Uncategorized

Was Firing Coach Mike McDaniel The Logical Move For Dolphins?

After four seasons and two playoff appearances, the Miami Dolphins will be moving on from head coach Mike McDaniel.

The decision was announced on January 8. The Dolphins finished 7-10 in the 2025 season and ranked bottom 10 in both offense and defense.

The Dolphins hired McDaniel after a 9-8 season that failed to produce a playoff appearance. They didn’t want to change coaches after acquiring wide receiver Tyreek Hill, offensive tackle Terran Armstrong and linebacker Bradley Chubb. The Dolphins finished with the exact same record in 2022, but this time it was good enough to make the playoffs. In their first playoff appearance since 2016, they lost to the Bills in the wild-card game.

The 2023 season saw the Dolphins improve to 11-6. The biggest move they made was to get cornerback Jalen Ramsey. However, improvements from Tua Tagovailoa and Raheem Mostert helped drive the Dolphins’ turnaround. They would lose to the Chiefs in the wild-card game. The game was notable for the minus-4-degree temperature at kickoff.   

Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter!

A week of sports news in your in-box.
We find the sports news you need to know, so you don't have to.

The Dolphins missed the playoffs the next two seasons. Hill saw a massive decline in 2024. His yard total went from 1,799 to 959. Tagovailoa missed six games, and his backup, Tyler Huntley, didn’t play well, with just three touchdowns and three interceptions in five games.

In late September 2025, Hill tore his ACL, which ended his season. However, the real reason for their struggle was a decline in their defense. They went from 10th in 2024 to 24th in 2025, according to Pro Football Reference. 

McDaniel’s tenure in Miami is difficult to assess. He had some early success, followed by the roster collapsing.

Matthew Mendives

Recent Posts

Extra Year Of Eligibility Denied For Some In New Court Ruling

The NCAA won in court on Friday, reversing a federal judge's earlier order that would…

1 day ago

Argentine Players Banned For Role In World Cup Brawl After Finals Loss

FIFA handed three Argentina players bans on Friday for the post-match brawl in the World…

1 day ago

Marshall Manning, Peyton Manning’s Son, Debuts As High School Team’s QB

Peyton Manning's son, Marshall Manning, is the quarterback at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and…

1 day ago

Difficult Outing For Fernando Mendoza Lowlighted By 80-Yard Interception

Though only in the preseason, Fernando Mendoza's start in a Las Vegas Raiders jersey hasn't…

1 day ago

Travis Kelce Setting Example As Veteran In Chiefs Training Camp

As the Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up training camp on August 20, the team's longest-tenured…

1 day ago

Peyton Watson Traded To Cavaliers In Multi-Team Blockbuster

The Cleveland Cavaliers have acquired forward Peyton Watson in a multi-team trade finalized in August…

4 days ago