This may not be the optimal time to be bringing up Mike McDaniel, as the former Miami Dolphins head coach finds himself under the gun amid a 0–6 start out west with the Los Angeles Chargers. That's a story for a different day. McDaniel was let go for myriad reasons, one of which was the team's supposed lack of discipline.
This showed itself in several ways, but the easiest one to quantify is penalties. From 2022–2025 (McDaniel's tenure), the Dolphins were penalized 423 times, tied for 10th-most in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints. That's roughly six penalties a game and 106 per season. For what it's worth, the nine teams ahead of Miami have been mostly bottom-feeders:
1. Tennessee Titans (483)
2. Dallas Cowboys (480)
3. New York Jets (462)
T-4. Cleveland Browns & Denver Broncos (444)
6. Houston Texans (439)
7. Seattle Seahawks (436)
8. New York Giants (435)
9. Arizona Cardinals (426)
Jeff Hafley's off to a rough start trying to fix the Miami Dolphins' penalty issue
It cannot be stated enough that five games is a tiny sample. This isn't an indictment of Hafley as much as it is taking note of a troubling trend that fans should track as the season goes on. Besides, the franchise has not been shy in telling us the season shouldn't be judged by wins and losses.
Miami has 39 penalties so far this season. At 7.8 penalties per game, they're tied with the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders for the 13th-most in the league. While it's not exactly horrible or unexpected, it still flies in the face of the militaristic persona Hafley exudes.
For reference, the Dolphins' last heavy-handed head coach, Brian Flores, ran a ridiculously tight ship. From 2019–2021 (Flores' tenure), Miami was the league's seventh-least-penalized team. That obviously includes the stripped-to-the-bone 2019 team that many have compared to Hafley's inaugural unit this season.
The entire league seems to be having a hard time playing to the rules this season. Ask a fan of any NFL franchise, and they'll tell you their team is the most undisciplined. Statistically speaking, over the first four weeks of the season, NFL referees have flagged teams the fifth-most times in history. The total is actually down from 2025.
Still, there is a jump in the "takes no talent" penalties, like false starts, delay of game, illegal shift, and illegal formation. The Dolphins will likely have a hard time beating anyone this season. Still, the idea of a winless campaign seems unthinkable. This team has too many promising youngsters not to catch a team napping this season.
One thing that might help in that effort? Cutting down on the penalties. It's hard enough to beat rosters with team salaries that almost double Miami's. The Dolphins made their bed by taking their salary cap punishment this year. That doesn't mean they can't be expected to execute the basics of football.
Jeff Hafley can prove something came of the bye week by reversing this troubling trend against the New York Jets on Sunday.
Add us as a preferred source on Google