Prior to the start of the 2024 season, Mike McDaniel was asked if he was going to give up play-calling duties. He declined that he would. A year later, he has been asked again.
McDaniel's play-calling has been a point of contention with the fan base as well as the media. Against the Houston Texans, the play-calling was so bad that Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was heard on a live mic calling the play McDaniel had called, and he was correct.
The system McDaniel has installed in Miami is no longer working, so a new and fresh approach by someone else makes a lot of sense, just not a lot of sense to McDaniel.
McDaniel told the media that he still believes he is the best option to call plays.
"Yeah, I think I always consider it, just because that's something that I don't enter into for any other reason but I think the team is best served with me calling the plays," said McDaniel. "The second that changes, I'll change that. It's not a self-serving process and part of the evaluation process in general is am I doing this because I'm the best person to facilitate this within this offense and our players, and the second that changes, I'll change."
After the 2024 season, a bag of chips might be a better option.
This was the same answer McDaniel gave ahead of the 2024 season, and there were still issues with getting the play in on time and calling a play that made sense in certain game situations.
Play-calling will eventually cost Mike McDaniel his job as the Dolphins head coach
If McDaniel continues to call the plays, eventually, it will cost him his job. The Dolphins head coach has made the same mistakes the last three years, and nothing has changed or improved. How can anyone expect them to change in 2025?
Perhaps play-calling isn't the problem, but the plays themselves. Opposing teams have figured out how to take Tyreek Hill out of the game plan, and McDaniel has yet to find a solution. The closest he has come is to be more reliant on Jonnu Smith.
The news isn't what fans were hoping they would hear, and it doesn't give them a lot of hope heading into next season. Hopefully, McDaniel will find someone who might be better qualified to do that part of the job.