
The Dolphins are now 0-3 following their loss to the Buffalo Bills. However, that alone may not be the deciding factor in McDaniel’s job security.
“However, there’s a caveat. If fans suddenly stop showing up to the stadium or if players stop playing for him, that can alter the situation,” NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport said.
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It appears McDaniel’s job is safe — for now — as long as the players remain committed and the fans stay engaged. But if either of those pillars crumbles, his tenure could quickly come to an end. This will be something to monitor closely in the coming weeks.
Despite the loss, the Dolphins did show improvement against the Bills. Still, they seem to be a ways off from true contention. McDaniel remains a brilliant football mind — the talent around him just isn’t quite there.
