Mike McDaniel and the Miami Dolphins have become one of the NFL’s most puzzling case studies in recent memory. Yes, they have been that erratic.
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After a 2024 campaign that saw them stumble to an 8-9 finish despite a star-studded roster and playoff expectations, the Dolphins have undergone a slew of dramatic offseason changes. Naturally, that raises questions about whether head coach McDaniel’s seat is warming up.
Among the proponents of this possibility is veteran analyst Colin Cowherd. During the latest episode of The Herd, he didn’t mince words while assessing the uncertain direction in the Magic City.
“There was a sense, okay, this is 49ers East,” Cowherd said. “They’re not physical. It’s a lot of sizzle. I don’t trust them out of Miami. I think Miami is a bit of a mess, and McDaniel is in a bit of trouble for an organisation that has moved off fairly capable coaches before.”
That “mess” refers to more than just a win-loss record. The Dolphins have traded away or moved on from several cornerstone veterans. That was evident from Terron Armstead’s retirement and Jalen Ramsey’s recent surprise trade. Let’s also not forget about the never-ending rumors about Tyreek Hill’s long-term future.
The franchise, once all-in on winning during Tua Tagovailoa’s rookie deal, now appears to be pivoting sharply toward a youth-centric reset. And this philosophical shift was noted by Albert Breer.
“This is subtly the turning of the page from: ‘We have Tua on a rookie contract and we’re going to build aggressively’, to now: ‘Tua’s on a big contract, we’re going to need more from him and around him we’re going to have to get a lot younger’,” Breer professed. “Tua is going to have to be better… And to me, that’s what this hinges on.”
Breer also noted that McDaniel’s job, once centred on maximizing Tagovailoa, is now tied to the quarterback justifying that investment. “It sort of flipped… Now Tua has to prove Mike was right to stick with him,” he said.
But as ESPN analyst Louis Riddick pointed out, the Dolphins’ problems run even deeper. “Right now it just sounds like there’s not enough of that homegrown, ‘I really do represent the Miami Dolphins’ type of culture down there,” he said.
Riddick blamed a string of externally acquired stars for lacking true buy-in. He called out how the team lost sight of its original 2019 rebuild plan, which was centred on sustainable, in-house talent development.
The Dolphins leaned heavily on high-priced veterans in recent seasons, but many — from Hill to Ramsey — arrived more as mercenaries than as long-term pillars. Even Armstead, praised for his leadership, was still an outsider in terms of development.
As Riddick noted, it’s harder to get external free agents to buy into a culture that they weren’t moulded in. “It’s hard sometimes to keep them locked in,” he stated.
That’s why McDaniels and the Dolphins’ 2025 offseason have taken a different turn, one that’s seen them shedding veterans and investing in young, coachable talents like Patrick Paul and Chop Robinson.
But with that shift comes new challenges, as the head coach and GM Chris Grier now carry the burden of proving this course correction can produce results. And that too, fast results.
While the Dolphins may be getting back to basics, the NFL doesn’t wait long for rebuilds to bear fruit. And in a make-or-break year for both the HC-QB duo, the stakes couldn’t be clearer: The vision has to work, or the leadership behind it might not be around to see it through.
