When a head coach gets fired at the NFL level, it's usually widely applauded by the fanbase. It makes sense, as coaches are never let go for winning too many games or making the postseason. In any case, former Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel represents something of a unique situation. Despite the underachieving nature of his final two seasons at the helm, a sizable portion of the fanbase wanted to see him survive the Tua Tagovailoa debacle.
For a time, it seemed as though McDaniel would emerge from the carnage. Ultimately, owner Stephen Ross relented on his initial stance and fired the coach on Thursday, January 8, an unusually long four days after the season-ending loss to the New England Patriots. Shortly after, in an appearance on the Glory Daze podcast with Johnny Manziel, former Dolphins tight end Darren Waller revealed to the world how he was in the midst of his exit meeting with McDaniel when Ross interrupted and ultimately fired the coach.
Waller has gotten plenty of mileage out of this instance of being in the right (or wrong?) place at the right time to be able to tell this story. On a recent appearance on the All The Smoke podcast, Waller added a new wrinkle to the saga that answers some lingering questions fans had about the future that would have been under Mike McDaniel.
"[McDaniel was] talking about how he's going to give the keys [to the offense] to Quinn [Ewers]," Waller said, before adding "[The Dolphins are going to] bring people in to compete with [Ewers] and all these plans [McDaniel] had, maybe some coaching staff changes [as well]."
Miami Dolphins fans don't have to wonder what the alternate reality where Mike McDaniel was retained would've looked like
Waller's revelation answers some of the primary questions left unanswered after McDaniel's ouster.
For one, despite the rampant speculation concerning whether Miami would trot Tagovailoa back out on the field in 2026 in lieu of paying him $54 million to play for someone else, it's now evident that McDaniel — like the Dolphins fanbase — had seen enough. For fans who suffered through the 2025 campaign, it was painfully evident that Tagovailoa's best days were behind him.
From waning athleticism and arm strength that he never possessed in droves, to the unforgivable jovial attitude he displayed in the loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers — a result that eliminated Miami from the playoffs in mid-December — there's no love lost between Tagovailoa and the Dolphins' fanbase. McDaniel likely knew that the relationship would be damaged beyond repair if he benched Tagovailoa, and he went ahead and did it anyway.
Perhaps the more telling tidbit is the belief McDaniel seemed to have in Quinn Ewers. There's a very real scenario where the Dolphins would've run it back with Ewers in 2026, an entirely unrecognizable future after what's taken place over the last four months. Whether the Dolphins would've been better off is highly debatable.
It remains to be seen if opting for Malik Willis over Quinn Ewers will help or hurt the Dolphins in the long run
On one hand, Ewers went 1–2 in his three starts, throwing for 622 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions. His 85.5 passer rating did little to inspire "franchise QB" confidence. On the other hand, Malik Willis went 0–1 in his one start, though for the season he totaled 422 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions — registering an otherworldly 145.5 passer rating. The obvious caveat is that he accomplished it on an even smaller sample size than Ewers.
Some fans may bristle at the idea of Ewers starting for the season, while others would've rooted for the development under the premise that he would serve as the "tank commander" to the No. 1 overall pick in 2027. In any case, the Dolphins opted against going down that path.
The overwhelming hope should be that Malik Willis shows the tools to be the franchise's leader for the next decade. While that would be the best outcome, the next best would be that the Dolphins are in a position to draft their quarterback of the future come 2027, when the class is expected to be historic.
The absolute worst scenario would be Miami finishing with another middling six, seven, or eight-win record, absent convincing play from Malik Willis. That would place the team squarely back in no man's land at the QB position again, real estate they've occupied for just about a quarter century.
Ultimately, fans just want to have belief in the franchise's direction. They'll be left with no choice but to bide their time until the Dolphins hit the field in games that count come September. Whatever happens — here's to hoping it's for the best.
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