Some believe Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel's seat is already cranked up high. Some see it as lukewarm, but ESPN's Jeremy Fowler believes it is "moderately hot." So who is right?
Somewhere in the middle is possibly where the actual truth lies. Stephen Ross is growing frustrated with the way things are going. McDaniel openly admitted this after the loss to the Panthers in week 5. Ross's frustrations are enough to consider the seat hotter than it is.
Fowler does, however, see where the temp could rise in the coming weeks, and it might surprise Dolphins fans to learn who might be the one turning it up.
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross may not be the one who decides to fire Mike McDaniel
It's an odd twist that can't be overlooked. On the surface, Chris Grier would be the one to make the call, but his seat isn't exactly cold in the eyes of the media and fans. Ross is the key figure in all of this, but it isn't Grier, Tom Garfinkel, or even Dan Marino, who might be the decision-maker; it's his daughters.
"My understanding is that Ross has his "sons" (daughters) involved in this. So they could be a factor in all of this and the future of Miami in what they do. "Jeremy Fowler
Fowler states, "His sons," but he likely meant his daughters, as the Dolphins owner doesn't have any sons. Ross has named Jennifer Ross as the heir apparent. This occurred in 2022, following Bruce Beal's removal by both Ross and the NFL after the cheating investigation involving Tom Brady and Sean Payton.
If Ross is listening to his daughter in all this, it adds another interesting layer to the team's executive onion. It would be interesting to know how much input she is giving her father.
Fowler said that while he doesn't see McDaniel being fired anytime soon, he reiterated the same opinion as others. Ross genuinely likes McDaniel, but changes in attendance, the loss of the locker room, and, of course, continued losing could change his support in a heartbeat.