The Mike McDaniel era with the Miami Dolphins will likely come to an end after the 2025 season, and for the first time, he is showing the stress this season is having on him.
McDaniel met with the media on Friday, shortly before the news broke that general manager Chris Grier and the Dolphins were parting ways. Rewatching the press conference after that news shows that McDaniel is not in a good place and may finally realize that his job as a head coach now has a numerical number of weeks attached to it.
Mike McDaniel can't hide the stress and frustration of another disappointing season.
Early in the press conference, McDaniel was asked about his exchanges with Stephen Ross and whether or not they had changed. McDaniel said only one word, "No!" Clearly frustrated with answering another volley of questions about his future, the growing stress inside the building is taking its toll on him.
The news of Grier has to be upsetting for McDaniel as well. He would have been aware of the decision before stepping in front of the reporters, but the Dolphins kept the news under wraps until it was over, sparing him the questions.
With Grier gone, McDaniel is finally seeing that his future with the Dolphins is now also tied to the results. He will stick around the rest of the year, either because he is the best chance to lose every game or simply the only option to hold the position.
When asked about the trade deadline as it relates to players, McDaniel again was flustered by the question.
"I'm the coach of the team, so I focus on coaching the players. "Mike McDaniel
The head coach acknowledged that, given the team's current status, there will be more discussions about it and that it is part of the game. The Dolphins are in a position to move several players, and that job will fall on Champ Kelly, who replaced Grier.