The Miami Dolphins are likely to keep Mike McDaniel after this season is over, barring a complete collapse down the stretch. It's a move many fans don't want, but are starting to see it might be for the best.
This season has actually gone the way most fans expected. The team entered the 2025 offseason with holes on the roster, then created more with trades and releases. Without the money to spend in free agency, it was going to be hard to field a competitive team.
Somehow, after the 1-6 start and a slew of injuries, the Dolphins are within two games of a playoff spot. The chances remain anemic that they can pull off another "Miami Miracle-type" turnaround, but if they do, it's because of McDaniel.
The Dolphins may have no choice but to keep Mike McDaniel with the way the team is winning
Stephen Ross will have to decide the futures of his head coach and his general manager. Champ Kelly is the odds-on favorite to keep the job, but Ross needs to examine this situation more closely. He doesn't need to look too much into McDaniel's future.
With the head coach still under contract and the team still fighting, fans are realizing that McDaniel may not be the problem. His running game has become one of the best in the league, and he is finding ways to win by not relying on his quarterback, something he did all season long.
Yes, Tua Tagovailoa is a problem that McDaniel doesn't have an answer to. He has added an extra offensive lineman to keep his QB upright, is calling more rushing plays, and is making sure that the system isn't putting too much pressure on his QB to succeed.
The reality is, the Dolphins are winning games not because Tagovailoa is making plays, but because McDaniel is taking the game out of his hands.
If Miami continues to win, the Dolphins will have no choice but to keep McDaniel, and it will be a clear indication that the future of the quarterback is the bigger issue. McDaniel was able to win with Tagovailoa at quarterback in 2023, but injuries sapped him of his playing style and, maybe to an extent, his drive.