Dolphins' Mike McDaniel sends a clear message after benching Raheem Mostert

Mike McDaniel is considered to be a soft head coach. He doesn't yell at his players, and even when they are getting destroyed, he is often shown smiling with his guys on the sidelines. Apparently, enough became enough for the Miami Dolphins head coach.

The Dolphins lost three straight games prior to beating the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night. In two of them, defeats to the Indianapolis Colts and Buffalo Bills, veteran running back Raheem Mostert lost fumbles that contributed to the Dolphins' downfall.

On Monday Night Football, McDaniel may have sent a big message to the rest of the team when he sat Mostert for most of the night. He was outsnapped by De'Von Achane (37) and rookie Jaylen Wright (nine), with Mostert out there for just eight snaps. Surprisingly, he had no rushing attempts, while Achane had 12, and Wright ran the ball five times.

Dolphins may be making the inevitable transfer from Raheem Mostert to Jaylen Wright

Achane had become the starter long before Mostert started to put the ball on the ground, but the two runners would alternate throughout the game. On Monday, it was the Achane and Wright show, with the rookie finally getting more involved in the game.

Mostert, on the other hand, stood on the sidelines and watched. He did, however, get three targets and two catches, including what would be a game-defining late fourth-quarter first down.

READ MORE: Tua Tagovailoa has odd reaction to careless decision vs. Rams on MNF

The Dolphins were not able to generate much on the ground against the Rams, who stifled McDaniel's rushing game. It would be interesting to see how many snaps Mostert might have taken had the Dolphins' run game been working. Achane only ran the ball 12 times, and as a team, they only ran 22 plays, including attempts by Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, and Malik Washington.

After a career year in 2023, Mostert has looked nothing like that player. He missed time with injury earlier in the season and continues to see his usage dwindle. It isn't surprising, given the Dolphins' decision to draft a running back last April, but it does make you wonder if his lack of usage on Monday night was a matter of game plan or something else.

If it was something else, it's a good message to send to the rest of the team.

More Dolphins News and Analysis