Mike McDaniel had a problem with the Miami Dolphins last year: they weren’t buying what he was selling. The 2025 offseason was all about changing the culture, again. But now, it feels like he might be even closer to losing the locker room than anyone expected.
Tyrel Dodson made an impact last season in a short period of time. The Dolphins saw enough of him to know they wanted him back this year. On Sunday, he was one of only three players to receiver a grade higher than 70.0 by Pro Football Focus.
On Thursday, Dodson spoke on the loss and his comments will make you wonder if the locker room is already on the verge of quitting.
Tyrel Dodson confirmed Dolphins fans' worst fears about Week 1 loss
NFL Network's Cameron Wolfe reported Thursday that he spoke with Dodson in the locker room and asked him what happened during Sunday's loss.
"“I went into the locker room today and talked with one of their linebackers, Tyrel Dodson, and he said, ‘We folded.’ He said, ‘We are surprised by this, but we folded at the moment, and we have to prove that’s not who we are.’”"Cameron Wolfe
To be objective, Dodson is referring to the fact that the team didn't look good, and when it was time to show up, they didn't. As fans, we have to look at this with the same objectivity, but that also means we have to look at the bigger picture as well.
Dodson didn’t come out and say, “Hey, we quit. We don’t buy into this anymore.” But he did raise a point fans and media have been circling: Why weren’t the players prepared for the Colts, and why did they fold at the first sign of adversity?
When you pair Dodson’s comments with Bradley Chubb admitting players were just doing their own thing on the field, it raises serious questions about coaching, and that includes both Mike McDaniel and Anthony Weaver.
This isn’t how the Dolphins wanted to open their season. NFL teams start slow all the time. Maybe Miami’s no different. But this wasn’t just about losing a game. This was about missing fundamentals, missing physicality, and above all, missing leadership.
The Dolphins have to turn it around this Sunday against the Patriots. Another loss could trigger a full-blown implosion that they may not be able to recover from.