Ever since Mike McDaniel took over coaching duties for the Miami Dolphins in 2022, things have been hunky-dory. The team has gone 28-23 over three seasons with two playoff appearances… but no wins. All the while, McDaniel has been labeled as a laid-back coach who tries to come off as cool and relatable rather than the imposing presence some believe is needed for a team to succeed at a higher level.
Advertisement
At times, McDaniel’s approach has worked to a tee. In 2023, the Dolphins had the league’s top offense in total yards and finished 11-6. But recently, as the team has struggled, that relaxed style has come under heavy criticism. A big reason was a joint practice with the Detroit Lions.
Reports state that the Dolphins were embarrassed by the Lions. Some even went as far as to say it was “the most lopsided joint practice” they had ever seen. Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jared Goff connected with ease, while Tua Tagovailoa and Zach Wilson were sacked and threw interceptions.
To make matters even worse, Lions linebacker Grant Stuard talked smack ahead of the practice. Despite the motivation to make him eat his words, the Dolphins still came out flat and looked unprepared. “I don’t know if they practice how we practice,” Stuard told Sports Illustrated.
It is just a joint practice in the preseason, and won’t count toward any win-loss record. But the display said a lot about the current culture in Miami. That’s why former head coach Eric Mangini recently shared his take on the situation. He noted that McDaniel is most likely not thrilled with the practice and that his team has faced similar accusations in the past.
“Well, if I’m the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, that’s the last thing I want people saying about my practices and especially in a situation where they’ve been accused of being soft and they’ve been accused of not being able to sustain things as the season goes on,” Mangini said on The Herd with Colin Cowherd.
It’s truly the biggest hindrance holding back the Phins. In 2022, they started 8-3 but stumbled to finish 9-8. In 2023, Miami was 11-4 at one point, only to lose their final three games, including the Wild Card in Kansas City.
This inability to finish strong came to a head with their poor showing in the joint practice. Mangini believes the Dolphins owner noticed as well, and that his patience may be wearing thin.
“If you’re the owner of the Dolphins, you’re going- ‘Is this really what I want my organization to be known for?’ So, not a great day for Mike McDaniel if that’s what’s coming out of there,” Mangini stated.
“Steve Ross is an incredibly successful businessman, and I don’t think anyone is ever going to accuse him of being soft. So, I’m sure he doesn’t want his team to be represented that way,” the former head coach added.
Nobody ever wants to be accused of being “soft” in the world of sports. It means that you lack the toughness and physicality to compete with those around you. Especially in the NFL, it’s perhaps the worst label to be given.
That’s why the host of the show, Colin Cowherd, said that anything other than the report of being soft would’ve worked in McDaniel’s favor.
“I also think anytime there’s a report that you are what the previous criticism has been, that’s always bad news, right? He would have been better off with a report being, ‘Miami is physical and out of control, but literally got into fist fights with the Lions.’ That’d be better for Mike McDaniel. It’d be against hype,” Cowherd said.
A fight did break out at the end of practice between Jameson Williams and Ifeatu Melifonwu. No details were provided, but reporters joked that the Dolphins lost that, too.
All in all, it wasn’t a good day in the office for the Dolphins. Hopefully, it isn’t a sign of things to come. If it is, this could be McDaniel’s final season in charge of the team.
That would be a shame given that he was such a young, bright mind when he was hired. Now, it seems as though everything he was once propped up for has been disregarded, and the critiques are hitting hard and heavy.
