No one is really worried about whether or not the Miami Dolphins will win or lose over their final games of the 2025 season; the question has always been Mike McDaniel's future with the team.
No other coach in the NFL started the 2025 season in a hotter seat than Miami's head coach. Every fan and every member of the media saw his future ending sometime before or during the team's bye week. The only voice that mattered was the one that wasn't expressing it. Stephen Ross.
Now, it appears that regardless of how the season ends, McDaniel will be returning to the Dolphins in 2026.
From @NFLGameDay: #Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel is likely to be back in 2026, though Tua Tagovailoa is not. Where does it stand for Miami? pic.twitter.com/H7dxWxc6gQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 21, 2025
Mike McDaniel set to return for another season with Miami Dolphins despite missing the playoffs for the second year in a row
It has been reported that McDaniel isn't being held responsible for this season, given the talent he was handed during the offseason from former general manager Chris Grier. To some degree, that is true. He wasn't given a great roster to start the season.
Now that the Dolphins appear to be moving on from Tagovailoa, McDaniel will get a chance to show that his problems were, in fact, his quarterback's inconsistent play. There is no denying that situation, but whether or not Miami can find a way to move on from the QB is a big question.
The report that McDaniel is safe isn't surprising. The Dolphins rebounded after Grier left the team. The hole they started in was too much to overcome. In Week 15, the Dolphins' game in Pittsburgh was horribly disappointing, and many saw it as a game that could turn Ross off the McDaniel bandwagon.
Instead, the narrative immediately turned to Tagovailoa. The day after they were eliminated, Quinn Ewers was announced as the starter, putting doubt and speculation on Tagovailoa's exit in the crosshairs.
The week that followed has been all about how the Dolphins will move on from their quarterback, but the questions now should be what will Miami do at quarterback next year that will eliminate any more excuses that could save McDaniel's job for another year, if they fail.